Essay --

Kailey Knowles Period 2 December 10, 2013 Oedipus Cycle Analysis Creon as a Tragic Hero As once said by Aristotle, "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall". A tragic hero is often seen as someone with great stature who is noble yet imperfect, and experiences suffering due a moral flaw. In Sophocles’ Ancient Greek play The Oedipus Cycle, Creon represents the true tragic hero when his flawed actions and excessive pride create the path towards his demise. Creon’s declination begins in Oedipus at Colonus when his infatuation with power and control begins to arise, in turn bringing forth a rigid side to his character. The battle over the kingship of Thebes is a pivotal point in Creon’s development. He goes to drastic measures when threatening the lives of Oedipus’ daughters in order to bring him back to Thebes, and in conversation with Oedipus, Creon says, â€Å"Your daughters: one of them I have just now / Had seized and carried off; now I’ll take this one† (129). His forceful and domineering actions towards his brother-in-law begin to peel back the layers of his intentions. In Oedipus Rex, Creon did not want the throne, nor did he enjoy attention, but he now finds pleasure in being the head figure of leadership. The first signs of Creon’s craving for personal pleasures are unravelled as he begins to act under the influence of his Id, â€Å"a demand to take care of needs immediately† (Bo eree). The animalistic tendencies, destructive nature, and amoral actions are all induced by the Id, and Creon unconsciously begins to tap into that part of his mind as he strives to gain power. All other emotions and opinions of others are disregarded and Creon makes it his goal to become king, seemingly stopping at nothing t... ...ng presence of his superego that was lacking throughout the earlier areas of his life. Superego is the â€Å"internalization of punishments and warnings† (Boeree) which plays a part in Creon’s growth of emotions that he struggled with early on. His previous impulses of pleasure and aggressions have been masked by his superego. Creon’s ability to have an anagnorisis in Antigone helps contribute to his role as a tragic hero. The once King of Thebes had everything in life to be content with, but the relentless attitude of his own superiority ushered him to his downfall. While he lost his grip on his relations with others and experienced an overwhelming influence of his Id, and it was too late by the time he realized, Creon nonetheless had an epiphany about his actions and understood his faults. Through his perils and travails, Creon earns the title of a true tragic hero.