Sophocles" play Antigone is a clear example of a tragic play. Tragic heroes, such as Creon, spend a great deal of time trying to avoid their fates. But in the end, fate prevails, and the tragic hero is doomed. Creon was an excellent character to portray as a tragic hero. He was a good person, good to his family and the people of Thebes. Creon used free will to try to avoid his fate. However, Creon has flaws that allow fate to come back and haunt him.

             Tragic heroes must be good in some way. It"s a way for readers to attach to the tragic hero and feel sorry for him or her in the outcome of the play. Creon did this. He wanted Thebes to be free from enemies, so the city could be at peace. When Polyneices attacked Thebes, he thought that since he attacked the city, Polyneices is a traitor; therefore he shouldn"t have a proper burial. "No one values friendship more highly than I; but we must remember that friends made at the risk of wrecking our Ship are not real friends at all" (197). Creon referred to Thebes as the Ship. Creon believed in protecting Thebes from enemies, even if they were once friends of the city, as was Polyneices. Creon didn"t want Thebes to crumble due to a traitor, who just happened to be jealous of his brother"s rule over Thebes.

             Tragic heroes use free will to avoid their fates. Creon made his decisions before he realized what his fate was though. Teiresias revealed to him that Creon would eventually be a ruined man, with his family gone and the people of Thebes against him. The choices he made led to his fate. Creon did not want Polyneices buried, since he was a traitor. When he found out Antigone was to blame for attempting to bury Polyneices, Creon sentenced her to death. Creon thought he was doing the right thing by following the law he created by sentencing her to death. Creon"s son Haimon was going to marry Antigone, and since she"s sentenced to death, he threatened to kill himself.