Reference no: EM133252417

The Burial at Thebes sometimes seems to have two tragic heroes; both Antigone and Creon have tragic flaws, and both are able to invoke fear and pity; therefore, both of them can be regarded as tragic heroes. Who do you think is the real tragic hero of the play? Antigone or Creon? Write an essay in which you fully elaborate on Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy and explain who the tragic hero of Heaney's play is.

In the process of answering the TMA, you are required to fully answer all the following sub-questions: 

1. How does Aristotle define tragedy and tragic hero in his Poetics?
2. What is the background story of The Burial at Thebes?
3. Who is Creon? What is his tragic flaw? In what ways is he responsible for his own downfall? How would you characterize him as a ruler? Is he deserving of sympathy? (Here, you need to write a full character analysis of Creon and discuss his personality traits and characteristics in detail.)
4. Who is Antigone? What is her tragic flaw? In what ways is she responsible for her own downfall? How would you characterize her as a young woman? Is she deserving of sympathy? (Here, you need to write a full character analysis of Antigone and discuss her personality traits and characteristics in detail.)
5. In what significant ways are Creon and Antigone similar?
6. Who do you think is the real tragic hero of the play?
7. Whose side do you take? Antigone's or Creon's? Why?