Antigone was produced in 441 B. by Sophocles, one the three great Greek writers of tragedy. The other two were Aeschylus and Euripides. Most of Sophocles" plays present a specific struggle of a strong individual against his or her fate. Sophocles presents the course chosen by his powerful figures, which are usually disapproved of by the chorus and other characters. The courses are mostly costly. Suffering from conflict or death, it makes those characters nobler and somehow benefits humanity. Out of 100 plays of Sophocles, only seven of them have been reminded until now. Among those plays, Antigone is a play about the struggle between state and family. It is Creon's nobility, tragic flaw, his downfall, and his great loss that bring him to be a true tragic hero of Antigone. His noble quality is his caring for Antigone and Ismene when their father was persecuted. He also realized his mistake when Teiresias made his prophecy. Finally he is forced to live, knowing that three people are dead because of his ignorance, which is a punishment worse than death. All are the key elements that make Creon for being a true tragic hero. .
Creon is a man of great noblility. He stepped up to be a new king his first duty was to decide which of the brothers were to receive a proper burial. There is a battle between Creon's two nephews, Eteocles and Polyneices. Eteocles died while serving his country, Polyneices, on the other hand, was labeled a traitor. Creon declares an edict that no one will bury the body of Polyneices. His corpse is supposed to rot in the hot sun or be eaten by wild animals. "Polyneices, I say, is to have no burial: no man is to touch him or say the least prayer for him; he shall lie on the plain, unburied; and the birds and the scavenging dogs can do with him whatever they like." (Scene I35-37) But Antigone defies the order. She is caught and sentenced by Creon to be buried alive, even though she is betrothed to his son Haemon.
