English II Honors—November 19, 2015 Daily Warm-up: What could Creon have possibly done to change his destiny and prevent all of the tragedy? Homework: Reading Plus due Sunday at 11:59. Antigone Test on Monday

Characteristics of the Tragic Hero Creon as a Tragic Hero Characteristics of the Tragic Hero Where/When Has Creon Demonstrated These Qualities? Textual Evidence A person of noble stature A good person who is brought down by “an act of injustice” (hamartia) because he knows no better or believes that a greater good will be served by his actions Has a weakness, a tragic flaw such as pride, quickness to anger, or misjudgment Has a free choice that makes his downfall his own fault Experiences misfortune that is not entirely deserved Gains self-knowledge or understanding before his downfall, and therefore experiences redemption

Characteristics of the Tragic Hero Creon as a Tragic Hero Characteristics of the Tragic Hero Where/When Has Creon Demonstrated These Qualities? A person of noble stature Creon is king now that Oedipus is dead and the brothers killed themselves: “And so I have the throne, all royal power. . .”(Lines 196-198) A good person who is brought down by “an act of injustice” (hamartia) because he knows no better or believes that a greater good will be served by his actions Creon believes in the greater good: “Anyone who acts against the state, its enemy, I’d never make my friend.” (Lines 201-214) Has a weakness, a tragic flaw such as pride, quickness to anger, or misjudgment Creon is quick to misjudge peoples’/the gods’ intentions: “No one can tolerate what you’ve said when you think the gods might care about this corpse.” (Lines 327-328) Has a free choice that makes his downfall his own fault Creon could choose to bury the corpse and end the devastation: “Our state is sick—because of the rotting corpse.” (Lines 1128-1133). Experiences misfortune that is not entirely deserved Creon loses his wife, is blamed for his son’s death, and loses respect: “Creon was once a man we all looked up too…now all is gone.” (Lines 1292-1296) Gains self-knowledge or understanding before his downfall, and therefore experiences redemption Creon recognizes that he was at fault: “Oh the profanity of what I planned.” (Lines 1410) “the guilt for all this is mine” (Line 1463)

Purposes of Choral Odes Summary of Content Connections to the Previous Scene Functional Purpose of the Ode 6 Bacchus, powerful god of Thebes, come back to us and protect us from misery and destruction. Tiresias has warned Creon that his misjudgments will bring him doom. He has placed such fear on Creon that Creon decides to release Antigone. This ode reaffirms the chorus’ belief in the power of the gods.

Expository Writing Prompt Consider how Teiresias acts as a foil to highlight Creon’s tragic flaws, and how he helps Creon gain the self-knowledge necessary for redemption. Write a response explaining how Teiresias contributes to Creon’s development as a tragic hero. Be sure to: Include a thesis explaining how Teiresias contributes to Creon’s development as a tragic hero. Include relevant textual evidence from both characters to show their interaction. Provide commentary explaining how Teiresias acts as a foil and helps Creon gain self-knowledge.