Heroic Leaders Essay Research Paper Heroic leaders free essay sample

Heroic Leaders Essay, Research Paper Heroic leaders come in many uneven forms and signifiers. As can be seen in the characters of Sophocles # 8217 ; Oedipus the King and Antigone. Contained within these celebrated Hellenic calamities one can see how leading is fostered and the challenges encountered by the two characters of Oedipus and Antigone. Although they are tragic heroic leaders, they are able to keep an unity that is critical in a leader. In comparing Oedipus and Antigone there is a similarity between them in footings of the chief characters # 8217 ; leading in response to state of affairss. Antigone was a hero in the drama. Even though she straight disobeyed the orders of the male monarch, she did what she knew was right. The right thing to make was to bury the organic structure of her dead brother. The Gods did non salvage her because they knew what was to come. By the decease of Antigone, it would let Haemon to kill himself, doing Creon suffer more. By the regulations he has set, he lived to repent doing them. Antigone knew that it would non count what the male monarch or anyone else said. Equally long as it would delight the immortals, it would be right. By non burying the organic structure of Polynices, it would non let his psyche to go through to the underworld. The Gods would non see this good. They wanted to seek retribution on Creon. Not merely did he lose his boy, but besides his married woman took her ain life within proceedingss of his boy. He received a dual blow of sorrow. What makes it even worse is that he would hold to populate with the torment of cognizing that he caused them to perpetrate self-destruction. Antigone did this title with the cognition that she was to be killed if she disobeyed the jurisprudence. It was better to delight the Gods and the psyche of the dead, than to hold a good life on Earth but making the incorrect things. Her sister, Ismene, saw it the other manner. The bond between Antigone and Po lynices was really tight. In those yearss, the functions of adult females were really undistinguished. The biggest occupation was to take attention of the household. So when he died, Antigone had to give him the uttermost regard, because that was all she had left in the household. This act makes Antigone a hero. Not merely did she bury her brother, but besides at no clip did she deny it. That takes a enormous sum of bravery. Creon had all the rights to do the jurisprudence against burying Polynices organic structure because he was the male monarch. Though people may hold disagreed with it, they would hold to follow it. If they didn t, it was punishable by decease. To most people it seemed sensible, but to Antigone it didn t. This was her flesh and blood. She could non stand by and allow the animate beings devour the cadaver of her brother. Polynices gathered up an ground forces and led it against Thebes. Any enemy of the metropolis could and should be put to decease. The jurisprudence that Creon made was non at all unreasonable. It sounds like a pretty common happening when covering with treasonists. The lone individual it was unjust to was Antigone. Even Ismene would hold obeyed the jurisprudence. But Antigone insisted on taking attention of her brother. She knew it would delight the dead and the hereafter. It was more of import to her because she knew the hereafter was ageless. So it was best non to mess up. In Oedipus the King, the chief character that displays leading in response to a state of affairs is Oedipus. In this heroic poem, Oedipus # 8217 ; s leading is greatly celebrated, particularly upon our debut of him and as the narrative progresses further. His leading is easy recognized as he took charge when the Chorus and the Priest asked for his aid to deliver Thebes from the pestilence. Oedipus used his mind and diligence to reply the conundrum of the Sphinx. Many of the most intelligent immature work forces of Thebes had been killed trying to reply the conundrum but Oedipus proved his intelligence superior to theirs. Oedipus uses the same intelligence and doggedness to happen the slayer of Laius. Which is a epic title. He does non give up his hunt even when Jocasta warns him to halt and allow the affair remainder He calls the Sheppard and interrogates him till he discovers the dismaying truth that he is the slayer. Oedipus intelligence was finally his defect, hence his tragic gallantry. Besides, if Oedipus had non had been every bit brave he would hold neer ventured to reply the conundrum of the Sphinx. Thus even though he had killed his male parent he would hold neer become male monarch of Thebes and lay with his female parent. In add-on, if Oedipus had had the bravery but non the intelligence the Sphinx would hold killed him for replying the conundrum falsely. Sophocles used this to qualify Oedipus as a tragic adult male for he came about his tragic find non because of an evil act or an evil trait but because of the individual he was. Oedipus traits, which gave him wealths and power, finally led to his tragic stoping. Besides, the God Apollo did non predestine that Oedipus would kill his male parent and get married his female parent by the prophet ; he merely stated what he knew was inevitable because of who Oedipus was. The sphinx s conundrum was used by Sophocles to qualify Oedipus as a tragic adult male and as a analogue to his life. The riddle describes the 3 phases, which Oedipus went through in his life. Besides in replying the riddle Oedipus inevitable brought about his ain tragic stoping by a atrocious find. In decision, the two leaders Oedipus and Antigone are similar to the leading and gallantry they displayed and the strong belief of their actions. Although their actions ended negatively, they were true to their functions of leading when the state of affairs demanded it ; therefore doing them heroes. Oedipus and Antigone aren # 8217 ; t normally what one would mention to as a great epic leader but I feel a leader who maintained their unity shows great heroism. Sophocles therefore created characters of valorous magnitude but his dramas besides demonstrated that holding a heroic character might ver