Tragedy of AntigoneThe play “Antigone” by Sophocles displays many qualities that make it a great tragedy. A tragedy is defined as a dramatic or literary work in which the main character engages in a morally significant struggle that ends in ruin or profound disappointment. In creating his tragedy “Antigone,” Sophocles uses many techniques to create feelings of fear and pity in his readers. This in turn makes for an excellent tragedy. For a play to be considered a tragedy, it must achieve the elimination of fear and pity. In the play “Antigone,” Sophocles does a great job of bringing out these two emotions in the reader. At the beginning of the play there is a conversation between Antigone and her sister Ismene. During the conversation the reader learns that the two girls lost their father in battle and both brothers at each other's hands. Then the reader learns that one of the brothers, Polyneices, was left to die without a proper burial. At this moment the reader begins to feel pity for the two sisters. They lost their father and their two brothers at the same time. Later in the conversation the reader learns that Antigone has a plan to bury her brother Polyneices here and that she wants Ismene to help her. Ismene is afraid to do so because the new king, Creon, has issued a decree that anyone who attempts to bury the body will be sentenced to death. The fact that Antigone attempts to bury the body creates fear in the reader. They are afraid of what will happen to Antigone if she is captured. As the show progresses, many of the characters experience a feeling of fear and pity that ultimately results in catastrophe. At that point the reader learns that Creon, the king, lost his wife, his son, and his granddaughter Antigone, all because he was too stubborn to give up and out of fear that if he gave in he would be judged. like an easy king. In a certain sense this ending unites the two emotions. The reader feels pity for Creon because of his great loss, but at the same time feels a little fear because he would not want this kind of tragedy to ever happen in his life..