Unique Tragic Hero A hero does not need to be good, he just need to be the winner. In ancient time, Greek tragedy was not only a form of entertainment but also a tool to make people embrace The Gods. It endues emotions such as pity and fear in the audience that the protagonist’s affliction may happen to them. Thus, a tragic hero is extremely crucial to promote such emotion. Medea, an ancient Greek tragedy written by Euripides has Medea, a female character as the tragic hero.
Antigone Tragic Hero? By Matthew Scully Does Antigone earn the title of tragic hero in Sophocles’ play Antigone? In most Greek tragedies ,the title of the play is the name of the tragic hero. I strongly believe that Antigone is the tragic hero of the play because she has a tragic flaw, the play focuses on mostly her actions, and her story best describes what a Greek tragedy is. The play, Antigone takes place in the Greek city of Argive.
A tragic hero is a person from a story who has two characteristics. Those characteristics are that they must have a tragic flaw and must be doomed from the beginning despite their noble intentions. She is a tragic hero because she has a tragic flaw. Her tragic flaw is her attitude. She also a tragic hero because was doomed.
Arthur Miller’s writing of Death of a Salesman does correctly fit the title of a tragedy because his main character, Willy Loman, does possess the qualities needed to be considered a tragic hero according to modern-day tragic heroes. Hamlet and Oedipus are the well-known tragic heroes from the past. They relate more to Aristotle than Willy Loman does and that is what causes the controversy in these tragedies. Aristotle had written down some of the common tragic hero characteristics for Greek tragedies, but those do not relate to more modern tragedies that have been written. Miller’s main character Willy Loman does deserve to have the title tragic hero.
In Arthur Miller’s more complex world, a more complex tragic hero is needed. Indeed, a more complex hero is needed because Arthur Miller is also telling of his own tragic struggle through John Proctor. Aristotle gives four basic characteristics of a tragic hero: nobleness of birth, a tragic flaw, the hero’s downfall, and the anagnorisis, or the realization by the protagonist that his downfall was his own doing. There are other accepted requirements as well, such as the hero suffering more than he
For example,Oedipus from Oedipus The King by Sophocles is a well thorough example of a tragic hero, as well as Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Both characters are heroic and important people in their societies as well as admired by readers through the imagery of their action. However, the flaw that each of them have ruins their lives and drives them into pain. Oedipus is a mythical Greek king of a city named Thebes, he fulfills a prophecy that said he would kill his father, and thereby brings a disaster on his city and family. Okonkwo, on the other hand, is a wealthy and a well respected warrior of the Umofian clan, a lower Nigerian tribe who gives effort to develop into a powerful and successful person, nevertheless ends up self murdered and doomed as an evil spirit.
An example from Oedipus occurs in scene four, when he comes to the realization that he had murdered his own father, and married then his mother. Recognition -- when combined with reversal of the situation -- is said to trigger the emotions of pity and fear (Aristotle 199) this combination is what makes a suitable plot for a legitimate tragedy. A good tragedy must also include character in order to express the purpose of an individual. A good character must be true to life (Aristotle 201). Oedipus is a character that displays trueness to life, for the fact that he is a good person, but he is not perfect.
5) The character's fate must be greater than deserved. Initially, the tragic hero should be neither better nor worse morally than normal people, in order to allow the audience to identify with them. This also introduces pity and catharsis, which is crucial in tragedy. Eventually the Aristotelian tragic hero dies a tragic death, having fallen from great
Dakota Maye Ms.Springer English 10 13 March 2013 The Archetype of a Tragic Hero Sophocles uses the archetype of a tragic hero in Oedipus the King. An archetype is a universal pattern that can be seen from one work to another. Archetypes are used to help the reader identify with and relate to the main character. The tragic hero archetype has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. In Oedipus the King, one trait that makes Oedipus a tragic hero is that he is responsible for his own fate.
Aristotle’s definition of tragedy is “Tragedy is a story taking the hero from happiness to misery because of a fatal flaw or mistake on his part. To be a true tragic hero he must also elicit a strong emotional response of pity and fear from the audience.” (Aristotle) Creon fits perfectly into this description of a tragic hero.There have been many controversies regarding the true nature of Creon in the play “Antigone” by Anouilh.In this essay of mine, we shall perceive Creon as a noble man rather than an arrogant tyrant.In my view,Creon was the protagonist while Antigone was undoubtedly the antagonist, the cause of the whole tragedy who caused her own downfall as well as the downfall of Haemon and Eurydice courtesy of her obnoxious and immature behaviour. To prove my point here, I shall start with the fact that Creon hadn’t desired power.He was a patron of art, a lover of music, an idealist. This had been stated by the Chorus in the Prologue. This throne had been forced upon him by the circumstances after the death of Eteocles.