Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is a timeless tragedy, depicting historical figures but concerning the modern world as well. John Proctor, the protagonist, though fitting several of the characteristics of the Aristotelian tragic hero, is actually a much more complex tragic hero. The primary differences between John Proctor and the classic tragic hero are obvious, such as the lack of noble birth, his not being in a position of leadership, and the inevitability of his fate. These differences are necessary, as Arthur Miller attempts to convince his audience that his protagonist is an everyman and is worth sympathizing for. In Arthur Miller’s more complex world, a more complex tragic hero is needed.
Oedipus Rex as a Tragic Hero One may think that they have it rough. Little do they know that one’s problems can seem so small compared to someone as significant as a tragic hero. Oedipus had to go through a lot and contradict himself and judge himself, then come to accept himself to become the hero we know him as today. Oedipus Rex is a person of great promise, ability and integrity, which makes his a tragic hero. He shows this by being proactive in moving away from his father Polybus, a Dorian, and his mother Merope, of Corinth.
Some of the characteristics of a tragic hero include greatness, a weakness or a flaw, an undeserved fate, and a punishment exceeding the deed committed. Jay Gatsby encompasses all of these characteristics of a tragic hero. Although, the author tries to portray Gatsby as a perfect person, there are still some noticeable flaws. Gatsby’s great life unwinds with the death of the tragic hero. Gatsby was portrayed as esteemed by the way others spoke of him.
According to Aristotle’s hypothesis of a tragic hero the character must be of some form of nobility, suffer from some form of error in judgment, go through a period of reversed fortune, and finally recognize that the error was actually caused by his own actions. The concept of tragedy is deeply embedded into both plays however
That the Shakespearean hero suffers because he confronts an internal struggle that is why he is divided within him. The question whether the hostile force against the hero remains undivided or not raises another question: whether there is also a divided soul in some of these adversaries. The dramatic value of a play lies in exhibiting a strong joint front of the hostile forces against the protagonist. They unite themselves purposefully to inflict a crushing on the hero. With this mission they appear to be undivided among themselves.
In an essay he wrote about his play Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller argues that a tragic hero is not necessarily one who is noble of birth. However, the tragic hero must have these traits: he must suffer, be doomed from the start and his decline inevitable, be basically noble in nature, and have free choice to some degree. Also, his inevitable fate must result from a tragic flaw, and his story must arouse fear and pity. If these qualities are truly what makes a tragic hero, then it can be said that Ethan Frome is a tragic hero, and, therefore, that his story is a tragedy. This can be said because Ethan Frome meets every requirement listed by Miller.
It is in human nature that the more power one desires the more corrupt one’s actions must become to achieve it. The tragedy of Macbeth is about a Scottish noble whose lust for power leads him to do many terrible deeds that in the end lead to his demise. Although Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his fall from greatness, the witches’ prophecies and Lady Macbeth’s manipulation assist in his downfall. Macbeth’s growing character degenerates from a noble man to a violent and paranoid individual. At first, Macbeth and nobility were synonymous terms.
The use of events within ‘Romulus, my Father’ also allow us to view Romulus himself as a sort of tragic hero, since his fatal flaw is being too trusting of people’s karacter. The novel depicts Romulus as a unique character, who has a deep sense of integrity, yet this integrity ironically destroys his soul. He is wise, yet in a sense illogical since much of his judgement takes place on an irrational basis. The novel not only uses the idea of a romantic tragedy, but also takes other forms such as eulogy, bildungs roman and biography. This use of shifting language modes represents Raimond himself changing, both in pace of the story and his opinion regarding his father.
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.
Since the days of Aristotle, the concept of a tragic hero has been a part of storytelling and literature. A tragic, or romantic, hero is someone who begins at a noble position, but has a tragic flaw that ultimately leads to the character’s demise. Often, this character realizes this flaw, but not before it is too late. In Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, the title character is a romantic hero. His rapid downfall is a result of his passionate love, so intense that it greatly hinders his rational thought.