The tragic hero has to fall in misfortune “but not though vise or baseness but through either a blunder or flaw in character.” (Mullens, 1938) The hero cannot be one who is of good fortune and falls into misfortune or one who is evil falling into good fortune. The hero cannot fall into fortune from misfortune either. He must be a person easily identifiable by those watching the plan who falls into misfortune through a flaw in his character or perhaps a mistake on his part. Though superior to the average man, the hero is “not eminently good and just," and his downfall is caused by a tragic flaw-a significant fault or error. This is, of course, the Aristotelian norm for tragedy and is presumably based upon the plays of Sophocles in particular.
Thus, I came to the conclusion: Gilgamesh and Rama’s pride, determination and godly contributions helped to influence their journeys, but the results of their quests differed greatly. The endings to Gilgamesh and Rama’s epics were the only great differences in their characteristics. Rama’s tale ended with him throwing the Brahmasthra at Ravana’s heart, “…where the Brahmasthra entered and ended his career” (“Ramayana” 38), and accomplishing his goal. Even though he won, he seemed to be in a complacent mood. To the contrary, Gilgamesh failed his task.
Hiral Patel 10-15-11 English H Tragic Hero In the play, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, John Proctor fits the classic Greek definition of a tragic hero. Aristotle defined a tragic hero as a noble person that goes from a state of fortune and happiness to a state of utter misery. The character’s tragic flaw causes this change. He also stated that witnessing the downfall of the character triggered an emotional release, which left the audience feeling relieved because they have empathized with the character, but not upset because the downfall was the character’s own doing. John Proctor is a strong character that represents these qualities.
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.
Juanita Umana English 1 – C 4/5 Tragic Character Journal 9 October 2012 Essential Question What is a tragic character, and is John Proctor one? Quote Bank: * “The man who on the one hand is not pre-eminent in virtue and justice, and yet on the other hand does not fall into misfortune through vice or depravity, but falls because of some mistake; one among the number of the highly renowned and prosperous”(Aristotle on Tragic Character 1202) * “Evoked in the common man when a character is ready to lay down his life-his sense of personal dignity… [the common man] is trying to gain his “rightful” place in society” (Arthur Miller Tragedy and the Common Man 1982) * “The common man knows fear best”(Arthur Miller Tragedy and the Common Man 1983) * “ Tragedy consist of the belief-optimistic, in the perfectibility of man” (Arthur Miller Tragedy and the Common Man 1984) * “God in Heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John Proctor?”(Miller 127) * “I think it is honest…I am no saint” (Miller 127) * “You have made your magic now…I do see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs” (Miller 133). Response: A tragic character is almost always the protagonist of the story. This character has specific characteristics such as nobility or aristocracy, tragic flaws, some kind of reversal in fortune and the realization of the characters own flaws working against him.
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.
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.
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.
Tragic heroes possess the requisite primeval physical and mental assets to welcome the challenge at hand, and they exude a certain sort of self-destructiveness — or is it self-sacrifice? — that puts the welfare of the people they’re protecting above their own. In Ride the High Country, an aging Steve Judd, with all his talk about “sand,” doesn’t much care whether he lives, but he very much cares that the job is
His rapid downfall is a result of his passionate love, so intense that it greatly hinders his rational thought. In the end, Othello acknowledges his romantic nature, as he described himself as “one that loved not wisely, but too well.” This statement is a true appraisal of himself: he is the quintessential romantic hero. In the beginning of the play, Othello was a man of noble and courageous nature. He was a wall-revered hero, highly ranked in the military of Venice. Othello’s downfall began with his love for Desdemona.