Arthur Miller's Definition Of A Modern Tragic Hero
Modern Tragic Hero?
A classical tragic hero, or a shakesperean hero, is defined by a character with a high status who has a tragic flaw, which leads to their demise. Arthur Miller redefines a tragic hero, stating that a modern tragic hero, is but a common man, a wounded hero, with an unwillingness to settle for less.
Miller states that a modern tragic hero is a common man, because we can identify better with them as a tragic figure, because they are more similar to us. Unlike a classic tragic hero, Miller doesn't believe that a modern tragic hero has fatal "tragic flaw". Miller affirms in "Tragedy and the Common Man" that the 'flaw' is "nothing-and need be nothing, but his [the tragic hero's] inherent unwillingness to remain passive in
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He has a Job, two kids, and a wife. Willy is a salesman who dreams to be like his role model, Dave Singleman. Singleman - in Willy perspective- had the ultimate successful life, as expressed in this quote: "Cause what could be more satisfying than to be able to go, at the age of eighty-four, into twenty or thirty different cities, and pick up a phone, and be remembered and loved and helped by so many different people?" [Act 2] Willy believed that success, was equivalent to how well liked he was. Willy's 'flaw' was his foolish pride, his persistence of achieving "his rightful status". Willy wanted the 'Death of a Salesman' like Singleman - "and by the way he died the death of a salesman" [Willy concerning Singleman: Act 2]-. And he struggled to achieve that dream, only to tragically kill himself. Which reaffirms Miller point that a tragic hero is a character " who is ready to lay down his life... to secure one thing".
As Mr Peterson wrote "A helpless victim is never a tragic hero. There's nothing to be learned by watching the deer approach its death; there's an enormous amount to be learned by watching Hamlet bring about his own destruction." We learn a lot from watching how Willy interacts with his sons, his wife, and how he handles his job. We learn from his mistakes, and his lies. Making Willy a modern tragic hero.
According to Arthur Miller a modern tragic hero , is an average man, who is willing to sacrifice his life to achieve one thing. Willy in "Death of a Salesman" is an example of modern tragic hero. His foolish pride and his persistence to achieve his dream, led to his tragic
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