Willy Loman: A Modern Tragic Hero Must a man be noble to be considered a tragic hero? The definition of the tragic hero must be redefined to reflect the social and economic changes in our society. Playwright Arthur Miller was a pioneer in showcasing the ordinary man as a modern day tragic hero in plays such as Death of a Salesman. There have been many debates on whether or not the common man can be labeled a tragic hero. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero must be a character who is renowned, such as a king or prince, which ultimately succumbs to his tragic flaw before his death. We need to take into account the immense changes to our society since the time of Aristotle. What constitutes a hero in our society today and what is the meaning of tragedy? Death of a Salesman was a turning point for …show more content…
The tremendous changes to our society since then need to be taken into consideration when defining what constitutes a tragic hero. Aristotle’s idea of a hero would have been someone of great statute, loved or supported by many, who falls from great height, such as a king or a prince. Today, society has broadened the attributes and learned to accept a wider range of people to fit the bill of a hero. Professional athletes, actors, authors, singers, teachers and even parents and siblings are being praised as heroes. If only Princes and Kings were heroes in today’s society, we would have a very short supply. Willy Lowman was no Prince or King, but he was a provider to his wife and two sons. Willy’s wife Linda was aware of this and she was also aware of his flaws and the pressures that were ailing him. This was evident when Linda said, “He’s not the finest character that ever lived. But he’s a human being, and a terrible thing is happening to him” (Gardener 418). Although Willy did not fall from great height as a classic tragic hero would have, his self-inflicted fall from grace was a tragedy in