give the readers of this essay insight regarding whether Othello is a tragic hero. Also the recent remake of the story, O, gives a more modern insight into how the character can be classified as a tragic hero. Othello, one of many tragedies of William Shakespeare, was written in the 1600s and based on an Italian short story called “Un Capitano Moro” according to Kennedy & Gioia (2010). The play consists of four different characters: Othello,
Words: 2018 - Pages: 9
In his famous "Poetics," the philosopher Aristotle laid the foundations for literary criticism of Greek tragedy. His famous connection between "pity and fear" and "catharsis" developed into one of Western philosophy's greatest questions: why is it that people are drawn to watching tragic heroes suffer horrible fates? Aristotle's ideas revolve around three crucial effects: First, the audience develops an emotional attachment to the tragic hero; second, the audience fears what may befall the hero;
Words: 845 - Pages: 4
Widely considered one of the best Greek tragedies, Oedipus Rex, by Sophocles tells of the misfortune of a great man who tried to fight a terrible fate, ultimately bringing down misfortune and sorrow upon them. King Oedipus, ruler of Thebes, the protagonist and tragic hero of the play, hears of a terrible prophecy condemning him to slay his own father and bed his mother, leading him to run far away from the place he considered his home. However, as many Greek playwrights, Sophocles underscored the
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
Marcus Brutus: Noble Hero with a Tragic Fate In his influential work Poetica, the Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” According to his analytical studies of literature which this quote appears in, successful tragedies achieve that deeper effect by arousing internal sensations of pity and fear in their audience through intricate character development of a virtuous and respectable protagonist. However
Words: 1913 - Pages: 8
but at least one major character flaw: hubris. McCandless, in fact, fits the role of the archetypical Tragic Hero and his story is told in a way that echoes the plot structure of the Aristotelian model for ancient Greek Tragedy. Research and discuss the literary genre of ancient Greek
Words: 717 - Pages: 3
What goes up, must come down. This can often apply to characters in literature. In the tragedy Antigone, by Sophocles, Creon, a hard headed, recently crowned king loses everything he holds dear. Creon’s stubborn pride leads him to make a series of regrettable decisions that have catastrophic consequences for his people, his family, and himself. His blindness to his rank and status as king suggests that he let his morals get the best of him, from what was actually morally right. Initially, by the
Words: 549 - Pages: 3
Antigone, a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles and translated by Ruby Blondell, is a story in which the “hero” (Antigone) is easily praised and the “enemy” (Kreon) is easily hated. It is human nature to root for the underdog, or the one who is being wronged, and not give the other side a chance. The very opening scene of the play immediately shows us the thoughts and feelings of Antigone, and her hatred towards Kreon. This almost forces the audience to side with Antigone because we are given no insight
Words: 1196 - Pages: 5
Arthur Miller’s article, “Tragedy and the Common Man,” he discusses the idea surrounding one’s position in society and the level of regard that is held around their death. According to Miller, people are becoming more skeptical about the idea of “heroes” existing, and only consider the demise of significant figures like kings to be “tragic.” But, he refutes this idea with an argument claiming that the common man can be held to the same standing. Using references to Greek mythology and Shakespeare
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
King Creon once said “the inflexible heart breaks first”. In the greek tragedy Antigone, from the trilogy Oedipus Plays, by Sophocles King Creon is an extremely cruel man. King Creon rules his kingdom with fear and force. He is cold heartless, and selfish. These traits make his life end in immense tragedy. If people live their life without an ounce of compassion, sympathy, and empathy they will be lonely and miserable. In the beginning of Antigone Creon demands from all his citizens that no one buries
Words: 647 - Pages: 3
Aristotle took a teleological approach to nearly all his studies, as he thought that determining natural purposes was the path to the most fundamental principles governing the world. Thus, in biology, he sought to understand the purposes of various organs and characterized species in light of these purposes. Regarding ethics and politics, he tried to establish that man's purpose was to participate in the political community, since what separates him from the animals is reason and language (which
Words: 571 - Pages: 3
