All My Sons tragedy essay

“The common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in his highest sense as kings were.” Arthur Miller believed that any man or woman could be a tragic hero. People come to the conclusion that a tragic hero is a king or a queen, or some person of noble stature. The common man fits the role of a tragic hero in that the character wants to secure his sense of personal dignity and the individual struggles to gain his “rightful” position in his society. Miller also says that the flaw of the character is “his inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity, his image of rightful status.” In tragedies, the hero has a fear of being displaced and being torn away from their image of who they are in the world. Miller said that the common man knows this fear best. In Miller’s essay, he said, “The commonest of men may take on that stature to the extent of his willingness to throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful position.” In Miller’s play All My Sons, Joe Keller is a common man who fits the modern definition of a tragic hero. Joe Keller is the protagonist in the play All My Sons. Joe is a business owner who is well respected by his neighbors and society. He is a family man who will do anything to protect his family and provide his family with the “American Dream.” Joe works hard in his business so that he can make money and will do anything to keep is business running. During WWII, Joe shipped damaged aircraft cylinder heads out of his factory, inadvertently killing twenty-one pilots. Joe was exonerated from this crime and for three years he placed the blame on his partner, Steve. Joe wanted to gain his “rightful” position in society so he chose to put the blame solely on his partner. Joe Keller is unable to remain passive because he believes that his situation is a challenge to his dignity and status in his society. Joe has a feeling of being displaced from both his society and