To what extent can Othello be considered a ‘tragic hero’? The extent of which Othello is a tragic hero has been open to much debate; the basis on which he is judged falls to Aristotle’s established view of the crucial elements that distinguish whether a person is truly tragic. According to Aristotle‚ a tragic protagonist is a nobleman or person from high status‚ who contributes to his own demise and illustrates a flaw or weakness in judgment. The tragic protagonist must make a fall from a high state
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Throughout literary history‚ tragic characters have helped readers to understand human conflicts. Authors such as William Shakespeare and J.R.R. Tolkien have included tragic heroes in their novels in order to examine various flaws that lead to the protagonist’s death. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare‚ the main character‚ Macbeth‚ displays characteristics commonly present in tragic characters when he says “I am in blood stepped in so far that‚ should I wade no more‚ returning were as tedious
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A tragic hero‚ according to Aristotle‚ is someone who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his or her own destruction. In reading “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe‚ Okwonkwo is a tragic hero. Okwonkwo is the main protagonist in this book and is a leader and dedicated member of the Igbo Community of Umuofa whose tragic flaw is his vast fear of weakness and failure. These flaws eventually distract Okwonkwo from succeeding as a important member of the village and make him a tragic hero
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mad‚ or have a loved one taken away from him. However‚ one Greek hero existed whose story did not end with tragedy: Odysseus. Homer’s The Odyssey is unique among all other Greek myths in that it is the only story in which the hero does not meet a tragic end; why is this so? From his words to his actions and from his companions to the way he handles certain situations‚ Odysseus is vastly different from all other mythical Greek heroes‚ a uniquity which leads to his story’s eventual cheerful ending
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The Great Gatsby Jay Gatsby has a list of ordinary character flaws‚ though Gatsby’s flaws are only revealed through the telling of the story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The book’s plot revolves around the history of Jay Gatsby and his undying love for Daisy Fay. Did the downfall of Gatsby’s character leave him to be an innocent victim‚ a foolish dreamer‚ or a guilty imposter? The downfall of this main character was destroyed by love and money‚ when Gatsby and his lavish life eventually
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Othello a Tragic Hero Othello is one of the most famous plays by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare develops the characters into fully realized human beings‚ with their own names‚ personalities‚ and ways of looking at the world. Othello is the protagonist of the play. He is a combination of greatness and weakness‚ in his own words "an honourable murderer". He is a general in the Venetian defense forces. Although he is a foreigner from Africa‚ he has been promoted this position by excellence
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In Chinua Achebe’s novel Things Fall Apart the protagonist Okonkwo can be compared to a Greek tragic hero. Throughout the novel we see many heroic qualities as well as a tragic flaw that allows Okonkwo to be associated with a Greek tragic hero. There are many positive attributes given and attributed to Okonkwo‚ but it is that tragic flaw that humanizes him and allows us to decipher his growth and how he personally changes. From the very beginning of the novel Okonkwo is described as very strong
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Faust as a Tragic Hero In the story of Faust‚ written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe‚ Faust is whirled into an adventure of sin and deceit. The further Faust follows the devil the closer he comes to his own demise‚ taking down with him the innocent Gretchen. As Faust goes on he embodies the characteristics of a tragic hero in a sense that he is borderline good and evil‚ constantly battling his conscience. The one major flaw that initiates his self-destruction is the fact that he feels he is extremely
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Introduction Death of a Salesman reveals the story of an American man confronting failure in a success-driven society and shows the tragic path which eventually leads to his suicide. Willy Loman believes in what he considers the promise of the American Dream wholeheartedly‚ which is based on the Declaration of Independence stated by Thomas Jefferson in 1776: "We believe that all men are born with these inalienable rights - life‚ liberty and the pursuit of happiness."(Malone‚ 28) However‚ Willy
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Tragic Hero (Macbeth Packet) Part One: 1. In the Shakespearean tragedy‚ “The Tragedy of Macbeth”‚ Macbeth himself did not come from noble stature‚ but instead he followed into the line of kingship‚ and had presented himself with outstanding qualities; such as strong abilities out on the battlefield. 2. The hamartia presented in Macbeth resulted in Macbeth’s own murder against his good king Duncan‚ in order to gain power‚ fame‚ and fortune for his own pleasure. Macbeth himself had a hubris
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