Oedipus Rex‚ a play written by Sophocles‚ and Fight Club‚ a movie directed by David Fincher‚ are two stories that relate to one another by sharing similar ideas and life lessons. One could argue that both contain essential qualities and characteristics of classical tragedy‚ but are they both ultimately tragic in the classical sense of the word? I believe that both Oedipus Rex and Fight Club do‚ in fact‚ exhibit the important qualities of classical tragedy but ultimately‚ I think that only one of
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According to Aristotle (335BC)‚ an essential element in the ‘good or fine’ character of every great tragic hero is ‘hamartia’‚ the fatal flaw. The tragic hero’s fatal flaws inevitably lead to negative consequences in his life. The character of Romeo‚ the tragic hero[1] of William Shakespeare’s cautionary tragedy Romeo and Juliet‚ contains three key fatal flaws that condemn him and others to death. Through employing the dramatic techniques of meaningful dialogue‚ soliloquy‚ narrative structure
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Brilliance surely comes with a price. Often a protagonist is‚ in his own right‚ an absolute genius‚ but for this gift of vision‚ he must remain isolated for eternity. Crime and Punishment (1886)‚ by Fyodor Dostoevsky‚ depicts a poverty stricken young man who discovers a revolutionary theory of the mind of a criminal. Despite his psychological insight‚ Raskolnikov is alienated from society‚ and eventually forced to test his theory upon himself. Ivan Turgenev’s Bazarov‚ in Fathers and Sons (1862)
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Everyday heroes are now easily made because of the standards‚ which used to be high‚ are now low. Anyone can become a hero in many different ways. One could climb into a tree and save a cat in distress‚ or even call 911 for someone who needs help. However a hero in mythology and legend is a man often of divine ancestry‚ who is endowed with great courage and strength‚ celebrated for bold exploits‚ In the 4th century B.C.‚ Aristotle defined the characteristics of a tragic hero. According to Aristotelian
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Thebian play of Antigone has excited many debates over the years. The most prevalent being who exactly could be characterized as the tragic hero in the story. The argument that Antigone is the hero is deffinatly a strong one. There are many critics who believe that Creon‚ however‚ is the true protagonist of the play. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero one must first examine what a tragic hero is. Aristotle states that a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely malevolent
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Webster’s dictionary defines tragedy as‚ "a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (such as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror." A tragic hero‚ therefore‚ is the character who experiences such a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a result of his choices and related actions. The character of Hamlet is a clear representation of Shakespeare’s tragic hero‚ as he possesses all the necessary characteristics
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Hamlet English Assessment Hamlet is a famous Shakespearean play and also boasts major popularity as an English literature text. The text was written early in the 17th century (being performed in 1603) and its ability to last the test of time is solely due to the universal themes that Shakespeare has infused it with. These universal themes include repentance‚ revenge and madness or more precisely feigned madness. In this essay context‚ techniques‚ critical analysis and these key universal themes
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Tragic Hero or Coward? In Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart Okonkwo is arguably made out to be a “coward” due to the killing of the messenger and to himself. Many reader’s don’t see that Okonkwo is no coward at all‚ but should be considered a “tragic hero”. In the tribe of Umuofia‚ Okonkwo is considered to be the “greatest men of his time”(Achebe 8)‚ his characteristics fit the definition of an everyday hero‚ which is a man of distinguished courage‚ ability‚ and thought highly of for his brave
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Analysis of Euripides’ Medea and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex Greek tragedies are some of the most compelling and interesting works of literature. The plot usually follows a common patten in which a heroic lead meets an unhappy or catastrophic end. This end is usually brought about by some fatal flaw of character‚ circumstances beyond his or her control‚ or by sheer destiny. In Medea‚ a tragedy written by Euripides‚ the focus is on conflict in human spirit between Medea’s love for her children and
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Aristotle uses six different points to define a tragic hero. The tragic hero must be of noble stature and have greatness. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great‚ he/she is not perfect. The hero’s downfall is partially his/her own fault‚ the result of free choice‚ not of accidental means. The hero’s misfortune is not wholly deserved and the punishment exceeds the crime. The fall is not pure loss. And though it arouses solemn emotion‚ tragedy does not leave the audience in a state
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