How The Common Man Can Be A Tragic Hero

When the Ancient Greeks first introduced tragedies in the world, the nobility was the main protagonists. This was the reason why audiences loved tragedies so much. William Shakespeare’s most popular works such as Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth continue this legacy. These people are rare in modern society. Only a handful of countries have nobility/royalty. Arthur Miller discusses this exact topic in his essay titled, “Tragedy & the Commonman”. The essay redefines the meaning of tragedy. It argues that despite the fact that there are fewer noblemen than before, we still have tragedy in our lives. Miller says, “I do believe that common men are as appropriate a topic for tragedy as kings used to be”. He says that nobility or royalty is not necessary for tragedy. Anyone can fit his criteria to become a hero. After consulting a variety of sources, we can conclude that anyone who fits his criteria for a tragic figure can become one.

Miller claims that in his essay, the common man could be a tragedy hero because they are able to question the current circumstances to achieve their goal. Miller wrote in his article, “But everything is suspended for a second, nothing accepted. In the act of stretching and tearing the cosmos apart, this character gains’size.’ The tragic stature is attributed to them in our imaginations. Miller was referring to the fact that the character becomes tragic by attempting to change the world around them. This quote can be used in many different situations. Some examples are the protagonists from Chinua Achebe’s book “Things Fall Apart”, as well as William Butler Yeats’s poem, “The Second Coming”. The story of Achebe revolves around Okonkwo who is a Nigerian Ibo leader and witnesses the white settlers trying to destroy his tribe’s way-of-life. The protagonist explains some of the changes that white settlers make to their lives. Onkonkwo says, “The insane men actually cleared a section of forest to build a house the next morning”. Onkonkwo, a simple tribesman is a tragic figure in Miller’s description of him. His desire to prevent the white man from destroying his Tribe is akin to that of a hero. William Butler Yeats’ “The Second Coming” is about a man who looks over the barren, deserted land in front him, as he seems to see visions indicating that the world will come to an end. Yeats describes his position in the poem as he watches the world gradually come to an end. The protagonist shows the danger they face by saying “Things fall aside; the center can’t hold” and “Mere chaos is unleashed on the world”. He is surrounded by chaos and he does not ignore this. Instead, he describes the gravity of what’s happening. Miller views this as the essence of a tragedy hero. Miller’s essay also states that a tragedy hero is a person willing to give up everything for a goal. Miller states that “…the sad feeling is evoked for us by characters who are willing to lay their lives down, if they have to, in order to maintain a sense of dignity. To put it another way, a tragic figure is someone that risks everything to achieve their true desire- dignity. In Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart”, Onkonkwo wants to be admired by his tribe as a leader and a warrior. To achieve “Dignity”, the character makes sacrifices. He acts emotionless to give the impression that he’s a strong leader. It was because of this that he did not love and care for his children, nor his many wives. His toxic masculinity is another example. This is when he treats anyone less successful than him in a barbaric and rude manner, even if that person is female. This has led to him making rash decision, like beating up his wife or calling a tribal member a woman just because they didn’t hold as many titles. In the book, he says, “We are all aware that men head the family, while their wives carry out the orders.” And, “Onkonkwo understood the high regard he would receive and imagined himself as taking the title highest in the land.” Onkonkwo’s willingness to sacrifice everything for his dignity makes him a tragic figure. Yeats uses destructive and dark imagery in “The Second Coming” to urge the reader to put an end to violence so that the apocalypse doesn’t happen. He uses dark imagery, such as “Turning the gyre and turning the lion” and “a figure with lion-like body and human head”. These phrases are warnings against the destructive power of mankind and the dangers that more fights can bring. The protagonist is a tragic figure.

Since Ancient Greece, people have believed that tragedies are only for royalty and nobility. There are few monarchies in the world today. Arthur Miller is the answer. Miller wrote in “Tragedy and The Common Man”: “I think that the common man can be as good a subject of tragedy as the kings.” In his essay “Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller stated that, “I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were”. Even the most ordinary of men can be tragic heroes as long as they have certain characteristics. It is clear that, after consulting a variety of documents and texts on the subject, even the most ordinary men can become tragic heros. Both of the texts that were cited showed average men to be tragic heros. It’s hard to say, but perhaps we’ll see a modern Shakespeare writing tragedies that feature ordinary people. He will describe their experiences of falling from grace. This could change the way we choose our protagonists.