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A Tragic Hero And Tragic Flaw English Literature Essay

Paper Type: Free Essay Subject: English Literature
Wordcount: 5522 words Published: 1st Jan 2015

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ABSTRACT

This research aimed at investigating the comparison between tragic flaw of Dr. Faustus and Macbeth. The study examined whether their reason of downfall is due to their fate or by their own free will. According to Greek philosophy downfall of any protagonist of any tragedy is because of its own ill fate. I go through many researches on tragic flaw of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Shakespearean Macbeth. Different researchers blame different reasons for their downfall but I find lacking in their findings. So this thing persuade me to find the actual reason of their downfall according to my findings their reason of down is their own free will both the characters have ambitious nature which became their tragic flaw. Ambition is a strong desire for fame or success. One automatically thinks that ambition is a good and honorable trait. Many of us also consider ambition to be successful, in William Shakespeare’s tragedy play Macbeth and Christopher Marlowe’s tragedy play Dr. Faustus. In both plays protagonist of the play have great ambition, which in end leads to their down fall. Tragic Flaw is the cause of downfall of a protagonist due to his own free will or humanity nature and this concept is brilliantly shown in Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Shakespearean Macbeth.

INTRODUCTION:

Tragic Flaw is the cause of downfall of a protagonist due to his own free will or humanity nature and this concept is brilliantly shown in Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus and Shakespearean Macbeth.

Christopher Marlowe helped to drawn English drama on the level of greatness. And to achieve his status in history of English literature his play Dr Faustus played a marvelous role. Dr Faustus interprets the struggle to reach beyond the ordinary mortals but in the end his intention are changed and he want to become godhead and want to reach the stars. Faustus desire also shows his over ambitious nature which became his tragic flaw.

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Shakespeare’s career was divided in to four stages. Early period based on his early experiments. Second period was the period of great comedies and chronicle plays, third period was of his dramatic romances and last but not the least the period of great tragedies and his play Macbeth was among them. In his play Macbeth he interpreted brilliantly how Macbeth’s over ambitious nature become the cause of his tragic flaw. Macbeth was a tragic hero and his tragic flaw was his own ambitious nature. Ambition is a strong desire for fame or success. One automatically thinks that ambition is a good and honorable trait. Many of us also consider ambition to be successful, in William Shakespeare tragedy play Macbeth and Christopher Marlowe’s tragedy play Dr. Faustus. In both plays protagonist of the play have great ambition, which in end leads to their down fall.

My research thesis will base on four chapters as my topic comparison between Dr. Faustus’s tragic flaw and Macbeth tragic flaw. In my first chapter, I will give the Aristotle’s concept of tragic flaw. Then in second chapter of my thesis, I will discuss the character of Dr. Faustus and in third chapter, I will give the brief description of Macbeth’s character and in my last chapter, I will compare the tragic flaw of Dr. Faustus and Macbeth.

LITERATURE REVIEW:

KEY WORD: Tragic Flaw

According to Aristotle: The hero’s downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of accident or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered by some error of judgment or some character flaw that contributes to the hero’s lack of perfection noted above. This error of judgment or character flaw is known as hamartia and is usually translated as “tragic flaw”.

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James Smith in (1939) in his research on “Marlowe Dr. Faustus” critically analyses the whole play of Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus in which he highlight many aspect of play. He said that the final scene in Dr. Faustus is approved one of two conclusions follows either that the final scene is the product of a Marlowe in decline, or that he wrote that scene worst as a joke. He even says that both the possibility of scene did not prove the excellent part of the play. James Smith also talk about many aspects of the play he talks about the spirits, he even wrote about Helen, Lucifer, Good angel and Bad angel many contradiction statement. He proved these things are the main aspects of play and proved that Faustus is mechanical more than a human is because throughout the play he is doing things mechanically without thinking about his end. James Smith even highlighted the allegorical interpretations in the play. He even described Faustus spiritual desire in the first part of the play but as the attractiveness of evil gradually declines that of good grows in inverse proportion. Thus the more prominent role which in the earlier scene fell to the Bad Angel is in the later assumed by the Good Angel and his associates the old man and the Faustus’s own conscience. James also says that the little space which he has afraid been left for a topic of major importance, he himself highlight the question that “what is the nature of the sinful act which Faustus commits?” To his own question, he answered the sin is pride which according to theologians, is the form and source of all other sin. Moreover, Faustus commits it formally that is deliberately without the shadow of an excuse or reason in actually. Through these points, which James highlights in his research, we easily came to know how critically he analyzed the play. In addition, he suggests the theme of the play to be called as hitherto, not only an allegory but also mortality. However, I find a big drawback in his research as I go through his research. I find that he had forgotten to highlight the main aspect of the play which became the source of the Tragic Flaw of Dr. Faustus .On which Christopher Marlowe emphasis the most and that is Dr. Faustus over ambitiousness to gain the knowledge which became the reason of his downfall.

W.W. Greg in (1946) in his research “Reason of Damnation of Faustus”. He highlights many reasons due to which Faustus was damned. First in his research, he said that Valdes and Cornelius are the reason of Faustus Downfall they attract Faustus towards magic in a way they want to do evil deeds from the back of Faustus and they do not want to be punish their self in the end. In addition, the second reason which WW. Greg highlight in research is the pact, which Faustus signs with the Devil, which became the reason for his damnation. But I don’t agree with his reason because these all things come afterward. In my point of view the main reason of his damnation is his over ambitiousness nature because Faustus himself was very much curious to gain the knowledge of magic. W.W. Greg in his research uses the word of ambition but not in a negative manner. He said that Faustus ambition was positive to learn as he wants to serve the people in a positive way but I again disagree with his point of view that if he was positive he would never try evil deeds. I believe that from the very first part of the play he is over ambitious because we can clearly see that how much he is thirsty for knowledge and this thing lead him to his downfall.

J. C. Maxwell in (1947) in his research of “The Sin of Faustus”. His purpose is to keep a due measure of attention directed upon that side of the theme is to recognize Faustus central act of sin for what it is. He said that his major sin on which his whole research revolve is Faustus pride and his curiosity. He said that pride is the ultimate source of Faustus fall and sensuality is pervasive element of his character after it. However, curiosity is most notably operative in the conduct of the action. Moreover, J. C. Maxwell said that it is largely owing to a failure to apprehend the nature as indeed the existence, of this sin that there has arisen the misrepresentations of Marlowe’s purpose, which have seen in Faustus largely. J. C. Maxwell also said that to him the points arising out of this examination that seem to me important for understanding of the play are “No insistence on the pervading and increasing sensualist of Faustus ought to difficult to understand the fact that he falls, like man and like Lucifer himself, through the spiritual sin of pride. J. C. Maxwell highlights pride, sensuality and curiosity as the major sin of Dr. Faustus. However, I somewhat disagree with this conclusion because his major sin was his over ambitious nature to gain the knowledge of the whole universe. J. C. Maxwell talks about curiosity but not in this manner, he says that Faustus is curious to get the pride. But in my point of view he is curious to gain the knowledge and ambitious to be the god.

Helen Gardner in (1948) in her research paper “The theme of Damnation in Dr. Faustus”. According to her Faustus was tired from the entire subject, which he had already studied so he decided to tire out his brains to get a religious study. She emphasizes that the sin of Faustus here is assumption the aspiring above his order, or the rebellion against the law of his creation. However, when he is last seen in his study it is the opposite sin, which delivers him to damnation. The final sin of Faustus is hopelessness. All these things show that Helen Gardner is emphasizing that Faustus is despair and he ask Lucifer to help him. Because he wants to be the God and want Mephistopheles as his servant in short she wants to say that Faustus is fully involved in Evil things and he even don’t want to repent as the old man is continuously warning him to repent. In my point of view, Helen Gardner is right to some extent but the only lacking which I find in her research. She did not talk about the over ambitiousness in nature of Faustus which became the actual reason for Faustus Damnation. Faustus is so much lost in his ambition that he does not want to repent. He forget the reality that the powers which are allotted to him by devil are only for 24 year and after that he will be toured into pieces

Nicholas Brooke in (1952) in his research about the “Moral tragedy of Doctor Faustus” highlight that actual tragedy in Doctor Faustus is his morally downfall. Nicholas emphasize that the character of Faustus is gradually falling morally because when he involve in Evil deeds with Valdes and Cornelius who are guiding Faustus how to tease innocent people and make fun of them. The scene of Helen also highlighted in Nicholas research, which shows that Faustus moral values are declining. Faustus is also making fun of the idea of repentance. In other word the fate of the presumptuous, the Christian moral of humility and denial of self in the presence of God. On that plane the play continues Faustus is visited periodically by a Good and Bad Angel who make obvious suggestion he is warmed finally by a pious and saintly old man comes to a deservedly ‘sticky end’ and the appropriate comment is in the epilogue. I agree with the idea of Nicholas Brooke but the only lacking which I find behind his research that he did not mention the main idea through which Faustus move towards moral tragedy and that his ambitious nature. Because he is very much ambitious to gain the knowledge of magic and once he gain the power of magic he became morally corrupt.

In one of the research paper named the “Appeal of Evil in Dr. Faustus” (123helpme.com, a) the researcher highlight some of the point that how Faustus is setting the things for summoning Devil. The researcher also highlight that Christopher Marlowe definitely used of the supernatural to thrill and captivate his audience. Faustus is a tragic hero and because of his supernatural powers, he caused his own downfall. Doctor Faustus would not have been entertaining without these within the play. There is one more thing which researcher highlight in his research is that there is one major thing in the play that would be highly structured on the battle between God and Lucifer, and exactly how God won the battle. To some extent in my opinion, this can be the theme but the tragic flaw which researcher had highlighted is not very correct because the supernatural element about which researcher is talking is cannot be possible if Faustus did not gain the knowledge of magic. Therefore, I feel the Faustus ambition to gain knowledge and to rule the world became his tragic downfall.

In one of the research, paper about “Dr Faustus as an Apollonian Hero” (123helpme.com, b) researcher interoperates, that Faustus fights for his life amidst a swirling world of diabolic intent. He resorts to his learning but knows that this education will now slow the striking clock. Faustus must appear alone in this final culminating appearance on Earth and on the stage. His final soliloquy must be an opportunity fully develops the explosive dramatic potential of the new dramatic frontier. The Nature he once sought to conquer spurns his supplications, refusing to harbor him from Lucifer. It is the expression of his final acceptance of his own limits, the realization that he has devised his own end. The closing of the play portrays the final and total usurpation of morality elements in the humanistic drama of character. Marlowe’s creative assimilation of the ethnicity of the historical English drama is nearly faultless. The revolution in dramatic demonstration reaches its high point as the play ends with the complete and total fall down of daemonic Dionysian Nature upon the extraordinary mind of Faustus. Faustus has never actually been granted any power at all; Mephistopheles has performed all the tricks that Faustus thinks he cleverly invented. His power must have been a false impression if even a clown can perform tricks a follower of Hell. In the final scene, Faustus finds his own study distorted into the hell predicted by Mephistopheles. Faustus lastly knows the truth of Mephistopheles’ in advance description of hell as a world itself, important Nature in all of its unprincipled brutality.

As far as the downfall is concerned the researcher had highlighted the point but in my point of view which he had ignored the main point on which the whole scenario of Faustus downfall depend and that point is over ambitious nature of Faustus because he himself was very much ambitious to learn the magic and it was he who was ambitious to sign the pact with Lucifer and sold his soul because he was ambitious to be the god and want to rule the universe so it is clear that his own ambition became the cause of his down fall. Now after discussing the tragic flaw of Dr Faustus I want to drag your attention to the tragic flaw of Shakespearean Macbeth.

Marilyn French in 1982 wrote a term paper named “Macbeth and masculine values” draw attention toward many aspect of Macbeth’s character and said that there is an uncertainty about gender role in Macbeth. She said that Macbeth is brave, valor’s follower, courageous cousin and praise worthy men. Most of the praise comes from Duncan the king. In conclusion she said a tragedy she accept without any objection the decision that Macbeth is exterminate. Throughout the play, manhood is equated with the ability to kill. She also highlights the factor responsible in killing king Duncan is Lady Macbeth who convinced Macbeth to do so. But I don’t agree with the point of view of Marilyn because Macbeth himself is overambitious to gain the power and to achieve the kingdom as we have seen throughout the play Macbeth is committing sin after sin in order to gain the power. Now if Marilyn is making Lady Macbeth responsible for Macbeths down fall is not true because Lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth once and that is to murder the king Duncan but not his son and not his friend Banquo so it is clear that Macbeth is to blame for his own dreadful mistake.

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In one of the research paper named “The question of justice in Macbeth” (123helpme.com, c) the researcher is emphasizing in the play Macbeth, many different choices are brought onward to a positive character and the result that is chosen affects the entire play. The researcher analyzed the results of these actions can be a positive or negative conclusion towards the character. Researcher raised the question himself does justice always prevail in the play Macbeth? If a character decides to commit a crime, will they be punished. If a character does a noble deed, will they be rewarded? As is represented in the play Macbeth, justice always prevails due to the guilty character’s developing sense of regret and/or the character receiving fair punishment For every action, there is a reaction and whatever the result is, it is meant to happen and it is just.

The first wicked decision chosen by Lady Macbeth and her husband Macbeth was to kill King Duncan. The death of Duncan would mean the birth of a new Macbeth, King Macbeth. Lady Macbeth decided to have her husband kill Duncan. Once Duncan is killed, Macbeth has second thoughts about the murder of Duncan and his conscience starts to kick in. His wife then puts his conscience at ease. The wife become immoral by persuades Macbeth to kill Duncan and trying to reduce the blow of Duncan’s death by comforting her husband that everything was going to be all right. Macbeth was being morally wrong by actually killing King Duncan. Macbeth is already starting to feel guilty, but Lady Macbeth seems not to be affected, as of now. Now here I find some of the draw back in this research because at first researcher is talking about justice in the play. However, in later he is throwing all the blame on Lady Macbeth that she is responsible for killing King Duncan and after assassination King Macbeth is very scared but Lady Macbeth always comforts him. In my point of view to some extend researcher is right in a way that lady Macbeth persuaded Macbeth to kill or to commit a crime of killing King Duncan. But I feel that its Macbeth’s own over ambitious nature which persuaded him to kill Duncan this is the main thing which researcher forget to mention in this way in his research paper he is not justified with his topic because he over look the main character main theme of play on which the whole scenario of justice in the play of Macbeth revolve.

In one of the research paper named “Murder in Shakespeare’s Macbeth” (123helpme.com, d) the researcher, said Macbeth is a true Shakespearian tragedy, in which the center of attraction are murders which take place, in order for one man and women to take the kingdom and become king and queen. It starts with Duncan’s murder, which is done because Macbeth did not want to see Duncan’s son next in line for the throne and the only way to prevent that was by murdering King Duncan. The next murder was that of Banquo. Banquo is a friend of Macbeth and his murder is random. Macbeth may have feared that if he did not kill Banquo, Banquo would kill him in order to gain a position power seeing that the witch has just clued-up both Macbeth, Banquo that Macbeth can be the next who be the King of Scotland, and Banquo will never have the chance to hold the kingdom. Once Banquo is out of the way, Macbeth turns his concentration to his real target, King MaCduff. Although at first hesitant about killing MaCduff, Macbeth chooses to murder MaCduff, a man who Macbeth himself said was a good man and a fine leader. The last murder is of MaCduff’s family. Macbeth cannot take any chances and must kill any associated with the former King MaCduff. The murder of MaCduff’s wife and son is the most inhuman crime of them all because for one. The researcher also said that all the killing we see on stage and number two a child is murdered, the most vicious and dreadful thing one can show. Macbeth murders for personal gain and has no doubts or else he would not have continued his mass slaughtering. Macbeth is responsible for these murders because he commits them himself, without any assistance, he kills everyone out of requirement, and because all these acts were done out of free will. The researcher analyzes the reason of so many murders in the play very well. However, the main aspect of the play which he forgets is Macbeth over ambitious nature which became the tragic flaw of his own. However, all the murder which researcher highlight in his research is revolve around the nature of the Macbeth. Macbeth is very much ambitious to get the throne which leads him toward his dreadful end.

In another paper on “Critical abstract-Macbeth” (123helpme.com, e) writer highlight the critical point of the play “In Macbeth, the delicate power of darkness becomes all-pervading; it takes the form of “ghostly solicit,” it employs “instruments of darkness,” it saturate the play in blackness and in blood, poisons the air with fear, preys on blown up and contaminated thoughts, turns feasting to terror and the innocent sleep to frightening, and employs a dreadful irony of demolition in the accomplishment of its dreadful irony of destruction in the achievement of its unproductive ends. Evil is alive of itself, a protagonist in its own right.” The essayist says that there is a custom among actors that attach with Macbeth. Saying the name can be very unsuccessful. No other play has held such a deadly influence to actors than this one. The characters in this play had evil traits as well. Lady Macbeth was exposed of her feminine character to give her the will power to carry on the deed of killing Duncan. To do this, she called for evil spirits to enter her. The death of Duncan is a sign to the both of them that evil has taken power of their lives. It has become an overshadowing force that they cannot manage. Macbeth’s life becomes a living nightmare. He cannot stop killing people; he has become the slave to evil. The only relationship left between Macbeth and his wife is the blood of the murdered. The last part of Lady Macbeth is filled with echoes, despite the consequences of the sleepless nights. Fear has set in around the whole play. Everyone fears his or her lives. As the play comes closer to its end, the spread of evil accelerate in haste. The root to all evil of this play is connected with the witches. Their horrible physical features and appearances, their spells and the belief in witchery of the time give them a strong power. As superstition have distorted, so did the figureheads of Macbeth. The essayist highlight all the critical point of the play about Lady Macbeth’s character about Macbeth’s character about their sin about their downfall but the main thing which he forget to highlight in his critical analysis that what is the reason of the downfall and that reason is ambitious nature of Macbeth to be the king of Scotland and to fulfill his ambition he did so many killings.

In one of the research paper about “Shakespeare’s Macbeth- A tragic hero” (123helpme.com,f) The researcher define the tragic hero he said Macbeth relationship with other characters in the play at the very beginning of the play, Macbeth and Banquo are returning to Scotland from a severe battle between the Norwegians and the Scottish.

They have just won the war for Duncan. This shows a dignified virtue of Macbeth. Researcher said that a requirement of a tragic hero according to Aristotle. It shows that Macbeth is a faithful person to the King and that he is a great fighter. As they are returning to Scotland, three witches appear and make prophecy about Macbeth and Banquo. The three witches say Here, Macbeth is interested in what the witches have to say, but he does not really consider them. A few minutes later, Ross enters. He tells Macbeth that the thane of Cawdor is in line for death and that Duncan has named Macbeth the new thane of Cawdor. Now, Macbeth is shocked. The witch’s prophecy has come true. He cannot believe it. Now Macbeth has a lot more on his mind; the third prophecy about becoming the King. Macbeth knows that if something were to happen to Duncan, Malcolm and Donalbain, Duncan’s sons, would be the rightful candidate to the throne. Researcher raises the question how can Macbeth be King when he is nowhere near the next in line to the throne. Another requirement for a tragic hero is that he must have a tragic flaw. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is that of ambition; At this point, Lady Macbeth knows prophecies. She really wants to be Queen of Scotland so she encourages Macbeth to do the murder of King Duncan. Lady Macbeth is putting massive amount of pressure on Macbeth. However, Macbeth thinks that Duncan is a great King and he considers Duncan to be a good friend. Finally, Macbeth gives into Lady Macbeth and decides that he will kill Duncan while he is visiting Macbeth’s castle that same night. That night, Macbeth kills Duncan. However, afterwards, Macbeth is feeling very sorry for himself. He cannot believe what he has just done. His ambition has caused him to kill a good friend and even worse, the King! Here, Macbeth is going crazy. He is so crazy right now that he brought the daggers he used to kill Duncan with him to his room. Lady Macbeth screams at him to go back to return the daggers this is where Lady Macbeth takes control and tells him that. After a while, Macbeth becomes content with what he has done especially after Malcolm and Donalbain leave Scotland for fear of their lives. Now, the third prophecy has come true; Macbeth is King of Scotland. Now, all Macbeth cares about is his throne. He does not care if he loses his life, if he loses his wife, however if he lost his throne, he would be devastated. This is why he will do absolutely anything to keep the throne, and this is why he hires murderers to kill Banquo. In this research paper the researcher, emphasize on all the reason of Macbeth’s downfall. However, the drawback, which I find, is only that he tells all the reason of his downfall and what I believe that ambitious nature of Macbeth is the only tragic flaw of his downfall.

In one of the research paper named “The personality of Macbeth”, (123helpme.com, g) researcher analyzes the whole personality of Macbeth. He said that Macbeth on first hand as a mature man of definitely well known character, successful in certain fields of activity, and enjoying an enviable reputation. He concluded that all Macbeth’s actions are conventional. Macbeth’s character is made out of possibilities and the surroundings, and no one, not even Macbeth, can know all of his excessive self-love. Researcher said that Macbeth is determinant.

Macbeth driven in his conduct by an excessive desire for sophisticated honors; his desire lies in buying excellent opportunity from all sorts of people in short. One must not deny Macbeth a human complexity of motives. His fighting in Duncan’s service is superb and courageous. Macbeth also rejoices in the success that crowns his efforts in battle. Macbeth’s services are also for his own glory. While Macbeth razes Duncan’s enemies, such reason work but are ambiguous in his awareness by more strong urges. Macbeth by nature brutally demands rewards. Macbeth fights bravely. Macbeth values success because it brings fame and royal favor. As long as these variable goods fulfill his desires, which are the case until he covets the kingship, Macbeth is an honorable gentleman. Once Macbeth’s self-love demands a satisfaction that cannot be obtained. He employs dishonorable tactics to gain his selfish desires. In whole research, the most appropriate thing, which I find, is Macbeth’s selfish desire. I want to make his point more clear that it is due to his over ambitious nature that he want to be the king and for this he is doing killing after killing and in the end his ambition became his tragic flaw.

In a research, paper named “The power of Macbeth” (123helpme.com, h) researcher highlight what are the actual element of power in the play Macbeth. He said Evil is so present and powerful in the play that any good is over shadowed by the evil forces. He said that Shakespeare uses powerful images of wild heaths and dark castles compliment sense of evil in the play. Images of night and day are powerful, as the night is just apposed with darkness and evil. Most of the evil acts take place at night. The power of day light after all the dark evil is gone. Shakespeare runs other powerful images through the play of blood and sleep. All the elements which researcher highlight I agree with them but the thing, which I find is missing in his research, is he forget to highlight the power of ambition in Macbeth’s nature, which became the reason of his tragic flaw.

The researches which I have analyses has some drawbacks to some extent. The researchers are unable to highlight the main tragic flaw of both the play. Therefore, this gave me reason to do my research on the main reason of the downfall of both the protagonist of the play.

RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the reason of Dr Faustus and Macbeth’s Downfall?

SIGNIFICANCE:

My research is oriented to bring an attention to a new paradox, shadowed aspect of Tragic Flaw of Dr. Faustus and Macbeth that they are responsible by themselves. And this thing has deviated from the Greek concept that fate is responsible for the downfall of protagonist. But in Dr. Faustus and Macbeth their over ambitious nature became their Tragic Flaw.

ANALYSIS:

CHAPTER 1:

ARISTOTLE VIEW ON TRAGIC HERO AND TRAGIC FLAW.

W. Hamilton Fyfe in his book “Aristotle’s Art of Poetry” highlighted that Aristotle was the first critic of literature to view the dissimilarity between moral and visual condition. He is specific in his vision that they want of tragedy is to give delight, strange kind of pleasure which go with the release of feeling result through the stage performance of a tragedy. The human interest holds us. He also shares the feelings of people like Othello or Macbeth. These are all people like us, yet somehow, even in the two contemporary dramas, increase to a superior power. W .H. Fyfe also clear that they achieve to some extent more than human self-respect. And yet we fully distribute their feelings and share them more easily and exactly because the poet has disqualified all those conditions and thought which in real life perplex our feelings and reject our pleasure. W. H. Fyfe also clarify that Aristotle’s represent his emotion in dramatic form and, as we share it, it becomes our own. If the tragedy has its way with us, our secreted emotion and perhaps also the physical discharge of tears is released, and when the storm of thrill settle, we are left with a sense of pleasurable relief. We have the same sense of worried, tensions determined in pleasurable relief when we are upset with our problems we sit down to watch some movies or starts reading books or listen to the music which gave us soothing effect. In the same way W. H. Fyfe also said that great poem or a great picture both stimulate and relieves our emotions. According to him Athenian tragedy combined all these demand poetry, music, pictorial expression; it carried the yet stronger and more popular demand of a thrilling story and presents in the great open-air theatre of Dionysus the strengthening group of people. It was really a bold step. People who avoid their panic by reading careless accounts of football and racing, adultery and murder, might better their health by means of this safer and much more pleasing form of relief. It still exists; and great works of art come so hardly ever within our reach that there is no danger in indulging in such activity to get pleasure. This is all about the W. H. Fyfe point of view about the emotional effect of tragedy.

In one of the term paper named “Tragic Hero” (www.planetpaper.com). He said that Aristotle described a tragic hero as being a person who, through a flaw, in their own character, is brought from a high position and learns to see clearly before their own destruction. In the Theban play. ‘King Oedipus’, Oedipus is considered to be a tragic hero after his mother and father try to cheat fate, then later when Oedipus discovered his own fate, he tried to cheat his fate so here I may say that it was his own free will also only in truth ending up where fate had designed. Another Theban play, ‘Antigone’, also written by Sophocles includes Oedipus’ daughter, Antigone, as the t

 

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