Comparing Arthur Miller's Tragedy And The Common Man
Response to Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man”
In Arthur Miller’s essay, “Tragedy and the Common Man” he makes that point that it is in fact the common people, and the anti-heroes that can create “the most powerful tragic theater.” As it is “the common man who knows fear best.” This an opinion that I do agree with to a certain extent, however I do not think that one must choose one or the other, as entertainment is also a large part of theater and drama.
When tragic theatre uses a common man, such as Miller has done in “Death of a Salesman”, there are certain elements that makes the audience become more attached to the story and characters, thus the play. One of the main ones is that we can relate to anti-heroes, therefore we project our own problems on them and possibly begin to explore them within us, with theatre then having acted as a spur for this “self-discovery”. Just because issues are more realistic, does not mean that they are less powerful.
By using Willy as an example, we understand his problems, his worries about losing his job and not being able to provide for his family, still loving his wife yet he betrayed her, his anxiety regarding his son not being successful. And maybe most importantly, feeling small and unimportant. We …show more content…
Illustrated in Hamlet’s anxiety regarding a ghost telling him he need to get revenge on his uncle who is currently married to his mother, something that we cannot relate to. That is not to say that “Hamlet” isn’t a very human play, discussing human thoughts and emotions, it is just not as easily accessible to the general public. Thus instead of completely understanding the issues explored as if it were our own, we take on much more of an observer
In Arthur Miller’s essay, “Tragedy and the Common Man” he makes that point that it is in fact the common people, and the anti-heroes that can create “the most powerful tragic theater.” As it is “the common man who knows fear best.” This an opinion that I do agree with to a certain extent, however I do not think that one must choose one or the other, as entertainment is also a large part of theater and drama.
When tragic theatre uses a common man, such as Miller has done in “Death of a Salesman”, there are certain elements that makes the audience become more attached to the story and characters, thus the play. One of the main ones is that we can relate to anti-heroes, therefore we project our own problems on them and possibly begin to explore them within us, with theatre then having acted as a spur for this “self-discovery”. Just because issues are more realistic, does not mean that they are less powerful.
By using Willy as an example, we understand his problems, his worries about losing his job and not being able to provide for his family, still loving his wife yet he betrayed her, his anxiety regarding his son not being successful. And maybe most importantly, feeling small and unimportant. We …show more content…
Illustrated in Hamlet’s anxiety regarding a ghost telling him he need to get revenge on his uncle who is currently married to his mother, something that we cannot relate to. That is not to say that “Hamlet” isn’t a very human play, discussing human thoughts and emotions, it is just not as easily accessible to the general public. Thus instead of completely understanding the issues explored as if it were our own, we take on much more of an observer