Tragedy and the Common Man
Argumentative Essay based on Article “Tragedy and the Common Man”
In Arthur Miller’s essay “Tragedy and the Common Man,” Miller mentions
tragedy as man’s struggle to gain his “rightful” position in his society, and whoever that
character may be—king or common man—that character is eventually brought down by
his or her tragic flaws and that’s what makes that character a tragic hero. In the past, there
have been many tragic heroes which can relate to Arthur Miller’s essay “Tragedy and the
Common Man,” in both past works of literature and in actual history itself.
Throughout history there have been many fallen heroes who have been key
subjects to be known in essence as “tragic heroes.” Famous tragic heroes include ones
who fought alongside their “common men” such as the ancient Spartan King Leonidas I. While Leonidas fought alongside his men, some characters did not even have to
physically fight to be a tragic hero, such be the case of the popular character “Willy
Lowman” from the well-known play Death of a Salesman. Whilst some characters fought
alongside their men, and some didn’t fight at all, there were those who even fought
against the ones they loved for the common good of their society, such as the ancient and
well known Roman Senator Marcus Junius Brutus, who killed his once-beloved friend
Julius Caesar for the common good of his society and the fear of Julius Caesar’s
“dictatorship for life” in a democratic Rome.
As previously mentioned, some tragic heroes fought alongside their common
men, such as King Leonidas I of Ancient Sparta—and this helped reveal the true flaw in
Leonidas I (his desire to keep the Spartan reputation) which was his flaw for Spartan
glory. In the 2007 movie “Three Hundred,” the semi-realistic re-enactment of the Battle
of Thermopylae showed the Spartan king fighting for his country on the front lines
alongside his 300 fellow Spartan soldiers.
In Arthur Miller’s essay “Tragedy and the Common Man,” Miller mentions
tragedy as man’s struggle to gain his “rightful” position in his society, and whoever that
character may be—king or common man—that character is eventually brought down by
his or her tragic flaws and that’s what makes that character a tragic hero. In the past, there
have been many tragic heroes which can relate to Arthur Miller’s essay “Tragedy and the
Common Man,” in both past works of literature and in actual history itself.
Throughout history there have been many fallen heroes who have been key
subjects to be known in essence as “tragic heroes.” Famous tragic heroes include ones
who fought alongside their “common men” such as the ancient Spartan King Leonidas I. While Leonidas fought alongside his men, some characters did not even have to
physically fight to be a tragic hero, such be the case of the popular character “Willy
Lowman” from the well-known play Death of a Salesman. Whilst some characters fought
alongside their men, and some didn’t fight at all, there were those who even fought
against the ones they loved for the common good of their society, such as the ancient and
well known Roman Senator Marcus Junius Brutus, who killed his once-beloved friend
Julius Caesar for the common good of his society and the fear of Julius Caesar’s
“dictatorship for life” in a democratic Rome.
As previously mentioned, some tragic heroes fought alongside their common
men, such as King Leonidas I of Ancient Sparta—and this helped reveal the true flaw in
Leonidas I (his desire to keep the Spartan reputation) which was his flaw for Spartan
glory. In the 2007 movie “Three Hundred,” the semi-realistic re-enactment of the Battle
of Thermopylae showed the Spartan king fighting for his country on the front lines
alongside his 300 fellow Spartan soldiers.