Choose one part, reference or aspect of “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller that was difficult to understand and do some research (a Google search) to try to find information to help you to understand it better. In other words, maybe you didn’t know who Orestes (second paragraph) is. Briefly conduct some research to learn more about this character and then report your findings here. Your response should be at least three sentences long.
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In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentions a tragic flaw which is very similar to the Greek concept of hamartia. Hamartia is first described in the subject of literary criticism by Aristotle in his Poetics. In Greek mythology and drama, tragic flaws were often given to mortals like Achille by the gods. This is essentially a literary device that allows us to sympathize with any unfortunate character.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he references Medea as an individual who went through struggles to gain his rightful position in his society. In Greek mythology, Medea is the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea’s husband, Jason, left Medea in order to marry Glauce, the daughter of Creon, King of Corinth. In revenge, Medea kills Glauce, Creon, and her own two sons, to relieve the pain that Jason has caused her.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned Macbeth, who was a character in Williams Shakespeare’s play. Macbeth was a general that was greedy for power. However, his personality contradicted with this since he wasn’t a brave person. As his greed was growing, he was more tempted into crimes, yet he still had a conscience that almost made him abort his mission. This shows the tragic feeling of a general that shows the struggles of fitting into society, having ambitions yet lack the strength for the character.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned Hamlet, who was a character in Williams Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the price of Denmark. In the tragedy of Hamlet, price of Denmark, Hamlet is revenging his father’s death, the King of Denmark. He returns from the University in Wittenberg, Germany, to find his father dead mysteriously. He is furious due to the sudden remarriage of his mother, Queen Gertrude, to his uncle, Claudius. At night, his father’s ghost appeared to him and affirmed that he was killed by his brother Claudius, which encouraged him to revenge his father at the cost of his life.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned Oedipus, who was a Greek king of Thebes in Greek mythology. He was a tragic hero because he killed his own father without realizing it and then married his mother. In Millers writing, he stated that, “I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were”. I think Miller is saying that common man could be a hero as well like Oedipus, who was also a tragic hero, and that social status doesn’t really matter.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned, “the tragic night is a condition of life, a condition in which the human personality can flower and realize itself.” I’m assuming what he means is after the action that happened, the hero realizes he’s true worth and a better understanding of what’s right than wrong. This tragic night brought them into a different perspective on the situation that they are in. Overall, the tragic night can be good or bad, but it depends on the character and how he initiates it.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned Medea, who is in Greek mythology, an enchantress who helped Jason, leader of the Argonauts, to obtain the Golden Fleece from her father, King Aeëtes of Colchis. She was of divine descent and had the gift of prophecy. She married Jason and used her magic powers and advice to help him.However, some tragedy happened, Jason divorced with her and married another woman, which lead to Medea’s taking the revenge and kill them, all their children and herself.
Author used them as of the examples of tragedy.
In “Tragedy and The Common Man” by Arthur Miller, he mentioned Medea who is in Greek mythology, an enchantress who helped Jason, leader of the Argonauts, to obtain the Golden Fleece from her father, King Aeëtes of Colchis. She was of divine descent and had the gift of prophecy. She married Jason and used her magic powers and advice to help him.However, some tragedy happened, Jason divorced with her and married another woman, which lead to Medea’s taking the revenge and kill them, all their children and herself.
Author used them as of the examples of tragedy.
In “Tragedy and the common man” by Arthur Miller he mentions an interesting quote stating that ” the tragic night is a condition of life, a condition in which the human personality can flower and realize itself.” In this part of the text I think he is referring to how each and everyone of us has his own meaning of life. As we say in sociology although we need others to become fully human, we are still unique as individuals because we all interpret the world our own way. In other world this tragic night he is referring to can be an auspicious night for some but and terrible night to others depending on the person’s values and morals.
In “Tragedy and the common man” by Auther Miller he mentions Oedipus. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, the king of Thebes, who is fated to kill his father and marry his mother. Oedipus unwittingly killed his father and married his mother, Jocasta. Oedipus is a tragic hero because he is not perfect but has tragic flaws. It is pride that causes Oedipus to unknowingly kill his father, Laius, on the road to Thebes.
According to Miller, in a tragedic story, a character struggles to “gain his “rightful” position in his society.” In Greek Mythology, Orestes killed his mother, Clytemnestra and her secret lover, Aegisthus to avenge the murder of his father, King Agamemnon.
Killing his’s own mother isn’t filial piety, but not enacting on his father’s death also isn’t Some consider Orestes to be a tragic flaw, but Miller believes a flaw is just the character unwilling to remain quiet to those who challenge him and it’s comprehensible.
In “Tragedy and the Common Man” by Arthur Miller, his ideas start with the brief hook. “In this age few tragedies are written.” At the beginning of my reading process, I was wondering about which time period he is specifically mentioning? and what are the there names of these tragic stories? but then I feel like he’s ideas are mostly related to the Greek’s values and their behaviors about the meaning of tragedy.