The Tragic Hero

: The Tragic Hero :

Literature entertains us and provides us with an escape from our everyday lives. In doing this we are introduced to many different kinds of heroes - the comedic hero, the romantic hero, the adventurous hero, and the tragic hero. However, it is the “Archetypal” tragic hero that is, by far, the most compelling hero we meet in literature. The tragic hero is usually of noble stature with a tragic flaw. This hero usually makes a tremendous error in his/her choice of action that brings him/her “down.” Before the tragic hero’s demise, he/she will come to some kind of understanding of what he/she has done that brought him/her down. Two infamous tragic heroes in literature who meet most of these requirements are found in the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare and in the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger.

The tragic hero Macbeth is a positive traditional tragic hero because he exhibits most of the characteristics of an archetypal tragic hero. His first trait is of being of noble stature. Macbeth becomes King of Scotland through treacherous means and ultimately influences his followers and royalty to conspire against him. Malcolm, who is one of the people who conspire against Macbeth, expresses his dismay in the quote

“This tune goes manly. / Come, go we to the King. Our power is ready, / Our lack is nothing but our leave. Macbeth / Is ripe for shaking, and the powers above / Put on their instruments. Receive what cheer you may. / The night is long that never finds the day.” (Shakespeare 238)

The tragedy in the end is that he is slain by his former countrymen.

Macbeth’s second trait is his tragic flaw, or is his hubris. This flaw appears after “meeting” with 3 witches who try to influence him in a negative way. They give him false hope and make him believe that he is invincible and that nothing can stop him. Macbeth shows excessive pride when he states

“Bring me no reports, let them fly all. / Till Birnam wood remove to Dunsinane / I cannot taint with fear. What’s the boy Malcolm? / Was he not born of woman? The spirits that know / All mortal consequences have pronounced me thus: / “Fear not, Macbeth, no man that’s born of woman / Shall e’er have power upon thee.” Then fly, false thanes, / And mingle with English epicures. / The mind I sway by and the heart I bear / Shall never sag with doubt nor shake with fear.” (Shakespeare 241)

With these poisonous thoughts in his mind and with the bloody influence of his wife, he plans King Duncan’s death and then follows through with this deed. Later he recklessly enters a lopsided battle and tragically dies.

The third trait of the tragic hero that Macbeth reflects is free choice. Macbeth’s downfall can be traced back to one specific event - whether or not to kill his dear friend and current king Duncan. With the persuasion of Lady Macbeth and his avariciousness, he decides to kill Duncan and unknowingly he tragically starts a domino effect that eventually leads to his death. At the moment of choice, Macbeth states “I am settled, and bend up/Each corporal agent to this terrible feat./Away, and mock the time with fairest show./False face must hide what the false heart doth know.(Shakespeare 194)

Holden Caulfield is an untraditional tragic anti-hero. He doesn’t posses most of the typical characteristics of a tragic hero but he is still considered one. His first trait is of being of ignoble stature. Holden is a plebian who comes from a wealthy family. Even though Holden does not have a lofty position to fall from, he still has immensely affected himself as well as his family when he drops out of school and eventually has a mental breakdown. His sister Phoebe, in particular, is deeply affected emotionally when she learns of Holden’s wrongdoings in the quote “You did get kicked out! You did! Oh Holden!”(Salinger