Tragic Heroes in Brave New World, King Lear and The Crucible - Essay Example

No: Tragic Heroes in Brave New World, King Lear and The Crucible The three protagonists in the plays are found to be tragic heroes according to the definition of Aristotle. In Brave New World, John the savage is the tragic hero who is a typical character endowed with strange qualities that distinguish him from other characters in the novel. According to Aristotle the tragic hero must possess good character that we can see even among the meanest men, which makes him a protagonist. In chapter eleven, when Lenina shows signs of attraction towards him, though he feels the prick of desire, he suppresses his feelings and also advises Lenina not to see bad films. He is an isolated character and suffers the pain of remoteness. Because of being a white–haired son of Linda, he suffers aloofness from all he meets. His mind burns with sorrow. He recounts it to Bernard how he once tried to stand on a rock with his hands sketched out like Jesus on the cross, just to experience the pain to be felt on being crucified. Thus he remains busy in trying to cure himself. Similarly ‘King Lear is also a tragic hero created by Shakespeare. The tragic hero must pose flaws to have tragedies in his life. He must endure it with dignity. King Lear, though a king makes fault with his daughters by false judgment. He is not an evil one. If Lear was completely evil, we would not be fearful of what happens to him. At first, when he plans to divide his kingdom among his daughters, the audience feel that he is a fool and overconfident, but later he is self-effacing and vulnerable. In Act 1, like a typical hero he has everything, wealth, power, peace. But the question that he asks “Which of you shall we say doth love us most?” (1.1.2). It shows that though he is a king he is not stern or firm in his understanding of his daughters. It is his insensitivity that makes him taking the unwise decision of losing his kingdom for his daughters along with Cordelia. The rest of the play is his sufferings of this error. In crucible, the protagonist John Proctor also possesses the qualities of a tragic hero. He is also a respected person and loved one in his place. He is tempered, but for noble causes, and is reacting to the evil things in the society, thus there is a sense of right and wrong in him which later makes him a tragic hero. The evil things such as taking support of the devil, witchcraft and adultery, all are regarded evil by Proctor. He was also involved in the mentioned activities in the past but he confesses his crime in order to gain forgiveness and to do the right. In Brave New World, John suffers from the contradiction between his beliefs and that of the new world. Though he knows that his mother belongs to the new world which is opposing, he shows his affection especially on the death bed. John the savage is revealed through the dialogue when he screams “That stuff is poison’, and I have come to save you” (Huxley 52). Their starts his reassessment. The stillness he feels in his action and thought symbolizes his understanding of his own morals and beliefs. He suffers much humiliation at the hands of various persons and society because of the situation in which he is placed which strongly get the support of the audience to place his as a tragic hero. Similarly King Lear also fails to understand who he is. He is not mounting to the level of a King, but only remains as a father. His division of the state really divides his family. Thus chaos starts in the family. He was betrayed by his loving daughters. He says “I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness. I never gave you kingdom, called you children you owe me no subscription. Then let fall your horrible please”. (3.2.16-19) According to Aristotle a tragic hero should pass through a period of suffering which brings him light into his identity. Through the suffering he attains the sympathy of the viewers. These essentials are met by King Lear. In the same way in The Crucible, the protagonist shows his disinterest in life “We are what we were in Salem, but now the little crazy children have the keys to the kingdom, and common vengeance write the law! This warrants vengeance! I will not give my wife to vengeance!” (2.4. pg. 73) Tragedy comes to his life because of his own faults. The greatest mistake in his life is Abigail. His secret affair with Abigail leads him to ruin. She began to hate his wife Elizabeth proctor, and accuses her of witchcraft. Towards the end of Brave New World, John the savage is found disgusting. He feels that he is a failure. He is unable to be in tune with the civilized people. The inner struggle for moral regulation is at its peak. The humiliation he suffers is far above his endurance. At the end, he says “Oh! Linda Forgive me. Forgive me God. I’m bad, I’m wicked. No, Not you …strumpet, you strumpet!” (Huxley 134). Similarly, King Lear also identifies his faults towards the end. According to Aristotle, the tragic hero adjusts with the realities or realization of the facts leads him at the end. King Lear does not come to the sanity of a real king. He expresses his anger and finally his legs turn towards ‘true’ daughter Cordelia. He comes to value Cordelia above everything and to place his own love for Cordelia. But Kent and Cordelia come to an end and the tragedy is initiated. These events eventually lead to his death which is the most apparent tragedy in the play. In ‘The Crucible”, John Proctor meets his death because of his own faults. When his wife was charged for witchcraft, Proctor tried to prove her innocence. On the way everything turns against her. With pains he says “God damns our kind especially, and we will burn, we will burn together”. (3.2. pg. 119) Thus he is also elevated to the position of a tragic hero. In conclusion the heroes of these texts are typical tragic heroes of Aristotle. Works Cited Huxley, Aldus. Brave New World. London: Chatto and Windus, 1932. Shakespeare, William. King Lear. London: W. W. Norton & Publishers, 1974. Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Publishers, 1976.   Read More