Tragic heroes free essay sample

The term â€Å"tragic hero† is usually defined by one of the most important characters throughout a Greek or Roman play. Both plays Hamlet and Oedipus are both tragedies, because they display a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force which is their destiny. Having a distressed or catastrophic conclusion that leads to pity or terror. A tragic hero always acts exactly on his or her own emotions; thus aiding their tragic flaw and leading to their own demise without giving them the time to stop the repercussions of their emotion driven actions. Before analyzing that Hamlet and Oedipus, the critical approach used in both plays are archetypal analysis. Both tragic heroes, must at least follow the following; royal birth or of a higher class, they must have a fatal flaw, usually their punishment outweighs their crime, and then finally, sometime during where tragedy takes place there should be some sort of self-realization for that character. We will write a custom essay sample on Tragic heroes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Hamlet and Oedipus are both tragic heroes as they discover their fate by their own actions, they fall from great esteem and their story arises fear and empathy. Both men hold high statuses in their city, in William Shakespeare’s play â€Å"Hamlet†, Hamlet is a member of a royal family, the son of Old Hamlet and Queen Gertrude. He’s the next in line for the throne. This makes Hamlet the second most powerful man in Denmark, as he is the prince. Unfortunately, his Uncle Claudius (King of Denmark) has taken over for his brother. In Sophocles’ play â€Å"Oedipus Rex†, Oedipus is the ruler or the king of Thebes. He was born into royal blood by King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. He’s high standing in both political and the social hierarchy as he is the king and is very well known around the world. Hamlet possesses noble virtues, as he wants revenge and justice for his father. As his uncle poisoned his own brother, which made Hamlet’s strategy to kill him. Oedipus’ possesses noble virtues all over the play. After he killed his father (King Laius) at the crossroads, he automatically became King of Thebes. There was a Sphinx, and she stated that if anyone could solve her riddle, she would leave the city, but it was impossible too. Oedipus finally stepped up and tried to solve the riddle. This is shown as a noble virtues and that he isn’t self-centred.  Both men hold very high statuses, and have a huge respect in the society. Throughout the play, both Hamlet and Oedipus possess a tragic flaw within their personalities. This is led to pity or terror act. Hamlets tragic flaw is that he allows his emotions to take control over him and overshadow his wisdom. This is shown when Hamlet, keeps putting off his plan to kill his uncle. There were many impeccable times where he could of. When Claudius was in a room in the castle praying, Hamlet had the chance to kill him but decides not too because. Claudius will go to heaven because he is praying and he will go to hell. In another scene, Gertrude (mother) and Hamlet are in the room, talking about how she has disrespected her husband that had just passed away by marrying his brother. Hamlet, hears a noise coming from the curtain and instantaneously doesn’t think and stabs the person behind it thinking it was Claudius, while all along it was Polonius the father of Ophelia. This shows that Hamlet doesn’t act with any hesitation, which allows him to lose wisdom because of he wasn’t able to control his emotions. Oedipus’ tragic flaw is that he’s determined to find the truth. He lives in the city of Corinth with his parents King Polybus and Queen Merope, but was told later on that those aren’t his biological parents. While searching for his birth parents, he found his way to Delphic Oracle, while visiting there he finds out about the prophecy surrounding him. He decided to leave Corinth and find his way to Thebes, which makes him closer to fulfilling the prophecy. Once he’s arrive to the crossroads. He got into an argument with his biological father King Laius, but doesn’t know who he is. Instead of talking it out, he kills him, â€Å"It was there the driver thrust me aside and him I struck, For I was angry†¦ And every man of them I killed.† and completing the first part of the prophecy. Oedipus’ noble virtues lead him to his unintentional horrific act and he completes the prophecy. He’s is given the throne of Thebes, once he answered the Sphinx’s riddle and marries his mother Queen Jocasta, but doesn’t know they’re related. The fatal flaws shown by these heroes, contribute to their downfall but also cause a huge misfortune, as well as for the people who surround them. Hamlets fatal flaw was the results of his own death in the end of the play, as he died Laertes’ sword which had poisoning on it. His lack of ability to  control his emotions affected the family of Polonius, his family and the empire of Denmark greatly. Hamlet’s accident of killing Polonius led to a huge disaster. Hamlet’s over Ophelia, committed suicide thinking the death of her father was her fault because she rejected Hamlet. Hamlet ends up killing Laertes the brother of Ophelia and son of Polonius. He killed all of Polonius’ family, which means the bloodline was over. Gertrude ends up dying as well, as she drank from the poison glass which was meant for Hamlet, that Claudius made. Hamlet kills Claudius, then kills himself which means there was no more royal family of Denmark. Fortinbras then took over Denmark just in time after the death of Hamlet. Oedipus’ fatal flaw leads him and the people around him to great misfortune. As Oedipus finds out that he married his mother and kills his father â€Å"completing the prophecy† he decides that he doesn’t deserve the ability to see, â€Å"You, youll see no more the pain I suffered all the pain I caused! Too long you looked on the ones you never should have seen, blind to the ones you longed to see, to know! Blind from this hour on! Blind in the darkness-blind!† He is then banished and ashamed for the rest of his life, his biological mother Queen Jocasta committed suicide, when she found out she was married to her son. Oedipus’ is then exiled and shamed for the rest of his life, Queen Jocasta ends up committing suicide as a result of finding out that she married her own son. King Laius suffers dreadful disasters at the hands of Oedipus himself, when he killed him at the crossroads. His children’s Antigone and Ismene, also suffer because of his acts. Once the truth is out about Oedipus murders, he said that his daughters won’t be able to live a happy and normal life anymore because of what he has done. â€Å"Though I cannot behold you, I must weep in thinking of the evil days to come†¦ Where’s the bold wooers who will jeopardize†¦Ã¢â‚¬  As seen in both plays, Hamlet and Oedipus are a tragic hero of the story, everybody suffers and no one is left untouched. The two protagonist Hamlet and Oedipus are different in their plays, they both have many similarities that fit the meaning of a â€Å"Tragic Hero†. They both are high in their society, have noble virtues and acquire tragic flaws leading to a pity or terror act and causes a major downfall of the characters and the misfortune around them. This type of archetype has been around in literature for many many years, it allows the reader to understand the protagonist better.