The concept of the tragic hero is a cornerstone of literary analysis, originating from ancient Greek drama and persisting through to contemporary literature. This archetype reflects a character who possesses inherent flaws or makes critical errors in judgment, leading to their inevitable downfall. Tragic heroes are typically individuals of high ...Read More
The concept of the tragic hero is a cornerstone of literary analysis, originating from ancient Greek drama and persisting through to contemporary literature. This archetype reflects a character who possesses inherent flaws or makes critical errors in judgment, leading to their inevitable downfall. Tragic heroes are typically individuals of high status or noble birth who are pitted against an insurmountable fate or a critical moral decision, which ultimately leads to a tragic end. This essay topic invites an exploration of how the tragic hero has evolved over centuries, from the strictures of Aristotle’s definitions in ancient Greek tragedies, through the complexities of Shakespeare’s protagonists, to the nuanced figures in modern literature.
Writing an essay on the evolution of the tragic hero is significant for several reasons:
It offers insights into how societal values and philosophical perceptions of heroism, morality, and fate have shifted over time.
This theme provides a rich field for literary analysis, allowing for a deep dive into various literary devices, character development, and narrative techniques used by authors to depict tragic heroes.
It encourages a nuanced understanding of human strengths and weaknesses and the consequences of our choices, underscoring the timeless relevance of classical themes in the modern context.
The evolution of the tragic hero offers a lens through which to examine different cultural attitudes towards fate, free will, and the divine.
By exploring the tragedies of these heroes, readers and writers alike are prompted to reflect on their own lives and the human condition, fostering empathy for others.
Literature Review Essay Topics
The Evolution of the Tragic Hero in Literature: From Ancient Greece to Modern Times
Feminism in Literature: The Waves from the 19th Century to the Present
The Portrayal of Family Dynamics in 20th-Century American Literature
Post-Colonial Narratives and Identity: A Literature Review
Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle" is more than just a story about the harsh realities of immigrant life in early 20th-century America; it's a powerful exploration of several enduring themes that resonate with readers even today. From the brutal conditions faced by workers to the corruption...
Ian McEwan’s novel “Atonement” is a masterful exploration of themes like guilt, redemption, and the nature of storytelling itself. At its core, the book revolves around a tragic misunderstanding that has devastating consequences for its characters. Through rich narrative techniques and layered storytelling, McEwan invites...
When we delve into the depths of history, particularly in relation to maritime exploration, one cannot overlook the significance of the Erythraean Sea. This term primarily refers to a body of water known today as the Red Sea, situated between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula....
Introduction: Setting the Stage William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” is a compelling tale that captivates readers with its exploration of human nature, societal structures, and moral dilemmas. At its core, the story revolves around a group of boys stranded on an uninhabited island after...
In the realm of Gothic literature, few stories resonate as deeply as Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Birthmark.” Both narratives delve into the dangerous waters of scientific ambition and the quest for perfection. The central characters—Dr. Victor Frankenstein and Aylmer—embody distinct but parallel...
William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” ends with a dramatic climax that not only wraps up the narrative but also invites readers to reflect on deeper themes of civilization, savagery, and the inherent nature of humanity. The conclusion is powerful, and it leaves us pondering...
Not like many other plays you have read or seen before, ‘night Mother written by Marsha Norman is a play which focuses on only two main characters. The entire play is spoken through the thoughts of a mother (Mama) and daughter (Jessie). Most of their...
Beyond the brutalities that all slaves endured, females suffered the additional anguish of sexual exploitation and the deprivation of motherhood. In “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” Harriet Jacobs focuses on racial subjugation but also gives voice to a different kind of captivity...
It is an undeniable fact that, character triats, attitude, upbringing, and education will shape an individual perception and mindset towards life. Lennie, Suyuan and Amir each has their own idea of what The American Dream should entail. Happiness as a concept is as ambiguous as...
Adrienne Rich’s “Song” plays out an uncomfortably intimate melody concerning a woman’s feelings of inescapable loneliness. Adrienne asserts the tortured song of this woman’s soul so beautifully, teasing the reader early on with passivity, and then cunningly slips into prose so lovely that the reader...
It is universally accepted that, at the age of fifty-two, men should be courting women of similar ages. However, David Lurie, the protagonist of J. M. Coetzee’s Disgrace, does not comply with these standards. He is absolutely infatuated with women in their twenties, his college...
Throughout Harriet Jacobs’ powerful and informative autobiography, Christianity is repeatedly mentioned as a direct and indirect influence on the episodes of her life as an enslaved woman. Jacobs depicts religion amongst the enslaved as an assuaging escape from their suffering and exposes the Christianity of...
Curtis Sittenfield’s award-winning novel, Prep, and Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian illustrate the prominent theme of isolation in an upcoming teen’s life. In Prep, the reader is brought through Lee Fiora’s trauma filled journey through a renowned institution known as...
Jealousy and Envy are among the greatest sins out of the seven sins, which led to the downfall of the society. The story by Maupassant “The Necklace” is about a woman who held jealousy and envy throughout the story. Mathilde Loisel, the protagonist, felt that...
Frost is known for his realistic depiction of rural life and his command over American Colloquial Speech. He frequently wrote about settings in Rural life in New England in the early 1900’s and using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes He was copiously...
Writing from the late 1880s to the dawn of modern Ireland in the first two decades of the 20th century, Yeats and Synge penned their works during a period of national liminality; or what critic Seamus Deane refers to as “the long process of its...
In the literary work Wuthering Heights, by Emily Brontë, there is clear conflict within the issues of social class, race and love among the characters. In a society where money and power are necessary for success, Heathcliff, a poor, dark-skinned orphan, felt that it was...
Progress for the Sake of Progress “Progress for the sake of progress must be prohibited”. Although this quote is from Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter, it accurately describes Thoreau’s attitude towards progress in Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, an excerpt from Walden....
Sense and Sensibility Summary February 2nd, 2018Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen starts off at Norland Park, where Mr. Dashwood has just passed away and left his fortune to this nephew’s son, John Dashwood. Despite John Dashwood’s promise with his father to take care of...
Horatio Alger was the author of Ragged Dick. Ragged Dick became the most popular novel of his collection which was published in 1867. This book demonstrates a story about a character by the name of Dick who is a bootblack in New York City. He...
In “Marrying Absurd,” Joan Didion illustrates the experience of getting “married” in Las Vegas as completely meaningless because it has become too simple. Didion claims that this process is pointless because obtaining a marriage license has become more of a business. Didion supports these claims...
Lee et.al’s article studies on how children view themselves and others, children’s intra and inter-racial friendships, ways in which these friendships takes place in their school lives. Throughout the study, Lee et al stated that they cite race rather than ethnicity and race continues to...
Introduction This novel is based on the experiences lived by Conrad as captain of a vapor Belgian ship, he is one of the most important writers of the finals of the XIX, and beginning of the XX. Conrad was Polish and he learned to speak...
The first sentence of the very informative and persuasive document know as Common Sense, Thomas Paine says, that just because there isn’t anything wrong does not make anything right. He also starts to explain how America will be an example for the universe and how...
Japan’s Cuisines: Food, Place and Identity by Eric C. Rath is a scholarly book that reveals the great diversity of Japanese cuisine and explains how Japan’s modern food culture arose through the direction of private and public institutions. Rath argues that by focusing on ceremonial...
Introduction Pandiyan et al, (2016) stated that literature review is a classification and evaluation of what the accredited scholars and researchers have written on a topic, organized according to a guiding concept such as research questions or research objective, thesis, or the problem/issues that are...
In the Tyrone family, they have been shown to argue with each other all day and night. We have seen how Edmund reacts to his father, James, when they discuss moving him into a sanatorium. James wants to bring his son to a local sanatorium,...
Zora Neale Hurston was an American folklorist and writer associated with the Harlem Renaissance that was born January 7, 1891, and died January 28, 1960, she was revolutionary in helping protect the rights of African Americans. She is known for ‘How it Feels to be...
Introduction A good childhood experience reflects greatly upon how you act as you get older, school life for a child should be memorable and should be able to apply the teachings to their own lives, but unfortunately, that’s not what Saul Indian Horse can relate...
In life there will are many challenges that people will be confronted with. Within those challenges there will be many people that will back down to the challenge and the few that will rise up not only facing the challenge, but defeating the task at...
