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
Writer Oscar Wilde once said: “A mask tells us more than a face.” Throughout history, lies and masks have been a means to an end in achieving the goals of women who are limited in their current situations – social, political, or economical. Women traditionally...
In recent years, the age of maturity in Western cultures has been pushed higher and higher as more education becomes necessary to pursue job opportunities. Crashing economies increasingly force children to rely on their parents after graduation. Despite the practical necessity of taking a few...
Jose Saramago’s Blindness depicts a world suddenly stricken by a blindness epidemic. As an inexplicable wave of blindness spreads, society fragments and people freely express an “animalistic” form of human nature in face of the increased pressure for survival. The characters’ responses to their blindness...
It’s impossible to analyse Beckett without struggling with his work’s abstract, surreal nature; the typical minimalist language mixed with abnormal premises make it difficult to find comprehensible meaning. Due to this universal difficulty Beckett deliberately creates, his plays become open to freeform interpretation. ‘Endgame’ is...
Women in classical literature have been characterized as the submissives who lack the intellectual substance for lead roles. As the generations evolve into the modern culture, hints of sexist ideals latch themselves onto societal norms. Women’s bodies are not their own, but property of another...
It seems contradictory that a person could simultaneously be treated as both completely worthless and completely inexpendable. Despite the paradoxical nature of this statement, it perfectly describes the plight of black women in early American slavery. Female slaves, though legally regarded as property, were vitally...
In his novel The Demon in the Freezer, Richard Preston addresses the American public’s increasing concern about the threat of terrorism after the events of 9/11. As the anthrax scare began spreading through the country, people became more fearful about what might happen next. This...
Introduction Othello is a 1951 Shakespearean drama produced, directed and adapted by Orson Welles who also stars as the titular lead. It is also considered one of the greatest acting performances to be showcased by the auteur. In this essay, I will be analysing the...
George Farquhar’s 1706 play The Recruiting Officer delves into the careers and personal antics of a male ensemble cast in Restoration era Shropshire. Among these men are the two competing officers Plume and Brazen, the tough Sergeant Kite, and the gentleman Worthy–all of whom, though...
In this passage from David Wallace’s Consider the Lobster, there are many deep thoughts ingrained within the passage and the author himself discusses many of his actions with regards to what he is saying. Given this, he is not always recognized for being consistent –...
Revenge in Literature Is revenge just and right, or should we deal with our differences through the law and court? The Bible’s teachings on revenge do not align with Francis Bacon’s lessons on revenge, or the actions of the princess in The Lady or The...
The reason I have chosen “Cloud Nine” by Caryl Churchill as a theatre landmark is because I feel as those the subjects the play touches on very sensitive subjects even today. When this play was written sexual repression was still a major thing when people...
“Tiny Feet” by Gabriela Mistral is a tragic poem that tells us the painful lives of poor children, to convince us to feel sorry and look for support lives of poor children. The “Tiny Feet” tells a story about the author’s life. When she was...
The Painted Door is a short story written by Canadian author Sinclair Ross in 1941. The story is about a lonely farmer’s wife one winter, as her husband goes off for the day to check on his elderly father five miles away in the middle...
Henrik Ibsen’s play, entitled “An Enemy of The People”, deeply stresses out the essence of having characters in a play, which is notably considered as the second most important element of tragedy. A character is said to be a genuine one if it has four...
Treating others with kindness and respect is an important way of showing how you are expecting to be treated by people who surrounded you. In the Greek play “Antigone”, Haemon shares with his father many ideas and feelings he has encountered from Creon’s unchangeable, selfish...
In the story, Sentimental Medicine, Eula Biss talks about how she is having a hard time to decide whether she should vaccinate his son or not before he was already born. She went on the internet to look for information and she gives up on...
In “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” Freire addresses and tackles many issues and ideas on the topic of education, he touches on student teacher relationships and presents his Philosophy on more effective ways of teaching. The learning of Paulo Freire requires that students do more than...
How many times a day do you use the internet? Almost everyone uses the internet, whether it be posting on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter; emailing one of your friends or colleagues; or even just doing some research. Thompson’s research says twenty-five percent of Americans report...
“The Narrow road to the Deep north” is a novel that falls under the category of travel literature written by Matsuo Basho a Japanese poet and author who lived during the 17th century. The novel follows Basho as he travels from Edo, today’s Tokyo, towards...
Most poems always have a pretty vague underlying story line leaving the direction of the mood up to the readers discretion. Hardly ever can a person actually relate to a poem in the context that is meant. In the poem Borrowed Time by Ruth Fainlight,...
I believe the Nazario decided not to finish the story when Enrique reunited but instead the chronicles of after because she wanted the reader to experience the true story of kids reuniting with their mothers/fathers. Because Nazario included this, the story becomes more emotional through...
Individuals in the public eye endeavor to discover bliss in one’s self, others and their locale. What factors are there to get extreme satisfaction in one’s life? What moral choices does one need to defeat to acquire this incomparable satisfaction that each individual undertakings? The...
The theme of Sonnet 141 conveyed by William Shakespeare, using specific language and tone, is that love might not always go both ways. Made-to-order essay as fast as you need it Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences + experts online Get...
Introduction Sophocles’ masterpiece, “Oedipus Rex,” delves into the profound impact of the past on the present and the future. It serves as a compelling example of the Greek belief that one’s destiny is predetermined, leading to a series of events beyond an individual’s control. Oedipus,...
Unfortunately, it is common for many individuals, particularly young people, to be drawn to the ‘wrong crowd’ and to make poor decisions at different points of life. Fortunately, the majority of these individuals who are drawn to the wrong crowd, or who are themselves the...
Shirley Jackson’s perception about man and society are reflected in her acclaimed short story ‘The Lottery’. Huge numbers of her scholars have discovered this story stunning and exasperating. Jackson uncovers two general frames of mind in this story: first, the stunning truth of human’s inclination...
Marx argued that Europe lived under the darkness of the hegemonic authority led by oppressive aristocratic power. The economy was built on the labor of young, poor, exploited children whilst the aristocracies manipulate and exploit the machines of human power to increase their wealth and...
Starting from 1341, the first expedition to the Canary Islands, and with the expeditions to India, Brasil and Japan, the Portuguese people opened their vision towards the undiscovered world. Besides reaching the goods that started to be traded (gold, silver, spices, silk, sugar and slaves),...
Shakespeare’s Othello (Shakespeare, 1604) is a tragedy that unfolds based on the actions and language of one character: Iago. As a result, the plot is linear, yet the play manages to maintain a multidimensional effect. Shakespeare uses the language of the characters to achieve this...