Tragic Figure Essay Essay, Research Paper

Harmonizing to Aristotle, a tragic figure is a human yet

better ; holding a mistake in discretion which

causes a diminution from a pinnacle ; and claiming triumph by

recognizing their errors. The chief characters in Medea and

Hippolytus, both Greek calamities written by Euripides ;

Oedipus, a Grecian calamity written by Sophocles ; and Desire

Under the Elms, a 20th century calamity written by

Eugene O Neil are all great illustrations of tragic figures.

Each character, Medea, Hippolytus, Oedipus, and Abbie

exemplifies the definition of a tragic figure in his or her

ain manner. However, all four characters possesses a

strength which makes them better than the mean individual ;

each character has a personal defect or trip that leads to

their ruin ; and Oedipus and Abbie claim concluding triumph

where as Medea and Hippolytus do non.

The Strength of Medea, Hippolytus, Oedipus, and

Abbie are exhibited in legion ways. One of the

strengths that all of the characters portion is finding.

The characters portion this quality because, Medea was

determined to acquire retaliation on Jason ; Hippolytus was

determined to allow his male parent know the truth ; Oedipus was

determined to happen the slayer of Lauis ; and Abbie was

determined to have the farm. Medea s and Abbie s

finding for selfish grounds. Medea proclaims, If I

can happen the agencies or invent any strategy to pay my

hubby for what he has done to me & # 8230 ; This quotation mark shows

how single-minded Medea is to refund Jason. Abbie s

ascertainment is used to largely to acquire material entities,

Abbie states how she merely married Cabot for a place in the

following, Waal-what if I did necessitate a busyness? What else vitamin D I

marry a old adult male like him fur? This mention shows how

determined she was to get married merely for material things. Now,

in the instance of Hippolytus and Oedipus, their finding

was for the good of the household or state. In the calamity

Hippolytus, Hippolytus pronounces to his male parent, Nor am

I, father, one that mocks his chaps, but loyal in their

absence as their sight ; and above all, untouched by that one

wickedness of which you would convict me. To this twenty-four hours my flesh

is virgin. Hippolytus is stating his male parent, Theseus, the

truth and does so throughout the drama. Similarly Oedipus

finding is for the good of the state. Oedipus

state is under a pestilence and he enumerates, I fight in his

defence as for my male parent, and I shall seek all agencies to take

the liquidator of Lauis the boy of Labdacus the boy of

Polydorus and before him of Cadmus and before him of

Agenor. Those who do non obey me, may the Gods grant

no harvests jumping from the land they plow nor kids

to their adult females! Here, Oedipus is demoing his continuity

to happening the liquidator Lauis. These strengths may look

worthy of acknowledgment, but it is these strengths that lead to

their ruin.

The act of go forthing their native place takes a toll on

Medea and Oedipus. But for Abbie it was her love for

Eben ; and Hippolytus pride caused him to fall hard. After

go forthing her place, Colchis, to get married Jason, she regrets her

actions. Medea declares, Oh, my male parent! Oh, my state!

In what dishonour I left you, killing my ain brother for it,

In stating this Medea shows her torment for go forthing Colchis

and impairing the fearful Jason. In Comparison

Oedipus left his place in order to avoid his destiny. Oedipus

fled his town because of this, I was fated to lie with my

female parent, and show to daylight an accurst strain which work forces

would non digest, and I was doo

med to be liquidator of the

male parent who begot me. When I heard this I fled, and in the

yearss that followed I would mensurate from the stars the

whereabouts of Corinth-yes, I fled to somewhere where I

should non see fulfilled the opprobriums told in dreadful

prophet. On the other manus Abbie s trip was falling in

love with Eben. This is her blooper because Eben is her

stepson and she tells him, Don t git feelin low. I love ye,

Eben. Snog me. Now, as for Hippolytus, his

superciliousness causes him to disown Phaedra, therefore,

doing her to kill herself. Hippolytus divulges, Curse

you! No ne’er can I utter all my abhorrence of adult females!

Hippolytus is allowing his pride come out and is talking out

of disgust in this quotation mark. These trips may hold seemed

like a good thought at the clip but they all lead the characters

into catastrophe.

All of the characters finally decline from their

societal position. Hippolytus, Oedipus, and Medea were all

exiled from their states, Abbie s ruin can be

compared with the other, but alternatively of banishment from her

state ; she is sent gaol. Hippolytus is exiled because

Theseus, his male parent, believes he slept with his married woman,

Phaedra. Theseus declares to Hippolytus, Yet non you

shall decease! -Not by the punishment therefore self-invoked ( For speedy

decease is kindest for the wretched ) ; But as a beggared

castaway from your place. Oedipus is banished from his

land for the slaying of Lauis and to alleviate the state of

the pestilence. Oedipus calls, Drive me from here with all

the velocity you can to where I may non hear a human voice.

Oedipus lamenting is due to the fact he is the cause of the

pestilence and the liquidator of Lauis, whom he promised to free

the metropolis of. of class, Creon, being daunted for the lives of

himself and his girl, he exiles Medea. Creon

expounds, Medea, I order you along with your two

kids, and non to blow clip making it. As for Abbie, she

is non exiled but she is sentenced to gaol for the slaying of

her boy.

When a tragic figure recognizes his or her incorrect

behaviors they assert personal victory. Not all tragic figures

claim this triumph, Medea and Hippolytus are perfect

illustrations. Hippolytus ne’er realized that it was his choler

that sent Phaedra over the border. As for Medea, she

slayings a great figure of people including her

speckless boies. Medea ruminated about profaning

Jason so much, she truly didn Ts have a witting. On the

resistance, Oedipus and Abbie are true tragic figures.

They both realize what they have done incorrect and is

willing to confront the effects. Abbie realizes she has

committed the worst offense and wickedness ; she asks for

forgiveness and accepts her penalty. I ve got Ts take

my punishment-t wage pelt my wickedness & # 8230 ; she proclaims before

acquiring in the sheriff s auto. Oedipus, like Abbie, besides

recognize his offense and utters, But the manus that struck me

was none but my ain. Oedipus says this because he

notices that it was his ain behaviors that brought him this

hurting and inharmoniousness.

All of the tragic figures ventilated had similarities and

yet diverged in infinite ways. Each character possesses a

strength, but the strength is used in different ways ; each has

a defect, and each defect and autumn perverts ; and two out of the

four recognize their wrong, which lets them claim triumph

that is non same. Tragic figures can be really complex yet

simplistic one time studied. In today s society the actions of

Medea, Hippolytus, Oedipus, and Abbie would be justified

by a head-shrinker as a deficiency of attending or love.