HAPPINESS WAS BUT THE OCCASIONAL EPISODE IN A GENERAL DRAMA OF PAIN MICHAEL HENCHARD AS A TRAGIC HERO

A detailed Summary of HAPPINESS WAS BUT THE OCCASIONAL EPISODE IN A GENERAL DRAMA OF PAIN MICHAEL HENCHARD AS A TRAGIC HERO

In Thomas Hardy's The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Michael Henchard represents an incarnation of the Classical 'tragic hero.' In Greek literature, a tragic hero is a well-known and respected individual whose tragedy usually involves some kind of fall from glory. His downfall has been precipitated by his own flaw of character or judgment, some mistake or series of mistakes that has serious consequences. A key element is that the hero's experiences don't simply end with the mistake or catastrophe; true tragic heroes must come to discover or recognize what has happened to them and ultimately pay their ramifications. Surely such a description fits the hubristic Michael Henchard and maps out the tale of events set forth in The Mayor Of Casterbridge.

The definition of a tragic hero includes his fall from glory, which in early 20th century literature would be social-class related. Henchard's rapid decline from Mayor to pauper qualifies as such a fall. It is even more of a tragedy since ther

The theme and spirit of tragedy found a new vehicle in the novel in the 19th century, its form being originally used only in plays. Thomas Hardy has been quoted as comparing the rural setting of this and other of his novels to the stark and simple setting of the Greek theater, giving his novels something of that drama's intensity and sharpness of focus. This grimly pessimistic view of man's nature qualifies Michael Henchard as a Classical Tragic Hero; his own inner faults ultimately bring him down from his high post. Darkness and doubt blanket the tale with Michael Henchard's forever unresolved and unpredictable capacities for good, and for evil.

The final characteristic of a tragic hero's saga is his realization of his mistake as well as the endurance of the consequences. In Henchard's case, the original mistake was the sale of his wife Susan two decades prior. His affliction begins almost immediately as his mistake is realized; he vows to abstain from alcohol for twenty-one yea

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Approximate Word count = 670
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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