Richard IIi A Tragic Hero - 1950 Words

Lauren Moore Dr. Burnett ENGL 2536 4 November 2015 Richard III: A Tragic Hero According to Aristotle, â€Å"a man doesn’t become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall† (Tragic). Richard III is, by most means, a tragic hero whose flaw is his desire to portray himself as a villain because he believes he is incapable of anything else. He is the main character of the play, the reader sympathizes with him due to his flaw of disfigurement, and although at the end, the reader cannot admire the actions of Richard, it becomes understandable and somewhat pitiful that he dedicated his life to becoming a villain because he was not loved. He realizes his mistake near the end of the play after he dreams of the people he killed, contributing to his psychological downfall. Although he does not fit all of the necessary requirements of an Aristotelian tragic hero, he does fit most, and for this reason he should be considered one. Richard comes from a family of wealth and power, making him morally higher than the common people, his hamartia is his vi llainous planning, and he has a downfall in losing his power due to his evil actions and mistakes, resulting in his ultimate death. According to Amanda Sodhi, â€Å"†¦ upon close examination of the criteria that Aristotle sets for a character to qualify as a tragic hero, one will realize that even characters who commit evil actions are still be eligible to be considered a tragic hero; therefore, Richard III is indeed a tragic hero in theShow MoreRelatedRichard IIi As A Historic Play1730 Words   |  7 PagesRichard III is literarily known as a historic play. This play portrays historical events, such as when the play opens, Edward IV has become re-crowned. This play represents 14 years of events which is condensed into about 14 days. There are ultimately elements of tragedy and comedy throughout this play and many of which these elements seem unusual to this documented event in history. The first factor that is revealed that makes this play not entirely a historic retelling is that Shakespeare makesRead Moreâ€Å"Thou Camst on Earth to Make the Earth My Hell†: Richard as a Satanic Hero in Richard III by William Shakespeare1142 Words   |  5 Pagesfrom the corrupt hero Satan in Milton’s Paradise Lost. Interestingly, Satan is not completely depicted as demonic and repugnant. On the contrary, he is able to deliver exhilarating speeches, evoke pity of the public, and even demonstrate some virtues normally affiliated with a tragic hero. However, Milton is not the only one to use such a figure in his writing. Shakespeare also utilizes the â€Å"satanic hero model† in many of his tragedies. 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