Tragedy and the Common Man, Summary

TRAGEDY AND THE COMMON MAN Summary Arthur Miller is considered one of the greatest American playwrights of th the 20 century whose works explored the dilemmas of the American dreams. He is best known for his much celebrated plays, All My Sons, The Crucible and The Death of a Salesman which are still studied and performed worldwide. He also wrote essays on the theater, essays on his specific plays and sociopolitical essays on topics ranging from the Depression to the twenty first century with playful wit, clear eyed intellect and also human dignity. These essays offer an unmatched insight into the work of Arthur Miller and the turbulent times through which he guided his country. The essay Tragedy and the Common Man was published in the year, 1949 in the New York Times, two weeks after the theatrical opening of Arthur Miller9s play Death of a Salesman. The essay was written in the first person where Miller defends the critical commentaries regarding his choice of a tragic main character in his Pulitzer Prize winning play, The Death of a Salesman. Though he avoids any mention of the play and its main character, Willy Loman, he details his argument and assertion that all individuals are capable of experiencing and understanding tragedy. Miller begins his essay by saying that in the modern age, few tragedies have written. This lack is due to the paucity of heroes in this age. The modern observers are not trying to set aside the plausibility and the habit of circumspection to embrace an imperfect hero. Modern man reserves tragedy below or above themselves or for those of high status. Miller believes and argues that the common man was also apt as a subject of tragedy as kings were. The classic formulations such as Oedipus and Orestes complexes which were enacted by royal beings can be applied even to the most subordinate character in similar emotional situations. Tragedy was experienced regardless of whether one is a king or a normal man. Hence the common man is a suitable subject of tragedy because he inevitably experience tragedy once. Miller gives the idea that many works of literature can easily be connected and applied to our lives. He continues the analysis of tragedy by recognizing the challenges that faced by many characters for protecting their sense of personal dignity and gives the examples of Orestes, Hamlet, Medea and Macbeth saying that the < underlying struggle is that of the individual attempting to gain his 8rightful9 position in his society=. In today9s world each individual works to gain and protect an esteemed position in their life. So the key factors of literary tragedy, personal dignity and a rightful position in the society were we always trying to defend can be connected to the common man and applied to our society today. Arthur Miller says that tragedy is < the consequence a man9s total compulsion to evaluate himself justly=. This means that it is not simply a human being9s failing. The quality of some tragic plays derives from the underlying fear of being displaced. In the course of attaining dignity and a rightful place in the society, a hero sometimes loses his life. It is a disaster that torn away from their chosen image of what or who they are in the world. Common man clearly knows this fear of being displaced. By this, miller points out that, here in this situation, the observers will evaluate the cause of the unreasonable abolish of man. Hence the common man understands the unfairness of society and will be able to deny the social restrictions and achieve enlightenment by experiencing tragedy. Tragedy is a condition in which human personality is able to evaluate and realize itself. Mliller asserts that < tragedy enlightens and it must, in that it points the heroic finger at the enemy of man9s freedom=. The quality in which tragedy elevates is the thrust for freedom. Finally, Miller points out the misconception of tragedy. < it is the idea that tragedy is of necessity allied to pessimism=. He denies it and claims that tragedy implies more optimism. Tragedies do not end in a sad manner. It may confused with pathos, which is truly a mode of pessimist, where a character has fought a battle he could not possibly have won. But tragedy is optimistic which demonstrate the strong will of man, as it portrays the character as a hero, even though they lost.