The Tragic Hero

Why the Tragic hero suddenly? It’s been in my head for a while but haven’t been able to nail down why is it moving me to write. Anyways, the scope arose when a fellow human, with whom I played alter ego sometime in life, brought this up.
His take was how the Greek civilization defined things in life for us. And one of the most amazing of them is the tragic hero. And the evening was spent talking about traits of the tragic hero and contextualizing the aspect of the character in our lives.

I went back to basics, before the Greek, my tragic heroes emerged from English Literature, the one and only Shakespeare. Hamlet rules the roost and each of his plays have the main characters that are tragic heroes or have elements of the character. The quest however is to unearth how so called mundane characters like me and the alter ego and a few people I know are modern day tragic heroes. (And here I would want to keep away from the gender aspect of it).

The typical traits of a tragic hero – from some ref when I googled it
1) Goodness, (2) appropriateness, (3) likeness, and (4) consistency. Moreover, (5) though the tragic hero intends good, (6) because of his or her tragic flaw, (7) he or she experiences a reversal of fortune, (8) which leads to his or her downfall, (9) an experience that causes him or her to have some kind of enlightenment, or to gain some kind of new wisdom or self-knowledge. And overall, (10) the experiences and suffering of the tragic hero are cathartic for the audience.

So when I am analyzing the modern day tragic hero, though one would like to romanticize about it, but gone are the days when we could be selfless, for the larger objective, well being of an empire, a race, or of loved ones. All of this hardly would be reasons to navigate the modern hero’s tragic flaw.
The tragic flaw is often rationalized in the minds of modern day tragic hero. But the catharsis leads to self pity. And that often comes out to be epitome of realization. They say tragic heroes are faced with serious decision, in retrospect personally the decision and dilemma is self inflicted. At the same time one would also realize that for some people the everlasting dilemma is a way of life. If that gets lost the quest seems to have gotten lost. Some struggle is necessary for tragic heroes!

Unlike the classic tragic hero, such as Odysseus from Homer's The Odyssey, the modern tragic hero is usually an ordinary man who possesses qualities that elevates him above the ordinary masses as he fights courageously against the overwhelming odds of the society. Accordingly, Atticus Finch, of Harper Lee’s work of To Kill a Mockingbird, are examples of such tragic heroes.

Today I was being the tragic hero when I was trying to conclude on the debate of Harry Potter being the tragic hero or would it be Snape. The checklist had its own set of answers of how the characters are set for the novels to develop a certain feel and storyline, however Harry was not a tragic hero, he was trapped in circumstances and then emerged a hero, almost every time in Hogwarts however Snape was the real tragic hero, not because the catharsis hits him at the end but how he for the intent, reverses his own fortune and for the larger good of lives of promises of tomorrow, and that takes his life. So is Jack Dawson from Titanic, his giving away of his life was for his love, a fit to the t example, his struggle wasn’t that intense however.

And now my most favorite, The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight is, structurally speaking, a dramatically different sort of story. It's not simply that the characters themselves are more complex. Christopher Nolan goes deeper and brings out the stark difference, the nature of the conflict itself. Now, at the beginning of the film, Batman is all out to get Harvey Dent, as a DA, and accomplish what Batman cannot—to ultimately reconcile justice and law in Gotham City. If this could be made possible then Bruce Wayne could stop being Batman. The relationship therefore is something Wayne clearly wants, that clarifies his intent—he thinks if he is able to give up Batman, he 'gets the girl', a "normal life". When Rachel dies, Bruce loses everything, the woman he loves and his hope for Gotham. When Dent becomes Two-Face, he gives up both justice and law for the sake of revenge. Thus the reversal of fortune. Thus the way Batman begins as a superhero, in Dark Knight the way it ends, Batman is no longer a symbol of hope. Inspector Gordon's statement that "The Joker won" has a double meaning. Batman takes the blame because he wants the reconciliation of justice and law, hope, and he realizes that Batman cannot be that hope. Batman operates outside of the law for the sake of justice, but at the same time needs the law to avoid being out for revenge. In this way, Batman's task is shown to be an impossible one. Batman must fight but can never win. He is thus a tragic hero, a "dark knight" as rightly as the film is names.

As far as people in reality are concerned and they exist in flesh and blood Many characters of National Geographic Channels celebrated tv show Jailed Abroad have been tragic heroes and oofh what heroes! Revolutions have had the ability to create modern day tragic hero, right from unsung heroes of wars remembered in history to modern day struggles of arms movement and the politics around it.
A thinking individual who questions his situation, society, environment and falls into its complex mesh of weird calculations, sometimes succeeds in providing solutions or atleast attempts to fight it are modern day tragic heroes, lets says a Martha Stewart or a Michael Vick or right at home our soldiers who fought several battles at the LOC, though as I write here I feel the lines are blurring between a tragic hero and a martyr.

Coming down to what prompted me to write this was to draw references of real life characters. I think we all become tragic heroes, sometime or the other however some of us naturally have the tragic flaw, and some since they have been educated to the phenomenon of philosophy and literature grab their attempt of self pity as being the tragic hero and the victim of all wrongs, right from time to sex to drunken driving to sheer stupid behavior or social conduct. They are friends so beyond a point the crudest thing one does is abandon them.

But ya Hamlet still stirs my heart and The Dark Knight kisses the soul. The Tragic hero is kinda romantic

The Unsung Hero

Remember from the Excerpts the g numbered story that I was to write on…My Unsung Hero….Just spoke to him and I am feeling quite numb, that’s what he was stored in my phone at one point of time in life – Comfortably Numb. It is most bright relationship that I have had, or let’s say if I had to define extremes, this one is the milestone.
The first impression was rather nonchalant, but then through others when the proximities became closer I had already stepped into a world that I did not know existed in the human form. It was like regular strong personalities one comes across and then from there move towards closer bonds, over Harry Potter or Batman films, Kebabs, funny possessed relationships or intensive discussions on issues that students worked on during their tenure in the institute. From there we moved to the slightly complex issues of ownership, that is what broke the ice between us…..the foundation was laid and I had encountered the Passionate trust that took me to venture into a wild sea of newer emotions which would give birth to newer colors everyday.
Differences of opinions is what epitomizes our relationship, all that I am not, he is and all that he is not, I am, so I keep wondering how does this work? How did we come a long way taking disasters on our strides? I do not have answers, or maybe I do not want to have.
I have spoken a hundred times about the relationship and the turmoil etc. but I have always missed an element, an element which makes him my hero somewhere (I just hope he does not read it…for this would make him bloat and he would reach the seventh heaven, as if he is not enough obsessed with himself).
From the time I have known him, he has never been confused, he does not suffer form the ailment of what do I want to do in life….like I am still exploring issues my interest really lies in, I am exploring different mediums of communication and every fortnight I think is this enough of what I am doing? Is this all that I want to do? And of course considering the fact that in the developmental sector working on developmental communications small fish like me who has been around for a year and a half or lil more do not earn money to have a lavish lifestyle, I often question that in comparison to others….this guy has been the anchor.
His passion and commitment towards his work I outstanding. Nothing really can suppress his enthusiasm for the he has a tremendous control over the area of his work.
During my work grey days he is the one who pops up as an inspiration, and every time I hear from some juniors that how highly they think of him, I smile to myself and say, that’s what he just does, like magic!
In my black episode of life that existed from July to October last year often I would hear from him, about his work and the conviction that he started with, shimmering its way up to the point of several accolades, that made me create courage within myself and allowed me to make a comeback, and even if I go away this time I know my conviction can sail me through the final lap of the race.
The guy is just 25 years old and he has made it all by himself in no time at all. He has seen the ugly side of it but has stood strong, like a rock, and often alone without a soul believing in him. I do not know how he does it, often it seems unbelievable that he does it but ya that’s the true story.
Koshish is way beyond just an effort today, its like an institution risen from its infancy to adolescence, and now its rebelling in its own ways, and interestingly for the better.
The second child took birth in December 2007 which is a giant baby called the National Alliance and this guy has been the prefect father, it was almost an unanimous decision to give the custody of the child to him, and a proud moment for me, I so regret I could not be there. Sorry Dumbhead, I missed yet another moment but I am sure you would make it up to me for better ones. Or as he says, the best is the best! And its right here but the degree of it keeps getting higher and better.
I now suddenly feel that the several emotions attached never got communicated. We end up talking about this that and the other but I have never thanked him for being the hero he has been. For being the one man army, for being the live version of Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘I am a Rock’.
So I have a biography to write and that would be quite a Steve Jobs inspirational story kind….for now I am glad My Unsung Hero is around and an inspiration to live with and then I can be happy about royalty I would get ;)

Haven’t said it in a long time – Love you and that does not say enough.