Willy Loman The Tragic Hero

The definition of a tragic hero varies from person to person. In the Elizabethan times, people relied on the Aristotle definition of a tragic hero, who must be from the nobility class. Yet, modern literature tend to shift away from that notion, and according to Arthur Miller in Tragedy and the Common Man, common man can be subject of tragedy as well as a nobleman. In the same article, Miller also sets other definitions in …

…dignity and pride in himself and the work he does. Although unsuccessful, he copes with the challenges with deceit, optimistic illusions to make he feel valuable and delightful of the future. He is also willing to lay down his life to secure his dignity by rejecting an economic opportunity that would benefit his family yet at the same time, harm his beliefs. These traits of Loman fits him in Miller's definition of a tragic hero.