Play: The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill
Yank as a Tragic hero or
'Hairy Ape' as a modern tragedy
Introduction:-
Most of O'Neill's plays are tragedies 'Hairy Ape' is also a great tragedy. But it is not a conventional tragedy in the Aristotlelian tradition but a modern tragedy. It's subject matter and theme is the same, but it's form is different. It is a great tragedy with a great difference.
Yank as a tragic hero: not a man of high rank-
Aristotle laid down that the hero of tragedy must be exceptional individual, man of high rank, a king or a prince so that his fall from his greatness would arouse the tragic emotions of pity and fear. All Shakespeare's heroes fulfil this requirement. But Yank, the hero of 'Hairy Ape' is not a man of high rank. He is not a king or a prince or some extra ordinary human being. He is a common stoker whose business is to shove fuel into the furnace of the ships engine. For long hours, he has to work in the same environment therefore he is beastly, filthy vulgar, coarse.
He has no mind; he cannot think. He can only use physical force, like the area that he is. however, he is superior to the other stokers in the sense that is is more powerful physically than they and he is more in harmony with his work. He represent the most highly developed individuality. He strongly believes that he belongs, he can eat coal and smoke; he is steal, he is the power which makes the ship go. He is ideal stoke, an ideal of which the others coal for short off.
No Tragic Flaw:-
Yank is the tragic hero but of modern tragedy and therefore we do not find a tragic flaw or degradation that.
We generally witnessed in ancient tragedies. This kind of flaw is known as Hamartia or tragic flaw in the hero's character. In this respect, Yank is the tragic hero of O'Neill's play, but in different way. He does not suffer from any fault of his own; but because he is in conflict with his environment with certain social forces that are much stronger than he. In the opening of the play he is quite happy and self-confidential because of his sense of belongingness.
But this sense of belongingness is soon shattered by a rich lady Mildred Douglas when she calls him
'A filthy beast'
and looks upon him as if he were Hairy Ape. Yank feels insulted in the very heart of his pride; his confident sense of belonging is gone. He realise that he is not still and steam which make the ship go, but the slave of those who own the ship.
The Action: not external but internal-
The main difference between ancient and modern one is the struggle develops not outside but inside the character. There is conflict which is internal, if there is any villain in tragedy. It is not a God of or any human being, but the mechanical forces of the social environment. Society is the real villain here. Yank after being insulted experiences a great conflict within himself as well as with outside forces.
Tragic End:-
The tragedy of Yank is so harrowing, first because he is superior and noble, efficient and capable. Secondly this tragedy is so effective because it is the tragedy of everyman; what happens to Yank is happening to countless millions in the modern age. Yank at the last scene is crushed by Gorilla creates a lot of sympathy for him.
Yank as a Tragic hero or
'Hairy Ape' as a modern tragedy
Introduction:-
Most of O'Neill's plays are tragedies 'Hairy Ape' is also a great tragedy. But it is not a conventional tragedy in the Aristotlelian tradition but a modern tragedy. It's subject matter and theme is the same, but it's form is different. It is a great tragedy with a great difference.
Yank as a tragic hero: not a man of high rank-
Aristotle laid down that the hero of tragedy must be exceptional individual, man of high rank, a king or a prince so that his fall from his greatness would arouse the tragic emotions of pity and fear. All Shakespeare's heroes fulfil this requirement. But Yank, the hero of 'Hairy Ape' is not a man of high rank. He is not a king or a prince or some extra ordinary human being. He is a common stoker whose business is to shove fuel into the furnace of the ships engine. For long hours, he has to work in the same environment therefore he is beastly, filthy vulgar, coarse.
He has no mind; he cannot think. He can only use physical force, like the area that he is. however, he is superior to the other stokers in the sense that is is more powerful physically than they and he is more in harmony with his work. He represent the most highly developed individuality. He strongly believes that he belongs, he can eat coal and smoke; he is steal, he is the power which makes the ship go. He is ideal stoke, an ideal of which the others coal for short off.
No Tragic Flaw:-
Yank is the tragic hero but of modern tragedy and therefore we do not find a tragic flaw or degradation that.
We generally witnessed in ancient tragedies. This kind of flaw is known as Hamartia or tragic flaw in the hero's character. In this respect, Yank is the tragic hero of O'Neill's play, but in different way. He does not suffer from any fault of his own; but because he is in conflict with his environment with certain social forces that are much stronger than he. In the opening of the play he is quite happy and self-confidential because of his sense of belongingness.
But this sense of belongingness is soon shattered by a rich lady Mildred Douglas when she calls him
'A filthy beast'
and looks upon him as if he were Hairy Ape. Yank feels insulted in the very heart of his pride; his confident sense of belonging is gone. He realise that he is not still and steam which make the ship go, but the slave of those who own the ship.
The Action: not external but internal-
The main difference between ancient and modern one is the struggle develops not outside but inside the character. There is conflict which is internal, if there is any villain in tragedy. It is not a God of or any human being, but the mechanical forces of the social environment. Society is the real villain here. Yank after being insulted experiences a great conflict within himself as well as with outside forces.
Tragic End:-
The tragedy of Yank is so harrowing, first because he is superior and noble, efficient and capable. Secondly this tragedy is so effective because it is the tragedy of everyman; what happens to Yank is happening to countless millions in the modern age. Yank at the last scene is crushed by Gorilla creates a lot of sympathy for him.
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