Lennie Tragic Hero

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A tragedy should arouse pity and fear within the audiences, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these emotions, this is part of the definition of Greek Tragedy according to Aristotle. Even though Of Mice and Men is a novel that has a typical American setting, it evokes similar emotions using its plot and characters. The structure of Of Mice and Men is identical to a play with its classical unities. All of these different elements of Greek tragedy that fits perfectly into the novel, therefore, it can be considered as a Modern Greek tragedy. In Aristotle’s theory, having a tragic hero as protagonist is an essential element in a tragedy. This character will be excessively confident or have an unreasonable amount of pride (Hubris). Also, the character will have a tragic flaw, then makes a tragic error (Hamartia) and suffers because of Hamartia. At last, the tragic hero will realize how he causes his own downfall (Anagnorisis). It is obvious that in Of Mice and Men, the protagonist is George…show more content…
Steinbeck uses this character to evoke the compression in the audience. Lennie does not understand that he is threatening to everything he wants to pet. For example, the girl in dress at the start of the novel that cause Gorge and Lennie fleeing from Weed. From the start of the novel, readers know that Lennie is doomed and will feel sympathy for him. Lennie is defenseless towards the potential destruction cause by Curley, Curley’s wife or himself. This is what leads both George and himself into peripeteia, another element in Greek tragedy - a turning point in fortune. As Candy offers to be a part of Lennie and George’s dream, their shared dream becomes a reality, which is the start of their peripeteia. Lennie crushes the head of the puppy while he is petting it, and eventually talks to Curley’s wife when George warns him not

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