When Heroes Fall to Tragedy
A hero is someone who can be looked up to for direction or help in tough situations. Some people think of Batman or Spiderman as heroes, when in fact anyone that can be a strong role model and figure of guidance is considered a hero. A tragic hero, however, is a little different. A tragic hero has all of the same qualities as a hero with a little extra. A tragic hero is well-respected, but has a downfall or flaw, has acknowledged his/her regret for that downfall, and in the end is pitied by society. For example, a hero could be Ronal Regan, while a tragic hero could be Richard Nixon. Therefore, the character George Milton from John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men, John Proctor from Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, and famous actor Hugh Grant are all examples of tragic heroes.
Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible is in the setting of 1692 Salem witch hunts, in which the finger of blame is pointed towards everyone because of a teenage girls’ need for vengeance. The problems all root to one night when a girl named Abigail and her friends get caught dancing in the forest, which was strictly forbidden in Puritan life. Instead of admitting to their sins and being publicly punished, the girls blame their wrongs on witch craft. Soon enough, the whole community of Salem were calling witches, based on their own vendetta. Abigail Williams, a teenage girl who had an affair with the married and well-respected John Proctor, was the main character in this scheme of foul play. Once Proctor realized what he had done and the sin he had committed against his wife, he immediately stopped everything he had with Abigail. Abigail, who was angry with Proctor’s decision, began plotting against Proctor’s wife and framing her as a witch. Proctor then defends his wife and all of the other innocent townspeople that were accused of witchery, in turn making the court believe he is the witch. Afterward the court gave him a final ultimatum, either admit to witchery and spare his life, or be hanged with his name clean. Not wanting to ruin his name in the town, or his future family’s name, Proctor is hung a proud man.
John Proctor was not only a proud man, but a well-respected man in the community of Salem. “Proctor, respected and even feared in Salem…” (Miller 20). Proctor was a family man, known within Salem as a hard worker. Since Puritan life was very strict with religion, Proctor was highly commended for hanging the door on the church. He was respected as a dedicated craftsman, and most in the town trusted his judgment.
To all of Proctor’s praises, however, he had one major downfall. “He is a sinner, a sinner not only against the moral fashion of the time, but against his own vision of decent conduct.” (Miller 20). John Proctor had committed adultery against his wife with the teenage daughter to the town Reverend, Abigail. Abigail once had a job looking after Proctor’s house and children, but once his wife Elizabeth suspected what was going on between Proctor and Abby, she was immediately dismissed. Proctor then confessed his sin to his wife, trying to illustrate his regret and love for her.
Once Proctor realizes the shame he has potentially put upon himself, he deeply regrets his transgression. Proctor instantly understands his fault, and does everything within his power to have his wife realize his love for her. “I have gone tiptoe in this house all seven month since she is gone. I have not moved from there to there without I think to please you, and still an everlasting funeral marches round your heart.” (Miller 54). Not only did he say these things for his wife to forgive him, he made it clear to Abigail as well. “Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I’ll ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind.” (Miller 23). This shows that Proctor was sincere and profoundly apologetic for what he had done. Proctor then does everything in his power to prevent his wife from being hanged because of Abby’s ill-behaved plot, even confessing his own sin to the courts.
As soon as Proctor admits to his affair and sets his spirit free, he is looked upon as the witch, and sentenced to be hanged. Proctor is then given a final offer by the court; either he could have his life spared and admit to witchery, or keep his name clean and be hanged. Proctor contemplated his wife, children, friends, and everything he had to live for. But in the end he realized he would not give in and spoil his name that would be forever associated with witchcraft. Out of respect, dignity, and pride in his family and himself, John Proctor was hanged early in the morning along side Martha Corey and Rebecca Nurse. These three upright figures in Salem being persecuted made the community realize how wrong these trials were. John Proctor had left a legacy of pride and strength, which will forever be respected and pitied by society.
Like Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, John Steinbeck’s novel Of Mice and Men is a story of tragic heroism. The story is about a man named George Milton who, as a favor to a dear friend Clara, looks after her nephew Lennie Small, a large man with a mental handicap. George and Lennie are migrant workers, which means that they work from ranch to ranch always moving and migrating. However with Lennie’s disability, it makes it difficult for him and George to keep a stable job. To keep Lennie in line, George reminds Lennie of the dream they have of owning their own ranch someday and that if he keeps getting in trouble they won’t ever get that accomplished. Once they get to the new ranch they settle into, Lennie gets into trouble when he doesn’t know his own strength and accidentally kills the boss’ daughter-in-law. The boss’ son then forms a mob to find Lennie, torture, and kill him. Knowing this, George shoots Lennie in the back of the head out of friendship so he could die quick and painlessly instead of getting tortured.
George Milton, a main character in the story, is a well-respected man among his peers. George takes care of Lennie, which is not always the easiest thing in the world. “You get in trouble. You do bad things and I got to get you out.” (Steinbeck 11). Most people wouldn’t go out of their way to help someone like Lennie, and keep him safe. No matter how odd people think it is, George always has Lennie and Lennie always has George. People admire George for helping Lennie no matter how much it affects his life, because they are best friends.
Although George is a noble man for helping to take responsibility for Lennie, George has also made a huge mistake with trying to integrate him into society. Back in the time that this book was set, society didn’t really comprehend the mind of the mentally handicapped. Because of this, they would do experiments and torture them like lab rats. Since George didn’t want this to happen to Lennie, he kept Lennie with him on the road and to jobs on the ranch. Most of the time Lennie got into trouble because he didn’t know any better, and wasn’t his fault more than anyone else’s. “That ranch we’re goin’ to is right down there about a quarter mile. We’re gonna go in an’ see the boss. Now, look–I’ll give him the work tickets, but you ain’t gonna say a word. You jus’ stand there and don’t say nothing. If he finds out what a crazy bastard you are, we won’t get no job, but if he sees ya work before he hears ya talk, we’re set. Ya got that?” (Steinbeck 6). George is a good man for taking care of Lennie, but he knew the problems that would come with mixing him in with people that didn’t understand him.
George realizes his failed attempt to take Lennie into the real world after it was too late, and the damage was already done. George knew that something was bound to happen with Lennie, and did not even acknowledge it. Once Lennie killed Curly’s wife, he realizes and regrets the mistake he had made. “I should of knew,’ George hopelessly. ‘I guess maybe way back in my head I did.” (Steinbeck 94). Once George says this to Slim, the guilt overwhelms him and he recognizes what he has done to his friend.
In the reader’s perspective, he/she feels pity upon George for having to commit a horrible act upon his friend out of love. George realizes that the only way to keep Lennie from being hurt by the angry mob after him is to kill Lennie himself. George then goes down the brush where he finds Lennie sitting there waiting for him. George proceeds to talk to Lennie as he picks up the gun and holds it to the back of Lennie’s neck. Before George kills Lennie, they talk about their dream of owning the ranch and the friendship they will always have. Reading this, society feels pity on George for having to kill his best friend because he cares about him so much.
Similar to George Milton and John Proctor’s situations, famous actor Hugh Grant is an example of a tragic hero. Hugh Grant is an actor born in London, England but more popular here in America. He starred in a few hit movies in the 90s, and was highly known for dating famous actress Elizabeth Hurley. But soon everything changed when in 1995 Grant was caught in his car on sunset strip with a prostitute. This scandal turned Grant’s career upside-down. After this infamous point, Grant’s life was never the same.
Hugh Grant was well respected for his many films and roles he has done over the years. In the early 90’s, Hugh Grant was only known for small roles and little acting jobs. But then, in 1994 Hugh played the role of Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral. This leading role “catapulted him to worldwide fame” (Tookey) and made him an instant hit in the U.S. Because of this role, Grant went on to star in films like Nine Months, Notting Hill, and Mickey Blue Eyes. Hugh Grant was also well-known for his high-profile relationship with fellow British actress Elizabeth Hurley. Grant was a well respected actor by his fans and co-workers, and built up a very successful career in his lifetime.
Unfortunately not every fairy-tale lifestyle is completely perfect. On June 27th, 1995 Hugh Grant was caught in his car with a prostitute by a police officer on the Sunset Strip. The next month, Grant pleaded no contest in court to charges of lewd conduct and was also fined $1,180 with 2 years probation. More than anyone, the public eye was hit with a wave of shock. “As a Hollywood scandal, the arrest of the 34-year-old actor is hardly a major league event. Yet in the atmosphere that pervades Hollywood, where the sense of envy is palpable and the hunger to diminish the success of another is everywhere, the misfortune of Mr. Grant, with his charming and even somewhat innocent persona, is particularly striking.” (Weinraub). After this news hit, Grant was immediately was shaken with a ton of media backlash towards him.
After Grant recognized the fault he had committed, he had to do some major damage control. Grant had to eventually face the music, and go public about the whole situation. “Last night, I did something completely insane. I have hurt people I love and embarrassed people I work with. For both things I am more sorry than I can ever possibly say.” (Weinraub) this was Grant’s first public statement about the whole situation. Most people referred to Hugh Grant’s apologies as the sorry heard around the world, since his admission of guilt was so public. Grant went on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on July 11th 2005 and made his now infamous statement “I did a bad thing, and there you have it.” (Helmore). “Not since the invention of talcum powder has a man looked so uncomfortable.” (http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20101159,00.html). Eventually it was clear to the public that Hugh Grant was more than sorry for what he had done.
Many people still to this day look back on Grant’s career and see that he could have accomplished much more than he did if not for his large mistake. In the mid to early 90’s Hugh Grant’s career was only going up. Once his scandal hit, some say that his career was more famous than ever before. Most say, however, in the long run, that this negatively affected his career dramatically. Grant hasn’t been in very huge roles these days like he used to, and people speculate the reason is his infamous scandal.
Just as Grant’s career was dramatically affected, tragic heroes always face one major obstacle caused by their own actions that leads to his/her downfall. Fiction or non-fiction, tragic heroes are the most common type of character. Whether it be from a novella, bed time story, tabloid, or a close friend, tragic heroes are in everyday life. John Proctor of The Crucible, George Milton of Of Mice and Men, and famous now infamous actor Hugh Grant are all in common as tragic heroes of our century.
Works Cited
Helmore, Edward. I did a bad thing and there you have it. July 12, 1995. Business
Network CBS Interactive Inc. November 25, 2008 <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19950712/ai_n13994119>.
Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1953.
Regrets Only. June 24, 1995. People Magazine Online. November 25, 2008
<http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20101159,00.html>.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York: Penguin Books, 1937.
Tookey, Christopher. Is Hugh the new Cary Grant? April 26, 2006. High Beam Research
Inc. November 25, 2008 <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-85127596.html>.
Weinraub, Bernard. What’s the Hollywood Topic? Hugh Grant’s Future, Mainly. June 29,
1995. The New York Times. November 25, 2008 <http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7D7103BF93AA15755C0A963958260>.
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