Archetypal Tragic Heroes
Basically, you will use the language of your applicable literary theory as a tool to illustrate some specific insight into your selected story. •Begin by re-reading your short story of choice. . •Re-read the literary theory you choose to apply to your short story of choice. . •Illustrate in writing your essay your ability to synthesize literary theory into analysis of a story. . When you have completed your re-reading of your selected story and decided which literary theory to apply, compose no fewer than 500 words analyzing your selected story to illustrate the critical theory you find most helpful to understanding the chosen fiction. You should make sure to highlight the theory’s main points in your first paragraph and show how that theory relates to your selected story. Do not summarize the short story, but, rather, focus on how the theory you choose to work with helps explain one of the story’s themes. EXAMPLES: Explain how your selected story reflects/illustrates: •the archetype of the stoic nurse/soldier and to what end/meaning. . •how a story reveals a state of mind, and to what end/meaning. (psychoanalysis). . •how a story (A) implies a reader or (B) engages in a transaction with YOU as reader, discussing what experiences you bring to your illustration of what you feel the story reveals to you and analyzing how the text produces a response in you as a reader, i.e. makes meaning (Reader-Response). . Having read the following: •Archetypal/Myth Literary Criticism •Feminist Literary Criticism •Alcott, Louisa May (1863). “The Death of John.” a/k/a “Death of a Soldier.” From Hospital Sketches. Retrieved from http://www(dot)online-literature(dot)com/alcott/1977/. Also available at http://www(dot)classicreader(dot)com/book/2580/1/ and http://grammar(dot)about(dot)com/od/classicessays/a/Death-Of-A-Soldier-By-Louisa-May-Alcott.htm •Howell, William Dean (1907). “Editha.” From Between the Dark and the Daylight. New York: Harper and Brothers. Retrieved from http://www(dot)online-literature(dot)com/william-dean-howells/4110/ . Also available at http://public(dot)wsu(dot)edu/~campbelld/howells/editha.htm You can read from these stories to write the essay
Archetypal Tragic Heroes
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Archetypal Tragic Heroes
The Collins English Dictionary describes an archetype as constantly recurring as a symbol or motif in literature or painting. For archetype as an ideology to be realistic, it must be related to areas such as literary analysis, modern psychology theory and behavior. In the short stories, George Gearson, as a character is an archetypal tragic hero based on various facts. He appears to be humble and is easily manipulated. He appears sensitive because he puts aside his fears to please his lover, Editha, even when he feels he might not make it back to her.
When George is first introduced, we feel the tension based on the conversation he has with his lover. He does not believe in wars, to solve issues, but is pressured by his lover. He is then chosen to be captain. This brings him out as a hero for he accepted a position that put him in charge of the team. That night as he shares the news with his lover and her family it is clear that he is not himself. This is a sign of fear because he uses alcohol to hide his true feelings. Noble stature is a characteristic of an archetypal tragic hero. If anything happens to him, many are affected including Editha his lover, his mother and the whole community.
Free choice is another characteristic of an archetypal tragic hero. George could have resisted going to war; however, he chose it despite his fears. This was in order to please his lover. His mother did not support going to war, and that is why he chose to take time before letting his mother know that he was captain and would go to war and fight for his country.
Tragic flaw takes place when he dies while in the battlefield he was never the fighting type. Editha knew this but still challenged him and did not stop him when he became captain. As his mother later explains, he was the tim...