Student-designed final essay sample b

While reading the specific genre of tragedy I found myself trying to assign a definite changing point in the plot which leads to the fall of the tragic hero in the play.  I have also found myself and others trying to defend the victim, but to do this you must know who that victim is; and what or who has made them become the victim. Because the plot and characters in tragedies tend to be extremely complex this often becomes very difficult; often leading the reader to wonder is it the victim’s own actions that lead to the tragic fall, did some outside event or person cause this fall, or was it fate acting in its most extreme ways that cause the tragic fall? 

            This question of free will versus fate does not occur in one gender over the other.  In fact, I have found instances of both men and women characters leaving the reader to wonder…”Was it really the character’s choice or someone else’s fault? For example, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex is trying to discover what the real causes of his people’s problems are. After struggling he finally understands the truth of the prophecies he has heard about himself for all his previous years had already come true and he was the cause to the overpowering drought in the kingdom.  While following the play, Oedipus is warned many times by his close friends to drop the matter but he insists on going on. So from this view point the situation and tragic fall seem to be self inflicted. On the other Hand, these actions had already taken place many years before and seemed to find their own way out of secrecy, so who is to blame from this view point?  Fate?

            Another tragic play in which this question of free will versus fate occur is in A Raisin in the Sun. This pull seems to happen between Walter and his Mother (Mama).  Mama gives Walter a check knowing what Walter has in his mind to do with it. Knowing his intentions are good but his thought process is skewed by pride, she trusts Walter to deposit the money where she has asked him to.  Of course, Walter ignores all directions Mama gives him with the money and ends up losing it all.  Since Walter did make the decision to disobey is the fact the money is gone his fault, or was he the victim?  Mama knew exactly what he wanted to do with that money did she tempt him too much and cause this turning point herself? This question occurs again in A Raisin in the Sun when the family does decide to go ahead and move. Although at the end of the play the audience does see some sort of freedom, some transcendence out of the apartment, is it really a joyous occasion? The family chooses or is drawn by some force to move into a neighborhood where they will face ridicule and hardships just as before, and possibly worse than before.  Why didn’t the family look for a different neighborhood, is fate acting in a strange way not allowing them to escape this circular life or did they choose this life by free will when they chose this house?

            In Medea, we see an even more intricate example of the confusion between free will and fate.  Medea is in a marriage in which she has made many personal sacrifices.  Her husband, Jason, decides he is leaving her for another woman and to make it short Medea finds justice in the most horrific manner, by killing their two sons. “Medea disrupts the private world by killing her own sons, and she disrupts the public world by killing the princess and the king. In Medea we see woman’s voice expressed not as a single voice but as contending voices.” (Summer 02 Final) Obviously Medea’s manner is more action oriented than many of the characters we have looked at thus far, but before we can decide on freewill and fate in this case, we must decide who the victim is. Is it Jason for having to deal with the loss of his sons and not being able to take part in a proper burial? Or maybe he is at fault for finding another wife? Is Medea the victim for having a bad husband and her actions are only a means for justice? Or is she behaving extreme and unwise causing pain to others that may not be deserved; or at least not to the extreme degree in which Medea carries the justice?

            The last tragic play used to examine this idea of freewill versus fate is A Long Days Journey into Night.  This story has an intriguing plot centered on blame, denial, and guilt. Tyrone, the father, is an alcoholic as well as tight with his money.  Mary, the mother, is ill due to a dependency on morphine.  The cause a bad doctor paid for by Tyrone and three family members that avoid her need for someone to help her past her addiction and a normal home. Jaime, the eldest son, is also an alcoholic. His contributions to the family income are also very scarce and it is mostly him spending his parent’s money.  Do they allow him to be a loafer because they feel they made him this way? Or is it his choice to carry his life out this way with or without his parent’s intervention?  Last but not least is Edmund, the youngest son.  Edmund, although he does drink quite a bit has a problem that derives from his poor health.  His sickness continues to develop and worsen as the plot continues due to the lack of medical attention that is needed. He also deals with the sickness alone many times because his family is not able to speak of it freely around his mother. The victim still remains unknown to me and to many others, but the ultimate conclusion that arises is that everyone in the play is to blame for particular actions and everyone is the victim in some way or another; so to try to place blame seems worthless. 

            Each of these four plays has a tragic fall in the end. Many dreams are not reached and many will never be reached.  Yet, the question of freewill versus fate is still unanswered. Who are the victims of these plays? Where are these immaculate turning points in which the characters go down the path of no return?  I have come to the conclusion that the complexity of the tragic plot and of the characters does not allow us to come to a quick blame to others.  I also have come to the conclusion that the authors of these plays do this as part of the learning process that takes place while reading or watching a tragedy. If these questions were able to be answered right away the insight into our own mind and soul that takes place while our minds try to digest all the events would be lost and the play would become ineffective.  Finally, through reading these plays I have observed through class discussion how different people’s take on a particular event in a play can be a turning point to them and a minor detail to another and how that event affects their own insight into the meaning and learning experience that comes along with a tragedy. I conclude by quoting Aristotle,”to learn gives the liveliest pleasure.” [AC]