The Common Man’s Tragic Hero
In Arthur Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man” the author outlines his argument that the common man can have a prominent place in modern literary tragedies, just as those of noble birth did in the classic tragedies of the past. In Larry Watson’s Montana 1948, the main character, Wes, demonstrates Miller’s definition of a common tragic hero through his struggle to do the right thing after his brother murders a young Native American woman in the town where Wes is the sheriff. Up until this point in his life, Wes had always “gone with the flow” and lived the life that his father wanted for him. Through a series of events, Wes must choose between family loyalty and justice for his brother’s victim. The tragedy of …show more content…
Through his investigation, Wes learns that many people knew about his brother’s behavior, including his own father, but because they were Native American girls, they weren’t respected enough by the community for anyone to care. In the beginning, Wes wasn’t ready to go against the orders from his family to not stand up for what he knows is right. After confronting his brother he says, “‘I think the problem has been taken care of. Frank said he is going to cut it out’” (75 Watson). And when his wife questions his sense of justice he replies, “‘He’ll have to meet his punishment in the hereafter. I won’t do anything to arrange it in this life” (76 Watson). It’s not until evidence arises that his brother murdered one of the Native American girls accusing him of molestation that Wes rises to a tragic hero as defined in Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man” by showing his “inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity, his image of his rightful status” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller). Wes makes the difficult decision to risk his relationship with his parents and the community by arresting his brother for …show more content…
Yet Wes soon realizes that he is willing to “lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing -- his sense of personal dignity” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller). After hearing his brother callously admit to the murder, Wes tells his wife, ‘“I can’t let him loose. Not and live with myself.”’(144 Watson) He then tells his son, ‘“ David, I believe that in this world people must pay for their crimes. It doesn’t matter who you are or who your relations are; if you do wrong, you pay. I believe that. I have to”’ (150 Watson). At this point, no matter what the consequences of his actions, Wes is willing to “throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful place in this world” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller) and become a true tragic hero as defined by Miller.
In the end, Wes’ brother commits suicide and the entire crime is kept secret from the community. Wes loses his relationship with his parents and moves his family away from Montana, in a way, laying down his life to secure his dignity as Miller states. Wes embodies Miller’s essence of a tragic hero because his decision to give up the security of his home, career, and community in order to seek justice shows “the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”,
In Arthur Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man” the author outlines his argument that the common man can have a prominent place in modern literary tragedies, just as those of noble birth did in the classic tragedies of the past. In Larry Watson’s Montana 1948, the main character, Wes, demonstrates Miller’s definition of a common tragic hero through his struggle to do the right thing after his brother murders a young Native American woman in the town where Wes is the sheriff. Up until this point in his life, Wes had always “gone with the flow” and lived the life that his father wanted for him. Through a series of events, Wes must choose between family loyalty and justice for his brother’s victim. The tragedy of …show more content…
Through his investigation, Wes learns that many people knew about his brother’s behavior, including his own father, but because they were Native American girls, they weren’t respected enough by the community for anyone to care. In the beginning, Wes wasn’t ready to go against the orders from his family to not stand up for what he knows is right. After confronting his brother he says, “‘I think the problem has been taken care of. Frank said he is going to cut it out’” (75 Watson). And when his wife questions his sense of justice he replies, “‘He’ll have to meet his punishment in the hereafter. I won’t do anything to arrange it in this life” (76 Watson). It’s not until evidence arises that his brother murdered one of the Native American girls accusing him of molestation that Wes rises to a tragic hero as defined in Miller’s “Tragedy and the Common Man” by showing his “inherent unwillingness to remain passive in the face of what he conceives to be a challenge to his dignity, his image of his rightful status” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller). Wes makes the difficult decision to risk his relationship with his parents and the community by arresting his brother for …show more content…
Yet Wes soon realizes that he is willing to “lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing -- his sense of personal dignity” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller). After hearing his brother callously admit to the murder, Wes tells his wife, ‘“I can’t let him loose. Not and live with myself.”’(144 Watson) He then tells his son, ‘“ David, I believe that in this world people must pay for their crimes. It doesn’t matter who you are or who your relations are; if you do wrong, you pay. I believe that. I have to”’ (150 Watson). At this point, no matter what the consequences of his actions, Wes is willing to “throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful place in this world” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”, Miller) and become a true tragic hero as defined by Miller.
In the end, Wes’ brother commits suicide and the entire crime is kept secret from the community. Wes loses his relationship with his parents and moves his family away from Montana, in a way, laying down his life to secure his dignity as Miller states. Wes embodies Miller’s essence of a tragic hero because his decision to give up the security of his home, career, and community in order to seek justice shows “the indestructible will of man to achieve his humanity” (“Tragedy and the Common Man”,