The Tragic Hero In Plato's The Apology

In Plato’s The Apology, Socrates did not apologize in the modern use of the word. He was not apologetic at all and instead defended himself. While those around him did not agree with him, he stood his ground, even when this ultimately led to his death. The first figure similar to Socrates that comes to mind is Malcolm X. These men stood for what they believed in although they had so many enemies, the same enemies who eventually killed them. As Socrates stood before a jury of fellow Athenians, he stated that he did not know what the jurors thought of the accusations against him, only that the accusers’ words were so persuasive, they “almost made him forget who he was” (Plato). Nevertheless, he believed that he had no business standing before the men of Athens. He also remarked that while his accusers were so intent on punishing him, …show more content…
He is considered a man of misfortune that comes to him through error of judgment” (Tragic Hero). An anti-hero is a character that lacks the qualities of a conventional hero. Socrates and Malcolm X embody both of these definitions. Socrates is more of a tragic hero than Malcolm X. His only problem was straying from the Athenian religion. He honestly and lengthily gave his side of the story, not regretting anything, but the jurors would not listen, making it easier to pity him. Just like Socrates, Malcolm X stood by what he believed in and was willing to die for it. However, heroes do not generally promote violence, nor do they scare the people who listen to them. This easily fits him into the anti-hero category. Although his speeches could be racist and misguided, he was powerful, another quality seen in a hero. His assassination could identify him as a tragic hero, though his bad past and his promotion of fighting fire with fire makes him considerably less sympathetic than an old philosopher who was wrongly sentenced to