My analysis of Tragedy and the Common Man by Arthur Miller
Tragedy is almost always written about royalty, so that is its target audience. A lot of people hold this misconception about tragedy. Hamlet, Oedipus, MacBeth, and many of the other iconic tragedies center their stories around the social elite. These kings and queens face problems in their lives, so naturally one must be royalty to empathize with them and enjoy their story . Arthur Miller, the author of such modern masterpieces as Death of a Salesmen, thinks that this notion is ridiculous. He thinks that tragedy is defined by the desire of the main character to reach the place he belongs in society. This is a desire that is present in many people, not just royalty. "I believe that the common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were. On the face of it this ought to be obvious in the light of modern psychiatry, which bases its analysis upon classic formulations, such as the Oedipus and Orestes complexes, for instance, which were enacted by royal beings, but which apply to everyone in similar emotional situations." (Miller) This desire is characterized by a lack of complacency. Anyone who refuses to allow something to degrade their place in society has the ability to empathize with a tragic hero. I agree with Miller, he is trying to say, though the stories being told are taking place through nobility, the same morals and principles can often be found in everyday people. After reading the article, one can come to the conclusion that, yes, the common man can relate to tragedy as an art form, because he shares the same emotional reactions as that of royalty.
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