Specimen ‘At the heart of the tragic experience
is an overwhelming sense of shame.ʼ
Specimen
‘At the heart of the tragic experience is an overwhelming sense of shame.ʼ
To what extent do you agree with this view in relation to two texts you have studied? Remember
to include in your answer relevant comment on the ways the writers have shaped meanings. [25
marks]
Willy denied his own dreams so pursed a career that capitalism described as successful.
In order to come to terms with his shame he internalises the system and lies to himself.
Tessʼs shame at her family
The interaction at Howardʼs office and Lindaʼs attention must be paid speech.
Shame being what causes Angel to reject Tess reinstating class divides and Puritanical
prejudices. It is also what causes him to come back.
In Aristotleʼs Poetics, Aristotle stated that tragedies should evoke the feelings of “pity and fear”
which can be summarised in the definition of “catharsis”. However, alternate readings may
channel these feelings of pity and fear through the emotion of shame which is experienced by
the tragic hero protagonists and therefore projected onto the readers. In Tess of DʼUrbervilles
and Death of a Salesman the protagonists feel shame due to their positions in society where
they are neglected and ultimately killed at the hands of the hypocritical cultures which they are
a part of. Shame of not meeting societies standards and therefore not being successful enough
are themes explored in both tragedies. In this essay I will therefore discuss to what extent the
‘tragic experience is an overwhelming sense of shameʼ.
In Arthur Millerʼs Essay ‘Tragedy and the Common Manʼ he stated that the ‘tragic feeling is
evoked when we are in the presence of a character readily to lay down his life to secure one
thing – his sense of personal dignityʼ and in ‘Death of a Salesmanʼ it is Willyʼs shame which
causes his death. In the play shame is evidenced through the way Willy perpetually lies to other
characters and himself. At one moment he states that “Iʼm vital in New England” and “my
funeral will be massive” let moments later confides in Linda that “people donʼt seem to take to
me”, “they laugh at me” and some people make it in this world. It is unclear which perception of
the dual Willy audiences need to believe. The one where he arrogantly exhibits the hubris of
many tragic heroes before him such as King Lear and Oedipus which causes a myopia,
preventing him from seeing the truth of his class and familial situation. Or one which is acutely
aware of his condition and is ashamed of himself so lies to perpetually justify the same system
which oppresses him. Willyʼs shame therefore transcends from his lack of social progress. He
does not fall into the trap that education can get you anywhere but instead believes in the
‘American Dreamʼ which states that hard work and “personal attractiveness” leads to income
and progress; “be liked and you shall never want”. This “air of the dream” surrounds the
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