How is Joe Keller a tragic hero in the play All My Sons according to Aristotles definition of Tragic Hero?
Aristotles defintion : one who has misfortune which is brought on not "by vice and depravity but by some error in judgment."
All My Sons Questions
Join the discussion about All My Sons by asking a new question or answering an existing question.
How is Joe Keller a tragic hero in the play All My Sons according to Aristotles definition of Tragic Hero?
I don't see Joe as a hero of any kind, but I guess we all view events and people in different ways. Joe was guilty of a crime that was covered up for years. Did he love his family? Yes, he did. Did he allow his partner to go to jail when it fact he should have gone himself? Yes, again! Did he commit suicide in order to "save" himself from the judgement of others? Right.......... he did that.
Was Joe's misfortune brought on by an error in judgement? Yes, but this was far more than an error in judgement. Had his poor judgement stopped with the death of airmen defending our country.......... had he fessed up and admitted what he's done, then I might say the quote applied. But his actions afterward are calculated and planned; he knowingly allows someone else's family to be destroyed to save his own. Killing himself doesn't make him a hero, it makes him even more selfish than we initially believed. This of course is my opinion. If you have another I'd love to hear it!
Was Joe's misfortune brought on by an error in judgement? Yes, but this was far more than an error in judgement. Had his poor judgement stopped with the death of airmen defending our country.......... had he fessed up and admitted what he's done, then I might say the quote applied. But his actions afterward are calculated and planned; he knowingly allows someone else's family to be destroyed to save his own. Killing himself doesn't make him a hero, it makes him even more selfish than we initially believed. This of course is my opinion. If you have another I'd love to hear it!
Source(s): All My Sons
A tagic hero (protagonist) is the character which MUST suffer because of his earlier behaviours. And they must have a flaw. Joe Kellers view is so limited that he cant seee beyond the boundaries of his business and his family. His limited world view is his flaw.Thats the way a tragedy gives the moral. Joe Keller caused 21 people died because of his action, eventually he was forced to accept responsibility of his deed. so he died at the end of the play. There is kind of a "what goes around, comes back around" incident for protagonists.
Join for free to answer this question.
