Assingment Paper:107: The Twentieth Century Literature:From WW2nd to the End of the Century

 This blog is an Assingment of paper107:  The Twentieth Century Literature:From WW2nd to the End of the Century.

Personal Information:

        Nmae: Devangini Vyas 

        Batch: M.A. sem 2 (2024-26)

        E-mail address: devangivyas167@gmail.com

        Roll number: 3

Assingment Details:

Topic: Oedipus, Hamlet, and Godot: The Evolution of the Tragic Hero

Paper : paper-107:  The Twentieth Century Literature:From WW2nd to the End of the Century.

Submitted to- SMT.S.B. Gardi Department of English,Bhavnagar

Date of Submission: 17April,2025

Table of Contents

Introduction

Oedipus: The Classical Tragic Hero

Hamlet: The Renaissance Tragic Hero

Waiting for Godot: The Modern Anti-Hero

Comparative Analysis: Transformation of Tragic Heroes

Conclusion

 Oedipus, Hamlet, and Godot: The Evolution of the Tragic Hero

Introduction

The concept of the tragic hero has undergone significant evolution from ancient Greek drama to modern literature. Sophocles' Oedipus Rex, Shakespeare's Hamlet, and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot exemplify this transformation, reflecting the changing philosophical and cultural landscapes of their times. This blog explores how these works redefine the tragic hero archetype, moving from the classical to the existential.

Oedipus: The Classical Tragic Hero

In Oedipus Rex, Sophocles presents Oedipus as the quintessential tragic hero defined by Aristotle: a noble figure whose downfall results from a fatal flaw (hamartia) and fate. Oedipus's determination to uncover the truth about his origins leads to his tragic realization and self-inflicted punishment. His story embodies the Greek belief in the power of fate and the gods over human lives.

Hamlet: The Renaissance Tragic Hero

Shakespeare's Hamlet introduces a more introspective tragic hero. Hamlet's internal conflict and philosophical musings reflect the Renaissance emphasis on individualism and humanism. Unlike Oedipus, Hamlet's tragedy stems from his indecision and moral dilemmas, highlighting the complexity of human consciousness and the consequences of inaction.

Waiting for Godot: The Modern Anti-Hero

Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot presents a departure from traditional tragic heroes. The characters Vladimir and Estragon are ordinary individuals trapped in a meaningless existence, waiting for an entity that never arrives. This absurdist play reflects modern existentialist themes, portraying characters who lack the grandeur of classical heroes but embody the human struggle for purpose in an indifferent universe.

Comparative Analysis: Transformation of Tragic Heroes

The evolution from Oedipus to Hamlet to the characters in Waiting for Godot illustrates a shift from external to internal sources of tragedy. Oedipus's downfall is dictated by fate, Hamlet's by internal conflict, and Vladimir and Estragon's by existential despair. This progression mirrors the changing human understanding of self, agency, and the universe.

Conclusion

The tragic hero has transformed from a figure of noble stature doomed by fate to an everyman grappling with existential angst. This evolution reflects broader shifts in philosophical thought and cultural values, highlighting literature's role in exploring and expressing the human condition.

References:

The Evolution of the Tragic Hero

"The Evolution of the Tragic Hero." The English Journal, vol. 51, no. 1, 1962, pp. 34–39. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1124612.

The Conscience of the King: Oedipus, Hamlet, and the Problem of Reading

Bloom, Harold. "The Conscience of the King: Oedipus, Hamlet, and the Problem of Reading." New Literary History, vol. 4, no. 3, 1973, pp. 405–25. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1771535.

The Downfall of the Tragic Hero

Quinn, Arthur Hobson. "The Downfall of the Tragic Hero." The English Journal, vol. 16, no. 5, 1927, pp. 345–50. JSTOR, https://www.jstor.org/stable/372701.

Heroes Reflecting Their Zeitgeists: Hamlet and Oedipus

Chowdhury, Rukhsana. "Heroes Reflecting Their Zeitgeists: Hamlet and Oedipus." ResearchGate, 2017, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315516482_Heroes_Reflecting_Their_Zeitgeists_Hamlet_and_Oedipus.

The Tragic Hero of the Modern Period: The European Concept

Nayak, Sasmita. "The Tragic Hero of the Modern Period: The European Concept." ResearchGate, 2016, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311372885_The_Tragic_Hero_of_the_Modern_Period_The_European_Concept.

The Circular Structure of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot

Ghaderi, M., and D. Khojastehpour. "The Circular Structure of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot." ResearchGate, 2019, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337447442_The_circular_structure_of_Samuel_Godot_Waiting_for_Beckett%27s.