The definition of a tragic character is something that has been considered established since the times of ancient Greece. Aristotle's Poetics defined what constitutes a comedy and a tragedy, and this definition has been widely accepted ever since. However, Arthur Miller believes that Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero is flawed. Through the character of Willie Loman, Miller redefines what makes a tragic hero in his play Death of a Salesman. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Traditionally, tragedies have been defined by their tendencies to deal with people of high birth, such as royalty or other nobles. These tragic heroes are usually forced to fight against a fate imposed on them by the gods or some other supernatural force, and ultimately fail in this fight due to some sort of tragic flaw. Ultimately, this results in the loss or, at the very least, loss of status of the tragic hero. This is seen through many classic tragedies such as Oedipus the King and Hamlet. Arthur Miller defies this trend by using Willie Loman as his tragic hero. Willie's status as a common American man stands in stark contrast to the strong nobility status that defined many earlier tragedies, but his life and the events surrounding it keep him strongly defined as a tragic hero. Willie Loman's position as an ordinary man is a defining factor that sets him apart from the tragic heroes who came before him. Traditionally, tragic heroes were expected to occupy a position of prosperity that could be tragically lost, limiting them to roles such as king, nobility, and wealthy aristocrats. However, Miller believed that losing because of a tragic flaw was something common to everyone, not just those who were initially successful, stating that "when the question of tragedy in art "is not in question, we never hesitate to attribute to the well placed and the exalted the same mental processes as to the humble" (Miller, Tragedy and the Common Man). Because anyone could suffer from the same tragic flaws and everyone could suffer from them, the restriction of tragic heroes to those of high rank was initially a flaw in the design of tragedies. Willie's position as a tragic hero is kept intact by his desire to achieve a higher position in life and the flaws that ultimately prevent him from succeeding. Miller states: "I think the feeling of tragedy is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is prepared to give his life, if necessary, to secure one thing: his sense of personal dignity" (Miller, Common Man). Willie's goal in life is to become someone who is widely recognized and appreciated by people throughout New England because of his success in his job, traveling from town to town as a salesman. Since his job amounts to nothing but requires him to go to places no one else in his immediate life would see on a regular basis, Willie talks about his status in various places, artificially boosting his pride in an effort to appear more than 'it really isn't. East. His sense of pride ultimately ruins his successes, creating a sense of sympathy from readers and other characters, such as when his wife Linda states, "I'm not saying he's a great man. Willy Loman never made a lot of money. His name was never published in the newspaper... But he is a human being and a terrible thing is happening to him. So you have to be careful. You must not leave it”. 1949.