Can Willy Loman and King Lear be seen as tragic characters?

Can Willy Loman and King Lear be seen as tragic characters?

Tragic flaw can be defined as an unwillingness to submit passively to the established order and values of a particular situation. With this particular definition one can see that both Lear and Willy were indeed tragic characters. This is so because as the definition clearly says a tragic flaw is when an individual fails to accept the established truth before them. Both Lear and Willy were found with this type of behavior, where the reality of things seemed to be pushed aside.

Lear’s tragic was his obsessive trait of being flattered and praised by the individuals around him. This can be illustrated in Act 1 Scene 1 where Lear was easily persuaded by his two older daughter’s Goneril and Regan with flattery words. Due to his tragic flaw he segregated himself from the one who truly love him, which was daughter Cordeila because she did not apply flattery words in her speech. Rather he preferred Regan’s and Cordeilia speeches since it was flattery but in reality deceit. Lear’s tragic flaw caused him his health and even his life since he was blinded by the deceit around him. Therefore, one can see that Lear was indeed a tragic character because of flaw which was to hear flattery.

In addition, Willy Loman was also seen as a tragic character in the novel death of a salesman. Willy had too many desires that were not plausible. His belief was surrounded on ‘The American Dream.’ Also, he thought one could attain this by being well like, having an abundance of money and many women. Loman flaw was that he tried to get this dream so much that it lead to death. Thos occurred when he thought he could not succeed anymore and decided to take his own life as a result.

In conclusion, it can be said that both individuals Willy Loman and King Lear were both indeed tragic characters because of the tragic flaws they had they lead them to a detrimental stated in the end.