Batman As A Tragic Hero

What is a classical tragedy? The hero struggles against an overwhelming fate. The protagonist's death was unfortunate, but they would win a moral victory over the forces that destroyed them. The nature of a man or woman's destiny was tested. Audiences would flood the stages of theaters to savor these artistic moments, with feelings of sympathy and dismay. These classical tragedies began in Ancient Greek theater, and left an impression even on today's visual art forms. Greek playwrights depicted tragic events with works such as Oedipus the King and Antigone. As we can see through today's television and featured films, the concepts of a classical Greek tragedy are important to some elements found in contemporary drama.

One element of Greek

tragedy is the sense of uniformity. In Greek theater, the focus is on one single plot. The stories portrayed are easily recognized and there are no subplots or surprises. For example, Oedipus the King was widely known around the world. Oedipus was the tragic hero in Greek mythology that was doomed from the start. He unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, while trying to run from his fate given to him by the Oracle of Delphi.

Another element of Greek tragedy is the establishment of its characters. In Greek Theater, characters were considered to be "great" in social status. This included people of royalty, people of military ranks, and even children of the Gods. According to the textbook, "Greek tragedy often focused on the friction between the individual and his or her community, and, at a higher level, between the community and the will of the gods." (Pg. 68) The "tragic" hero, or protagonist, was usually valuable and the more praiseworthy the hero was, the greater the audience's concern and heartbreak was towards his or her destruction. For example, Antigone tells the story of Oedipus' duaghter, Antigone, and her struggles to try and fulfill her genetic duties after her father's death. Antidone's "tragedy" came from her predicament of being doubted by her status as a women, although she was a women of royal status. But, Antigone's conflict with her community lies within herself and her own battles against her uncompromising attitudes.

As for a contemporary work of art that relates to Greek tragedy, I had to think of a film that portrayed a "tragic" hero.

Somebody who had established higher power in their community. Somebody who tried to run from fate, and has the moment of recognition and understanding of their destiny. Batman. Even though he is considered the strong and powerful superhero of Gotham City, Batman's characteristic features show that he relates strongly to that of a "tragic" hero. In the beginning, the Batman is presented at a higher state of appreciation, even though the police see him as a vigilante. Despite his wealth, Batman, otherwise known as Bruce Wayne, is easily relatable to audiences, which makes it easy to sympathize and empathize with the character. Batman is in a constant battle within himself, trying to be the good guy, while defeating the bad guys. His morals prove true when he admits that he won't kill any of the many villians that cause destruction for Gotham City. But, because of this moral, sometimes the villians end up escaping and doing more harm then good. In the end, this interal chaos and internal battle is seen interally and externally through Batman. At the end of the most recent Batman series, The Dark Knight, his exit at the end of the movie is, in essence, his figurative death. Bruce Wayne wants to keep Gotham City safe. And with the "Batman" gone, villians will be least likely to continue to destroy and conquer. As an audience, we cling to the edge of our seats and feel dismay for our beloved superhero and what is to become of

him.

Aristotle once said that "A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." And this is true for the Greek tragedies of Oedipus and Antidone, as well as the many contemporary art forms we see in today's culture.