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The Tragic Hero

  
By:  Vic Eldred  •  4 years ago  •  20 comments


The Tragic Hero
Tragic heroes, as they have been portrayed from Sophocles’ plays (e.g., Ajax, Antigone, Oedipus Rex, Philoctetes) to the modern western film, are not intrinsically noble. Much less are they likeable. Certainly, they can often be obnoxious and petty, if not dangerous, especially to those around them. These mercurial sorts never end well — and on occasion neither do those in their vicinity. Oedipus was rudely narcissistic, Hombre’s John Russell (Paul Newman) arrogant and off-putting...Victor...

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We the People

In 1952 Stanley Kramer released what would become an iconic western classic to the American public. The movie stood in stark contrast to all the westerns which had come before. Things were not so black and white, good and evil, not so clearly defined. The story itself was based upon a magazine article entitled "the Tin Star" . It was released at the height of the cold war and some say there was great symbolic meaning to the tale. Here was a Sheriff on the eve of his retirement about to set off with his new bride. The town's people had been saved long ago by the Sheriff and others. Now one who had once terrorized the town was being released from prison and intended to make good on his oath of revenge. The Sheriff is committed to his sense of duty and in an act of bravery is willing to face the old gang alone. The people of Hadleyville are not quite so eager for another fight. Many seem to think that living under the gang's reign wouldn't be so bad, surely preferable to another bloody gunfight. The parallel to Europe under Soviet influence is striking. Think of the Sheriff as the US. The town as Europe.

Sheriff Will Kane overcomes the odds, saves the town, keeps his bride, tosses down his badge and leaves Hadleyville forever. Unsung and unwept.


In American history we have had such hero's. Tragic figures, who were never popular, but got the job done as no one else at the time could. In World War II there was General George Patton, who was a brilliant tactician of mobile tank warfare and a leader of men.

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"His strict  discipline , toughness, and self-sacrifice elicited exceptional pride within his ranks, and the  general  was colourfully referred to as “Old Blood-and-Guts” by his men. However, his brash actions and  mercurial  temper led to numerous controversies during his career."

https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Smith-Patton

The problem with Patton was that he slapped a few soldiers who appeared to be suffering from "combat fatigue", which Patton regarded as cowardice. It was a huge story at the time and most likely made Gen Eisenhower reluctant to place Patton in command of armies at key moments that would have greatly helped the allied cause. Eventually Patton was given command of the 3rd Army and was instrumental in the Allied victory in western Europe. All that being said, Patton had enormous personal flaws (refer to the Britannica link), thus after all he accomplished his posthumous rewards will be enshrined in the nation's history books. The nation needed Patton, but never came close to embracing him.



In 2016 America's immigration laws were broken, the southern border porous. America's judicial system seemed divided between two starkly different views on the Constitution's meaning. The nation's healthcare sector had been taken over by the federal government and was in a costly state of chaos. Regulations, high corporate taxes and unfair trade agreements were causing American corporations to relocate and entire industries were lost. The federal deficit exceeded $20 Trillion dollars and the GDP had been limping along at a 1-2% rate and we were all told it was the new reality. Foreign Policy was a total disaster between a depleted military, which lacked basic items like ammunition & aircraft, a costly, counterproductive nuclear deal with Iran, North Korean saber rattling and Russia making inroads in the Crimea, the Ukraine and the middle east.

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Then came an American President like no other. A true Nationalist who was very vocal about putting American interests first. A self described Republican, who, unlike most of his fellow Republicans, was not a gentleman at all times. He was unscripted, spoke from the hip and most of all resonated with much of the American middle class. His enemies were formidable. They encompass the ruling elite, the left wing media, the university and the democratic party. He has been smeared, denounced, fraudulently impeached & investigated and has withstood vicious attacks on a daily basis, but somehow, he is getting the job done. America has been saved, at the moment, from the Orwellian fate which loomed so large in 2016.

When his time is gone he will leave quietly. His legacy will be fiercely debated throughout our lifetimes.

Only historians will grant him his due.




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Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
1  author  Vic Eldred    4 years ago

We may not love them, but we needed them!

 
 
 
1stwarrior
Professor Participates
2  1stwarrior    4 years ago

I do not like the man personally - but - he has caused a lot of things to happen that I do like.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
4  JohnRussell    4 years ago

Historians will laugh at Trump and his supporters.  The idea that Trump will emerge as a "hero" in the eyes of mainstream historians is ludicrous.

By the way, the John Wayne character was loathe to ever tell a lie. In the Wayne films, someone likeTrump would have been a villain. 

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
4.1  author  Vic Eldred  replied to  JohnRussell @4    4 years ago

Many consider John Wayne's character (Ethan Edwards) in the Searchers to be a villain:

 "Ethan says of the one survivor of the massacre, Debbie, “She’s been livin’ with a buck!” as if this fact alone should settle Martin’s doubt that she deserves to die. A powerful irony becomes clear — as Martin realizes Ethan intends to kill Debbie when he finds her, the audience must puzzle over exactly what is driving Ethan. 




BTW, Trump has been the recipient of far more lies than he could ever tell.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
4.1.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.1    4 years ago

 Trump has been the recipient of far more lies than he could ever tell.

That would have to be at least 14,000 plus lies.  Do you have a link listing them?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
4.1.3  author  Vic Eldred  replied to  Paula Bartholomew @4.1.2    4 years ago

You are referring the Washington Post's famous LIE!  Start there!

 
 
 
CB
Professor Principal
4.1.4  CB  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.1.3    4 years ago

We all must be careful to not become that which we SAY we despise. When we start enabling liars and their lies in seeking our goals—we lose. Even when we can't see it up close. Take the long-view. Who are you/we? Who are you/we becoming?

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
4.1.5  author  Vic Eldred  replied to  CB @4.1.4    4 years ago

This obsession with so called "lies" is truly baffling!  Who told us for 3 years that the President colluded with Russia?

Please be specific

 
 
 
pat wilson
Professor Participates
4.1.6  pat wilson  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.1.5    4 years ago

Obsession ? Are you joking ?

Just googled trump's lies, there were 273 million hits in less than 1/2 of a second.

It would take days to paste even half the lies this pos has told.

 
 
 
CB
Professor Principal
4.1.7  CB  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.1.5    4 years ago

Point blank/no chaser: Have you ever heard a lie from President Donald J. Trump?

No spin. No bullshit. 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
4.1.8  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.1.3    4 years ago

I have no idea what the lie from WaPo is.  Can you be more precise?

 
 
 
Jasper2529
Professor Quiet
4.2  Jasper2529  replied to  JohnRussell @4    4 years ago
Historians will laugh at Trump and his supporters. 

MSM has certainly created many oracles, seers, soothsayers, psychics!

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
4.2.1  author  Vic Eldred  replied to  Jasper2529 @4.2    4 years ago

History will show them no mercy. They betrayed the public trust.

 
 
 
CB
Professor Principal
4.2.2  CB  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.2.1    4 years ago
When his time is gone he will leave quietly. His legacy will be fiercely debated throughout our lifetimes. Only historians will grant him his due.

President Donald Trump will not leave quietly. Noisy is better suited to the man. There will be a ruckus send-off and the "good china" will be broken during his extraction. His legacy will be minimally debated and I hope this brash "hero" of the conservatives will get whatever he has coming to him!

It could go down something like this: Irony.

President Donald J. Trump, a lifelong native New Yorker, scandalous "billionaire" businessman, tried to turn our nation into a conservative tour de force in four years only in his final year as president to have a lowly, microbe break out and swipe out his political raison d'être (reason for being)! The economic engine he built to be lauded for in the end has been stripped of its power and veneer from him as trillions are deleted, unemployment number are maddeningly inflated, and a staggering  thousands of dead citizens are buried under his "attentive" charge and care.

Is it karma or fate that the "hometown" president should helplessly watch and somehow remain emotionally detached
as the
COVID-19 virus ravage New York City and near his childhood community hospital?

New York City INFECTED: 236,600 plus with COVID-19 Deaths - 15,500 plus All still counting

President Trump, the non-reflective, non-apologetic leader of the Trump conservatives, can not be brought to saying publicly, "I'm sorry," to the citizens of his hometown for this onslaught of misery and sorrow they are experiencing. How can it be that a man, any man, could be so lacking of real empathy for those he knows so well?

History will grant Donald J. Trump, president, his due alright.

 
 
 
Eat The Press Do Not Read It
PhD Guide
4.3  Eat The Press Do Not Read It  replied to  JohnRussell @4    4 years ago

Trump is the disease that this nation is facing.

 
 
 
Vic Eldred
Professor Principal
4.3.1  author  Vic Eldred  replied to  Eat The Press Do Not Read It @4.3    4 years ago

You have to do better

 
 
 
Raven Wing
Professor Guide
4.3.2  Raven Wing  replied to  Vic Eldred @4.3.1    4 years ago
You have to do better

Are you giving yourself a pep talk?

 
 
 
Buzz of the Orient
Professor Expert
4.4  Buzz of the Orient  replied to  JohnRussell @4    4 years ago

The only match I can think of is Lex Luthor.

 
 
 
Wheel
Freshman Quiet
5  Wheel    4 years ago

This is hilarious!!!  What an imagination!!!

 
 

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