The Tragic Hero: Oedipus, Hamlet and Willie Loman

In the Poetics, Aristotle used Sophocles’ Oedipus as a model for all that a tragic hero should be. This course will include a discussion of Oedipus and how later protagonists like Hamlet and Willie Loman came to deviate from the classical ideal. Class members should read Oedipus Rex, Hamlet and Death of a Salesman, one play for each session. Video clips from films of each play will be shown at each session.