Willy Loman as the tragic hero of Arthur Miller's "The Death of a Salesman"

<Tab/>A tragic hero can be defined in several different ways. The dictionary defines it as a "a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy". Shakespeare's definition is similar, but the tragic heroes in his literary works are in some sense of high estate or nobility and also realize their flaw before dying. Some …

…He never realized that there was more than one road to success, and he died still not knowing. As one looks back on Willy's life, it is clear that a tragic hero is not required to be wealthy or famous. The tragedy is more clearly seen in a middle-class man, because one can relate to him. The one thing necessary is the flaw that brings about his or her death, and Willy definitely had one.