3.2.3

Self-Realisation

Test yourself

Self-Realisation

The hero in tragic texts is usually self-deceiving before the text culminates in a moment of discovery and realisation.

Illustrative background for Tragic textsIllustrative background for Tragic texts ?? "content

Tragic texts

  • Throughout tragic texts, the tragic hero tends to be self-deceiving.
  • However, there comes the moment where these heroes undergo a moment of discovery, journeying from ignorance to knowledge.
  • It is in these moments that, for some critics, characters truly attain tragic status.
Illustrative background for WillyIllustrative background for Willy ?? "content

Willy

  • Willy has a moment of self-discovery near the end of Act Two during his final confrontation with Biff, finally seeing the love Biff still has for his father.
  • However, this moment is all too brief and Willy is almost immediately swept up by his old fantasies of Biff’s golden future:
    • “That boy – that boy is going to be magnificent!”
Illustrative background for BiffIllustrative background for Biff ?? "content

Biff

  • It is left to Biff to move from ignorance to self-knowledge.
  • By the end of the play, Biff has come to learn that his future lies outside the city, telling Happy, “I know who I am, kid”.

Jump to other topics

1Introduction

2Act One

3Act Two

4Extended Passage Analysis

5Character Profiles

6Key Themes

7Writing Techniques

8Historical Context

9Literary Context

10Critical Debates

11Recap: Main Quotes

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium