Tragic Hero In Plato's Apology

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The term “apology comes from the Greek word apologia which means to defend. In this essay I would like to explain why I believe that The Apology by Plato should be classified as pity and fear, in regards to Greek tragedy. I believe that this is true because I can personally empathize with Socrates; this will be discussed later on in this essay. A tragic hero is considered to be an individual with an intellectual flaw or error, Socrates fits this description; Socrates failed to understand that he could not empathize with the jurors because they simply wanted him to acknowledge his prior offenses, while he only sought out telling the truth and not sullying his own moral code. Socrates should be considered a tragic hero because he had an intellectual error, not an ethical one. I think that it is a little ironic that Socrates, the man who was all about intellect, had an intellectual error. Socrates was a man who focused on the truth, and unfortunately he failed to realize that the truth might not be what everyone else was focused on. In relation to what I stated earlier here is some in text evidence; Socrates said “to disregard the manner of my speech- it doesn't matter how it compares- and to consider and concentrate your attention upon this one question, whether my claims are …show more content…

He was also a tragic hero because he had an intellectual error which he couldn't see past. He was the kind of person who did not give into societal pressures, or abandon his own beliefs just to be spared. He did not put himself in a position that shamed him, and he still took care of his family by requesting that they scold his children and bring them to justice if they go down the wrong path. Socrates was a person who I could relate to, and that is why I believe that The Apology should be classified as pity and fear in relation to Greek

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