George Lucas - director and creator of Star Wars did an incredible job with how he has written Skywalker and shown how greed and hatred can lead to downfall. This essay will explore Anakin's downfall and the concept of a tragic hero.
What is a tragic hero?
In Aristotle's 'Poetics', he suggests that a hero of a tragedy must elicit 'a sense of pity and fear within the audience'. He stated that "the change of fortune presented must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity". Au fond, the focus of the hero should not be the loss of his virtue. He argues that we should feel pity for a character who suffers unfairly due to their own actions. At the same time, we should experience fear when we consider that such misfortune could happen to us in a similar situation. Aristotle explained that such a change of fortune should be from "good to bad" instead of "bad to good". This change of fortune happens to the tragic hero, not because of "depravity or vice" but of an error in judgment, this error is described as hamartia or the fatal flaw. The hero is both highly moral and capable and it is these exact qualities that lead the hero into tragedy. Many of the most famous tragic heroes appear in Greek literature, such as Sophocles and Euripides. Oedipus is a famous example of a tragic hero in Greek mythology.
Nietzsche's 'The Birth of Tragedy..' presents a unique perspective on tragic heroism. In this work, Nietzsche argues that the tragic hero is a product of two opposing forces: the Apollonian and the Dionysian. The Apollonian side is associated with the Greek god Apollo, who is known for beauty, rationality, and harmony. It represents order, reason, and the individual. The Dionysian side is associated with the Greek god Dionysus, who is the god of wine, revelry, and ecstasy/pleasure.
Key points from Nietzsche's view include: the hero's downfall is inevitable - they are destined from the start despite their efforts. The audience's experience of the hero's suffering is a form of catharsis. Lastly, the hero represents the human condition, the hero's struggle mirrors the universal experience of suffering and mortality. According to Nietzsche, the tragic hero is a manifestation of the tension between these two forces.
What makes Anakin a tragic hero?
Anakin was gifted, he had many powerful qualities about himself. There was the possibility of Anakin being the chosen one of an ancient Jedi prophecy, who was destined to bring balance to the force. He had exceptional skills with the force and believed he should progress faster in his learning as a padawan, an early sign of his arrogance. Anakin was seen as the hope for the future of the Jedi Order.
We see Anakin develop from a sweet, intelligent young boy with huge potential and a future ahead of him, to a young man with the same qualities, becoming a stronger and greater Jedi, to a power-hungry tragic hero who seeks more power and more control. This makes his story all the more heartbreaking for the audience as we see the development of his character.
Anakin's fatal flaw was his fear of loss and his greed - his need for more power. His fear of loss and refusal to accept mortality was particular to his wife, Padme Amidala, whom he dreamt would die in childbirth. This fear clouded his judgment and made him susceptible to the dark side of the force. He was lured into the dark side by Chancellor Palpatine (Darth Sidious), who promised him the power to save people from death, including his wife. You can pick up subtle clues throughout all 3 of the prequel movies of this eventual luring in things Palpatine says to Anakin. This foreshadowing is subtle yet very effective.
His hubris was his belief that he could prevent Padme's death, even if it meant defying the Jedi Order. He also believed in his infallibility, often that he was above the rules and his actions were justified. His ambition turned into an overwhelming desire and greed for power, to become the most powerful Jedi and protect those he loved. He also believed the Jedi Order was corrupt (maybe because they didn't give him the rank of master - haha) and that he could do better on his own - he told Padme that they could rule the galaxy together if she joined him.
The audience experiences a sense of catharsis as they witness Anakin's transformation from hero to villain, the catharsis comes from the realization that even the most noble and righteous individuals can be corrupted by their own flaws.
Anakin also bears resemblance in several scenes, to a painting called 'The Fallen Angel' by Alexandre Cabanel. This painting depicts the devil after his fall from grace and his loss of divine power. The anguished expression of the fallen angel and the way his body is positioned convey the pain and suffering, the landscape behind him representing the dark despair and desolation of his fall.
Anakin's story can also be comparable to the story of Lucifer, the fallen angel - satan. A quote from Ezekiel 28:12–17, "You were the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty" can be applied to Anakin, whom before his destructive behavior was seen as the chosen one and held great power (and beauty).
Lucifer was not satisfied with worshipping God and instead, he wanted to be worshipped. This is similar to how Anakin believed the Jedi Order was corrupt and he believed that he could rule the galaxy with his own empire, holding all power and being looked up to.
Lucifer was believed to have once been a beautiful angel ("the star of the morning") but he defied God and fell from grace. He was fallen due to his pride, ("I will make myself most high") he was 'perfect' until unrighteousness was found in him. He was destined from the start to have this fate, just as Anakin was.
"And there is one blazing moment in which you finally understand that there was no dragon. That there was no Vader. That there was only you. Only Anakin Skywalker. That it was all you. Is you. Only you. You did it. It is in this blazing moment that you finally understand the trap of the dark side, the final cruelty of the Sith- Because now your self is all you will ever have. And within your furnace heart, you burn in your own flame. This is how it feels to be Anakin Skywalker...Forever..."
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