In his book Poetics, Aristotle says that tragedy does not refer to a specific solo action but to a whole sequence of actions and events, including what the protagonist does and what happens to him. The book series Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan also contains many tragedies. Inspired by Greek Mythology, Percy Jackson and the Olympians series deals with what happens to the fictional children of the Greek Gods. Among many events and protagonists, the character of Luke Castellan, a Hermes demigod, is essential, even though he is not the main character of the book series. This research aims to show how Aristotle's concept of the tragic hero in his book Poetics can be analyzed together with the action and plot through the events that happened to Luke Castellan with the decisions he made.
The earliest philosophical treatise focusing on literary theory is Aristotle's Poetics, the oldest surviving work of Greek dramatic theory. In this book, Aristotle defines the "art of poetry". Aristotle divides poetry into three categories: lyric poetry, epic poetry, and verse theatre, which includes comedy, tragedy, and satyr play (Wikipedia contributors). Within Poetics, Aristotle mentions action, character, and plot. Aristotle says the tragic plot should be built around a single main action. The tragic plot should include only actions related to the character's main plot. If these actions and events do not create an effect if they are included or excluded, the action becomes redundant (Aristotle 40). Aristotle lays down four conditions for a character to become a tragic hero (Aristotle 46). The first and most important condition is that the character must be good. If the goal is good, the character is good. Second, the hero's good qualities must be appropriate to the character. For example, warrior qualities may be good, but they would be inappropriate in a woman. Third, the character must be realistic. If the character is taken from myths, he or she should be similar to the characters in myths. The fourth characteristic of the tragic hero is that there must be consistency. Characters must develop strictly according to certain principles (Aristotle 46). He must have a more incredible reputation so that his misfortune can be seen as a natural disaster. This also arouses our pity. Pity arises most when the events are between friends and family members rather than between opposing characters or enemies. Fear arises when the reader finds something of himself in character (Aristotle 44-5). Aristotle explains two terms, peripeteia and anagnorisis, to describe the plot. Peripeteia means a complete reversal of the situation, which can be explained as a character who thinks he is in a good situation suddenly losing everything (Aristotle 42-3). On the other hand, anagnorisis is when one moves from ignorance to wisdom. This discovery brings love and happiness to characters who learn of their good fortune and hatred and misery to those who discover their unhappy fortune (Aristotle 42-3). Anagnorisis and peripeteia are at their best when they are together. When the situation turns opposite, peripeteia brings about discovery, that is, anagnorisis.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Last Olympian, The Graphic Novel by Rick Riordan & Robert Venditti.
Luke Castellan's tragic plot begins to take shape with two events destined to happen before he is born. Several questions may be asked to see if Luke fits the tragic hero. The first is whether the action is built around the character. When Luke's mother wants to host the body of the Oracle of Delphi, she learns of his fate and goes mad. Luke cannot bear to live with his mad mother, so he runs away from home, and during his adventures with his demigod friends, Luke's anger is exacerbated as they are used as toys by the gods. The gods send their demigod children on dangerous missions, and most of the time they do not care whether they die or not. What he learns about his destiny, betrayal, and sacrifice confuses him. "I keep thinking about Hal Green's predictions. An ominous feeling weighs on my chest. There is something dark in my future. It feels like a thunderstorm on the horizon, supercharging the air. I hope I have the strength to take care of my friends." (Riordan 43). At the same time, the loss of his close friend Thalia because of the gods, fueling his hatred for his father and the other gods, and being contacted by Cronus in his dream to take revenge on the gods are actions related to his main plot. A second question is whether the plot revolves around Luke or is Luke a minor character. Luke was known in the camp as a successful demigod. He was the leader of the Hermes cabin and a good swordsman. Luke's shaken confidence and the anger fueled within him became his tragic flaw, hamartia, causing him to betray the friends he considered family. Luke tried to convince his friends that he was making the right choices along the path he believed in, but everyone knew he was doing the wrong thing. Luke, therefore, practiced the betrayal he was destined to commit. Luke betrayed Annabeth and the other friends he promised always to protect, and nearly led them to death, thinking he was doing the right thing. "Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She croaked, “Family, Luke. You promised.” (Riordan 253). The final question concerns how Luke fits Aristotle's definition of the tragic hero. The plot that unfolds around Luke is realized through the choices he makes and the consequences of these choices. After he betrays his friends by siding with Cronus, he thinks the revenge he hopes to get from the gods will stop the disregard for the demigod children and teach the gods a lesson. However, Luke realizes too late that Cronus has deceived him and only uses him as a pawn in his war against the Gods. "This was before we went into the Labyrinth, before . . ." She faltered, but I knew what she meant: before he turned into Cronus. "He came under a flag of truce. He looked scared, Percy. He told me Cronus was going to use him to take over the world. He said he wanted to run away, like in the old days. He wanted me to come with him." (Riordan 153). At this point, he experiences his peripeteia, and the situation turns the opposite. While Luke thinks he is doing something good, anagnorisis occurs as he learns about his peripeteia and then his unhappy fortune is revealed. In this way, Luke's tragic, unfortunate end evokes pity and fear in the reader, that is catharsis.
To put it all together, in this research, Luke Castellan, considered a tragic hero rather than just a villain, was analyzed in line with Aristotle's ideas. Luke Castellan collaborates with Cronus to teach the gods a lesson for the honor of himself and his friends, but he learns too late that he is on the wrong side and reaches his ultimate tragic end. The reason for conducting this research was to explain that there can be a tragic hero behind every villainous character, with Aristotle's points that what makes a tragic hero a tragic hero. The tragic story of Luke Castellan is not a subject that can be adequately told in such short research. Luke's short but catharsis-inducing story can be analyzed in more detail with Aristotle's ideas.
Works Cited
Harmon, William, editor. ‘Classic Writings on Poetry: POETICS (CA. 350 B.C.)’. JSTOR, 2003, www.jstor.org/stable/10.7312/harm12370.7.
‘Luke Castellan’. Riordan Wiki, riordan.fandom.com/wiki/Luke_Castellan.
Riordan, Rick. The Demigod Diaries: The Diary of Luke Castellan. pp.42. Disney • Hyperion Books, 2012.
Riordan, Rick. The Last Olympian. pp.153/253. Disney • Hyperion Books, 2009.
