A common man Michael as the Modern Tragic Hero

In the beginning of Luke’s life, he is prepared by Michael to become his successor as a shepherd. He is the best shepherd, a man of ‘honorable occupation’ in his neighborhood. He loves his son so much and does everything for him, even doing a “female service” for him. He acts as a woman, if necessary, to take care Luke. He usually take cares animal. This can be the cause that the masculine side of Michael still has a soft side. Everything is done to create his hope in the future in Luke. “And left, the couple neither gay perhaps Nor cheerful, yet with objects and with hopes, Living a life of eager industry.” Stanza 4, lines 120-122. All the members of Michael’s family are so hard working that they have earned an almost proverbial reputation for their incessant work. They have earned a legendary reputation for living with utmost frugality and economy. Michael uses almost his life to do a hard work. Since he was a child, he take cares the animal and the land. He uses almost his whole life to become closer to the nature. When he is married, he still works hard and does not use his time to take a rest and enjoys his life. He still works and works from the morning until the night. He does not use his time to seek luck in the city but every time he deals with the nature. Then this becomes ironic because although he and his family work hard but they do not have a lot of money. They do not have enough saving to pay the debt. They do not have enough goods to sell except the land. “Some injury done to sickle, flail, or scythe, Or other implement of house or field.” Stanza 4, lines 108-109. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI The presence of Luke makes him work harder and harder. Everything is done to prepare Luke as Michael’s success hope even many accidents or injury sometimes happens again. When Michael comes to know that he may be forced to sell some of his fields, so that they will not be passed on to his son, all the life is drained out of him. He even will not be in peace when he dies. His proud, his dignity, his honor, and everything will be loss. “And in the open sunshine of God’s love Have we all lived; yet if these fields of ours Should pass into a stranger’s hand, I think That I could not lie quiet in my grave. Our lot is a hard lot; the sun himself Has scarcely been more diligent than I; And I have lived to be a fool at last To my own family…” Stanza 10, lines 229-236. Although he has to pay the debt because of his brother’s problem, but he shows his dignity by forgiving him and wants to pay the debt. He also shows that he is a gentleman by not denying that he is ‘an evil man’ because of the act in the past. He shows his responsibility by paying the debt. He has to do that, but he does not want to sacrifice the land. “An evil man That was, and made an evil choice, if he Were false to us; and if he were not false, There are ten thousand to whom loss like this Had been no sorrow. I forgive him;—but ’Twere better to be dumb than to talk thus.” Stanza 10, lines 236-241. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI The financial failure of Michaels nephew, a man of an industrious life and ample means, causes the man to default on a covenant of sorts: a contract of guarantee. This default in its turn means that Michael must either, under the terms of the secured note that he has executed, or he must find some way of raising a large amount of money quickly to prevent the forfeiture. Michael’s hope to save the land is Luke. He then has an idea to pay the debt from Luke’s occupation. Our Luke shall leave us, Isabel; the land Shall not go from us, and it shall be free, He shall possess it free as is the wind That passes over it. Stanza 11, lines 243-247. Michael’s struggle is that he is attempting to make Luke, his son, becomes a successful person in London, and not only becomes a shepherd like him. He does everything and he sacrifices everything to make it. Sending Luke to London is the same as sending Michael’s heart far from his body. Actually Michael cannot be separated with Luke. Later he dies because he loses this hope because of his unrealized mistakes. Because of the mistake, his son, Luke, takes an evil way that leads them to the tragedy.