Geoffrey H. Hartman said that the story of “Michael” touches on a kind of loss and suffering which occurs in some form to everyone. The changes wrought by
the industrial revolution are only the occasional cause for the disaster. The universal aspect of the loss suffered by Michael is of a hope which has attached itself to a
person and seems to die with the person. He also had opinion with the nature in “Michael”. He said that the nature was essential to human actions and meditations.
His picture of the old man is not simply of suffering or muted despair, but of natural resilience and the habit of fortitude. He clearly shows the symbol or the evidence of
Michael’s tragedy through his opinion: “Though we are told about the seven years in connection with Michael’s
unfinished labors at the sheepfold, there are remains his persistence which suggest an immemorial covenant between man and the land. Michael does not
hasten the end and abides his times without abandoning the land even in imagination. Michael dies as he has lined: In the eye of nature. Yet Michael is
not an obsolete possibility of the human spirit: the covenant that holds the mind of man to the earth springs only such as him” Mukherjef and Rajender,
2000: 192-193. This study is further analyzing the tragedy of Michael where Michael as the
tragic hero of modern tragedy. The analysis is going deep into the central character of the poem. The analysis is also using the theme, “father’s love to his son”, to find the
elements of Michael’s tragedy. Different with R.O.C Winkler, the writer further analyzes the nature as the ‘unrealized mistakes’ of Michael in supporting his tragedy.
The analysis further develops the opinion of Geoffrey H. Hartman, especially in analyzing Michael as the tragic hero. Besides that, the relation of nature and the
industrial revolution as the significant aspect in Michael’s tragedy are deeply analyzed.
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theories of Character and Characterization
“Michael” is a kind of blank verse poetry which is the standard medium of English Drama and also a kind of narrative poetry. Narrative poetry is the poetry
which the main purpose is to tell a story. The poem of “Michael” has setting, character, plot, and climax as the elements of narrative poetry. It also contains a series
of scene in dramatic form which is narrated Levin, 1960: 131-144. This poem uses non-participant point of view which is omniscient. The narrator relates what the
characters do or think. The omniscient narrator can at any time enter the mind of any or all of the characters. The narrator is also neutral. Where the narrator recounts deeds
and thoughts but does not judge Barnet, 1988: 50-52. Character refers to the relevant behaviors trends that have particular moral and
ethical implications. The character of a person reveals from his or her behavior whereas a personality of a person reveals from a social interaction Sawrey and
Telfrod. 1968: 302. Abrams stated that character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work, which are interpreted by the readers as being endowed
with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say, the dialogues, and what they do in action Abrams, 1981: 20.
E.M Forster divides character into two terms, flat character and round character. Flat character is build around ‘single idea or quality’ and is presented
without much individualizing detail, and therefore can be fairly adequately described in a single phrase or sentence. Round character is complex in temperament and
motivation and is presented with subtle particularity Abrams, 1981: 20. Koesnosoebroto divided character into two kinds, major or main character and
minor character. Main character is the most important character in the story. Minor character is character of less important than those the main. The main character needs
other character to make the story more convincing an lifelike Koesnosoebroto, 1988: 67
Characterization is the process by which an author or a playwright creates a character. Characterization in literature is the presentation of the attitudes and
behaviors of imaginary persons in order to make them credible to the author’s audience. According to Encyclopedia Americana: International Edition, Vol: 6,
characterization is a unique feature of such fictional forms as the short story, novel, drama, and narrative poetry Library of Congress Cataloging Data, 1995: 291.
Oscar Bracket states that characterization can be found in four levels: physical, social, psychological, and moral. Physical is concerned with such basic
facts as sex, age, size, and color. Social is included the character’s economic status, profession or trade, religion, family relationship. All those factors are that place him
in his environment. Psychological reveals the character’s habitual responses, attitudes, desire, motivations, like and dislikes, the inner working of mind, both
