Mohandas Gandhi: A Greek Tragic Hero

Would one say that Mohandas Gandhi fits the model of a Greek tragic hero? Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869, in Porbandar , India into a middle class Hindu family. Gandhi is most well-known as the leader of the Indian independence movement when India was under British oppressive rule at the start of the 18th century. Gandhi used his self-created method of satygraha, which was based on principles of truth and nonviolence as a way of protest. Because of his nonviolent civil disobedience, his goodness, and his catastrophic death, Gandhi would fit all the parts necessary to be a Greek tragic hero. The definition of a Greek tragic hero is one that has a power, flaw, and a catastrophe. Gandhi’s height in goodness was his power, and also his flaw. Gandhi was able to achieve many things for India because of his power, but it eventually led to his assassination in New Delhi. Mohandas Gandhi fits the model of a Greek tragic hero, because he has a power and a flaw that leads to a catastrophe.

Mohandas Gandhi fits the model of a Greek hero because he had a power. Gandhi was heightened in good. He developed methods of satyagraha, which were principles of nonviolence and truth. Following his principles, Gandhi tried to never use violence and tried to solve his conflicts with peace, even though he was imprisoned many times for his actions. Gandhi formed the Indian Ambulance Corps during the Zulu Rebellion in 1906, that assisted injured troops for both sides, which proved his willingness to help everyone including the British, even though they had treated him with injustice. Gandhi led a 240 mile walk to the ocean with over 600,000 people to protest the British salt monopoly in 1930. Gandhi also held two three-week fast...

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...Because of Gandhi’s power, his flaw, and his catastrophe, one would say that Gandhi fits the model of a Greek tragic hero. Gandhi’s power was his heightened goodness, proven by his innumerable civil disobedience acts, where he continued to fight even while he was regularly jailed. His flaw was his tolerance and acceptance of everyone which led to his catastrophic assassination by Nathuram Godse. Gandhi’s teachings of nonviolence and peace still live on today, as they have inspired many other human rights leaders, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Gandhi’s teachings are responsible for the successes of civil rights movements in other countries. He not only helped free India from British rule, but also gave people new thoughts about violence and imperialism around the world. Even today, India continues to live and remember the tutelage of Gandhi.