Tragic Ending or a Tragic Hero?

In a person’s life, their actions tend to define them. When looking at someone’s past, humans often prefer to ignore the situations in which that person was and instead decides to make an instant opinion about that person without considering their situation. Maggie, the protagonist from the Novel: Maggie, a girl on the Street, by Stephen Crane was indeed a tragic hero because of some poor choices she made in her life, leading to a huge downfall and a tragic end. While some may argue that she brought the tragic ending to herself, when considered her violent home, unstable family, drunk mom, and abusive brother, Maggie had no better choices than the ones she took, resulting in her tragic downfall.

Being just a teenager, Maggie saw hard parts of her life and had no say in any of it. She was helpless and weak. Coming from a violent family background, Maggie always feared the men. She was used to seeing her brother Jimmie fighting and coming with blood dripping from every part of his body. Both Jimmie and Maggie were victims of child abuse, especially Jimmie: “Here, you Jim, git up, now, while I belt yer life out, you damned disorderly brat.”(Father 8). But unlike Maggie, Jimmie had her little sister’s support and most importantly the presence, but whenever Maggie needed the same support from Jimmie, she was yelled at and sometime even beaten up. “Ah, what deh hell!” Cried Jimmie, “shut up er I’ll smack yer mout’ See?” [(Jimmie 10]. Growing up in a family like hers, she knew nothing about happiness. She lived her life in entire fear and going away from the day-to day violence was not an option for her. It were as if she had no life of her own.

Watching both her father and younger brother die was already hard enough for Maggie, but seeing her mother and brother fight was when Maggie lost her confidence in having a stable family as deep down inside she knew that nothing good was going to come out of all the hardships and sufferings she’s been through. “She(Mother) raised her arm and whirled her great fist at her son’s face. Maggie shrieked and ran into the other room. To her there came the final sound of a storm of crashed and curses” [Narrator 42]. Maggie needed a distraction for herself because of her terrible life and seeing Pete come as a guiding angel, who she believed loved and adored her, she thought of nothing else but going along with him and wherever he takes her. For once in her life she thought of having fun and enjoying a life she only dreamt about. Every decision she made when she was with Pete was for herself and for once in her life she did what Maggie felt like doing in order to please herself, only little did Maggie know that everything she did with Pete will result in her losing everything even the place that was hell but indeed her home.  

Watching fights, people getting drunk, blood and whatnot, one can say that Maggie did not have a life she deserved. Watching Pete come into her life and take her to places she’s never been before was definitely intriguing for Maggie. It was as if her meaningless life had some meaning. She, who was bounded by others was now living a life of her own. She was doing all the lavish things she once dreamed about. Being with Pete made her secure; moreover, she was having fun. “Maggie went to dance halls, theater and shows and always departed with raised spirits from these showing places wondering if her life had any meaning” [Narrator 39]. Going to places which only rich people went to, Maggie felt alive. She had no idea what she was getting into or how terrible Pete was, all she cared about at that moment was an urge of living. All the fame, attention, and love, gave her reasons to live. Even though her mother was not happy for her and knew it was going to end bad, Maggie was happy. “May Gawd curse her forever,” She shrieked. “May she eat nothin’ but stones and deh dirt in the street” [Marry 47]. One could argue that it was stupid for Maggie to go with Pete even when her mother tried to warn her, but considering that she was never loved by her mother, was it worth staying with the family, and one can even conclude an unstable family? Or for once just doing what she wished to do and let the results come as it may. Nevertheless, even though Maggie ended up in the hell(streets) because of Pete, she definitely enjoyed the limited time of love, joy, happiness and attention; Everything she knew she wouldn’t ever get if she stayed back home with her abusive family made her take those decisions. “The woman on the floor cursed. Jimmie was intent upon his bruised fore-arms. The girl cast a glance about the room filled with a chaotic mass of debris, and at the red, writhing body of her mother.. She went.” (Narrator 44). This miltonian scene where Maggie chooses to go with Pete rather than staying home and helping her drunk mom and beaten was the decision that lead to Maggie’s downfall as after that she was no longer allowed at her own house and was wholly dependent on Pete for her life. “Aye, she’ll git rid o deh life atter a while an’ den she’ll wanna be comin’ home, won’ she, deh beast! I’ll let ‘er in den, won’ I?” (Marry 60). Considering that Maggie tried to come back when she realised who Pete truly was and got nothing but embarrassment from that decision, she did indeed choose to become Maggie: the girl of the street.  

Maggie being the Protagonist and Tragic hero is no coincidence. In the course of the novel she made some questionable decisions but keeping it in mind that her other options were not great either, she went with the ones she found happiness into. Even though her period of happiness with Pete was short, it was delightful for her and no matter where the affair with Pete lead her, leaving that options and being stuck in her home was something that would’ve again brought pain and sorrow to Maggie. In the end, humans tend to choose the options that they think will benefit them the most, and so did Maggie no matter how it resulted in the end. Therefore, Maggie was our Tragic hero because of some decisions she made in her life to make herself happy leading to her tragic fall and a depressing yet heartbreaking ending.