Troy as Atragic Hero

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Towards the end of the play Troy seems to be continuing his path downhill. He betrays his wife by cheating on her with another woman, Alberta. He also had a baby girl with Alberta. She had her daughter, but she dies in the act of giving birth. Troy was upset with his life. He wanted to be protect Alberta for his daughter, and he didn’t want his daughter without her mother. Troy is left with no choice but to care for his daughter, Raynell. Rose cuts it off with Troy, but not completely, because they still live under the same roof. She is more independent now and leaves the house when she pleases. Troy’s relationship with Bono, Cory, and Rose chang immensely. He has lost his respect and it will be very challenging for him to redeem it. Bono has made new friends and stops by Troy’s house once in a while. They talk about their hopes for their futures and about their wives. They no longer work in the same company so after work Troy has no one for sharing his life. Cory and his father is not in good shape either, then they don’t see each other. Cory doesn’t pay attention to his father, and he always argues with his father. The scene where Troy sits in his backyard after pay day to drink his gin and sing is when he picks a dramatic fight with his son. Cory refuses to say “excuse me” when passing by his father, so Troy gets offended and tries to assert his role as a father by insisting that Cory leave his house and provide for himself since he lost his respect as the man of the house. He goes on by saying “You just another nigger on the street to me!” (Wilson.1230). He also stresses to his son that he provided for him, but Cory does not take that into consideration because to him that was all materialistic. Troy gave little loving care which ultimately made Cory fear his own father. Although Troy kicked his son out of his house, the fact that there was a physical blockade during their fight, it proves that it was immature on Troy’s part yet mature on Cory’s because of the way he went about the situation. Cory scolded his father for all his wrong doings and betrayals to the family. He challenges him to a physical fight, in his case involving a bat, just like Troy did to his father. Troy is a hero in the sense that he pushed Cory into manhood.

Troy Maxson is alone, and he is lonely. His life is not the same anymore, and everything changes against him. He tried his best by providing for his family and by showing his new daughter his better side of him. He told her about Cory’s room, and how he is her brother. When Troy died due to a heart attack, he left his memory as a hero behind. He supported Lyons with money each week, he provided his love to Rose, his friendship and leadership to Bono, and finally his protection and help for Cory’s future. Unfortunately, he allowed for his personal demon to “get the best of him” which led him to his death, but did good deeds in the lights of others giving Troy Maxson the title of a tragic hero.

Work citied:

August, Wilson. Fences. The Norton Introduction To Literature, edited by Kelly Mays, 12thed, Norton , 2017, pp 1187-1238.