THE MAKING OF TRAGIC HERO: POWER PARADOX AND ARISTOTELIAN DOWNFALL IN R.F. KUANG'S THE POPPY WAR

Ismael, Sarah Salsabila (2026) THE MAKING OF TRAGIC HERO: POWER PARADOX AND ARISTOTELIAN DOWNFALL IN R.F. KUANG'S THE POPPY WAR. S1 thesis, Universitas Andalas.

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Abstract

This research examines the psychological transformation of the main character in R.F. Kuang’s The Poppy War, specifically investigating how shifts in her psyche lead to her tragic downfall. By combining Dacher Keltner’s theory of the Power Paradox with Aristotelian tragic theory, the study analyses Rin as a structural necessity rather than a mere plot device. The analysis posits that trauma creates Rin’s rage, war gives her justification, and oppression shapes her ambition. But power transforms these pressures into catastrophic action. This psychological erosion is mapped onto the narrative arc, classifying the genocide of the Mugenese as a classic peripeteia (reversal of fortune). Furthermore, applying a Neo-Aristotelian framework, this study argues that Rin achieves the stature of a tragic hero not through noble lineage, but through the magnitude of her actions and the structural integrity of her suffering. The thesis concludes that Rin functions as a modern tragic hero, demonstrating that the corrosive nature of power generates a structurally sound tragedy within a contemporary setting.

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