The Tragic Hero
One prominent theme to consider is the theme of the tragic hero, which is a hero whose actions inadvertently lead to his or her own demise. In this story, Katerina, who falls in passionate love with her farmhand, becomes so wrapped up in her affair that she is willing to do anything to keep her relationship alive, which leads to her own tragic fate. She is an also an appealing character in spite of her faults and evil deeds because the audience can identify with her feelings.
The Evils of Human Nature
Finally, the question of human nature permeates the story. For example, can the innate feelings of love and passion that every human feels be controlled? Does every human deserve to have those feelings and therefore give in to them? In the story, Sergei is able to bring about a spark in Katerina that makes her feel alive, yet he is also able to destroy her with that same passion. Is it better to truly love and lose than to never love at all, yet be safe and secure? And what about greed? Don’t all humans strive to better themselves when given the chance? If given the opportunity, how many people would be driven to wrongdoing in order to improve their status or just to save themselves?
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