Yank is a Tragic Character

Answer

Yank is a tragic Character. Or, how does Yank meet his tragedy? 

In Eugene O’Neill’s (1888 – 1953) play “The Hairy Ape” (1922), Yank is a character whose life is full of struggle and sadness. His real name is Bob Smith, and he was born in New York City. He starts as a strong and proud man. He believes he belongs to the world of hard work on a ship. However, his journey reveals how deeply alone and lost he really is. This makes him a tragic character.

Yank’s Loss of Identity: At the beginning of the play, Yank is confident and proud of his work. He believes that he is the power behind the ship’s movement. He says,

I’m de end! I’m de start! I start somep’n and de woild moves!

But when Mildred, a wealthy woman, calls him a “filthy beast,” Yank begins to question his place in the world. This moment shakes his sense of identity. He starts to feel that he doesn’t belong anywhere. This loss of identity is the first sign of his tragic downfall.

Rejection by Society: Yank tries to fight back and find a place where he belongs. He goes to Fifth Avenue. He hopes to challenge the rich people, but they ignore him. He tries to join a workers’ group, the I.W.W., but they think he is a spy and reject him, saying,

You’re a brainless ape.

Each time Yank reaches out, society pushes him away. This rejection makes him feel more and more alone, deepening his tragedy.

Final Defeat: In the end, Yank visits the zoo and tries to connect with a caged Gorilla. He feels that he and the Ape/Gorilla are the same—both trapped and powerless. But when he frees the ape, it attacks him and throws him into the cage. At the end of the play, he says, 

Even him didn’t tink I belonged,

Yank’s tragic end shows that he has lost everything—his pride, his place in society, and even his life. He dies feeling completely alone and defeated.

Thus, Yank’s journey from pride to complete isolation makes him a deeply tragic character in The Hairy Ape.