"I wish I was unhappy": W.E.B. Du Bois's Of The Coming of John as a Greek Tragedy

Abstract

W.E.B. Du Bois's Of The Coming of John mirrors the genre conventions of the Greek Tragedy. Viewing the work in this light changes entirely not only the way in which the novel reads, but also what the reader takes away. In particular this story then articulates the importance of education for the overall wellbeing of African Americans in the story of John. As a Greek Tragedy, the story teaches the audience both how to better themselves for the good of their society, and prepares them for the emotional strain this journey towards progress may entail.