Michael's life was filled with tragedy. But for me to think of him as a tragic figure, I'd have to feel sympathy for him--and I don't. Every bit of tragedy in his life--and the tragedies those around him experienced--were caused by him. He had alternatives to every bad move he made, starting with how he chose to protect his father, and he did the wrong thing every time. I think killing Sol and Mac awoke in Michael a lust for power and control that defined the rest of his life. The real tragedy in his life was his perpetual quest for legitimacy, his pathetic rationales for his criminal ways.
This was summarized brilliantly and succinctly near the beginning of III, when he and Kay have their confrontation. He shouts; "I spent my life protecting my family from the horrors of this world." "But you became my horror," Kay replies.
My two cents worth!
I reckon, whether we see Michael's life was filled with tragedy or think of him as a tragic
figure, shock horror! I find it difficult not to "sympathize" with him because of how he was such an idealist wanting to have nothing to do with his family business but then was forced to turn murderer to protect and save his father's life.
The way I see,
1. he was the
only one allowed to get near Sol and Mac
2. after the Baptism massacre, he was living a "legitimate" life
3. Michael's lust for power and control was in his "legitimate" business empire
4. he had realized his perpetual quest for legitimacy, certainly semblance of it
5. his criminal ways were hitting back
only They hit him so -- he hit 'em back.
The real tragedy in his life was however we summarize, when he survived the car bomb and came back, he could have tried to live a "legitimate" life but Vito dragged him into their crime business
He could have cut their losses and retired, handing over the family business to Clemenza and Tessio but he didn't because
he wanted
needed Michael to restore the Corleone family reputation, standing etc. dragging his never wanted this for you son, into their criminal world and leaving a murderous legacy
1. Baptism massacre
2. making
his daughter a widow
3. jealousy, resentment and betrayal of
his stepped over son
I reckon, Michael's wrong thing was his bad choice of wife who became
his horror,"
