This study offers the Henryson scholar and the student of literary theory a challenging
consideration of the poet's conception of tragedy. Dr. McKenna interprets Henryson as decidedly
radical in orientation toward the nature of tragic action and the nature of the tragic
protagonist. The poet portrays these figures as having essentially heroic status despite their
obvious sins and villainy. The general approach of this study is an evaluation of Henryson's
exploration of the hero's confrontation with the existential horror of reality and the extent
to which mythological constructs provide tragic action a measure for collective humanity by
which meaning can be sought.
