what's more tragic, Walter Neff's love life or his acting?

4.)  Within the film Double Indemnity it is difficult to pick out a true hero. There is definitely some lead way in the character of Walter Neff where his actions could have justified him as the hero, but all characters including him have a "tragic" flaw to them. I believe that there is no hero within this film, however I do think like in the play Macbeth there is a tragic hero. A tragic hero is defined as a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.

In this case Walter Neff is the tragic hero with his flaw being love. Love is a powerful thing that drives his actions and motives in the wrong direction, making him do anything for the woman who has stolen his heart; Phyllis Dietrichson.

  This film noir begins with us already exhibiting his wrong doing, as he sits at his desk leaving a message explaining his actions and what exactly happened. Right from the start we already foresee his downfall, and realize he is not a hero. His downfall begins the first time he meets the lovely manipulating Mrs. Phyllis Dietrichson, in her home as he goes over to talk to her husband about insurance. When he sees her, he sees love and possibilities, and naturally begins to flirt and smooth talk her, but when she sees him she sees the possibility of a way out of her miserable life. Her seductive language, and body language tactics persuade him to help her trick her husband into getting life insurance, and then kill him so she receives all of his money. We see Walter's tragic flaw play a factor here as he agrees and formulates a plan to kill Mr. Dietrichson, showing that he would do anything for Phyllis's love. This relationship directly corresponds and relates to that of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, as Lady Macbeth and her strong persuasion was one of the main causes of Macbeth's downfall, as is Phyllis's to Walter. Walter is bitten by the poison of love which makes him unsuitable for the title of hero, but he relates more to that of tragic hero, which he accepts his role as that shown by his constant realization of his wrong doing.