The Postman Always Rings Twice

Frank’s belief in his own ability to evade capture or punishment persists throughout The Postman Always Rings Twice, even up to the point when Frank is about to be executed for his crimes. Throughout the novel, Frank gets into bad situations of his own making, assuring himself that he can always come out on top. However, his schemes rarely work. This fact seems to have little impact on his opinion of himself until he gets into a situation that even he realizes is inescapable—his impending execution.

Throughout the novel, Frank displays the classic Greek tragic flaw of hubris, or excessive pride. In traditional Greek tragedies, hubris specifically refers to a defiance of the gods, who have the power to govern the lives of humans. In Frank’s case, this can be equated to his defiance of the governing law and moral codes of his society. In Greek tragedies, hubris causes nemesis, or inescapable retribution brought about by prideful behavior. Frank’s arrogant belief that he is more powerful than everything and everyone else around him ultimately leads to his nemesis, specifically his execution.