Preview

Essay On Aristotle's Definition Of A Tragic Hero

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
907 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Essay On Aristotle's Definition Of A Tragic Hero
When it comes to creating any type of entertainment whether that's movies, tv shows, plays, video games, or books one of the most popular genres is tragedy. Tragedies appeal to many people because of the character’s traits. According to Aristotle famous philosopher of ancient Greece believes that a protagonist must portray five certain characteristics to be classified as a tragic hero. A tragic hero must be of noble birth or have a status with much amounts of respect from people surrounded by the character. Also have hamartia (fatal flaw), the character must have a flaw that will lead to their demise. The hero has a reversal of fortune( protagonist dies) The character must realize his fatal flaw is the reason for their downfall (anagnorisis). Lastly the hero’s fate is far greater than what they really deserve. However over time entertainment has evolved into relating to people in society. The modern definition of a tragic hero differs from Aristotle’s definition. To be considered a modern tragic hero, the character does not have to be high status. Character has to be …show more content…
Yes he is, not just according to Aristotle, but also to the modern definition. Why wouldn’t he be a hero, he puts his life on the line for others. He is well respected by others, has many admirable qualities, and does not portray an ounce of selfishness. Even when Commodus had made a sly comment about how his troops slaughtered Maximus’s family, Maximus still gave Commodus the respect an emperor deserves. A hero does not have to follow the requirements of Aristotle’s definition to be considered a tragic hero. “Gladiator” was filmed in 1999, versus Aristotle’s definition which was created during the time of 300 B.C. Things change overtime, in the near future the modern definition won’t be as relevant either another new definition will be created. The definition of a tragic hero evolves along with society. As long as society keeps changing as well will the
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Comparing Hamlet And Oedipus The King
    • 241 Words
    • 1 Page

    Comparing Hamlet And Oedipus The King

    Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a man of noble and high status, whose admirable qualities and basic goodness are undermined by a fatal flaw, which ultimately leads to their own downfall. Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Sophocles’ Oedipus the King both show an excellent example of tragic heroes as both protagonists experience a downfall from a high status due to their fatal flaws. In Hamlet this flaw can be seen in Hamlet as he becomes determined to find his father’s killer. He becomes oblivious to what is going on around him. Oedipus is so determined to find out the truth of who the murderer of the previous king is, such that he is blinded to the truth of what he has done. As seen in their mental stability, their treatment of women and their reversal…

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Othello And Aristotle's Tragic Hero
    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Othello And Aristotle's Tragic Hero

    Authors aim to relate, sympathise, or evoke any emotion from their readers. William Shakespeare achieves this goal through his use of Aristotle’s tragic hero who evokes sympathy for the character and forces the reader to evaluate certain traits in themselves. Tragic heroes possess a tragic flaw or downfall that leads to their death. Shakespeare uses the characteristics of Aristotle’s tragic hero to create a character that readers connect to and, despite their flaw, sympathize with. The fate of tragic heroes end in their death due to their own mistake or character flaw.…

    • 1230 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay
    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages

    John Proctor Tragic Hero Essay

    According to Aristotle, a classic tragic hero must meet the following six criteria: nobility (of noble birth) or (wisdom by virtue of birth), hamartia (a flaw or error of judgment), peripeteia (a reversal of fortune, brought on by the hero’s hamartia), anagnorisis (the discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero’s own actions), the audience must feel dramatic irony for the character, and the character’s fate must be greater than deserved.…

    • 672 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Is Macbeth A Tragic Hero Essay
    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Is Macbeth A Tragic Hero Essay

    The term “tragic hero” was first introduced by Aristotle, Greek philosopher and playwright, around 2,400 years ago. A tragic hero is defined as, “a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat(dictionary.com).” To first be identified as a tragic hero one must be virtuous or noble but have a character flaw and/or make a bad decision. This decision or trait will lead to a run of misfortune which the hero knows that he is to blame. Despite this the hero will remain to have a high opinion of himself. This will eventually lead to a downfall that is considered greatly deserved. Throughout all this, the hero must remain to have morals no better or worse than any average person. This allows the…

    • 716 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Antigone Tragic Hero Characteristics
    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Antigone Tragic Hero Characteristics

    What characteristics generate a tragic hero? Must a tragic hero possess superhuman abilities? Should he be immense in size and strength such as Hercules? According to the Greek philosopher, Aristotle, a tragic hero is a good, moral, upstanding person that does not fit into society’s mold, invokes catharsis to the audience, and exhibits flaws that leads to their tragic downfall. These are the traits that a character must uphold in order to be considered as a tragic hero. In Sophocles’ Antigone, Antigone contains all of these traits required for her to be a tragic hero.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Essay On Odysseus Being A Hero
    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Essay On Odysseus Being A Hero

    Superheroes have become increasingly popular in recent times and most people have their favorite from Superman to Batman to the Avengers. Not all heroes have to be superheroes with superpowers. Many people can identify heroes in their everyday life as well. Heroes can be someone that helps a person, for example many people consider their parents to be heroes because of the support they provide them in life. The difference between a superhero and a hero is that heroes are normal people just trying to be there for others while superheroes are made up characters in a book or movie with extraordinary powers. Mistakes are part of everyone’s life, but the difference between a normal person and a hero is that when a hero makes a mistake they work to fix it or overcome the problem. In the book the Odyssey, there are many problems and obstacles that Odysseus has to overcome in his attempt to get home. Odysseus has many traits that make him a hero, for example he is both physically and mentally strong. His…

    • 932 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Tragic Hero Victor Frankenstein Essay Example
    • 408 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Tragic Hero Victor Frankenstein Essay Example

    1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident in the play. The character must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue as part of his/her innate character.…

    • 408 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Creon Tragic Hero Essay
    • 1460 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Creon Tragic Hero Essay

    The last two expectations of a tragic hero are intertwined. According to Aristotle, the character must be true to life and be consistent in behavior and…

    • 1460 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Macbeth Tragic Hero Research Paper
    • 1577 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Macbeth Tragic Hero Research Paper

    There are many people and characters who can be considered tragic heroes. For example, in William Shakespeare’s play, Macbeth, the main character shows many qualities of a tragic hero. A tragic hero is any character that seems heroic at first, but has a tragic flaw and makes a serious error in judgment, ultimately leading to their downfall. In this play, a valiant soldier named Macbeth receives a prophecy from three witches that he will become King of Scotland. He is spurred by his ambition to kill the current king, Duncan, causing him to become the new king. However, he soon leads himself to his downfall and ends up dying. For these reasons, Macbeth has qualities of a tragic hero. He is born of a noble birth and incorporates many admirable qualities. As well as this, Macbeth contains a tragic flaw - his ambition. He is responsible for his own fate, controlling and acting in ways to change it. He is even doomed to make a serious error in judgment in the play. Later, he realizes he has made an irreversible mistake, and thus falls from…

    • 1577 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Analysis
    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Analysis

    Aristotle once said “A man doesn't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” (Aristotle) Aristotle actually had a lot of ideas about heroes, specifically tragic heroes. He defined a tragic hero as an individual of high social standing, whose fatal flaw leads him to be brought low in a reversal of fortunes, which he later recognizes before receiving a fate worse than he truly deserves. One of the most famous characters from a play in the tragedy genre is Oedipus. His tale is one of destiny, hope, and finally sorrow. The question posed, however, is whether or not Oedipus really does fit this model of a tragic hero. Oedipus must be a nobleman and have his own tragic flaw that causes him to experience a reversal of fortunes…

    • 1127 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus The King: A Tragic Analysis
    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Oedipus The King: A Tragic Analysis

    A tragic hero is defined as “a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake” (“Aristotle”, n.d.). Therefore, a tragic hero has some sort of tragedy that surrounds their life. A tragic hero also makes dramas more interesting and makes readers think. Dramas sometimes either exemplify or refute Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. Oedipus by Sophocles exemplifies Aristotle’s definition in four different aspects. The first aspect involves both Oedipus’ ignorance and knowledge of his life situations, the second involves his hamartia, the third involves the actual plot itself, and the fourth involves the characterization of…

    • 1506 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Essay
    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Oedipus Tragic Hero Essay

    In the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus is the main character and tragic hero. He is a royal king who came to Thebes to save it from the plague. Oedipus runs into some other character conflicts in the play with a prophet named Tiresias and his brother in-law Creon. In the play Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman stands out as the main character and has the tragic downfall. Willy’s mental disease causes trouble for him throughout the play with his family and friends. After examining the tragedies of Oedipus the King and Death of a Salesman, Willy Loman stands out as more of a tragic figure because the average person can relate to his everyday life.…

    • 828 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How Did Greek Culture Change Over Time
    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages

    How Did Greek Culture Change Over Time

    The tragic hero in Greek dramas would have to be similar to the average person. Aristotle believed that art should imitate man. The tragic hero should not be spectacular in any…

    • 542 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hero Essay (Odyssey)
    • 1196 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hero Essay (Odyssey)

    Some say a hero is defined as somebody who does something dangerous to help somebody else. Others would disagree and state that a hero is a large, muscular being who flys around in flamboyant spandex costumes. What is a hero to you? Over time there have been many epic heroes. Theses heroes show traits of strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, confidence in authority, and intellect. Both Odysseus from The Odyssey and Katnis from The Hunger games are alike in their heroic qualities, but show minor differences as well.…

    • 1196 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Brutus Tragic Hero
    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Brutus Tragic Hero

    Aristotle is a Greek philosopher who made significant contributions to many different aspects of literature. In Aristotle’s philosophical treatise, Poetics, a tragedy is depicted as the downfall of a tragic hero, which is conveyed through the unification of hubris, free choice, and an error of judgement. Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a person of noble prestige and greatness. Although the tragic hero is notably great, he or she is not perfect because they possess a tragic flaw. The hero’s intention to accomplish a goal inevitably leads him to confronts multiple challenges or limits. Aristotle acknowledges that the tragic hero must have a tragic flaw, or hamartia…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics