Tragic Hero
Tragic Hero
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A tragic hero is a protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his demise. The concept of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle. Usually, the realization of fatal flaw results in catharsis or epiphany. The tragic flaw is sometimes referred to as an Achilles ' heel after the single fatal flaw of the Greek warrior Achilles. [citation needed]
Aristotelian tragic hero
In a complex Aristotelian tragedy, the hero is of noble birth and is more admirable than ordinary men. He cannot, however, be morally perfect because the best plots arise when his downfall is the inevitable consequence of some defect in character (or tragic flaw).The spectacle of a good man dragged to destruction by a single error arouses in the audience both pity and fear, leading to the catharsis, a psychological state through which those emotions are purged; the audience leaves the theater relieved, or even exalted, rather than depressed.
Characteristics
An Aristotelian tragic hero must have four characteristics: 1. Nobleness (of a noble birth) or wisdom (by virtue of birth). 2. Hamartia (translated as tragic flaw, somewhat related to hubris, but denoting excess in behavior or mistakes). 3. A reversal of fortune (peripetia) brought about because of the hero 's tragic error. 4. The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero 's own actions (anagnorisis).
Other common traits
Some other common traits characteristic of a tragic hero: • Hero must suffer more than he deserves. • Hero must be doomed from the start, but bear no responsibility for possessing his flaw. • Hero must be noble in nature, but imperfect so that the audience can see themselves in him. • Hero must have discovered his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him. • Hero must see and understand his doom, as
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A tragic hero is a protagonist with a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, which eventually leads to his demise. The concept of the tragic hero was created in ancient Greek tragedy and defined by Aristotle. Usually, the realization of fatal flaw results in catharsis or epiphany. The tragic flaw is sometimes referred to as an Achilles ' heel after the single fatal flaw of the Greek warrior Achilles. [citation needed]
Aristotelian tragic hero
In a complex Aristotelian tragedy, the hero is of noble birth and is more admirable than ordinary men. He cannot, however, be morally perfect because the best plots arise when his downfall is the inevitable consequence of some defect in character (or tragic flaw).The spectacle of a good man dragged to destruction by a single error arouses in the audience both pity and fear, leading to the catharsis, a psychological state through which those emotions are purged; the audience leaves the theater relieved, or even exalted, rather than depressed.
Characteristics
An Aristotelian tragic hero must have four characteristics: 1. Nobleness (of a noble birth) or wisdom (by virtue of birth). 2. Hamartia (translated as tragic flaw, somewhat related to hubris, but denoting excess in behavior or mistakes). 3. A reversal of fortune (peripetia) brought about because of the hero 's tragic error. 4. The discovery or recognition that the reversal was brought about by the hero 's own actions (anagnorisis).
Other common traits
Some other common traits characteristic of a tragic hero: • Hero must suffer more than he deserves. • Hero must be doomed from the start, but bear no responsibility for possessing his flaw. • Hero must be noble in nature, but imperfect so that the audience can see themselves in him. • Hero must have discovered his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him. • Hero must see and understand his doom, as