a Tragic Hero? Elizabeth Howell English 102- B33 Professor Katie Robinson Liberty University October 12‚ 2012 Oedipus‚ a Tragic Hero? Thesis: Using Aristotle’s five different descriptions of a tragic hero‚ we will show that Oedipus in Oedipus the King is in fact a tragic hero and how his decisions led to his downfall. Outline: I. Introduction and Thesis Statement II. Is the character of noble birth? A. King of Thebes B. Real father was king III. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently
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According to Aristotle‚ a Greek philosopher‚ a hero must five different characteristics to be considered a tragic hero. First‚ they must be of noble birth or they must be wise. Second‚ they must have a “fatal flaw” or a trait that is unchangeable. The protagonist has to undergo a reversal of fortune where their life gets turned around into a different direction. They must realize that their flaw caused the reversal of fortune before the plot ends or the character dies. Lastly‚ they must receive a
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Brutus & Julius Caesar The tragic hero archetype has been played with for as long as literature has been created‚ but no one had quite a spin on it like William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes were specifically designed to elicit pity and fear from the audience and to really feel their downfall. In Julius Caesar‚ the protagonist Brutus is a well-made example. But the character of which the play is named after is often not considered as one. Although the character of Julius Caesar does not
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In the novel The Great Gatsby‚ Gatsby is a tragic hero because he displays the fundamental characteristics of modern tragic hero. He is a common man‚ he contains the characteristics of a tragic flaw‚ and he eventually has a tragic fall. Although at first glance Gatsby might not seem to be the everyday man‚ in reality he actually is. At one point Gatsby’s past is being examined and his parents are described as “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” which shows the readers that he came from humble
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Antigone: Not the Tragic Hero Sophocles‚ a great tragedian‚ was the one who gave Greek tragedies their traditional form. An important part of traditional Greek tragedies is the presence of a tragic hero. All tragic heroes should have the characteristics of rank‚ a tragic flaw‚ a downfall‚ and a recognition of mistakes. The seemingly tragic hero is Antigone. She wants to bury her brother Polyneices even though this would be going against Creon‚ who is her uncle and the king. When Antigone buries
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Aristotle uses six different points to define a tragic hero. The tragic hero must be of noble stature and have greatness. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great‚ he/she is not perfect. The hero’s downfall is partially his/her own fault‚ the result of free choice‚ not of accidental means. The hero’s misfortune is not wholly deserved and the punishment exceeds the crime. The fall is not pure loss. And though it arouses solemn emotion‚ tragedy does not leave the audience in a state
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A tragic hero is someone who experiences misfortune‚ evokes pity and fear in the audience‚ and possesses a personal flaw. The Iliad showcases a tragic hero during the Trojan War. Trojans and Greeks fight in the war‚ which begins because Paris steals the beautiful Helen away from Menelaos. This angers Menelaos and sparks a war. During the battle‚ the demigod Achilles will eventually kill the Trojan leader Hector. Achilles is the real tragic hero of The Iliad for several reasons. Achilles’s ignorance
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Introduction Death of a Salesman reveals the story of an American man confronting failure in a success-driven society and shows the tragic path which eventually leads to his suicide. Willy Loman believes in what he considers the promise of the American Dream wholeheartedly‚ which is based on the Declaration of Independence stated by Thomas Jefferson in 1776: "We believe that all men are born with these inalienable rights - life‚ liberty and the pursuit of happiness."(Malone‚ 28) However‚ Willy
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Price Carter English 10 Meredith 5/20/14 The Other Tragic Hero Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero is a main character that is not so virtuous that the reader feels outraged‚ instead a feeling of pity or fear at his downfall. Also‚ the hero cannot be so evil that for the sake of justice we desire his misfortunes. Instead‚ he is someone who is neither outstanding in virtue and righteousness; nor is it through badness or villainy of his own that he falls into misfortune‚ but rather through some
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Othello as tragic hero. He exposes his tragic flaw‚ which consequently leads to his downfall. Othello conforms to the Aristotelian principles of tragedy‚ of the noble protagonist who undergoes ceaseless manipulation and endures suffering‚ resulting in his ultimate downfall due to hamartia. All of these techniques combine to provide a different perception of the protagonist‚ as more of an atypical victim‚ exposed to the harsh reality of the society he longs to fit into‚ rather than a typical hero. A tragic
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