Hero vs. Tragic Hero

The Difference between a Hero and a Tragic Hero

The tragic hero is one of the most interesting characters within a Greek or Roman play. They depict many emotions and often their lives end in a horrible disaster. When we think of a hero, what automatically comes to mind? To some it may be someone legendary. Others might think of a hero as someone of great strength or ability. Perhaps someone admired for their achievements and great qualities. To me, it once meant someone that showed great courage and responsibility .A real hero is someone who faces everyday challenges bravely and lives with a smile despite problems and shortcomings and sometimes even having supernatural powers of some sort. Before these two “heroes” can be compared and contrasted, it is imperative to know what a tragic hero must possess in order to be called a “tragic hero.” A tragic hero must contain the following features; a tragic hero always had characteristics like greatness and a noble stature, they must have a fatal flaw, that in most cases lead them to be partly responsible for their own demise, usually their punishment outweighs their crime, and then, of course, sometime during where the tragedy takes place there should be some sort of self-realization for that character. This is where they realize their mistake. One prominent characteristic of a tragic hero is portrayed specifically in the play 'Macbeth' by Shakespeare, the tragic hero Macbeth was a victim of his doubt and insecurity. Thus, the hero's downfall is due to his own errors and actions. A tragic hero has to suffer because of his own mistakes. He is doomed from the start; he bears no responsibility for possessing his flaw, but bears responsibility for his actions. He is usually a king, a leader of men and his fate affects not only his but the lives of a whole nation or number of people. Tragic heroes are without a doubt one of the most intriguing of characters. A Traditional hero is a person of "distinguished courage