Tragedy

Definition A drama in which a character (usually a good and noble person of high rank) is brought to a disastrous end in his or her confrontation with a superior force (fortune, the gods, social forces, universal values), but also comes to understand the meaning of his or her deeds and to accept an appropriate punishment.

Tragic Hero The tragic hero is a literary character of noble stature who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. The character is not an ordinary person, but one with outstanding quality and greatness. “high position” usually means a king, duke, prince, company owner, etc. The tragic hero is brought to disaster by hamartia, or a single flaw in a person’s character.

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero According to Aristotle: Usually of noble birth. The Tragic Hero will experience the following 3 things: Hamartia – a fatal flaw or error in judgment that leads to the downfall of a tragic hero (the flaw is often hubris). Anagnorisis – a critical discovery or recognition that the tragic flaw was brought about by the hero’s own actions. (His actions result in an increase of self- awareness and self-knowledge). Describes the moment where the hero passes from ignorance to knowledge. Peripeteia – a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero’s tragic flaw (turning point). A reversal, either from good to bad or bad to good. The audience must feel pity and fear for this character. Hubris – excessive pride. The character’s fate is greater than deserved.

Hubris Hubris is defined as excessive pride. Hubris leaves leads to suffering and then to an understanding (catharsis) of man’s place in the system of life. Catharsis is an emotional release caused by an intense emotional experience. Example: A man who killed someone in a drunk driving incident experiences catharsis by volunteering in a children's shelter The purpose of a Greek tragedy is to learn a lesson through the catastrophes that befall the characters on stage and to understand that their misfortunes are a result of not following the will of the Gods or trying to avoid their own destinies because of hubris.

The “Tragic Flaw” The “flaw” in the character is a defect which keeps him/her from being aware of the situation around him/her. The character does not understand (for much of the story) his/her part of creating the situation.

The Hero’s Understanding The tragic hero has a “moment of enlightenment” near the end of the story. He/she finally understands what he/she has done wrong—how he/she contributed to the tragic situation. The story often ends with the death of the tragic hero.

Other Common Traits: Hero must be doomed from the start, but bears 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 the fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him. Hero’s story must arouse fear and empathy. Hero must be intelligent so he may learn from his mistakes. Hero must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death.