1. Tragedy and the Tragic Hero
Aristotle’s Poetics
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2. Aristotle Ancient Greek Philosopher.
A founding figure of Western philosophy.
Contributed to modern morality, aesthetics, logic, science, politics, and metaphysics.
Wrote a treatise entitled
Poetics, discussing the
nature of tragedy and the
tragic hero.
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3. Aristotle’s Tragedy
In his Poetics, Aristotle defines tragedy as "...an imitation of an action that is…
serious;
complete, and of a certain magnitude;
in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament…;
in the form of action, not of narrative;
through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions."

4. 1. Mimesis Tragedy is... not a simple copy of reality;
an imitation and representation of reality.
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5. 2. Serious
Tragedy...
is morally, psychologically and socially serious;
deals with the serious topics of life and death.
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6. 3. Complete Tragedy has... a well-structured, complex plot;
unity of action, time, and place;
a certain magnitude (lengthy, reverent and serious).
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7. 4. Embellished Language Tragedy... is written in verse, not prose;
employs poetic devices and figurative speech.
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8. 5. Action
Dramatic speech and action are the means through which tragedy is best presented.
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9. 6. Catharsis
The audience feels pathos (a combination of pity and fear) for the tragic hero.
Through the anger and/or tears released by the pathos, the members of the audience purge their own emotional stress and tension.
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10. Aristotle’s Tragic Hero
“There remains, then, the character between these two extremes- that of a man
who is not eminently good and just,
yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty.
He must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous…” (Poetics).

11. 1. Hamartia
Hamartia is...
the fatal flaw inherent to the tragic hero that will lead to his downfall;
a flaw in the tragic hero’s character (e.g., jealousy, pride, naïveté);
Often hubris, an elevated sense of pride or superiority.

12. 2. Highly Renowned The tragic hero is...
of an elevated status in society;
a great man who is capable of falling and eliciting pathos from the audience.
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13. “In respect of Character there are four things to be aimed at…
First, and most important, it must be good…
The second thing to aim at is propriety…
Thirdly, character must be true to life…
The fourth point is consistency: for though the subject of the imitation, who suggested the type, be inconsistent, still he must be consistently inconsistent” (Poetics).

14. 3. Goodness The tragic hero must have... a good sense of morality;
enough goodness in him so that the audience feels pity and fear for him and experiences catharsis.
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15. 4. Propriety A tragic hero must...
act according to his elevated status;
act with propriety and valour.
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16. 5. True to Life A tragic hero must be... lifelike;
realistic enough for the
audience to relate to him
and to react with fear and pity.
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17. 6. Consistency The tragic hero must... behave consistently;
remain constant in his personality and motivations;
remain true to himself.

18. The Tragic Hero – A Recap
The combination of goodness, realism, consistency, and propriety allow the audience to identify with the tragic hero.
His inherent flaw (e.g., jealousy, pride, prejudice) leads to his tragic fate and downfall.
The audience can easily relate to a character who is flawed like them.

19. The hero’s tragic flaw ultimately leads to a:
“Reversal of the Situation…a change by which the action veers round to its opposite [the hero’s downfall],
…Recognition…a change from ignorance to knowledge,
The Scene of Suffering…a destructive or painful action, such as death on the stage, bodily agony, wounds, and the like” (Poetics).

20. 7. Peripeteia The tragic hero undergoes peripeteia that is...
a reversal of fortune and intention;
a change that is surprising to the audience;
a natural consequence of his actions.

21. 8. Anagnorisis The tragic hero...
undergoes anagnorisis, a recognition of some basic truth about himself;
moves from ignorance to knowledge.

22. Titanic – A Modern Tragedy
1. Mimesis
It is based on the actual sinking of the ship.
It is not historically accurate but is a representation with added storylines.
2. Serious – The plot of the film is
dramatic, not comical.
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23. Titanic – A Modern Tragedy (cont’d)
3. Complete – It has a unified plot with flashbacks and foreshadowing to unify time and place.
4. Embellished language – The cinematography and imagery are breathtaking and poetic.

24. Titanic – A Modern Tragedy (cont’d)
5. Dramatic – The film is a type of drama, not a narrative.
6. Catharsis – The heart-wrenching drama between Jack and Rose leaves the audience feeling pathos, fear and pity, resulting in cleansing tears.

25. Rose – A Modern Tragic Hero
1. Hamartia – Rose’s tragic flaw is her discontent with life and her need for adventure.
2. Elevated status – Rose comes from a rich family.

26. Rose – A Modern Tragic Hero (cont’d)
3. Goodness – Rose is innately a good person, accepting those below her own status and treating them respectfully.
4. Act according to his status – Rose behaves with grace and charm towards others, even as an elderly lady at the end of the film.

27. Rose – A Modern Tragic Hero (cont’d)
5. Lifelike and realistic – The plight of Jack and Rose is very realistic. The audience can easily imagine that they may have actually existed on the ship.
6. Consistent – Rose’s behaviour and attitude remain consistent throughout the film. Her discontent with her life is evident at the beginning, and as the movie progresses, she takes action.

28. Rose – A Modern Tragic Hero (cont’d)
7. Peripeteia - In the end, Rose loses Jack and chooses life as a poor woman.
8. Anagnorisis – Rose realizes that she does not belong in the pampered life that she has led.

29. Dramatic Terms – A Recap
Anagnorisis – a recognition of a truth about the self.
Catharsis – a purging of emotion through the feeling of pathos towards the hero and characters.
Hamartia – a hero/heroine’s tragic flaw.
Hubris – an elevated sense of pride.

30. Dramatic Terms – A Recap Cont’d
Mimesis – an imitation and representation of reality.
Pathos – a combination of fear and pity felt for another person.
Peripeteia - a reversal of fortune and intention for the hero.