- A tragic hero must be of a noble stature. He must hold a high position that exemplifies his nobility and virtues.
- He should have all the great qualities like strength, greatness, intelligence, etc. However, he should not be perfect. He should have at least one flaw in his personality. ...
- This tragic flaw is the most important characteristic of a tragic hero according to Aristotle. A flaw in the noble protagonist helps the audience identify themselves with him. ...
- A tragic hero should be consistent in his behavior throughout the play. He should not deviate from the way he speaks and acts.
- His reversal of fortune must always go from happiness to misery; in most cases, towards his tragic death. It should not be the other way round.
- A tragic hero’s reversal of fortune or his downfall should be partially, if not wholly, his own fault. His lack of perfection should lead him to a downfall.
- A tragic hero’s misfortune or punishment must be greater than what he deserves.
- A tragedy always ends with some discovery on the part of its tragic hero.
- Noble Birth. ...
- Excessive Pride / Hubris. ...
- Tragic Flaw/ Hamartia. ...
- Reversal / Peripeteia. ...
- Self- Realization/ Anagnorisis. ...
- Excessive Suffering causing catharsis.
What are 5 characteristics of a tragic hero?
5 Characteristics of a tragic hero. must be high born, of noble birth. must have a hammartia (a fatal flaw that, many times, comes out of hubris:over confidence) and his/her demise comes as a result of this. must have peripeteia (a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero's tragic flaw)
What is a typical quality of a tragic hero?
Virtuous - A tragic hero should be a good and noble person of high stature. Their noble characteristics make them compelling while their stature ensures their decisions are far-reaching. Tragic flaw - Every tragic hero must have a tragic flaw or hamartia. In classic literature, this was typically their pride.
What are some necessary character traits of a tragic hero?
What are the main characteristics of Shakespearean tragedy?
- A tragic hero.
- A dichotomy of good and evil.
- A tragic waste.
- Hamartia (the hero’s tragic flaw)
- Issues of fate or fortune.
- Greed.
- Foul revenge.
- Supernatural elements.
What are the characteristics of a tragic hero?
What are the six characteristics of a tragic hero?
- Noble Birth.
- Excessive Pride / Hubris.
- Tragic Flaw/ Hamartia.
- Reversal / Peripeteia.
- Self- Realization/ Anagnorisis.
- Excessive Suffering causing catharsis.

What are the qualities of an ideal tragic hero?
According to Aristotle, a tragic hero must:Be virtuous: In Aristotle's time, this meant that the character should be a noble. ... Be flawed: While being heroic, the character must also have a tragic flaw (also called hamartia) or more generally be subject to human error, and the flaw must lead to the character's downfall.More items...
What are the 7 traits of a tragic hero?
Terms in this set (7)One. Noble/ High birth.Two. Free Choices.Three. Hamartia.Four. Downfall.Five. Awareness.Six. Punishment Exceeds Crime.Seven. Catharsis.
What are the five characteristics of a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle?
His outline consisted of five things all tragedies should have characterized for their main tragic hero. This consisted of having nobleness, having a tragic/fatal flaw, peripeteia, a reversal of fortune, and having a fate greater than what the character deserved.
What eight qualities make a tragic hero?
Terms in this set (8)noble and worthy of admiration.undergoes a downfall (usually death) Conflicts.victim of some external conflict.victim of some weakness within themselves - inner forces or conflicts - called the tragic flaw.Discovery. ... Restoration of Order. ... Pity. ... Catharsis.
What is an example of a tragic hero?
In William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet, Romeo Montague, the male protagonist, is an excellent example of a tragic hero. Romeo comes from noble birth and has the tragic flaw of being impulsive and having a fair share of hubris.
Which character is the best example of tragic hero?
In the classic Antigone, Creon is a tragic hero. While he doesn't die at the end of the work, his entire family does. Talk about suffering. His tragic flaw is his excessive pride, which stops him from allowing Antigone to bury her brother.
How did Aristotle define a tragic hero?
The present study investigates the tragic hero, defined in Aristotle's Poetics as "an intermediate kind of personage, not pre-eminently virtuous and just" whose misfortune is attributed, not to vice or depravity, but an error of judgment. The hero is fittingly described as good in spite of an infirmity of character.
What is the characteristics of tragedy?
Aristotle defines tragedy according to seven characteristics: (1) it is mimetic, (2) it is serious, (3) it tells a full story of an appropriate length, (4) it contains rhythm and harmony, (5) rhythm and harmony occur in different combinations in different parts of the tragedy, (6) it is performed rather than narrated, ...
Who is a tragic hero in today's world?
Professional AthletesPoliticians“Celebrities”Mike Tyson - BoxingTed KennedySyd BarrettOscar Pistorius- TrackGen. G. A. CusterLance Armstrong – CyclingJames DeanJim Irsay17 more rows
What common character trait do tragic heroes share?
Tragic heroes all have a weakness in character, or a tragic flaw, that cause the character's fall from grace. All tragic heroes experience a sharp turning point in their journey as a character. Being noble from birth, this reversal changes the path of the character and shifts him closer and closer to doom.
What Is A Tragic Hero?
- Aristotle definedthe tragic hero character as a generally virtuous person with a fatal flaw who commits a grave error in judgment and pays dearly for it. As you’ll soon see with the characteristics of a tragic hero, there’s plenty of room for a variety of personalities and backstories. Some you’ll probably find more compelling than others, simply b...
9 Tragic Hero Traits with A Tragic Hero Example For Each
- Tragic heroes share key traits related to their personality and behavior. Read through the nine we’ve described below, and make a note of how you might apply them to your own tragic character.
More Tragic Heroes in Literature
- Joe Goldberg is not the only tragic hero who captures the sympathy of his audience. How many of the following examples of literary (and cinematic) tragic heroes have you met? 1. Oedipus — fromOedipus Rexby Sophocles 2. Scarlett O’Hara — fromGone With The Windby Margaret Mitchell 3. Jay Gatsby — fromThe Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald 4. Emmy Bovary — fromMadame Bo…
Tragic Hero Definition
Tragic Hero Examples
- Tragic Heroes in Drama
The tragic hero originated in ancient Greek theater, and can still be seen in contemporary tragedies. Even though the definition has expanded since Aristotle first defined the archetype, the tragic hero's defining characteristics have remained—for example, eliciting sympathy from the a… - Tragic Heroes in Literature
Tragic heroes appear all over important literary works. With time, Aristotle's strict definition for what makes a tragic hero has changed, but the tragic hero's fundamental ability to elicit sympathy from an audience has remained.
What's The Function of A Tragic Hero in Literature?
- Above all, tragic heroes put the tragedy in tragedies—it is the tragic hero's downfall that emotionally engages the audience or reader and invokes their pity and fear. Writers therefore use tragic heroes for many of the same reasons they write tragedies—to illustrate a moral conundrum with depth, emotion, and complexity. Besides this, tragic heroes serve many functions in the stor…
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