"Archetypal" Tragic Hero 1. Noble Stature: since tragedy involves the "fall" of a tragic hero‚ one theory is that one must have a lofty position to fall from‚ or else there is no tragedy (just pathos). Another explanation of this characteristic is that tragedies involving people of stature affect the lives of others. In the case of a king‚ the tragedy would not only involve the individual and his family‚ it would also involve the whole society. 2. Tragic Flaw (Hamartia): the tragic hero must "fall"
Premium Oedipus Sophocles Poetics
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is undoubtedly a tragedy given the circumstances presented in the play. More specifically‚ Macbeth’s tragic downfall is presented through his high position in society‚ his similar persona to that of an aristotelian tragic hero‚ but also the circumstances that separate him from the typical hero. Though Macbeth is not the average typical hero‚ his story is nonetheless a tragedy. Macbeth is ultimately a tragedy due to the series of events that took place in order for Macbeth’s
Premium Macbeth Tragic hero Tragedy
What is a tragic hero? A tragic hero is someone of noble stature that is good but not perfect and has committed a fatal flaw. As a result of this flaw he is judged and has a downfall on his grand stature. He realizes his mistake‚ and learns from it. He then accepts his death with dignity. In the play The Crucible written in the early 1950’s by Arthur Miller‚ does John Proctor qualify as a tragic hero? During the playwright‚ John Proctor does have the elements to qualify as a tragic hero; he gives
Premium The Crucible Salem witch trials Tragic hero
characterized as the tragic hero in the story. The argument that Antigone is the hero is deffinatly a strong one. There are many critics who believe that Creon‚ however‚ is the true protagonist of the play. In order to determine whether or not Creon is the tragic hero one must first examine what a tragic hero is. Aristotle states that a hero is neither purely innocent nor purely malevolent. A hero is usually born into high rank of society‚ and this person must possess a tragic flaw. This flaw normally
Premium Tragedy Sophocles Tragic hero
prince thus an heir to the Thebes throne‚ by adoption to Polybus and Merope he is a prince and the heir to the throne of Corinth and by election he becomes the king of Thebes. Oedipus example is used by Aristotle as an example of what a hero should be. He said that a hero should be someone like Oedipus or other men of such greatness‚ who are highly prosperous and renowned (Eden‚ 2014). It is seen that Oedipus is not a common ruler but a great king. Actually‚ the gods seemingly lead Oedipus astray purposely
Premium Oedipus Tragedy Sophocles
The ancient Greeks evidently seemed to be fascinated by the concept of tragic heroes as seen by the Sophocles plays Oedipus Rex and Antigone. The latter is a play that expands upon the tragic hero Oedipus’ children‚ specifically his daughter Antigone. Antigone apprises the reader of the hostility of the two sons of Oedipus‚ Polyneices and Eteocles; the sons that fought for control of Thebes eventually murdered one another‚ leaving Antigone and her sister Ismene the only surviving offspring. The
Premium Sophocles Oedipus Tragedy
Faust as a Tragic Hero In the story of Faust‚ written by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe‚ Faust is whirled into an adventure of sin and deceit. The further Faust follows the devil the closer he comes to his own demise‚ taking down with him the innocent Gretchen. As Faust goes on he embodies the characteristics of a tragic hero in a sense that he is borderline good and evil‚ constantly battling his conscience. The one major flaw that initiates his self-destruction is the fact that he feels he is extremely
Premium Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Tragedy
Brutus is a tragic hero because he was able to put Rome first. A tragic hero is fated to his or her own suffering or death. Tragic heroes are somewhat fated to doom by the Gods or some other force. By Brutus’s love of
Premium Roman Republic Julius Caesar Augustus
Beowulf‚ the Tragic Hero In the epic poem “Beowulf” the protagonist‚ Beowulf‚ portrays a tragic hero in a variety of ways. Although Beowulf was not a perfect being‚ he embraces many characteristics of a tragic hero. Beowulf’s ego put him into many difficult situations. For example the battles he fought against Grendel‚ Grendels Mother‚ and the dragon. Other then his enormous ego along with his cockiness that put him into bad situations‚ he also embraced the characteristics of a great leader that
Premium Beowulf Grendel's mother Grendel
Macbeth-Tragic Hero The main character‚ Macbeth is a classic example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. At the beginning of the play‚ Shakespeare defines Macbeth as a hero very clearly to the reader. However‚ as the play progresses‚ Shakespeare gradually indicates that Macbeth is a tragic hero. There are many factors that contribute to Macbeth¡¦s degeneration. First‚ Macbeth is shown to be a man of exceptional nature as well as high position. However‚ he errs in listening and trusting too much
Premium Macbeth