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    Traits of A Tragic Hero

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    Noor Zaman
    The document defines traits of a tragic hero including that they are essentially good but have a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. This flaw causes a reversal of fortune for the hero through events they help set in motion, leading to a new self-awareness but ultimately destruction, causing pity and fear in audiences. The hero must be responsible for their own downfall rather than a victim of mere chance.

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    Traits of A Tragic Hero

    Uploaded by

    Noor Zaman
    1K views9 pages
    The document defines traits of a tragic hero including that they are essentially good but have a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. This flaw causes a reversal of fortune for the hero through events they help set in motion, leading to a new self-awareness but ultimately destruction, causing pity and fear in audiences. The hero must be responsible for their own downfall rather than a victim of mere chance.

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    Tragic Hero

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    The document defines traits of a tragic hero including that they are essentially good but have a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. This flaw causes a reversal of fortune for the hero through events they help set in motion, leading to a new self-awareness but ultimately destruction, causing pity and fear in audiences. The hero must be responsible for their own downfall rather than a victim of mere chance.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    1K views9 pages

    Traits of A Tragic Hero

    Uploaded by

    Noor Zaman
    The document defines traits of a tragic hero including that they are essentially good but have a fatal flaw that leads to their downfall. This flaw causes a reversal of fortune for the hero through events they help set in motion, leading to a new self-awareness but ultimately destruction, causing pity and fear in audiences. The hero must be responsible for their own downfall rather than a victim of mere chance.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    of 9

    Traits of a Tragic

    Hero
    Definition of Tragedy

     Tragedy depicts the downfall of a basically


    good person through some fatal error or
    misjudgment, producing suffering and
    insight on the part of the protagonist and
    arousing pity and fear on the part of the
    audience.
    The Tragic Hero: Trait One
    The tragic hero must be essentially admirable and good--
    usually of noble birth

     The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. He is not an ordinary


    man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him.
    His own destruction is for a greater cause or principle.
     The fall of a scoundrel or villain evokes applause rather than pity.
    Audiences cheer when the bad guy goes down. The nobler and
    more admirable the person is, the greater our anxiety or grief at
    his or her downfall.
    The Tragic Hero: Trait Two
    HAMARTIA – a.k.a. the FATAL FLAW that eventually leads to
    his downfall.

    A fatal error or simple mistake on the part of the protagonist that


    eventually leads to the final catastrophe.

    The tragic hero recognizes his or her flaw and its


    consequences, but only after it is too late to change the course
    of events.
    The Tragic Hero: Trait Three
    (PERIPETEIA) - a REVESAL OF FORTUNE
    brought about by the hero’s tragic flaw

     Once the transgression is realized, the character


    enters the stage of recognition and will undergo a
    reversal of fortune or fall from high to low.
    The Tragic Hero: Trait Four
    (ANAGNORISIS) - SELF-REALIZATION

    Hisactions result in an increase of self- awareness and self-


    knowledge

    A moment of insight or understanding in the mind of the tragic


    hero as he suddenly comprehends the web of fate in which he is
    entangled.
    The Tragic Hero: Trait Five
    (CATHARSIS) - A FEELING OF RELIEF

     The audience feels pity and fear at first, only to


    feel relief and exhilaration at the end through
    catharsis.
     The audience must feel pity and fear for this
    character. Pity and fear are the natural human
    responses to pain and suffering – especially to
    that which can strike anyone at any time.
    In a true tragedy, the hero’s demise must
    come as a result of some personal error or
    decision.

    There is no such thing as an innocent victim


    in tragedy, nor can a genuinely tragic downfall
    ever be purely a matter of blind accident or bad
    luck. The tragic hero must always bear at least
    some responsibility for his own doom.
    Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
    1.Usually of noble birth

    2.Hamartia – a.k.a. the tragic flaw that eventually leads to his


    downfall

    3.Peripeteia – a reversal of fortune brought about by the


    hero’s tragic flaw

    4.Anagnorisis - his actions result in an increase of self-


    awareness and self-knowledge

    5.Catharsis - the audience must feel pity and fear for this
    character

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