Aristotle’s Tragic Hero
Dec 26, 2015
Aristotle’s Tragic Hero
The qualities of the tragic hero:
• The tragic hero is of high noble stature and has greatness.• The tragic hero has a tragic flaw, usually excessive pride
known as HUBRIS.• The tragic hero, because of his tragic flaw, experiences a
REVERSAL OF FORTUNE (a big fall).• This big fall brings out feelings of pity and fear in the
audience, called a CATHARSIS.• The Tragic Hero experiences a moment of SELF
AWARENESS--he/she REALIZES the errors of their tragic flaw and their RESPONSIBILITY for the tragic consequences of their actions.
High or noble status
• The tragic hero is of high birth or noble status or some other kind of greatness.
• This causes the audience to realize that if tragedy can happen to the great and powerful, it can happen to anyone.
• The fall from greatness is also much more dramatic, due to the magnitude of the change.
The Tragic Flaw
• The tragic flaw in the hero is some emotion or character quality that is usually good in a person’s character in measured amounts, such as pride.
• The flaw is in the fact that this quality is excessive in the tragic hero.
• Excessive pride is called HUBRIS.• The tragic flaw causes the tragic hero to make
critical mistakes that lead to disaster.
The Reversal of Fortune
• The tragic hero, due to his or her tragic flaw, experiences a REVERSAL OF FORTUNE.
• A reversal of fortune, also known as a big fall, is a tragic loss of everything important to the character.
• This loss is much more dramatic in someone famous or powerful, since it it such a great loss.
The Catharsis
• Because of the tragic nature of the loss of everything, the audience feels FEAR AND PITY for the tragic hero.
• Aristotle says that this cleansing release of the negative emotions of fear and pity is healthy, known as a CATHARSIS.
• The function of this catharsis in Greek Tragedy is to help the people get those negative feelings out of their system.
Realization of Error
• The Tragic Hero realizes that his/her tragic flaw has caused all the tragic events of the story.
• The Tragic Hero usually has some kind of breakdown at the realization of the reversal of fortune he/she has experienced.
Some examples of the Tragic hero
• Romeo and Juliet.• Oedipus• Come up with some modern examples of “a
real life tragic hero.”
Review: The Qualities of the Tragic Hero
• High status or noble birth:
Excessive Pride
Reversal of Fortune
The Big Fall
Catharsis
Self-Realization