"A tragic hero (or tragic heroine if they are female) is the protagonist of a tragedy."
Explores the characteristics of the tragic hero archetype, including their strengths, weaknesses, and how they contribute to the tragic ending of the story.
Definition of Tragedy: Understanding what a tragedy is, its literary elements, and how it differs from other genres.
Aristotle's View of Tragedy: The Greek philosopher Aristotle's Poetics, which introduced the idea of the tragic hero and defined the essential elements of tragedy.
Tragic Flaw: Identifying the character flaw or error in judgment that causes the tragic hero's downfall.
Protagonist: Describing the central character who experiences the tragic downfall.
Hubris: Exploring the excessive pride or arrogance which leads the protagonist to overlook looming danger.
Catastrophe: Describing the tragic event that sets off the hero's downfall.
Catharsis: Analyzing the emotional response that the audience has to the tragic events and how it affects them.
Fatalism: The belief that the tragic hero is powerless to change their fate.
Tragic Irony: Recognizing the irony where the tragic hero’s attempts to avoid his/her fate only serve to enhance the inevitable downfall.
Reversal of Fortune: The turning point in the play where the tragic hero slips into a disastrous situation.
Hamartia: The Greek word that means to err or to miss the mark.
Tragic Emotion: Describing the emotional range experienced by the tragic hero and the audience.
External Conflict: Identifying the external sources of conflict that contribute to the character's fall.
Internal Conflict: Analyzing the internal struggle within the character and how it contributes to the tragic downfall.
Tragic Heroine: Understanding the female protagonist and their significance in tragic literature.
Modern Tragic Hero: Analyzing the contemporary depiction of the tragic hero in modern literature, movies, and entertainment.
Tragic Heroes in Pop Culture: Discussing the presence of the tragic hero in popular culture.
The Role of Fate in Tragic Literature: Examining how the predestined fate of the tragic hero affected his or her downfall.
Tragic Heroes vs. Villains: Understanding the difference between the tragic hero and various other villainous characterizations.
Epiphany: Understanding the sudden realization or a moment of insight within the tragic hero that results in the downfall.
Traditional Tragic Hero: A tragic hero is a virtuous protagonist in a dramatic tragedy who falls from grace due to a personal flaw or external forces. The traditional tragic hero typically possesses noble qualities and good intentions but is brought down by their tragic flaw, leading to their ultimate downfall. This type of tragic hero is often used in classic works of literature, such as Shakespearean plays.
"In his Poetics, Aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright."
"Aristotle based his observations on previous dramas."
"Many of the most famous instances of tragic heroes appear in Greek literature."
"Most notably the works of Sophocles and Euripides."
"Aristotle strictly defines the place that the tragic hero must play."
"[Aristotle strictly defines] the kind of man he must be."
"Aristotle based his observations on previous dramas."
"A tragic hero (or tragic heroine if they are female)..."
"The tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragedy."
"Aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright and strictly defines..."
"Aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright."
"Aristotle based his observations on previous dramas."
"Many of the most famous instances of tragic heroes appear in Greek literature."
"Many of the most famous instances of tragic heroes appear in Greek literature, most notably the works of Sophocles and Euripides."
"A tragic hero (or tragic heroine if they are female) is the protagonist of a tragedy."
"In his Poetics, Aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright."
"Aristotle based his observations on previous dramas."
"A tragic hero (or tragic heroine if they are female)..."
"Most notably the works of Sophocles and Euripides."