Literary DevicesDefinition and Examples of LiteraryTerms

Tragic Hero

Definition of Tragic HeroThe term hero is derived from a Greek word that means a person who facesadversity, or demonstrates courage in the face of danger. However, sometimes hefaces downfall as well. When a hero confronts downfall, he is recognized as a tragichero or protagonist. Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, characterizes these plays orstories as tragedies in which the main character is a tragic hero, who confronts hisdownfall due to fate, his mistake or any other social reason.

Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a person who must evoke a sense of pity and fearin the audience. He is considered a man of misfortune that comes to him througherror of judgment and brings his downfall to evoke the feelings of pity and fearamong the audience.

Characteristics of the Tragic Hero

Here we have basic characteristics of a tragic hero explained by Aristotle, including:

Hamartia It is the tragic flaw that causes downfall of a hero.Hubris It is excessive pride and disrespect of hero for natural order.Peripeteia The reversal of fate that the hero experiences.Anagnorisis This moment happens when hero makes an important discoveryin the story.Nemesis A fortune that protagonist cannot avoid, usually due to retribution ofhis hubris.Catharsis These are the feelings of pity and fear that audience feels for theprotagonist after his downfall.

Examples of Tragic Hero from LiteratureExample #1Oedipus from Oedipus Rex

Aristotle has used Oedipus as a perfect example of a tragic hero, as he has hubristhat is his pride makes him blind to the truth. He refuses to listen to wise men likeTiresias, who predicts that Oedipus has killed his father, Laius. He is tragic becausehe struggles against the forces of his fate and pitiable due to his weakness, whicharouses fear in the audience. Thus, he is an ideal example of the tragic hero forcausing his own downfall, falling from his own estate and facing undeservedpunishment.

Example #2

Prince Hamlet from Hamlet

He is the prince of Denmark, a man of high social status and noble by birth. He isalmost driven to madness by his fathers tortured ghost, who convinces him thatClaudius is responsible for his fathers death and that he has committed treachery.He then makes a plan to avenge upon his fathers killer, but he is blinded by hishamartia, neglecting his relations with other loved ones Ophelia and his motherGertrude. Hamlets hamartia is his constant contemplation and brooding, whichcauses his delay to ultimately result in his destruction. By the end, he also falls intohis bloodbath, touching the hearts of the audience by highlighting the most primalfear, death.

Example #3Romeo from Romeo and Juliet

Romeo is also a very good example of a tragic hero, who is a man of high socialstanding, falls in love easily with the girl whose family holds animosity with his family.His tragic flaw is start believing on his fate immediately. Juliet acts like a deadperson, and Romeo thinks her actually dead. Therefore, he kills himself. When shewakes up and sees him dead, she also kills herself. Thus, it is not only fate, but alsohis actions and choices, which bring his downfall and eventually cause death.

Example #4Davy Jones from Pirates of the Caribbean

Davy Jones is a modern example of a typical tragic hero. He is basically a seacaptain, who falls in love with sea goddess, Calypso. However, Calypso breaksJones heart, making him enraged, tragic and bitter. He grows into a mixture of ahumanoid and octopus and leads his savage crew on raids in the entire sea on hisship, the Flying Dutchman. At first, he was not bad, but his beloved breaks his heartthat turns him into bad man. Eventually, Will Sparrow kills him. Jones hamartia isthat he is a broken-hearted hero, who suffers at the hands of his beloved, Calypso.

Function of Tragic Hero

Romance Romance Dynamic Character Dynamic Character

The purpose of a tragic hero is to evoke sad emotions such a pity and fear, whichmakes the audience to experience catharsis and relieve them of their pent upemotions. The tragic flaw of the hero leads to his demise or downfall that in turnbrings tragic end. This gives wisdom to the audience to avoid such things in theireveryday lives. The sufferings and fall of a hero, arousing feelings of pity and fearthrough catharsis, purges the audiences of those emotions, to transform them intogood human beings and good citizens.

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Literary DevicesDefinition and Examples of Literary TermsTragic HeroRELATED POSTSPOPULAR LITERARY DEVICESDefinition of Tragic HeroCharacteristics of the Tragic HeroExamples of Tragic Hero from LiteratureExample #1Example #2RECENT POSTSSurrealismMotivationExternal ConflictSestet

Example #3ScansionFictionStatic CharacterRound CharacterDynamic CharacterRomance

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