TRAGEDY

and

TRAGIC HEROES
Tragedy
 disastrous event or misfortune

 literary genre depicting the downfall of a

noble, courageous character in conflict with
forces beyond his/her control

Elements
 sorrowful conclusion; elicits pity
 something unavoidable in the moment
 has to do with thought or human decision

 land the character in an inescapable position

Choices  sympathy from audience because we may
have made those same decisions
 Tragic  protagonist with a tragic flaw which eventually
Hero leads to his or her demise

Traits of a Tragic
1. nobly born or admired by the people
Hero
2. defect in character – tragic flaw
3. reversal of fortune (from good luck to bad luck)
brought about because of hero’s error
4. hero’s recognition that the reversal was brought
on by his own actions
 Tragic  error in judgment leading to a number of
Flaw mistakes
 mistakes stem from hubris – excessive pride or
self-confidence

Reader’s
 fear and pity = watching a good person dragged
Emotions to destruction by a single error
 Catharsis (cathartic = emotional cleansing)
 purging of tense emotions which brings about a feeling
of relief rather than depression
Tragedy:  Misfortune = Deaths of Romeo and Juliet
Romeo  Forces = Feuding families, poor timing,
and Juliet arranged marriage

Choices
 rush into marriage
 avenge Mercutio’s
death
 lies , secrecy,
revenge
Tragic  protagonist √
Hero:  tragic flaw √ = impulsive; rushes into love
Romeo  noble √ = “Two houses both alike in dignity”
 reversal of fortune √ = love death
 recognition of own
actions √ = regrets killing Tybalt

Catharsis  feud has ended

“buried their parents’
strife”