Characteristics of a

Tragic Hero
 Mini-Lesson: The Tragic Hero

“A man cannot
become a hero until
he can see the root
of his own downfall.”

-Aristotle
 Mini-Lesson: The Tragic Hero
What is a tragic hero?
A great character who makes an error of
judgement or has a fatal flaw, combined with
fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy.
 Mini-Lesson: The Tragic Hero
ONE: Is a “great” person TWO: Has a Fatal Flaw
• Someone who is of (Hamartia)
noble birth. • The fatal flaw
• Someone who is (hamartia) is what leads
important or valuable to the hero’s downfall.
to his/her society. • The traditional fatal
• Someone with flaw is hubris (excessive
outstanding qualities pride)
who others look up to.
 Mini-Lesson: The Tragic Hero
THREE: Peripeteia FOUR: Hero physically or
• The flaw causes a spiritually suffers
reversal of fortune • Hero may be injured or
(called peripeteia, suffer losses of family or
meaning “sudden fortune.
change”) • The suffering is not
entirely deserved by the
• The hero’s downfall hero.
seems more dramatic
due to the fall from a
higher position
 Mini-Lesson: The Tragic Hero
FIVE: Anagnorisis SIX: Catharsis
• Anagnorisis is the • Catharsis is a release of
moment where the emotion
hero makes an • The hero’s downfall
important discovery causes us to feel pity,
(can be good or bad) fear or sadness.