By using storyboards, students create a fun and interactive way to internalize the concept, and build a framework to spot the tragic heroes throughout literature. Other tragic heroes include bradley cooper as chris kyle in american sniper and macbeth in william shakespeares the tragedy of macbeth. Tragic hero as defined by aristotle bainbridge high school. In his poetics, aristotle records the descriptions of the tragic hero to the playwright and strictly defines the place that the tragic hero must play and the kind of man he must be. For example, one example of macbeths heroic stature is the captains praises of him in battle in. If the hero was imperfect or evil, then the audience would feel that he had gotten what he deserved. The tragical history of doctor faustus by christopher marlowe is a publication of the pennsylvania state university.
King lear, one of william shakespeares greatest tragedies, depicts a society in grim circumstances. Aristotle, the greek philosopher, characterizes these plays or stories, in which the main character is a. This graphic organizer can be used to analyze any tragic hero in a drama, especially classic works of literature. He must matter to us and we must see him as a worthwhile person.
Access the interactive quiz from any mobile device, or print the worksheet for convenient study. Tragic hero background a man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall. Make character development come to life with comics. Tragic hero examples and definition of tragic hero. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary. Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. As with all tragedies, there exists a tragic hero, one who possesses a fatal flaw that initiates the tragedy and all the sufferings that follow. In many ways othellos portrait is larger than life, his nobility, his heroism, and brevity as a solder put him apart from the brawling, scheming venetians whom he has been fated to defend as a general. This activity can be used with any text and outlines the major characteristics of a tragic hero.
However, aristotle would never accuse a hero of such. The characteristics of tragic hero according to aristotle, in a good tragedy, character supports plot. You can find this storyboard in the following articles and resources. This quizworksheet combo will help you test your understanding of the concept of the tragic hero in literature. Peripeteia a reversal of fortune brought about by the hero s tragic flaw 5. This idea of epic, originally introduced by the homeric works, presents us to a hero. Heroes in tragic stories remind us that even the best of us are at the mercy of the fates and that we may be undone by our own best attempts to live in this world. What are the 4 characteristics of a good character.
Tragedy depicts the downfall of a noble hero or heroine, usually through some combination of hubris, fate, and the will of the gods. A concise definition of tragic hero along with usage tips, an expanded explanation, and lots of examples. Kennan prior knowledge during the time of the greeks and romans, theatrical performances were part of the great festivals to celebrate the gods. Decide what you think these newspaper stories are about. An aristotelian tragic hero must have four characteristics.
The characteristics of a tragic hero include the following. Accomplishment and pride other illustrations of how our strengths can become our downfall concern the activity of learning. A tragic hero is a type of character in a tragedy, and is usually the protagonist. Aristotle the tragic hero is a man of noble stature. The tragedy of okonkwo and colonization tragedies capture and manipulate their reader to go on a journey with the tragic hero and in the end to obtain dramatic emotion from the events that occurred. Hes not a main character, but id argue that hes a tragic hero. So a tragic hero is a character who goes through a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a direct result of his choices.
If harry potter is the perfect example of a hero, then the sullen potions master of hogwarts school, severus snape, can be considered as an example of a tragic hero. English 102 drama research paper opedius patel the tragic hero oedipus in oedipus from oedipus the king the characteristics. Aristotle once said that a man doesnt become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall. A tragic hero is the protagonist of a tragedy in dramas. Approach the study opted for the use of content analysis of phedre.
This portable document file is furnished free and without any charge of any kind. Nevertheless, the essence of a tragic hero in modern times maintains two key aspects from aristotles day. Willy loman represents the millions of hardworking american men who end up on the ash heap when they get too old to be of value to their employers. The tragic hero the tragic hero is a man of noble stature. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. The tragic hero must, despite their best efforts or intentions, come to ruin because of some tragic flaw in their own character. It is with no doubt that hamlet is a play consisting of an abundance of unfortunate and grievous. After students have come up with the list of attributes they believe a tragic hero possesses, go over aristotles characteristics.
Such is the ideal character, the man who is best fitted to attain happiness in the world of men. A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to hisher own destruction. On the other hand, the tragic hero is a man who fails to attain happiness, and fails in such a way that his career excites, not blame, but fear and pity in the highest degree. It is important to strike a balance in the hero s character. That hamartia leads to the downfall of the main character and sometimes all he or she holds dear. Characteristics of a tragic hero aristotle s tragic hero aristotle was one of the greatest philosophers of ancient greece.
The tragic hero must have the sympathy of the audience. Tragedy and the tragic hero is the property of its rightful owner. Ppt tragedy and the tragic hero powerpoint presentation. For example, one example of macbeths heroic stature is the captains praises of him in battle in act 1. But that athens was not only the magnificentpolis tyrannosand the source of law, it was also the center of the intellectual revolution of the fifth century. Pdf just as tragic heroes and heroines have been identified with different eras and cultures, the classical ideal of the tragic hero will be. Pdf the tragic hero between aristotle and miller researchgate.
Tragic heroes can be seen in television, film, and literature. What is the ideal situation for a tragic hero its in blue text. English 102 drama research paper opedius patel the. Ask students to fill out and track the attributes which make the protagonist of your work a tragic hero by writing in the answers on aristotles characteristics of tragic hero template.
Aristotle came up with an outline for what a tragedy should consist of in order to produce this feeling at the end of the story. In reading antigone, medea and hamlet, look at the. But we did discover to our surprise and sadness that the ship was broken in twoher stern was missing. Peripeteia a reversal of fortune brought about by the heros tragic flaw 5. The tragical history of doctor faustus by christopher marlowe. Aristotle is famed for his careful and detailed examination of the dramatic arts. In oedipus rex, he begins the play at a high point as the benevolent and beloved king of. Which character is the best example of a tragic hero. Youll be assessed on your knowledge of the characteristics of tragic heroes.
During these religious festivals sung performances were presented to large audiences. Finally, he defines the abilities and characteristics that must be present in a person who plays the responsible role of a trusted advisor. The united kingdoms international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Many tragic heroes get into trouble because of their pride. Mcmurphy a modern tragic hero one flew over the cuckoos nest. Pdf the tragic hero of the classical period researchgate. Pdf tragic hero as defined by aristotle axel blaze. A tragic hero the tragic flaw or hamartia reversal of fortune catharsis emotion restoration of social order the tragic hero the tragic hero is someone we, as an audience, look up tosomeone superior. For a hero to be truly tragic he needs to see what he has done wrong.
Aristotles view of a hero a man doesnt become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall. Elements of a tragic hero by brian salcido on prezi. A free powerpoint ppt presentation displayed as a flash slide show on id. Some film historians regard michael corleone of the godfather as a tragic hero, although using traditional literary conventions, the character would more closely fit the role of anti hero, not tragic hero. Oedipus, in his character and his mode of action, is a symbolic representation of periclean athens. A tragic hero must own many good traits, but has a flaw that ultimately leads to his downfall. Macbeth and the tragic flaw brigham young universityidaho. The tragic flaw of the hero leads to his demise or downfall that in turn brings tragic end.
The tragic hero s powerful wish to achieve some goal inevitably encounters limits, usually those of human frailty flaws in reason, hubris, society, the gods through. It is critical to define this archetype and to understand how they affect a plot. Just as tragic heroes and heroines have been identified with different eras and cultures, the classical ideal of the tragic hero will be incomplete if the concept of tragedy is not focalized. The purpose of a tragic hero is to evoke sad emotions, such as pity and fear, which makes the audience experience catharsis, relieving them of their pent up emotions. Instead we hope this guide will provide a springboard to help you plan, and to get you and your students thinking about the text in more detail. First, lets address two from the king of tragic heroes himselfmister bill shakespeare. Tragic heroes typically have heroic traits that earn them the sympathy of the audience, but also have flaws or make mistakes that ultimately lead to their own downfall. The personal motivation actions of the characters are intricately involved with the action to such an extent that it leads to arouse pity and fear in the audience. Aristotles traits of a tragic herorevised free download as powerpoint presentation. Text overview richard ii read our overview which shows how teachers can consider richard ii in relation to the genre of tragedy.
Under each category, find supporting quotes from the text book as evidence. Definition, usage and a list of tragic hero examples in literature. The tragic hero had to be someone basically likeable. Many people who discuss tragedy often mention the heros fatal or tragic flaw. Aristotles characteristics of a tragic hero template. As the hero steadily heads toward his ultimate doom, use this worksheet to record the six key characteristics explained here. Here are a few tragic hero examples i was able to find. Aristotles definition of a tragic hero fully fits the character of oedipus because of the various traits he displays and the origin of his fall. A tragic hero is a type of character in a play, who makes an error, while judging the situation, which leads to his downfall. Tragic hero is a courageous protagonist that eventually faces his own downfall. Willy loman can be considered a tragic hero and was intended by his author to be a tragic hero, in the sense that he isnt an individual but a type. The tragic hero is a character that the audience can identify with the tragic hero features a fatal flaw that exposes hisher weakness.
The protagonist or central character in a tragedy is called the tragic hero. Brutus in julius caesar by william shakespeare free choice context free choice brutus allows a funeral to be held for caesar, and he believes that the people are with him and support his decision to kill caesar. The literary overview the epic hero the epic hero is a man who typically embodies the great est characteristics of a certain culture. Create a tree thinking map to classify macbeth according the 4 characteristics of a tragic hero. He seems to be primarily concerned with making a quick buck, but as the story progresses, he seems to become more concerned with the men he is befriending and. When a hero confronts downfall, he is recognized as a tragic hero or protagonist. While tragic heroes first appeared in classic literature, they can also be seen in certain pieces of modern writing.
The literary overview fox valley lutheran high school. The ultimate tragic hero king lear english literature essay. Mcmurphy certainly has noble characteristics that make him a hero. Elizabethan tragic heroes are often from poor families. If you continue browsing the site, you agree to the use of cookies on this website. His own mistake, his pride and vanity, led the hero to his downfall. Notes for 10th grade on the qualities of a tragic hero. Anagnorisis actions result in an increase of self awareness and selfknowledge 6. In this play, the tragic hero is undoubtedly the title character, king lear. Feb 04, 2018 okonkwo as a tragic hero in things fall apart 1. One of the most influential aspects of his analysis concerns his thoughts about the particular dramatic form of tragedy. The tragic hero is thought of as a good person, renowned or prosperous. He must be a person of some stature or high position such as a king, general, or nobleman.
An investigation of the tragic hero and gender roles in euripides medea according to aristotles poetics. The term hero is derived from a greek word that means a person who faces adversity, or demonstrates courage, in the face of danger. If so, share your ppt presentation slides online with. Aristotles definition of the tragic hero in his poetics indicates a contradiction in one of the great heroes of greek tragedy. Willy loman as a modern tragic hero linkedin slideshare. Any person using this document file, for any purpose, and in any way does so at his or her own risk.
An unexpected hero of the main characteristics we hope to find in a hero of an epic narrative. You will see throughout this story that the character hamlet is a clear example of shakespeares tragic hero. Poetics for highlighting the features of a perfect tragedy and the perfect character of tragedy or. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. The hero has to confront his downfall, wheter its due to fate, his own mistake, or another reason. Is hamlet a tragic hero according to the aristotelian definition of tragedy. Tragedy and the tragic hero aristotle, the ancient greek philosopher, identified the main characteristics of tragedy. Prince hamlet is a model example of a shakespearean tragic hero. In the course of a successfully tragic work, aristotle says that the audience should be moved by the actions of the hero to experience the emotions of.
Tragic hero characteristics worksheet by tara armstead tpt. Athens, says the sophist hippias in platosprotagoras337d, is theprytaneion, the council chamber, of the wisdom of greece. Although macbeth fails to meet quite a few characteristics of a tragic hero, his most important awareness of his own tragic flaw is what solemnly makes him a tragic hero. Sep 22, 2014 characteristics of the tragic hero shane kapela.
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