Adapted from Sharon Thomason


The hero must be of a high stature, for example, a member of royalty … someone in a lofty position.

The hero must have a TRAGIC FLAW, such as
HUBRIS (too much pride), too much ambition, too stubborn, too greedy, etc.

The tragic flaw must cause the hero’s downfall.
It’s his/her OWN FAULT.

The downfall (destruction) must be complete.

The audience must learn a lesson from the hero’s downfall, i.e., “I must be careful not to be too ____ like the hero was!!!”



Written to teach
English schoolchildren the meaning of tragedy, the nursery rhyme illustrates the classical definition of a tragic hero.
Let’s take a look at how the familiar old egg fits the definition!




The hero must be of a high stature, for example, a member of royalty … someone in a lofty position.
Let’s see ….
“Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.”
That’s a lofty position all right!




If YOU were an egg, would you sit high up on a wall?
No? Why not? Why, you’d just be ASKING for trouble, wouldn’t you?
Yet here’s ol’ Humpty, and look how SMUG he is. He’s too arrogant to think anything bad could possibly happen to HIM.
That’s his TRAGIC FLAW.
He’s WAY too cocky for his own good!!!




“Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.”
Well, DUH! Eggs are rounded on the bottom; they don’t sit on anything for long!
Humpty was so arrogant (TRAGIC
FLAW) he didn’t think that could happen to
HIM! It’s HIS OWN
FAULT!!!



“All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again!”
Of COURSE they couldn’t! What happens to an egg when it hits the ground? SPLAT!!!!!


Ah-ha!!! If I’m ever an egg, I will NEVER be ARROGANT enough to think that I could sit way up high on a wall. I’ve learned from
Humpty’s story that that’s just ASKING for trouble!!!



Who are the tragic heroes in the readings we have done? Is it
Han from OTH, one of the
Mirabal sisters, Victor
Frankenstein, The Creature or
Macbeth? Could it be all of the them / none of them?
See if each meets all of the criteria for the classical definition of a tragic hero.






What is HIS / HER stature or position?
Is he/she a royal figure or high ranking person?
What is HIS/HER tragic flaw? How do you know?
Does he/she cause his/her OWN downfall? How?
Is his/her downfall or destruction
COMPLETE? Why?
Do we learn a lesson from this? What is the lesson?






Start with a topic sentence: ___ is/are (a) tragic hero(es) of World
Literature .
Answer each of the five questions we’ve examined for the characters you are examining
Provide evidence from the readings in your argument.
Proofread your writing
CAREFULLY.
Type and turn in to turnitin.com