Tragic Hero
What Is a Tragic Hero?
Literature, movies, and plays are
full of heroes. As a reader, you
root for them and feel their
defeats. However, tragic heroes
are a special type of hero.
A tragic hero isn’t perfect.
Instead, they are virtuous
characters with a fatal flaw that
leads to defeat and suffering.
Aristotle’s
Characteristics
of a Tragic Hero
• Aristotle was famous for classifying the characteristics of a classic tragic
hero. In his classification, a tragic hero needed to meet a few criteria.
• Virtuous - A tragic hero should be a good and noble person of high stature.
Their noble characteristics make them compelling while their stature ensures
their decisions are far-reaching.
• Tragic flaw - Every tragic hero must have a tragic flaw or hamartia. In classic
literature, this was typically their pride. While pride could be a good thing,
excessive pride proves to be fatal to their character.
• Tortured - Tragic heroes typically suffer from horrible bad luck or a bad
choice, and their handling of that luck leads to suffering. They also suffer and
are tortured inwardly by their conscience, leading to a double whammy.
• Audience response - Because a tragic hero is a good character, the
audience feels the misfortune they suffer. This is called catharsis.
• Death - Typically, but not always, tragic heroes die. If they don’t die, they
experience great suffering.
What makes
Macbeth a Hero?
Won battles, has military skills
Had extreme pride, when his manhood was
questioned, he committed terrible crimes.
Inherently evil
Has great guilt
Had to influence three things to change his
original noble character.
What makes Macbeth a
Tragic Hero?
• He is a tragic hero because he was a noble,
righteous person who could have achieved much
more and would have been loved by all if he did
not commit the murder of Duncan. The tragic
part is that Macbeth was against the murder but
was under the influence of evil individuals that
changed his character.
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