Aristotle’s
TRAGIC HERO
“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”
—Aristotle
Who was Aristotle?
Aristotle (c. 384 B.C. to 322 B.C.) was an Ancient Greek
philosopher and scientist who is still considered one of
the greatest thinkers in politics, psychology and ethics.
Aristotle’s Tragic Hero?
1
The Character of the Tragic Hero
• The first trait of the tragic hero deals with
his/her character.
• A tragic hero is neither completely good nor
completely bad but rather somewhere in the
middle.
• He/she has good intentions.
Romeo
2
The Hero’s Status
• The hero must be “who is highly renowned and
prosperous.”
• In Aristotle’s world this meant royalty or high
social status.
•
The character can be female.
Prince Hamlet
3
The Tragic Flaw
• The character must possess a flaw (tragic flaw)
in his/her personality that is taken to an
extreme and impairs his/her judgment.
• Examples: Stubbornness, Pride,
Vanity, Ambition
Macbeth
4
The Downfall of the Hero
• The character must be brought down by his/her
tragic flaw in a spectacular way.
• The punishment must be more than is deserved
by the hero.
Macbeth
5
Humbling of the Hero
• By the end of the play, the tragic hero
recognizes his/her own error, accepts its tragic
consequences, and is humbled.
• He/she must recognize what brought him/her
down and the audience must feel both PITY and
Fear. They must pity the hero and fear the same
fate.
Professor Snape