TRAGIC HERO
The Greek philosopher Aristotle conceived the concept of “tragic
hero.” He defined a tragic hero as a man of noble stature who
makes an error of judgement that leads to his downfall. This
“error of judgement” is also known as a tragic flaw. Thus, a
tragic hero is an honorable person with a tragic flaw that causes
their life to turn for the worse.
In summary, a tragic hero contains three main ingredients:
(1) a person of high status who is admired by society
(2) he or she has a flaw involving poor judgement
(3) this flaw eventually leads to their downfall causing their life to
fall apart
ESSAY PROMPT
Write a 5-paragraph essay that examines Aristotle’s idea of a
“tragic hero” and how it applies to the character Oedipus in
Sophocles play Oedipus Rex. Also briefly discuss “tragic hero” as
it relates to a person in modern times.
Use the attached draft form to guide you in writing your essay.
The rough draft is required, and your final essay must be typed in
MLA format. You must include all the components outlined in the
rough draft.
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Date (Day-Month-Year)
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Title
Introduction Paragraph: In your own words, explain what a tragic hero is. Then write a thesis
stating that Oedipus is an example of a tragic hero. Be sure to cite the name of the work and author that
the character Oedipus is taken from. As part of your thesis, also state that there are still tragic heroes
today.
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Body Paragraph 1: Explain how Oedipus was considered a hero (before his life fell apart). What did
he do? What did he become? How did other people view him? Include a quote that shows that Oedipus
was seen as a hero, then write two sentences explaining your quote.
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Body Paragraph 2: What was Oedipus’s tragic flaw (his mistake)? Explain how this leads to his
downfall and life falling apart. Include a quote that shows Oedipus’s flaw, then write two sentences
explaining your quote.
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Body Paragraph 3: Who is a tragic hero in today’s world? Explain why he or she is considered a hero.
Explain what their tragic flaw is, and how this leads to their downfall.
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Conclusion Paragraph: Restate your thesis, then summarize your main points.
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