The Tragic Hero
“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” –Aristotle
In his book, Poetics, Aristotle spends time elaborating what he considers the essential qualities of the tragic hero:
! The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. This should be readily evident in the play. The character
must occupy a "high" status position but must ALSO embody nobility and virtue as part of his/her innate character.
! Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect. Otherwise, the rest of us--mere mortals--would be
unable to identify with the tragic hero. We should see in him or her someone who is essentially like us, although perhaps
elevated to a higher position in society.
! The hero's downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of accident
or villainy or some malignant fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered by some error of judgment
or some character flaw that contributes to the hero's lack of perfection noted above. This error of
judgment or character flaw is known as hamartia.
! The hero's misfortunate is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the crime.
! The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge, some
discovery on the part of the tragic hero.
Who Is the Tragic Figure?
Directions: In Antigone, it isn’t easy to decide who is the tragic figure. The
play is named Antigone, but Antigone disappears from the action before the
end of the play. The final words of the Chorus are addressed to Creon; does
this designate him the tragic hero? Consider the following questions
and draw your own conclusions. There is no right or wrong
answer, but you must be able to prove your point.
Antigone Creon
1. Which character appears to be more committed to a principle? ______ ______
2. Which character has more freedom in the choices he/she makes? ______ ______
3. Which character’s fall is brought about by error in judgment? ______ ______
4. Which character suffers more? ______ ______
5. Which character arouses the greater pity or fear? ______ ______
6. Which character has a moment of recognition or discovery? ______ ______
7. Which character seems to be at the center of all conflicts? ______ ______
8. Which character stands more alone? ________ ________
Directions: Consider carefully the following statement and complete the assignment below.
“The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves.” – Sophocles
Assignment: What do you think of the view that the worse sorrows are those for which we are
responsible? In a well-developed extended paragraph (10-15 sentences), support your position by
discussing an example from literature, science and technology, the arts, current events, or your own
experience or observation. Your paragraph should be typed, and follow MLA format. Take time to proofread your
writing and make corrections.
