Upload
arthur-parks
View
220
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
THE T
RAGIC H
ERO
ARISTOTLE’S IDEA
• Aristotle wrote about the tragedy in his book Poetics
• He has six main ideas about tragedy
• (Look for how these ideas apply towards Macbeth)
1. GREATNESS
• Tragic hero is a character of noble stature and greatness
• Occupies “high” status, but also displays nobility and nature
2. NOT PERFECT
• Although considered great, the tragic hero is not perfect
• This allows mortals (us) to relate to the tragic hero
3. DOWNFALL
• Downfall is partially hero’s own fault because of free will
• Not accidental or evil
• Tragedy is caused by an error of judgment or TRAGIC FLAW (oftentimes pride or hubris is this TRAGIC FLAW)
PUNISHMENT
• Hero’s misfortune is not fully deserved
• The punishment exceeds the crime
NOT COMPLETELY LOST
• Fall is not pure loss
• Some increase in awareness, gain in self-knowledge, discovery by the tragic hero
RESPONSE TOWARDS AUDIENCE
• Tragedy doesn’t leave audience depressed
• Aristotle: Function of tragedy is to arouse “unhealthy” emotions of pity and fear to then be cleansed by the tragic hero’s fate, or “catharsis”
SOURCE
http://vcslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/aristotle.htm