/ˈtrædʒɪdi/ [traj-i-dee]–noun, plural 1. a dramatic composition, often in verse, dealing with a serious or somber theme, typically that of a great person destined through a flaw of character or conflict with some overpowering force, as fate or society, to downfall or destruction. 2. the branch of the drama that is concerned with this form of composition. …4. any literary composition, as a novel, dealing with a somber theme carried to a tragic conclusion. …6. a lamentable, dreadful, or fatal event or affair; calamity; disaster: the tragedy of war.

Dictionary.reference.com

http://www.theater-masks.com/i/masks/tragedy-mask-wearable.jpg

Tragic Hero a literary character who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw that, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedy

Shakespeare wrote many tragedies with these types of characters Ex. Macbeth

The Greeks also had many of these characters in their plays Ex. Oedipus Rex

http://www.dennishollingsworth.us/archives/images/Oedipus.jpg

Tragic Hero Like other heroes, Tragic Heroes

are part of the monomyth They travel the Hero’s Journey

(J.Campbell)

They also share some heroic traits Unusual births Has great skill, strength, courage Defeats hardships Grows and changes during the

journey Flaws make them easy to relate

to

The difference is that a tragic hero has (usually) finished his journey now has decisions to make in his life

post-journey

Tragic Flaws Underlying

personality trait…causing the tragic hero in your play or novel to self-destruct

Examples: Pride / Hubris Jealousy Ambition (quick)Temper And many more!

http://www.cliffsnotes.com/Section/What-is-a-tragic-flaw-.id-305408,articleId-8035.html

steeds.com

http://s1.hubimg.com/u/176876_f520.jpg

http://kinokunya.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/heroes-1453.jpg

Poetics: Greek Tragedy

Aristotle defined tragedy and tragic heroes in this book

Tragic heroes are: Noble: usually occupy

a high position in society AND act virtuously and nobly

Easy to identify with: They’re not perfect; they’re just like us

http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/aristotle.htm

Poetics (continued)

Heroes’ tragic flaws cause them to make the choices that lead to tragedy. Usually, this is a character

flaw or an error of judgment The punishment usually

exceeds the crime (see: Oedipus)

The fall (tragedy) usually results in some discovery or increased awareness

Tragedy shouldn’t leave the audience depressed Catharsis: purging of

negative emotions like sadness and fear

http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/aristotle.htm

http://www.mediainspiration.com/contents/artists/artist_details.php?id=15

“Catharsis”

Elizabethan Tragedy

still familiar tale of a great man or woman brought low through hubris or fate

acted on stage the violence that the Greek dramatists reported

Sometimes mixed genres (comedy, tragedy)

Shakespeare’s third genre, histories, were about English kings and were usually tragedies

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/

http://the-fifth-wall.blogspot.com/ 2009/01/shakespearean-awards.html

www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/photos/2008

thefreedictionary.com

Notes (on Definition): A tragedy is a serious

dramatic play, the intent of which is to arouse and then soothe the audience’s pity and fear.

This process is called catharsis – a wounding and a healing that the audience goes through. The audience is cleansed while watching a tragedy.

A tragedy should contain elevated or poetic language. Ordinary language (prose) is not sufficiently lofty for the scope of tragedy.

Notes: (on Tragic Heroes) Generally, the tragic

hero must possess the following traits:

He/she must be an important or impressive figure (king, queen, prince, general)

He/she must, at some point in the play, become aware of his/her downfall. There must be a moment of revelation.

He/she must cause his/her own downfall. There must be some sort of character flaw (the TRAGIC FLAW) that propels the tragedy.

Notes: (on Tragic Flaws)

A true tragic flaw is paradoxical: the same thing that makes the person great is the thing that tears them down.

All notes from Rob Bingham

Quickwrite:

Write a short, structured response on the following:

What is Macbeth’s Tragic Flaw?

Write a thesis stating your answer to the question

Support your thesis with concrete evidence from the play (quotes not required)

About 2-3 paragraphs