About 2000 years ago, Aristotle introduced a concept in his work “Poetics”. This concept included the tragedies that the heroes in the works could experience and how they could be shaped.
Tragic heroes tend to be in high positions or born into a noble family. In general, there are no problems in their lives. Of course, they are not entirely trouble-free, but they are usually well-meaning people with a firm moral compass of their own.
Their stories begin well, but as events unfold, their associated tragic flaws (innate failings — hamartia) become apparent. The hero has a particular character flaw, weakness or error of judgement that leads to his downfall. This flaw is usually arrogance (excessive pride — hubris) or some other form of moral blindness.
The important point in this whole process is that the viewer or reader internalises and supports the characters. They see themselves on their side. So much so that the situation becomes tragic, in line with what happens to them and how they feel afterwards.
Normally, flaws can be divided into three categories: minor, major and fatal. As the name suggests, the first two are not about creating a tragic event. The first is the one that can have the least impact, such as the character not being able to find clothes at that moment. The second can be a phenomenon that points to one of the character’s personalities (for example, showing that he is a hypocrite). In our case, the fatal flaw is the effect that can lead to either physical death or psychological transformation into a person the character never was (a moral breakdown, a feeling of emptiness that comes with the loss of a loved one). Only the effects of the last flaw add a tragic element to the story.
All tragic heroes must experience a reversal of fortune (peripeteia), which we can call a twist of fate. Because the bad things that happen to them are usually not random. They are caused by the tragic flaws we have mentioned. In fact, the things that happen to the character are sometimes so devastating that they make the audience and the reader more sympathetic to what happens to the character. “Was this punishment/misfortune really necessary?”
After this process, the tragic hero enters the path of self-recognition. He gains self-knowledge or understanding (anagnorisis) by recognising his flaw and its consequences. This may take a long time or come late. But it enables the hero to change.
The viewer or reader, while witnessing the hero’s suffering and ultimate downfall, experiences a purification of their emotions (catharsis) through pity and fear. Consciousness has now passed to them. For there is no happy ending for the character. Instead, a new life (if it does not end in death) awaits the protagonist, and it is no better than before.
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Let us conclude this article with a few examples.
Jay Gatsby, the main character of Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, has a fatal flaw: his obsession and delusional love for his former lover Daisy. He tries to win her back and the events that follow are not good for him. His tragedy comes from his inability to free himself from his obsession.
The tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s Macbeth is his ambition. When he learns from a prophecy that he will one day become king, he wants to speed up the process by killing his friend who is the king. The doubts that grow within him keep him going and make him do the same to those around him. But in time, Lady Macbeth chooses suicide as a result of her own guilt, and King Macbeth is killed by someone seeking revenge.
One of the most popular characters in Game of Thrones, Ned Stark’s fatal flaw was his honour and incompatibility. Although his friend the king tries to protect him, his wife, whom he opposes, does not think well of him. After the king’s death, he is forced to share the same fate.
Anakin Skywalker, the famous character of Star Wars, had flaws related to fear and devotion. His fear of losing his loved ones, combined with his devotion to Padme, drove him to the dark side and eventually turned him into someone else, Darth Vader.
Finally, Michael Corleone from The Godfather trilogy has an ambition based on family loyalty and the desire to protect it. Michael’s efforts to protect his family through crime lead to moral degradation and personal loss.
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