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TRAGEDY O …presents courageous individuals who O confront powerful forces within or outside themselves with a dignity that reveals the breadth and depth of the human spirit in the face of failure, defeat, and even death. O The action of a tragedy is focused on a difficult time in the hero’s life when decisions or actions cause chaos and O only through the protagonist’s fall can the world of the tragedy be righted again.

ARISTOTLE’S DEFINITION O “An imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artful ornament, the several kinds begin found in separate parts of the play, in the form of action, not of narration; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these and similar emotions.”

TRAGEDY O The purpose of a tragedy is to engender catharsis in the audience by their experience of emotions for the major character and his/her situation and errors. O Thus, by viewing the play, the audience is purged of these negative emotions. O Catharsis= “the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music” (“catharsis” dictionary.com)

TRAGEDY Serious action Tragic Hero-Hero must be great but human Dramatic but in poetic language Use of: images symbols stock characters irony, archetypes

STUDY OF TRAGEDY O Look for characteristics of tragedy O Consider elements and the definition of tragedy O Think about staging the play. (separate power point overview) O Apply what you know about drama, tragedies, and comedies

Tragic Hero What is it?

QUICK WRITE O “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall.” -Aristotle What does this mean? Do you agree with it?

Tragic Hero- definition O A tragic hero is the main character in a tragedy who makes an error in his or her actions that leads to his or her downfall (a catastrophe).character tragedyerror

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRAGIC HERO O Great person, extraordinary, usually noble birth O Mythic significance O Fate of state O Fall is result of a flaw (tragic flaw) or misunderstanding or underestimation O Encounter with failure allows hero to display greatness O Fall results in reversal of fortune

Characteristics O The hero is sometimes led to his downfall due to a tragic flaw (often “hubris”- excessive pride.) O The hero usually (but not always) struggles with an antagonist (enemy-real or abstract) with whom he fights to the death for what he believes in. O The hero discovers his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him. O The hero sees and understands his doom, and that his fate was revealed by his own actions. O The hero's downfall is understood to arouse pity and horror in the reader/audience.

continued O The hero is physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often (but not always) resulting in his death. O The hero is often a king or leader of men, so that his people experience his fall with him. This could also include a leader of a family. O The hero is faced with a serious decision. O Through the development of the plot, a hero's mistakes, rather than his quintessential goodness or evil, lead to his tragic downfall.

TRAGIC FLAWS O 7 Deadly sins- O Pride (hubris) O Envy O Gluttony O Lust O Anger O Sloth O Greed O BRAINSTORM O Specific examples of the 7 deadly sins O Additional examples of “flaws” O How could a Super Hero be a “tragic hero”?

Anakin Skywalker from “Star Wars: Clone Wars” O The whole time we're watching Star Wars: Clone Wars in theaters and on television, we know that Anakin Skywalker is destined for a horrendous end. “Skywalker” exemplifies the basic definition: the person who has everything, and then loses it all.

And… O Jeff Brundle in The Fly O Madmax in the film Madmax O Wolverine in X Men O William Wallace in Braveheart

BRAINSTORM O As many tragic heroes as you can identify O Literature O Movies O TV Shows O Real Life