1. Please copy into the Class Notes section of your notebook
Tragic Heroes
Please copy into the Class Notes section of your notebook

2. Vocabulary needed to understand a Tragic Hero…
Catharsis – Greek, meaning to purify, purge, or clean. Audience feels a combination of pity and fear as they watch the hero’s terrible fate unfold.
Hubris – arrogance; characteristic of someone who believes that they can outwit fate or are smarter than the gods.

3. Characteristics of a Tragic Hero…
What follows are the six characteristics that can be applied to a TRAGIC HERO…
As you write each of these characteristics down, also consider how each was seen in Oedipus.

4. 1. Thought of as good person
The Tragic Hero is thought of as a good person, renowned or prosperous.
May be noble-born and/or great leader.
Must behave in noble way; have free will.
Oedipus – Prince of Corinth; now King of Thebes.
Subjects and family love him.
Fair leader.
Came to Thebes from Corinth of own free will.

5. 2. Admirable True to life and idealized.
Audience admires, but cannot be so great that audience is unable to identify with him/her.
Oedipus answers the Riddle of the Sphinx and frees the city from plague.
Citizens are grateful and make him king.

6. 3. Hubris
Hero has hubris and will do something to cause his/her downfall.
Downfall will be at least partially his/her own doing.
Not an accident or act of villainy. Referred to as tragic flaw.
Oedipus learns that plague will be lifted when killer of King Laius is discovered.
Oedipus promises citizens that killer will be cast out of Thebes forever.

7. 4. Suffer Hero must suffer.
Punishment inflicted on Tragic Hero is greater than crime/mistake he/she made.
Oedipus discovers he was Laius’ killer and his wife/mother Jocasta hangs herself.
Oedipus stabs his eyes out with Jocasta’s broaches.

8. 5. New self-knowledge
Tragic Hero develops new self-knowledge as a result of his/her downfall.
Oedipus, no blind, remembers Tiresias’ prophecy that a blind man will see.
Sees this prophecy in a new, profound way.

9. 6. Catharsis on behalf of audience
Audience experiences catharsis watching Tragic Hero.
Audience learns of prophecy and the back stories that led to Oedipus’ journeys.

10. How are the following heroes tragic?

21. In teams of 2-3…
Identify a tragic figure (does not necessarily have to be a “hero”).
Using a sheet of poster paper, create a description of this figure.
Be sure to address the following questions in your poster:
Why is this figure tragic? Describe the character’s rise in fame/popularity, etc. and their ultimate downfall.
What is the character’s tragic flaw?
What qualifies each person as a tragic hero?  –What is each character’s tragic flaw? –What similarities exist between the characters? What characteristics are distinct?  –Do you feel that each person deserved what he or she got, or are you more sympathetic to one than the other?