1. Tragic Hero

2. What is it?
A tragic hero is a literary character who makes errors in judgment, in his or her own actions, that inevitably leads to his or her own downfall

4. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero is led to his downfall due to hubris, or excessive pride.

5. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero must be doomed from the start, but bears no responsibility for possessing this flaw.

6. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero must have discovered his fate by his own actions, not by things happening to him.

7. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero must see and understand his doom, and that his fate was revealed by his own actions.

8. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero’s story should arouse pity and empathy.

9. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero must be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in his death.

10. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero is usually a king, or leader of men, so that his people experience his fall with him.

11. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero should learn from his mistakes.

12. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero must be faced with a very serious decision.

13. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The suffering of the hero must have meaning.

14. Traits of a Tragic Hero
The hero of classical tragedies is almost universally male.

15. Traits of a Tragic Hero
A tragic hero’s story generally follows the sequence of “Great, Good, Flaw, Downfall.”