1. The Tragic Hero How is the tragic hero defined?

2. The Tragic Hero is the PROTAGONIST ▪ He will make a mistake – knowingly or unknowingly ▪ The mistake will involve a fundamental (basic) mistake about his place in the universe (destiny) ▪ This is known as his TRAGIC FLAW

3. The Tragic Flaw ▪ Often times this flaw comes from his arrogance ▪ He feels superior to any moral law (HUBRIS) ▪ By committing HUBRIS, the protagonist experiences “the TRAGIC FALL” ▪ The tragic fall is from confidence and happiness to misery.

4. FATE ▪ No matter what he does, the tragic hero protagonist is bound to commit his tragic mistake. ▪ He may try hard not to make the mistake, but will anyway. ▪ The sense of inevitability is what makes the hero so tragic.

5. SUFFERING The protagonist brings intense suffering. On self. On family. On society. On the army. On his men. The suffering will be overkill. It won’t seem to match the mistake.

6. SUDDEN RECOGNITION ▪ The Protagonist will accept his suffering! – Justified – Meaningful ▪ Often only the reader will understand the suffering. – Sometimes the protagonist will not have learned from it

7. BRING ABOUT ORDER Once the protagonist recognizes/understands his suffering, he admits that an external force orders the universe/judges him/punishes him Then, he will seek physical and moral rightness/order

8. TRANSCEND: RISE ABOVE He will now rise above his suffering He is heroic because he deals with his mistake with dignity (FINALLY!) This may include death This will represent that the human experience is not about destiny – the hero is indeed in control.