Tragic Hero by Aristotle || Poetics by Aristotle | Tragic Hero Definition, Examples, Characteristics

Aristotle, the great Greek philosopher and critic wrote ‘Poetics’ (335 BC) where he has discussed his own concept of tragedy in detail. Here, he has expressed his views on an Ideal Tragic Hero.

A tragic hero, according to Aristotle, is a character who is neither completely good nor completely evil but rather a complex mixture of both. He is of noble birth and has a tragic flaw, which ultimately leads to his downfall. Some other characteristics of a tragic hero include:

1. Goodness: Aristotelian tragic hero is generally a good person, with virtues and moral values.

2. High Social Status: The tragic hero is usually of noble birth or has a high social standing.

3. Tragic Flaw (Hamartia): The tragic hero has a flaw in his character that ultimately leads to his downfall. This could be something like pride, ambition, or greed.

4. Reversal of Fortune (Peripeteia): The tragic hero experiences a reversal of fortune, going from prosperity to disaster, from happiness to suffering.

5. Realization of Error (Anagnorisis): The tragic hero recognizes his error or mistake and repents for his mistakes at the end.

6. Suffering: The tragic hero suffers greatly as a result of his flaw and the reversal of fortune.

 Example:

 One example of a tragic hero is Oedipus from the Greek play ‘Oedipus Rex’ (420-430 BC) written by Sophocles.

 Oedipus is a noble and good person, but he has a tragic flaw of pride and a desire for the truth. This leads him to try to uncover the mystery of who killed the previous king, only to discover that he himself was the killer. This revelation leads to his downfall and suffering.

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