Hamlet’s tragic flaw was him waiting too long to kill Claudius and in doing so, everyone died including Hamlet. Oedipus’s tragic flaw, on the other hand, was his excessive pride. His ego got too large when he solved the riddle and didn’t believe his fate. As Bowra says, “For though Oedipus’ mistake in killing his father leads to other disasters, it is itself fore-ordained by the gods. The tragic career of Oedipus does not begin with it.
In all Greek tragedies, and other tragedies the main character ends up dying. There are three characters that could qualify as the tragic hero in Antigone, but I believe that one of the three characters is more worthy of the title. The three characters that I believe could be the tragic hero in the play Antigone are Antigone, Polynices, or Creon. Creon could be the tragic hero in Antigone because just like Antigone he also has a tragic flaw. Creon’s tragic flaw is that he is arrogant, and does not like to listen to other people’s opinion.
Some of the characteristics of a tragic hero include greatness, a weakness or a flaw, an undeserved fate, and a punishment exceeding the deed committed. Jay Gatsby encompasses all of these characteristics as a tragic hero. The most tragic of the three protagonists studied is Jay Gatsby because all he wanted was to be loved by Daisy, although, there were few who actually liked him, and his fate was ill timed and one his actions were not deserving of. There are many characteristics that identify Jay Gatsby as a tragic hero. Some of the characteristics of a tragic hero include greatness, a weakness or a flaw, an undeserved fate, and a punishment exceeding the deed committed.
Ambition, moral weakness and selective perception, would be the major flaws of our character, Macbeth. These flaws eventually lead to his death in the long run. Macbeth began in a high position and throughout the play, there were losses caused by his own weaknesses in personality. There is pre-evidence of Macbeth’s inborn ambition in the beginning of the play in the fact that he has a future of position as the Thane of Glaims. However, further evidence of this trait comes in his reaction to the prophecies of the three witches, in which many others would have avoided because of their obvious affiliation with evil.
In Arthur Miller’s more complex world, a more complex tragic hero is needed. Indeed, a more complex hero is needed because Arthur Miller is also telling of his own tragic struggle through John Proctor. Aristotle gives four basic characteristics of a tragic hero: nobleness of birth, a tragic flaw, the hero’s downfall, and the anagnorisis, or the realization by the protagonist that his downfall was his own doing. There are other accepted requirements as well, such as the hero suffering more than he
Oedipus Rex as a Tragic Hero One may think that they have it rough. Little do they know that one’s problems can seem so small compared to someone as significant as a tragic hero. Oedipus had to go through a lot and contradict himself and judge himself, then come to accept himself to become the hero we know him as today. Oedipus Rex is a person of great promise, ability and integrity, which makes his a tragic hero. He shows this by being proactive in moving away from his father Polybus, a Dorian, and his mother Merope, of Corinth.
Change in Pride, Change of Side “The truest characters of ignorance are vanity and pride and arrogance.” --Samuel Butler. Even Samuel Butler can recognize the fatal flaws that plague King Creon while he himself cannot comprehend them. According to Butler, Creon is a true character of ignorance for possessing all of these traits, but not recognizing them throughout the course of his entire life. In Antigone, Sophocles projects King Creon as a tragic hero who is cursed with the tragic flaws of hubris and ignorance and illustrates the recognition of his pride. In his rule over Thebes and ideals of a King, Creon suffers from the incessant flaws of arrogance and pride.
Alex Carney Julius Caesar Jacobs - 2nd Period April 15th, 2011 Ambition Many times in Shakespeare's “Tragedy of Julius Caesar,” Julius Caesar is accused of being ambitious. In fact, it is even the stated reason for his death. Among different interpretations, it is debatable whether or not this is a legitimate accusation. As a leader, Caesar had to do what was right for the good of Rome; however, the conspirators saw his leadership as tyranny. Ambition is used with an extremely negative connotation in Shakespeare's writing, but today, ambition is seen as a good trait for a hardworking person.
With the death of Macbeth, William Shakespeare shows an insight of a perfect example of a classic tragic hero. Despite bending a few rules, Shakespeare illustrates that if a character is not held by fate, causes their own downfalls and realizing it was their own fault, they are what many call a tragic hero. Being a tragic hero isn’t limited to just stories or plays, but can be applied in the real world as well. Richard Nixon was thought to be a great man, but after following the same road Macbeth had taken, they both found themselves destroyed by guilt, and are now considered, “Tragic
Macbeth is a Tragic Hero A tragic hero must be a great personality with a flaw in character that leads to his downfall at the end of the tragedy. Macbeth’s flaw is his "vaulted ambition." He is also a villain in the case that he is emerged in the blood of Banquo and Macduff's family. But Macbeth ends up as a tragic hero. Shakespeare developed Macbeth's role through three stages.