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tragic flaw

 
Dictionary: tragic flaw

n.
A flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin or sorrow.


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Literary Dictionary: tragic flaw
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tragic flaw, the defect of character that brings about the protagonist's downfall in a tragedy: Othello's jealousy is a famous example. The idea of the tragic flaw involves a narrowing and personalizing of the broader Greek concept of hamartia (‘error’ or ‘failure’). See also hubris.

WordNet: tragic flaw
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: the character flaw or error of a tragic hero that leads to his downfall
  Synonym: hamartia


 
 

 

Copyrights:

Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.  Read more
Literary Dictionary. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. Copyright © Chris Baldick 2001, 2004. All rights reserved.  Read more
WordNet. WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.  Read more