We have Empathy when we see something of ourselves in the character.
the hero was not perfect
The audience
Catharsis
the hero
The protagonist of a Greek tragedy is typically the main character or hero who drives the action of the play. They often face a tragic flaw or circumstance that leads to their downfall, invoking feelings of pity and fear in the audience.
The hero's tragic flaw, known as hamartia, made them relatable to the audience because it highlighted their human qualities and vulnerabilities. The hero's downfall often resulted from this flaw, evoking sympathy and empathy from the audience as they witnessed the hero's tragic journey.
Catharsis is the renewal of body and spirit. During greek tragedies, the events that take place are very catharsis for the audience.
The requisite messenger-speech traditionally follows important offstage action in Greek tragedy as it was the only way the Greek audience could learn of events considered too gory or beyond the capability of dramatists at the time, such as death
Aeschylus is recognized as the father of Greek tragedy
The term you are referring to is "anagnorisis," which is the moment of sudden understanding or realization that the protagonist has about their own fate or actions in a tragedy. It is a key element in classical Greek tragic plays and is often followed by a moment of catharsis for the character and the audience.
A comic foil
comic foil