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"Tragic hero" is a term which identifies the hero of a tragedy, which tells you absolutely nothing. The concept became really popular in the nineteenth century when Shakespeare's plays were all about the actor-manager, whether Kean, Booth, Irving or whoever. The idea was that the play Hamlet, for example, is about the character Hamlet (played by Kean, Booth or Irving) and the other people in the play don't matter. The person thus singled out to be the "hero" was the one played by the actor-manager. This suited the economics of the time but not really the text of the play.
This idea got a boost from the poetics of Aristotle, who in describing the Greek plays written 1900 years before Shakespeare used the concept of a tragic hero. Shakespeare, on the other hand, did not.
Such critics end up selecting such unlikely characters as Romeo as tragic heroes just to fit their definition.
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Why is Othello a tragic hero?
Because of the way the term "tragic hero" has been treated by AC Bradley and those who followed him, it has almost become a term of art, with an arcane meaning quite divorced from the actual way that Shakespeare's tragedies work. But really a tragic hero is the main character in a play which ends with the destruction of that main character, which usually means his death. If the play is well-written, we feel a sense of regret and sadness that someone for whom we had some sympathy has come to a sticky end. This is certainly the case with Othello.
Is Antigone a tragic hero in 'Oedipus Rex'?
No, Antigone is not a tragic hero in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.). Specifically, the term hero describes the main character who does great deeds or holds great power. That hero does not stay at the top of his game once the unfortunate consequences of his flawed act or character begin to be felt. The two descriptions fit Theban Princess Antigone only in the sense that her life tragically takes an unfortunate turn. But Antigone is a tragic character, not the tragic hero.
Who is the hero in Othello?
The term "hero" is much abused in criticism of Shakespeare's works, and has generated, especially when qualified as a "tragic hero" some pretty strange criteria. But basically, it is like this: there are two main characters in this play, Othello and Iago. At the end of the day, does anyone feel even slightly sorry for Iago? He is a villain and no hero. That leaves only Othello. If tragedy is a sadness for the loss of what might have been, it is Othello's and Desdemona's tragedy--we feel sorry for them because they have lost their love, their marriage, their hopes and their lives. What has Iago lost that is comparable? Nothing. The only people who doubt that Othello can be the hero of this play, if anyone is, are racists and feminists, the former because they refuse to accept a hero who is black and the latter because they refuse to accept a hero who treats his wife like that. For them, I guess the play has no hero.
What makes Oedipus tragic hero?
He fulfilled a prophecy that said he would kill his father and marry his mother, and thus brought disaster on his city and family. This is where the term "Oedipus complex" is coined from - Someone who wants to sleep with their mother.
Is Othello simply too one-dimensional to be considered a great tragic hero?
What a laugh. In that body of criticism which cares about "tragic heroes" and whether particular characters fall into the definition of that term, everyone is always looking for the "tragic flaw" without which, we are told, someone cannot be a tragic hero. Therefore Macbeth is ambitious and Hamlet is "the man who cannot make up his mind". The characters are reduced to this one characteristic, and considered as one-dimensional as possible so they can fit the definition. Basically, "tragic hero" equals "one-dimensional." But anyway, Othello is not as one-dimensional as all that. Yes, as the play unfolds he becomes more and more obsessed with the issue of whether his wife has been unfaithful to him. That's called character development. But right up until the end (well, Desdemona's end) he is struggling with his doubts (which he tells himself are proven) and with the genuine love he so obviously feels for his wife. I'd say that Othello may be not one-dimensional enough to be a tragic hero. If you want a really one-dimensional Shakespearean character, check out Aaron in Titus Andronicus.
What is the term for the tragic heros fatal miscalculation?
The term for a tragic hero's fatal miscalculation is called "hamartia" in Greek tragedy. This flaw or error in judgment leads to the hero's downfall.
Which is the term for tragic hero's fatal miscalculation?
Hamartia
What is the definition of the literary term tragic hero?
A tragic hero is a character in literature who makes a mistake leading to their downfall, often due to a tragic flaw like hubris. They are typically a noble or virtuous character who experiences a reversal of fortune and ultimately faces a tragic fate, evoking catharsis in the audience.
The Greek term for the tragic hero's fatal miscalculation is?
hamartia
What is the term for the mistake in judgment made by the hero in a Greek tragedy?
Hamartia
What is the literary term for the quality within the hero which leads to his downfall?
. . . . . . . . . .A fatal flaw is what the main character has that eventually lets to his/her death. Whether it be vanity, pride, or ignorance, it is usually not a good trait for them to have.- S0L. . . . . . . . . .
The term hamarita refer to?
Hamartia is a fatal flaw This is the leading to the downfall of a tragic hero.
What is a literary term in which the hero is destroyed by some flaw?
Tragic flaw or hamartia is a literary term where the hero's downfall or destruction is caused by a personal characteristic such as pride or greed. This flaw leads to their ultimate downfall in a tragic story.
What term describes the transition of the tragic hero from ignorance to knowledge?
The term that describes the transition of the tragic hero from ignorance to knowledge is "anagnorisis." This is a moment of realization or discovery when the hero gains insight into their true situation, often leading to a moment of self-awareness or revelation.
How are Brutus and Cassius tragic heroes?
For some people the words "tragic hero" are a term of art, fixed in meaning for all time by AC Bradley in 1906. If that is the meaning you are using, you will be trying to find the arcane qualifications of a Shakespearean tragic hero according to this definition, including being a member of the nobility and having a "tragic flaw" which is some characteristic which can be twisted into being described as a defect. Personally, I prefer to adopt a more flexible idea of what tragedy is and what its heroes are like. Essentially, a tragedy is a story where the main characters go from a happy situation to a miserable one in which they probably die. A successful tragedy is one where we genuinely like the main character or characters and are saddened by their unhappy end. Brutus is such a character: he is noble and public-spirited, and his Stoic philosophy is admirable. This to me makes him a tragic hero. Cassius is not as easy to like: he is motivated by envy and is less than honest in his dealings which causes friction between him and the high-minded Brutus.
Why is Othello a tragic hero?
Because of the way the term "tragic hero" has been treated by AC Bradley and those who followed him, it has almost become a term of art, with an arcane meaning quite divorced from the actual way that Shakespeare's tragedies work. But really a tragic hero is the main character in a play which ends with the destruction of that main character, which usually means his death. If the play is well-written, we feel a sense of regret and sadness that someone for whom we had some sympathy has come to a sticky end. This is certainly the case with Othello.
Is Antigone a tragic hero in 'Oedipus Rex'?
No, Antigone is not a tragic hero in "Oedipus Rex" by Sophocles (495 B.C.E. - 405 B.C.E.). Specifically, the term hero describes the main character who does great deeds or holds great power. That hero does not stay at the top of his game once the unfortunate consequences of his flawed act or character begin to be felt. The two descriptions fit Theban Princess Antigone only in the sense that her life tragically takes an unfortunate turn. But Antigone is a tragic character, not the tragic hero.
