answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Fintan O'Toole, in his book "Shakespeare is Hard, but so is life" argues persuasively that the notion of the tragic flaw was an invention of Victorian English literary critics in order to try to extract a trite moral lesson from the tragedies of Shakespeare (and indeed of anyone). The idea that the tragic consequences in a play might derive from the malevolent intent of some other one of the characters or the misfortunes of chance ran contrary to their preconceived notion of what literature must be. If bad things happen to someone, it must be their own fault.

This thinking is flawed and is indeed ridiculous. To suggest that Othello's tragedy is about some fault in Othello and not Iago's malevolence is nonsense.

However, this mode of thinking has tragically become a staple of school curriculums and is still being talked about by school teachers who are, indeed, some people who have tragic flaws, by teaching a tragically flawed view of tragedy.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: What are some people who had tragic flaws?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Continue Learning about Performing Arts

What are some Julius Caesar's tragic flaws?

over confidence, obesity , femininity


Which is the best example of a tragic impulse from Shakespeare and The Tragedy of Macbeth?

It really depends on whether you believe that people have "tragic flaws" (Shakespeare didn't), and if you do, what Macbeth's tragic flaw was. If you think his tragic flaw was giving in too easily to his wife, then his wife talking him into the murder in Act 1 Scene 7 is probably it. If you think his flaw is that he's too ruddy violent, possibly this became apparent when he split the fellow from the nave to the chops.


What words best describe Macbeth tragic flaws that brought riun on Macbeth and lady Macbeth?

ambition and overconfidence


Who is the person has some sort of tragic flaw that brings his or her downfall?

Tragic Hero


What are Brutus' flaws?

He was a good man. He was compassionate, and did not want to cause unnecessary death. He was altruistic and was more concerned for the well-being of his country than for increasing his own power. If these are flaws, then Jesus had the same flaws.When you look at it this way, there is a lot to be said for the idea that there is no such thing as a "tragic flaw". Bad things don't happen to people in tragedies because they are flawed, or not in good tragedies anyway. Bad things happen to them because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Being "the noblest Roman of them all" would normally have made Brutus a hero, as it made his ancestor a hero. But he lived at a time when he was surrounded by cynical, two-faced, devious, grasping and selfish people like Cassius and Antony, and his tragic virtues (they are not flaws) were out of place.

Related questions

What are some Julius Caesar's tragic flaws?

over confidence, obesity , femininity


What is Perseus tragic flaws?

His Pride.


What are brutus's tragic flaws?

idealism- he trusts too much


Hamartia in English literature?

The tragic flaws of a hero in a tragedy.


What were the topics of the greek poetry and plays?

Tragic heros and their flaws in which lead to their demise.


What does Aristotle say a hero's downfall is?

Aristotle believed that a hero's downfall is often caused by their tragic flaw, or "hamartia," which is a personal characteristic like excessive pride or ambition that leads to their own destruction. This flaw is typically compounded by a series of bad decisions or errors in judgment, ultimately leading to the hero's tragic fate.


What was one of Dorothy Gale's tragic flaws?

One of Dorothy Gale's tragic flaws in "The Wizard of Oz" is her naivety and willingness to trust strangers easily, which leads her to be easily manipulated by others. This flaw causes her to be taken advantage of by the Wicked Witch of the West and other characters throughout her journey.


Why did some people consider Whitney Houston's life tragic?

becasue she was to much like her mommy and he mommy was also tragic


What was Martin Luther King J tragic flaws?

He wasn't aggresive enough. You can be aggresive without taking it to the extreme.


Do you have any information about the tragic hero of the Wild Duck?

Yes, the tragic hero of Henrik Ibsen's play "The Wild Duck" is Gregers Werle. He is a well-intentioned but misguided character who seeks to expose and fix the flaws he sees in other people's lives, ultimately leading to tragic consequences. Gregers' desire for truth and idealism blinds him to the complexities and realities of human relationships, driving the play's action towards its tragic conclusion.


What could be george and lennies tragic flaws?

George's tragic flaw could be his impulsiveness and lack of foresight, which sometimes leads to making poor decisions. Lennie's tragic flaw could be his inability to control his immense physical strength, resulting in unintentional harm to others.


A tragic hero who dies in the end is the main character in a?

A tragedy is the form of play in which the main character dies as a tragic hero. A tragedy always includes death and destruction in its content. Heroes are tragic, because they die or are destroyed. They all have fatal flaws that contribute to their deaths or destruction.