Transcript The Tragic Hero

The Tragic Hero
or “Humpty Dumpty” Revisited
Adapted from Sharon Thomason
Classical Definition

The hero must be of a high stature, for example, a
member of royalty … someone in a lofty position.
 The hero must have a TRAGIC FLAW, such as
HUBRIS (too much pride), too much ambition, too
stubborn, too greedy, etc.
 The tragic flaw must cause the hero’s downfall.
It’s his/her OWN FAULT.
 The downfall (destruction) must be complete.
 The audience must learn a lesson from the
hero’s downfall, i.e., “I must be careful not
to be too ____ like the hero was!!!”
“Humpty Dumpty”
Written to teach
English schoolchildren
the meaning of
tragedy, the nursery
rhyme illustrates the
classical definition of
a tragic hero.
 Let’s take a look at
how the familiar old
egg fits the definition!

High Stature; Lofty Position
The hero must be of a
high stature, for
example, a member
of royalty … someone
in a lofty position.
 Let’s see ….
“Humpty Dumpty sat
on a wall.”
 That’s a lofty position
all right!

Tragic Flaw



If YOU were an egg, would
you sit high up on a wall?
No? Why not? Why, you’d
just be ASKING for trouble,
wouldn’t you?
Yet here’s ol’ Humpty, and
look how SMUG he is. He’s
too arrogant to think
anything bad could possibly
happen to HIM.
That’s his TRAGIC FLAW.
He’s WAY too cocky for his
own good!!!
Downfall
“Humpty Dumpty had
a great fall.”
 Well, DUH! Eggs are
rounded on the
bottom; they don’t sit
on anything for long!
 Humpty was so
arrogant (TRAGIC
FLAW) he didn’t think
that could happen to
HIM! It’s HIS OWN
FAULT!!!

Total Destruction
“All the king’s horses
and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty
together again!”
 Of COURSE they
couldn’t! What
happens to an egg
when it hits the
ground? SPLAT!!!!!

Lesson Learned

Ah-ha!!! If I’m ever
an egg, I will NEVER
be ARROGANT
enough to think that I
could sit way up high
on a wall. I’ve
learned from
Humpty’s story that
that’s just ASKING for
trouble!!!
Application to World Lit
Who are the tragic heroes in the
readings we have done? Is it
Han from OTH, one of the
Mirabal sisters, Victor
Frankenstein, The Creature or
Macbeth? Could it be all of the
them / none of them?
 See if each meets all of the
criteria for the classical definition
of a tragic hero.

Ask Yourself….





What is HIS / HER stature or position?
Is he/she a royal figure or high
ranking person?
What is HIS/HER tragic flaw? How do
you know?
Does he/she cause his/her OWN
downfall? How?
Is his/her downfall or destruction
COMPLETE? Why?
Do we learn a lesson from this? What
is the lesson?
Write Your Response





Start with a topic sentence: ___
is/are (a) tragic hero(es) of World
Literature.
Answer each of the five questions
we’ve examined for the
characters you are examining
Provide evidence from the
readings in your argument.
Proofread your writing
CAREFULLY.
Type and turn in to turnitin.com