Aristotle defines the tragic hero as “a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his or her own destruction” (Bainbridge Island School District). The development and subsequent destruction of this character involves three distinct stages. Firstly, the fatal flaw, in which the character makes a fatal mistake due to an excessive quality they possess. Secondly, the reversal of fate, in which the character’s fortune is changed due to the fatal mistake. Thirdly, the downfall, in which the character is unjustly destroyed through the fruition of their fatal flaw. This three stage process creates the tragic hero, a character whose ultimate function is to evoke fear and pity in the audience. Through the creation of both
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Jay Gatsby is a poor farmer’s son who wants nothing more than to achieve the American dream of happiness. During a stint as a soldier Gatsby meets a wealthy girl named Daisy and they fall in love, “He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.” (Fitzgerald 119). In kissing Daisy, Gatsby seals his relentless pursuit of the American Dream as Daisy and idealizes her wealth and hedonism. Gatsby is blinded by his hope and does not see that Daisy has corrupted his dream from happiness to wealth, and so he makes his fatal mistake. Similarly, Anakin Skywalker was freed from slavery by the Jedi order and was told that he was “The Chosen One” (Lucas). As Anakin grows older he idealizes the Jedi and their power and believes that as “The Chosen One” (Lucas) he would become the most powerful Jedi in the history of the order. Anakin’s dreams of power are fulfilled through the Jedi as they promise him greatness, but in his pride, believes that he is superior to their teachings and thus has made his fatal misjudgement. Gatsby in his excessive hope and Skywalker in his excessive pride have both made their fatal mistakes and exposed the flaw that will come to destroy
Jay Gatsby is a poor farmer’s son who wants nothing more than to achieve the American dream of happiness. During a stint as a soldier Gatsby meets a wealthy girl named Daisy and they fall in love, “He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.” (Fitzgerald 119). In kissing Daisy, Gatsby seals his relentless pursuit of the American Dream as Daisy and idealizes her wealth and hedonism. Gatsby is blinded by his hope and does not see that Daisy has corrupted his dream from happiness to wealth, and so he makes his fatal mistake. Similarly, Anakin Skywalker was freed from slavery by the Jedi order and was told that he was “The Chosen One” (Lucas). As Anakin grows older he idealizes the Jedi and their power and believes that as “The Chosen One” (Lucas) he would become the most powerful Jedi in the history of the order. Anakin’s dreams of power are fulfilled through the Jedi as they promise him greatness, but in his pride, believes that he is superior to their teachings and thus has made his fatal misjudgement. Gatsby in his excessive hope and Skywalker in his excessive pride have both made their fatal mistakes and exposed the flaw that will come to destroy