Hamartia

“In the latter part of the last century there lived a man of science, an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy, who not long before our story opens had made experience of a spiritual affinity more attractive than any chemical one” (Hawthorne 3). This story is “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. The short story is about finding out how to balance Aylmer’s love of science with the love of his life, his wife. Our main character, Aylmer is consumed with the influence of…

are still at odds as to whom the tragic hero could be. Many argue that Antigone is the tragic hero, while many insist that it is Creon. Creon is the tragic hero of Antigone because of his hamartia, his recognition of his mistakes, and his neutrality. According to Aristotle, all tragic heroes must have a hamartia, or a Tragic Flaw. Creon is no different than the rest. His tragic flaw just happens to be hubris. Hubris is the “exaggerated pride or self-confidence.” (Merriam-Webster) This is…

into a war zone, where she decided to get away from Red—even if it meant leaving everyone she loved (“Mr. Soloman”). Liz’s fate is forever changed by Reddington forcing his way into her life, and each time she realized he was the problem, but her hamartia is what stops her from getting rid of…

Is Gloucester’s Demise the Result of Him Being His Own Enemy? The Earl of Gloucester on the play King Lear by William Shakespeare is a nobleman in King Lear’s court, the father of two sons who do not belong to the same mother and a character whose fate matches Lear’s as latter’s daughters Goneril and Reagan resemble Gloucester’s son Edmund. Gloucester plays a critical role in the play as he demonstrates the hardships of living during the 17th century and under the Elizabethan chain of…

According to Aristotle’s definition of tragedy as it is stated by McManus (1999), tragedy is the replica of one’s actions as it is brought in a dramatic way and not narrated. It is also mentioned by him that tragedy is much more profound than history simply because history just state facts or figures of what happened during that time while tragedy exaggerates of what may happen in that certain situation. The aim of tragedy is to consummate its catharsis of such feelings like “Fear” and “Pain”.…

Heroes come in various shapes and forms. Some as strong and powerful as Superman, some who changed and defied society such as Dr. Martin Luther King, and some that only heroes to a few such as a family relative or celebrity. In Sophocles’ Antigone, the debate of who the actual tragic hero is has been discussed for quite some time. It is very unlikely for there to be more than one tragic character in a Greek tragedy. Creon, the other main character in the play has some of the traits that make up…

“There is no happiness where there is no wisdom; no wisdom but in submission to the gods. Big words are always punished, and proud men in old age learn to be wise” (245). In these final words said by the Choragos, he explains an important lesson learned by the tragic hero in the play “Antigone,” written by Sophocles. In this tragic play, Creon, Antigone’s uncle and the new king of Thebes, gives Eteocles a formal burial but forbids one to Polyneices because of his traitorous act against the city.…

there are two stand out characters that change throughout the entire play. In Julius Cesar the audience meets the noble Brutus. In Antigone, the head strong King Creon is introduced. In both of the plays, the two characters are tragic heroes. Their hamartias lead to both of their downfalls and juristically change them and the plot. But, in the end Brutus seems to have come full circle with himself and develop the most between the two of them. Brutus’ character changes from the beginning to the…

Oedipus the King is a tragedy outlining the fall of Oedipus as he discovers his true identity. The drama focuses on his inability to see past his own ignorance, thus leading to disastrous consequences. As outlined in Aristotle’s Poetics, the mark of a good tragedy is represented by an error done by the protagonist. In the play, dramatic irony emphasizes Oedipus’ compulsion for knowledge which is hindered by his own ignorance, thus resulting in his loss of reputation. Throughout the play, Oedipus…

Medea is portrayed as a heroine in Euripides play Medea. In today’s world Medea would hardly be considered a heroine. She may be called evil, cunning, a murderer, or even crazy. However in ancient Greek methodically and literature the hero/heroine normally possessed a sense of being out of the ordinary, had a strong purpose, and did not have to be a particularly good person or the actual hero to make them one. The hero had a tragic flaw. I believe that Medea meets the standards of a heroine in…