1. Name:- sejal r parmar
Course:- M.A sem-1
Batch:- 2018/20
Enrollment no:- 2069108420190033
Emil id:- sejalparmar095@gmal.com
Paper no:-3 Literary Theory and Criticism
Topic:- Hamartia
Submitted by:-MKBU Department of English
Hamartia
Hamartia article is about classical Greek term. For the medical
term, see Hamartia ( medical term ). For the albumby
November doom, see Hamartia ( album ).
“Tragic flaw” redirects here. For the wider concept, see
tragedy. The term Hamartia derives from the Greek, from
Hamartanein,which means “to miss the mark” or “to err”. It is
most often associated with Greek tragedy, although it is used in
Christian theology.
Hamartia as it pertains to dramatic literature was first used by
Aristotle in his poetics. In tragedy, Hamartia is commonly
2. understood to refer to the protagonist’serror or tragic flaw
that leadsto a chain of plot actionsculminatingin a reversal of
their good fortune to bad.
What qualifiesas the error or flaw can includean error
resulting from ignorance, an error of judgment, a flaw in
character, or a wrongdoing. The spectrum of meaning has
invited debate among critics and scholars and different
interpretationsamong dramatists.
Literary devices
Definitionand example of literary terms
Hamartia definition
Hamartia is a personal error in a protagonist’spersonality,
which brings about his tragic downfallin a tragedy . this defect
in a hero’s personalityis also known as s “tragic flaw.”
Aristotle used the word in his poetics, where it is taken as a
mistake error in judgment. The term envelops wrongdoing,
which may be accidentalor deliberate.One of the classic
Hamartia examples is where a hero wants to achieve something
but ,while doing so, he commits an intentional oraccidental
error, and he ends up achievingexactly the opposite with
disastrous results. Such a downfall is often marked by a reversal
3. of fortune. Hamartia is the fatal flaw in a protagonist or hero
that leadsto this character’s downfall.Aristotle first used the
term Hamartia in hisessay poetics, the first known treatise on
literary theory. Aristotle described the function of Hamartia in
Greek tragedy as that aspect of the protagonist, or perhaps an
errors that the protagonist makes, that sets into motion a chain
of unavoidableevents change the protagonist’sfortune from
good to bad. The Hamartia can be anything from an error in
judgment to an errors made out of ignorance to a character
flaw to a sin. The definitionof Hamartia can also be expanded
to refer to something that at first seems like the best part of a
character, but which , in excess, leadsto the flaw. We will see
examples of this with OedipusRex and Romeo Juliet. The word
Hamartia comes from the Greek word Hamartaneinwhich
means “ to fail one’s purpose” or “to err,” originally,“to miss
the mark.”
Hamartia and hubris
a typical example of Hamartia in tragedies is hubris, which is
excessive pride and ego in a hero’s character. This often
ultimatelybrings about his tragic downfall.In Greek tragedies,
the hubristic actions of a hero in a powerful position causes his
shame and humiliation.
4. Examples of Hamartia in literature
Example # 1: Oedipus( by Sophocles )
Oedipus, a famous Greek tragedy , is a perfect example of
Hamartia, in which the primary character’s downfall is caused
by unintentionalwrongdoings. His hubris leadshim to defy the
prophecy gods, but he ends up doing what he feared the most.
In the story, the oracle of Delphitold Oedipusthat he would kill
his father and marry his mother. To avoid this, he leaves the
city of Corinth, and headstowards Thebes. On his way, he killed
an old man in a feud. Later, he married the queen of Thebes
when he was made king of the city, after he saved the city from
a deadlysphinx. He committed all these sins in complete
ignorance, but he deserved punishmentbecause of attempting
to rebel against his fate. His reversal of fortune is caused by his
actions, which are in a sense blasphemous.
Example # 2: hamlet ( by WilliamShakespeare )
Prince hamlet’s tragic flaw, in Shakespeare’splay hamlet ,
determines his tragic downfall. Hamlet’s Hamartia is his
indecisiveness. He cannot make up his mind about the
dilemmashe confronts. He reveals his state of mind in the
following lines from act 3, scene a of the play :
“ to be , or not to be – that is the question:
5. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep …”
Hamlet wants to kill his father’s murderer ,Claudius,but instead
ruins his life by delayingaction, as he looks for proof to justify
the act. In the process, he spoils his relationshipwith his
mother, and sends Opheliainto such a state of depression that
she commits suicide. This indecisiongot almost everyone killed
at the end of the play. He killed Claudiusby assuming fake
madness because of his indecisivenessin action so that he will
not be asked for any justification.
Example # 3 :doctor Faustus ( by Christopher Marlowe)
Among the Hamartia example in literature, one of the best can
be found in Christopher Marlowe’s doctor Faustus. The tragic
flaw of Faustus was his ambitionsnature. despite being a
respected scholar, he sold his soul to Lucifer by singing a
contract, with his blood, for achieving ultimate power and
limitlesspleasure in this world.
He learns the art of black magic and defiies Christianity. We see
a tragic conflict where Faustus thinks about repenting, but it is
all too late. Finally,the devilstakes his soul away to hell and he
suffers eternal damnationbecause of over – ambition.
6. Example # 4 : Frankenstein ( by Mary Shelley )
Victor, in Mary Shelley’snovel Frankenstein , is another
character whose downfall is caused by a tragic error. His hubris,
or extreme pride and arrogance, decides his fate in the
narrative. He strives to become unparalleledscientist, and
creates a monster that ultimatelybecomes the cause of his
disaster.
Functionof Hamartia
Hamartia imparts a sense of pity and fear in the audience,or
the readers. The audience identifies with the tragic hero as, like
them, his character is a mixture of good and bad qualities. They
feel pity for the reversal of fortune that he undergoes. Similarly,
by witnessing a tragic hero suffer due to his own flaw, the
audienceor the readers may fear the same fate could behalf
they if they indulge in similar kindsof action.
Therefore, Hamartia may be employed for a moral purpose, to
encourage peopleto improve their characters by removing the
fleas that can cause a tragedy in their lives.
Common examples of Hamartia
The concept of Hamartia is familiarin regular life, as the
downfall of nationaland international heroescomes to light.
Many politiciansand sports stars especiallyare susceptible to
7. this kind of downfall , as peopleput so much hope in them and
thus their descents are all the more public, and dramatic .
Significanceof Hamartia in literature
While Hamartia was first appliedto characters in greek
tragedies , it is relevant to and present in famous characters
throughout the history of literature . most writing teacher
advise that a hero with no flaws is, actually, quire a boring
character and unworthy of being written about. it is indeed
more difficult for the reader to relate to a protagonist with no
flaws, because that simply isn’t realistic or common in ordinary
life. The presence of a flaw of error in the main character
makes the fate of that character unavoidable,but also that
much more tragic. When the character cannot blame anyone
outside outside of him – or herself, we as the audiencefeel
much more pity and the process of catharsis can proceed.
Example :- 1
Oedipus: blind,
Lost in the night, endless night that nursed you!
You can’t hurt me or anyone else who sees the light –
You can never touch me.
Tiresias : true, it it not your fate to fall at my hands. Apollo is
quite enough,
8. And he will take some painsto work this out.
Oedipus:creon ! is this conspiracy his or yours?
Tiresias: creon is not your downfall, no, you are your own.
Oedipusthe king is one of the primary character that come to
mind when taking about hamartia examples. Oedipusa
expresses acertain hubrisabout his own intelligence and
decision – making that ,taken too far, lead to his downfall.
Oedipuswas made a fatel mistake in his understandingof vital
information – he kill own father and marries his mother out of
ignorance. He hasset a curse on the man who killshis father,
nt knowing that it is who has done so. The blindprophet,
tiresias, makes Oedipusaware of his tragic error and asserts
that it is Oedipushimself who leadsto his own downfall.
