This document discusses the characteristics of a tragic hero based on Aristotle's definition and analyzes characters from Hamlet, Dr. Faustus, and Adam. It outlines that a tragic hero must be a noble figure who makes a fatal error and experiences a downfall that arouses pity and fear in the audience. Specifically, it notes that Hamlet suffers from hesitation and hubris, Dr. Faustus's flaw is excessive pride that leads him to sell his soul, and Adam's flaw is excessive love for Eve that causes his fall from Eden.

1. Name :- Parmar Milankumar L.
Roll No. 16
Enrollment no.:- 14101026
Course No. :- 3, Literary Theories And Criticism
Email :- parmarmilan1994@gmail.com
Topic :- Characteristics of Tragic hero with reference to
‘Hamlet’, Dr. Faustus, Adam.
Submitted to:- Dr. D.P.Barad
Department of English
Smt.S.B.Gardi
M.K.B.University

2.  Aristotle(384- 322 BC)
 Greek philosopher
 The characteristic of tragic hero
was laid down by him.
 Today he is known for his two
critical treatise.
 The Poetics
 The Rhetoric

3. Definition of Tragedy
Aristotle’s definition of tragedy
“Tragedy depicts the down fall of basically good
person through some fatal error or misjudgment,
producing suffering and insight on the part of the
protagonist and arousing pity and fear on the part of
audience”
“A man cannot become a hero until he can see the
root of his own downfall.”
-Aristotle

4. Characteristics of tragic Hero
• The chief characteristics of tragic hero
• A good man coming to bad end( Book of Job)
• A bad man – good end (The Moll Flanders)
• A bad man – bad end(moral, but not moving)
• A rather good man- bad end(ideal situation)
(King Lear)

5. • He should be of mixed character.
• Suffers from flaw in his character.
• He must fall from height of prosperity and glory.
• He is man of ordinary weakness that we can
compare ourselves with him.
• Hamartia:- error of judgment(derived from
ignorance of material fact and circumstances),
tragic flaw in character
• realization of his mistake/s
• His falling arouse pity and fear.

6. • He is noble by birth and coming from
royal class- he was prince of Denmark.
• He is not totally good or thoroughly
bad but mixed kind of personality.
• He suffers from his tragic flaw(tragic
flaw), his tragic flaws are, hesitation,
hubris and fate.
• When he says "O wicked spite that
ever I was born to set it right," Hamlet
is acknowledging that he is fated to the
act and tragic

7. • His other "flaw" is hubris, the sin of thinking oneself
godlike.
• Hamlet's 'tragic flaw' of course is 'procrastination‘
• His error of judgment is he killed Polonius by
mistake.
• His Peripeteia (reversal of fortune) starts from that
point.
• He realize his mistake.
• His tragic end arouse pity and fear in us
• Aristotle: "A man cannot become a hero until he
can see the root of his own downfall.“

8. Characteristics of Tragic Hero in ‘Dr.
Faustus’
• He is from high social class
• He suffers from a tragic flaw, excessive
aspiration for knowledge, hubris (self
pride).
• The excessive aspiration of knowledge
and pride make him commit a fatal
mistake. Selling of his soul to Lucifer
• Realization of his mistake.
• In the end he fall, his fall is tragic,
damned in hell forever.

9. Qualities of Tragic Hero in Adam
• He is character of divine birth.
• Created by God.
• Intelligent.
• Tragic flaw, his uxoriousness, excessive
love for Eve.
• His downfall from Eden (heaven) to
earth.

10. ‘Downfall arouses pity or fear’
• In all the tragedy we discussed has a tragic end
• Audience feels pity for hero because flaw is not his
fault, so downfall seems undeserved
• Audience feels fear because they can identify with
hero’s thoughts and actions
• “Wait…this could happen to me!”

11. Thank You