Oedipus' tragic flaw that leads to his downfall is his pride and excessive determination. Throughout the play, Oedipus relentlessly seeks to uncover the
truth about who murdered King Laius, demonstrating his strong will. However, his determination and refusal to accept what the prophet reveals
prevents him from realizing the truth about his own past. Oedipus' flaw of pride and desire to control his own fate ultimately makes him unable to
prevent the prophecy from being fulfilled.
General Principles of Intellectual Property: Concepts of Intellectual Proper...
Examples Of Tragic Flaws In Antigone
1. Examples Of Tragic Flaws In Antigone
The Ultimate Flaw As defined by Aristotle a tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to their own
destruction. They are born into nobility and have a fate of their own. One also looks at the background information that influences the character to be a
tragic hero. In order to be a tragic character a character has to have certain characteristics. In the novel Antigone, the character Antigone meets all these
characteristics making her a tragic character. In the play, Antigone is born into nobility and is portrayed as a happy character. Starting the play,
Antigone was not mad at Creon for he hadn't made the Edict yet. Her nobility is made known in background information such as the fact that her father
is Oedipus. It is also mentioned in the play when she states "Ismene, dear sister, you would think that we had already suffered enough for the curse on
Oedipus..." Showing that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In Antigones case, her tragic flaw is pride. This is shown various times throughout the play. For instance, she says that "Creon is not strong enough
to stand in my [her] way." She says this when talking about going against the kings, Creon, wishes and bury her bother. She also says,"All these
men here would praise me were their lips not frozen shut with fear of you." Saying such things is a very daring act considering that he is the King
and has anger issues. Lastly, Antigone recognizes her tragic flaw. In scene four she proclaims "To me, since it was my hand that washed and clean
and poured the ritual wine: and my reward it's dead before my time." This quote shows how she not only realizes that it was her own doing that
caused her demise but also takes responsibility for it. However, once Antigone realizes her flaw it is too late. Creon had already sentenced her and by
the time he changed his mind she had already killed herself. Antigone lost everything because of her
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2. The Tragic Flaws Of Oedipus The King
An individual's strengths can eventually become their greatest weaknesses. Their strongest traits can turn into their tragic flaws. A tragic flaw is a
trait viewed as being favorable to a character at first, but it leads to their later downfall. It was often used in ancient Greek tragedies to show that
mankind was susceptible to flaw. This was present inSophocles 's tragedy, Oedipus the King. The protagonist of the tragedy, Oedipus, was not exempt
from his own flaws. Oedipus's traits of excessive pride and desire for knowing the truth were advantageous to him in the beginning, yet were the very
things that contributed to his tragic downfall.
Oedipus possesses an excessive amount of pride, or known to Greeks as hubris. This was necessary ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Creon advises Oedipus to enlist the help of the blind prophet Tiresias to solve the mystery. When he demands the answer as to who the murderer
was,Tiresias told Oedipus that he, was the "defiler of this land,"(30). Essentially, Tiresias was telling Oedipus that he was the unclean thing the oracle
referrers to that needs to be driven out of the land. Angered, outraged, and confused, Oedipus could not accept this truth of hearing he was the
murderer, and further insulted the blind prophet. Similarly, Oedipus's pride falsely leads him to think that he could escape his fate that he was told
about in the prophecy. While in Corinth, Oedipus went to a shrine of Apollo, where he was told a prophecy in which he would murder his father,
marry his mother, and have unnatural children. "The oracle of Phoebus Apollo said that I/ Must kill my father, lie with my mother. /This drove me out
of Corinth. I regret nothing – /I have married happily, raised a family, known the sweetness of power" (61). Oedipus believes that since he escaped
from his "parents" in Corinth, he escaped his fate and could no longer fulfill the prophecy. Because he did not believe in oracles, nor know Jocasta
was his mother, nor know Laius was his father, he was certain at this point that he indeed was not king Laius's murderer, despite Tiresias's words. As
the tragedy unfolds, it shows further evidence that he had fulfilled the prophecy. Oedipus's pride, which was once seen as favorable to him, destroys
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3. The Tragic Flaw Of Sophocles ' Antigone
Learning how to improve from one's failures and being able to repent for them is a crucial characteristic of Greek tragedies. The idea of hamartia or
tragic flaw is a predominant motif that can be seen throughout many works from the Ancient Greek time period. Hamartia means to "miss the mark"
(Merriam–Webster) and is often what leads to the demise of the tragic hero. In the play Antigone by Sophocles, this proves to be true (comma or this
idea proves to be true) as the tragic flaw of hubris leads to the downfall of two central characters. Hubris is known as a sense of great pride and
through Antigone, Creon and Antigone are shown to be strong–willed characters that both–though in different ways–suffer from hubris. Sophocles is
able to clearly illustrate how pride, though sometimes constructive, can lead to an individual's undoing in excessive amounts. Evidence of this is shown
through the events leading up to Antigone's death and when Creon reaches an epiphany about his wrong–doings.
In comparison to her sister, Ismene, Antigone shows great pride for what she believes to be correct. This trait is depicted in Antigone's attempt to
honour her late brother and the gods by burying her brother's body, in accordance with divine law. The following validates that Antigone is
determined and willing to stand up for what she believes in. Antigone is aware of "how heavy the hand of God is" (Sophocles 126) and thinks that
adhering to divine law will result in "happiness" (128) even if
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4. Oedipus Tragic Flaw Analysis
Oedipus, the main character of Sophocles' play, Oedipus Rex, has a tragic flaw that leads to his downfall. A tragic flaw is defined as "an otherwise
good trait that turns destructive when taken to an extreme" (Stary). In a tragedy one can see the suffering of the main character, which is evident in
Oedipus' case. Oedipus' tragic flaw is his determination, when he intensely seeks to find Laios' murderer, forces the unwilling blind prophet Teiresias to
reveal the truth, and when he stopped at nothing to prevent the prophecy from becoming true. The first occurrence of Oedipus' determination is when
he seeks out Laios' murderer. In the prologue Oedipus exclaims, "Then once more I must bring what is dark to light. It is most fitting that ... Show more
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The blind prophet gives Oedipus a taste of his own medicine and leaks that he is in fact figuratively more blind than Teiresias. The truth is right in
front of his eyes and yet Oedipus does not believe it, instead allows his own determination to stand in the way by avoiding the facts. Throughout the
entire story Oedipus' tragic flaw that would otherwise be a positive trait becomes negative when he stops at nothing to prevent the prophecy from
becoming true. The plethora of examples of Oedipus attempting to prevent the prophecy from becoming true is dramatically ironic, the entire
audience can see the truth is right in front of his face however, his determination that was established and known to everyone, prevents him from
completing his own mission every time. If Oedipus was not determined to prevent the prophecy, he would not have fulfilled it. Additionally, he was
doomed to fulfill the prophecy because he believed he could avoid it. Nevertheless, his fate was sealed by his actions of determination. Oedipus
reveals his determination when he interrogates Creon, calls for Teiresias, threatens to banish Creon and Teiresias, calls for the servant who escaped the
attack on Laios, calls for the shepherd who brought him to Corinth, and demands to be exiled. Throughout all of his actions he goes in with a certain
intent that causes rash decisions to be made and divulges his most substantial flaw which is determination. Oedipus'
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5. Oedipus Tragic Flaw
One of the greatest and most important tragic themes in Greek tragedy is known as hamartia; a personal blunder or unsettled personality trait that the
protagonist possesses, that eventually leads to his ruin or death. This personality defect, also known as 'tragic flaw" is uniquely present in all of the
following texts: "The Raven", "The Elephant Vanishes", "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings", Metamorphosis, and "Ozymandias". In each of the
stories, the main character possesses a unique tragic flaw that he cannot control or overcome which ultimately leads to his own downfall or demise.
In the play, "Oedipus Rex" the protagonist, Oedipus, has his own unique tragic flaw of blindness to the truth, which ultimately brings upon his own
demise. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the story, an angel came down to Pelayo and Elisindas house. Once Pelayo and Elisinda find the man, they decide to put him into a chicken coop,
instead of helping the angel, taking care of him, bringing him into their own home, and feeding him. To them the angel was different, and "had an
unbearable smell of the outdoors, and the back side of his wings was strewn with parasites and his main feathers had been mistreated by terrestrial
winds, and nothing about him measured up to the proud dignity of angels" (Marquez, 205). This ultimately led to the angel leaving the farm, causing
Pelayo and Elisinda to loose their business, and
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6. Macbeth's Tragic Flaws
In every tragic story, the hero suffers from a single flaw which tends to bring the fall of his or her power. This specific flaw is called a hamartia, and
most commonly it's a case of hubris, an unhealthy amount of pride. In other cases, such as Shakespeare's Macbeth, the tragic hero suffers from a
dangerous ambition which brings along the consequence of ruthlessness amongst many. The hamartia, in most cases, is an abundant amount of
something generally good. It's a great thing to be confident and ambitious, in moderation. But, what about outside the world of tragic literature? Not
only heroes suffer from hamartias, so what is the common man's tragic flaw? What causes us to fall? No single human is without a flaw, and some are
more commonly found amongst the... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
What qualifies as a sin also varies depending on a person but I believe most people can agree on a few –– jealousy, hatred, evil, greed, and forms of
prejudice such as sexism, racism, homophobia etc. Sure, these are rather self–explanatory wrongs. Returning to the concept of excess goods, some of
the most amazing characteristics a person can possess are humility. Though it may be a contradicting statement, I would describe myself as a humble
person. I'd like to think of possessing these qualities as admirable but the truth is –– it's simply too much! If I truly were to appreciate myself more, I
would most definitely find a few good qualities but instead a case of exaggerated humility which doubles as ignorance runs my mind. It's one thing to
deny you're a genius and blush whenever someone makes a remark about your logic, but it's another thing to wallow in doubt and dissatisfaction. I've
been called intelligent and wise and over–achieving by many people I've met, but no matter what statistics are in front of me, I always feel below
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7. Hamlet's Tragic Flaws
"A tragic hero is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction" (bisd303.org). The judgement errors
that tragic heroes face are due to their own tragic flaw. Hamlet, from the Shakespearean play "Hamlet", is one of many tragic heroes who must bear
their flaws until they meet their noble death. Before his imminent downfall, Hamlet is approached by the ghost of his father, Hamlet Sr. This ghost
explains to him that he was murdered by the king and that Hamlet must avenge him. Beginning his quest to kill the king, Hamlet begins to question
who he can trust and if it is better to die than to live. The tragic flaws of paranoia, and selfishness lead to his own tragic death. The first flaw the reader
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Hamlet used Ophelia to get to Polonius, as a way to mess with him and make people think that he had gone insane. He treated her like dirt, a whore
that he never loved (Despite at the end of the play, when he claims he loved Ophelia more than Laertes, her brother, ever could). Essentially, Hamlet
abused her to get to her father, without caring how it would directly affect Ophelia. He didn't care how his actions affected anyone else but himself. To
add to Ophelia's abuse, Hamlet, during an argument with his mother, stabs Polonius. Afterwards, showing no remorse, he rehearses: Thou wretched,
rash, intruding fool, farewell./I took thee for thy better. Take thy fortune./Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger (III.iv.32
–34). He shows no
remorse for the murder of Polonius, and even less for how he killed the father of Ophelia, the girl he claims to love. This selfish act of murder, which
was done impulsively without thought, would end up causing Hamlet's unfortunate end. If he hadn't of murdered Polonius, then Laertes wouldn't have
wanted revenge for the death of his father. If not for the murder, Hamlet would probably still be alive. The impact of Polonius' death was greater on
Ophelia than on her brother. After Hamlet was sent to England, Ophelia was left alone without a father and confused from the actions of Hamlet. While
Hamlet was only acting crazy, acting selfishly
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8. Oedipus Tragic Flaw Essay
The characteristic of the tragic flaw has not only lead to the hero's demise, nevertheless may also persuade the reader to sympathize with the
character. Consequently, it follows that in Oedipus the King, a Greek tragedy, the tragic hero Oedipus should have some sort of flaw. So, the
question is does Oedipus really have a tragic flaw? The answer is yes. The Oedipus tragic flaw is pride and rage which remain Oedipus from
obtaining his true fatal fate.
 What caused the tragic flaw because, he could not accept the predictions about his life. Oedipus can't admit that he
killed the king, his own father, Laius. Oedipus does not get that the stranger, he once killed was his father, and that he married his own mother Jocasta.
Also, Oedipus announces to the Theban people, that if any man confesses, he will be banished, however, he will be punished as... Show more content on
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If anyone facilitated the killer that knows who killed Laius, he should come forward. Oedipus did not want to accept or admit his actions, so he would
not be punished.
 Aristotle claims that the tragedy "is brought about not by vice or depravity" you cannot help but think about the character that
Oedipus portraits. Oedipus impatience and displeasure at just everything and anything, and for a minute the reader questions whether he was a
gracious person or someone who was completely driven by anger. However, all those thoughts are retracted as the reader looks deeper into Oedipus.
Oedipus was intelligent and powerful for the people of his kingdom when he ruled, and he was always kind to them. Although, Oedipus was not
perfect, but actually no one is. When the reader analyzes the concept of all judgment and insecurities about Oedipus, his integrity as a person
disappear. When Oedipus walks right before the king, which resulted in death. Oedipus was not thinking to himself, " let me kill the next man who
angers me" he did so with incentive. Oedipus was just going by his day until he encountered the king and was aggravated
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9. Hamlets Tragic Flaw Essay
Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw It is better not to put off till tomorrow what you can do today. Many consequences can arise when one procrastinates. An
example of this is found in Shakespeare’s Hamlet through the depiction of the central character. Although Hamlet is characterized as daring,
brave, loyal, and intelligent, he is overwhelmed by his own conscience. The tragic hero is defined as one whose downfall is brought about due to their
tragic flaw. Hamlet’s inability to act on his father’s murder, his mother’s marriage, and his uncle assuming of the thrown are all
evidence of his tragic flaw of procrastination. “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” demands the ghost in (Act I, Scene ...
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While Hamlet is suppressing his feelings, he becomes more enraged at their attempts to calm him. Gertrude is also aware of Hamlet’s feelings
for Ophelia and uses this as an excuse for Hamlet’s actions. Hamlet has ample time to confess the cause of his madness. Unfortunately,
Hamlet allows his mother to think he is madly in love rather than tell the truth. After Hamlet delivers his play and sees guilt in his uncle, Gertrude
sends for Hamlet. Instead of doing physical damage to his mother, he insist on her confession. If not for Hamlet’s procrastination, her
confession could have taken place earlier in the play. This could save him from a great deal of pain and leave his thoughts for other problems.
Hamlet’s biggest obstacle in avenging his father’s murder is Claudius being crowned king. With Claudius being in such a powerful
position, Hamlet has to be cautious in his actions. Hamlet not only has to kill his father’s murderer, but the king as well. The church was
against the wedding from the start and would side with Hamlet. Instead of Hamlet denouncing his mother’s wedding and the crowning of his
uncle, he is silent. During the play, Claudius shouts "Give me some light. Away" and Hamlet was sure of his uncle’s guilt (Act III, Scene 2,
Line 152). This was the perfect time for Hamlet to face Claudius. The king was in a venerable state and could have been easily dethroned.
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10. Essay on Othello's Tragic Flaw
Of Shakespeare's five greatest tragedies, Othello is by far the most passionate and gripping. It is a tale of love, deception, evil, honesty, and virtue.
Othello himself is set apart from other Shakespearean tragic heroes by the absolute feeling of affection the audience feels for him even unto the very
end of the play. Any discerning reader painfully recognizes the virtue and goodness ofOthello throughout the entire play, in contrast to the general
degeneration of character so typical of a tragic hero. It is this complete pity that makes the death of Othello so tragic as the audience lends their full
hopeful support until the inevitable and unavoidable fall. The evil side of Othello's tragic flaw came from without, in the form of ... Show more content
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Iago is a creature of a most deceptive and evil nature. He manipulates and controls the direction and outcomes of the entire plot until the revelation
of his wicked plan to all at the very end. By putting on an act of honesty and earning the trust of those around him, he holds their fates in his hands.
No less is true of Othello. Iago spends the course of the play developing an honorable reputation with him so that he might plant seeds of suspicion,
doubt, and jealousy in the heart of Othello. The audience cannot blame him for his trust in Iago for, "His opinion of Iago was the opinion of
practically everyone who knew him: and that opinion was that Iago was before all things 'honest'." (Bradley) Othello, in his afore mentioned
quality of judiciousness, seeks proof out of Iago and questions him again and again. He wants to be certain of truth before taking rash action. Iago,
in his brilliant ability to control others, is able to give Othello false and deadly proof in the form of deceived confessions from Cassio and by
planting the infamous handkerchief into his hands. Othello has more reason to put faith in a proven friend whom he knows well, than in his newly
wed bride. In spite of the complete mental breakdown we see in Othello as he is convinced of Desdemona's unfaithfulness and Cassio's disrespect, we
get a sense that by the end, Othello has his emotions
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11. Othello's Tragic Flaw
Shakespeare is very well known for his inclusion of tragic flaws throughout the storylines of his novels. Hero's, as courageous as they may seem, are
just like any other person and go through flaws throughout their lifetime regardless of the extent of their situation. In Shakespeare's novel Othello, with
all the events twisting the readers mind from one side to another, there are many distinct qualities that portray Othello's tragic flaw. Iago was portrayed
as an honest character but with his careful deceptions jabbing in Othello's mind, he is far from honest. Othello's tragic flaw is that he trusts others
opinions more than his own perceptions and Shakespeare develops this flaw by using convincing persuasive appeals and strong syntax throughout ...
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Shakespeare portrays Iago using ethos to persuade Othello that his wife has been cheating on him and states, "Men should be what they seem, or those
that be not, would they might seem not" (3.3 126–127). Iago ironically states that people should look the same on the outside as on the inside and they
shouldn't be twofaced. Iago cleverly knows that once an idea has been put into Othello's head no matter what Iago says, Othello will follow that idea
and be effortlessly manipulated by Iago. Iago proceeds to use the appeal of pathos in his words when he appeals to Othello's emotions and provoked
him. When Othello thinks that Cassio has Desdemona's handkerchief Iago does his best to convince Othello that it is nothing but the truth and Iago
states, "If it be that, or any that was hers, It speaks against her with the other proofs"(3.3 500–501). Othello maddened by Iagos words ragingly
responds, "Oh, I'd kill that bastard Cassio forty thousand times if I could! Killing him once is not enough revenge. Now I see it's true..."(3.3 502–504).
Iago knows exactly how to appeal to Othello and push his buttons for him to think the exact way Iago wishes him to. When Iago puts the handkerchief
by Cassio, he changes the scenario into proof that Desdemona was cheating on Othello and ruins their
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12. Othello's Tragic Flaw Essay
In many stories there is a hero who is called upon to solve problems and be an important figure throughout the story. In some stories, known as
tragedies, this hero has a flaw in his character that ends up causing the tragedy. This fatal flaw is foreshadowed throughout the story and comes out at
or near the end. Othello by William Shakespeare is no different. Othello, the main character, has a fatal flaw that ends up killing him at the end of the
story.
Othello is a tragic play written by William Shakespeare. This play is a story about how race and jealousey can interfere with a relationship. The
protagonist of the story, Othello, has one fatal flaw. This fatal flaw is that Othello is too trusting. He believes every thing that the antagonist,... Show
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This causes iago to become envious of newly appointed general Cassio and angry at the man in charge, Othello. His envy gets him and Cassio
into a lot of trouble with othello but his anger gets othello and his trusting nature into more trouble than Othello couldve imagined. Othello is
tipped off by iago that desdamona is cheating on him. Othello then believes him and then threatens iago with his life. He says "Villain, be sure
thou prove my love a whore, Be sure of it. Give me the ocular proof, Or by the worth of mine eternal soul, Thou hadst been better have been born a
dog, Than answer my waked wrath!". This quote shows where othello starts to become crazy trying to figure out if Desdamona is cheating on him.
In the next few lines he goes on to explain how iago is torturing him with this claim. Iago deceives othello many more times throughout the play. One
specific time is when he tells Roderigo to get Cassio drunk and fight him. When Cassio becomes belliegerent and starts to fight Roderigo, othello
soon hears of this and comes to stop the chaos. When he asks Iago what happened and what he thinks of cassio he says that Cassio has one vice and
that vice is alcohol. Iago knows that
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13. Okonkwo's Tragic Flaw
Things Fall Apart Paper Aristotle's description of a tragic hero is one who is confident, successful, and who also attains a tragic flaw (Bloom 18). The
term "tragic hero" can be used to depict characters from various pieces of literature including Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe,
along with Gregor in The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. The tragic flaws the characters Okonkwo and Gregor endure have a great influence on their
lives. The influence of the author's lives is also reflected throughout their novels. In both The Metamorphosis and Things Fall Apart, the authors convey
the experience from their own lives to demonstrate the inevitable downfalls through the main characters tragic flaws. In The Metamorphosis, the author
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In The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka uses Gregor to mediate his relationship with his father and previous life experiences. Kafka's father had no
empathy for his creative side causing Franz to follow his father's expectations of him to have a prosperous career (Nervi). His father's expectations
led to him having a dull career working at insurance companies, where he overworked and received numerous promotions, however took away
time from his writing (Nervi). At these insurance companies, Kafka worked during much of his free time although he differed from Gregor due to
his lovely relationship with his spouse along with his enjoyment in theater and writing. Like Gregor, Kafka lost his ability to provide for his family
and write when he was diagnosed with tuberculosis, which could be considered his very own "metamorphosis." Achebe's purpose for most of his
novels including Things Fall Apart was to give opposing views of African stereotypes (Brucker). Achebe said his main purpose was to educate the
world that "African peoples did not hear of culture for the first time from Europeans; that their societies were not mindless . . . , that they had poetry
and, above all, they had dignity" (Achebe). Achebe used Okonkwo to show that the Igbo culture was not truly what the European stereotypes made it
out to be, but was an independent organized civilization. Overall, the
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14. Tragic Flaws In Oedipus The King
An individual's strengths can eventually become their greatest weaknesses. A tragic flaw is a trait viewed as being favorable to a character at first,
but it leads to their later downfall. It was often used in ancient Greek tragedies to show that mankind was susceptible to flaw. This was present in
Sophocles's tragedy, Oedipus the King. The protagonist of the tragedy,Oedipus, was not exempt from his own flaws. Oedipus's traits of excessive
pride and desire for knowing the truth were advantageous to him at first, yet were the very things that contributed to his tragic downfall. Oedipus
possessed an excessive amount of pride, otherwise known to the Greeks as hubris. This was necessary for upholding the position of a king, but
also caused him to believe that he could alter his fate. Initially, pride was beneficial to Oedipus. According to Tiresias, his "pride lay in solving
them"(35).Pride gave Oedipus the confidence to solve the riddle and defeat the sphinx. Tiresias's remark,however,was ironic, because he was
mocking Oedipus's so called "best trait",which ended up being his flaw of pride. Because Oedipus solved the riddle and freed the Thebans from the
Sphinx,he was rewarded with the throne and widowed queen, Jocasta. While ruling as king, there was a terrible plague cast upon Thebes. According to
the prophecy given to Creon,Oedipus's brother in–law, it was the cause of the presence of an "unclean thing".This unclean thing that was spoken of was
the murder of the preceding
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15. Hamlet Tragic Flaw
When the revival of the arts and literature occurred throughout Europe in between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, the theater became prevalent
in society. This time period is commonly known as the Renaissance, which is the French word for rebirth. Prior to the Renaissance, much of the plays
were religious and didactic; however, as older models given by Seneca and Plautus resurfaced, playwrights began to develop what is known as
Elizabethan Drama. This term primarily originates from the time period in which Elizabeth I reigned England (1533–1603). Plays that were written
during this age were performed primarily for entertainment rather than for teaching morality. The queen's desire to be entertained, along with her love
for the ancient... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It surfaces when Hamlet encounters the Ghost and learns that Claudius killed his father. This tragedy leads Hamlet to want to avenge his father's death;
however, his indecisiveness and hesitation prevent him from doing so. This causes a downward spiral of a variety of events to occur as of result.
Shakespeare implements Hamlet's struggle to follow through with his plans to show the audience how one should accomplish the goals that one sets
forth to avoid such circumstances from arising. Hamlet's tragic flaw is apparent in his famous soliloquy in which he asks his famous rhetorical
question: "To be, or not to be" (III.i.56). His inability to seek vengeance results from over analyzing whether or not he is making the right decision.
Hamlet remarks, "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all" (III.i.83). This describes how questioning one's actions will prevent one from
executing his plans. Shakespeare includes this in the tragedy to depict how it is important to be inclined to take action; hesitation results from
meditating, which Shakespeare portrays as negative in order to convince members of the audience to change their tenancies to be
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16. Don John's Tragic Flaws
The definition of a tragic flaw is, "a personality trait that ultimately leads to a character's own downfall." Much Ado About Nothing clearly displays to
the reader that Don John's actions coming from his tragic flaws negatively affect him along with others around him. He is extremely jealous of the
success in Don Pedro and Claudio's lives, and is attempting to ruin Claudio and Hero's happiness in their upcoming marriage. In the book, Much Ado
About Nothing by William Shakespeare, Don John appears to be the character who is the most tragically flawed by being jealous and deceiving.
Don John's tragic flaw, jealousy, affects him and others around him as well. He had successfully fulfilled his plan to ruin the wedding. The fact that he
dilapidated
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17. Okonkwo Tragic Flaw Analysis
The Warrior's Tragic Flaw
The novel "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe follows the classic model of a tragedy. Where a man of the name Okonkwo spent his life trying
not to follow in his father Unoka footsteps. He had one fatal flaw, he was haunted by the ghost his cowardly father. But will hiding who he really is
lead to the fall of his facade? This fear of weakness and failure has come from his father and is the reasoning for many things he does in his life. His
father, Unoka, was not a strong higher figure, like Okonkwo. Unoka died, leaving many villagers he knew with unsettled debts. In this story, Okonkwo
is thought of as a tragic hero. His course of action, led by a tragic flaw, being afraid to appear anything like his father, is... Show more content on
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Okonkwo's stubborn ambition, to be the most strong and powerful at all times, is what leads him to his downfall. He focuses solely on being the
best and getting ahead of everyone else. Because of this, he disregards others aspects in life. When Ogbuefi, one of Okonkwo's greatest friends,
express his thought of disapproval on the killing of Ikemefuna, yet Okonkwo neglects to listen to his advice. This quote from the passage shows what
Okonkwo will do to because of his ambition; "Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak." (7.27–28). His
longing, to be powerful and seen as strong gets the best of him, and he murders Ikemefuna out of the fear of seeming weak to others around him.
This is when things happen to take a turn for the worst for Okonkwo. If he had not be obsessed in remaining on top, then perhaps Okonkwo would
have not kill Ikemefuna. But at the end, Okonkwo's ambitions led to the destruction of his ownself. Okonkwo's Prejudice and Ambitions had lead to
him living in fear and making rash decisions because of it. Okonkwo always fear of being weak. This fear cause him to make decisions, like the
killing of Ikemefuna. He loved and cared for Ikemefuna but yet he stilled killed him. This quotes shows how much Okonkwo cared about Ikemefuna;
"Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna. He drank palm–wine from morning till night, and his eyes were red and
fierce like the
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18. Oedipus Tragic Flaw Essay
What is a tragic flaw? Western religion tries to answer this with the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, wrath, sloth, greed, envy, and pride. However,
all of these traits can be found in everyone to a certain degree. So does Oedipus poses a tragic flaw? Certainly, in a catholic point of view, but does
it cause Oedipus' demise? In the case of Oedipus his downfall was brought not only by his flaw but by the flaws of others. From examining the
work as a whole it is clear that Oedipus' tragic flaw helps the audience connect to Oedipus and brings forth the theme "The limits of free will."
Throughout the playwright Oedipus displays two tragic flaws, wrath and pride. The most prominent of which is pride. This is shown when Oedipus
speaks with Tiresias and boasts how he was the one who saved the city from the Sphinx. The other flaw wrath is displayed when he kills the group
of travelers, who turned out to be Laius his blood father and his servants, that were harassing him. In addition, wrath is displayed again in unison with
pride when Oedipus threaten to kill Creon for conspiring against him. As a result of these flaws Oedipus ends up fulfilling the prophecy given to him
by the oracle at delphi. This effectively argues that Oedipus could have avoided his... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Surely, Oedipus himself right? Maybe, but in reality his foster parents had a greater impact in the downfall of Oedipus. Oedipus like any other human
fell subject to his emotions and the only way to avoid such a reaction one needs to use reason to analyze the situation; however, when Oedipus needed
knowledge most he was ignorant because his parents refrained from telling him the truth about his conception. Oedipus' foster parents can be said to
have displayed sloth as their flaw since they kept putting aside the task of telling Oedipus the truth. As a result, Oedipus ended up acting rashly which
ultimately leads to his
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19. Othello's Tragic Flaws
Othello's tragic flaws Rodrigo Diaz 5/13/14 William Shakespeare wrote many plays in the 1600's, lots of them were tragedies. William
Shakespeare's plays often had the downfall of a hero in it. In the play Othello: the tragic hero, Othello who is a larger than life character has earned a
high rank in life as well as the military. He is a much respected man even though he is black. And has married a white woman named Desdemona. But
when he makes the decision to make Casio Lieutenant instead of Iago, Iago makes a plan to destroy Othello's life completely. Iago convinces Othello
that Desdemona is not being faithful and is cheating on him with Casio, which eventually leads to Othello's and Desdemona's demise. This is mostly
due to Othello's character flaws and not as much as the outside forces. If Othello didn't have poor judgment and wasn't so angry, jealous and
suspicious of others betraying him he would have talked to Desdemona first rather than jumping straight to conclusions like he did. In the play, Othello
is a larger than life character. He is a well–respected general in the army and had earned himself a high place in society. He was known throughout
Venice. He is also noble and virtuous. He seems like the perfect character, but he is not. A big flaw of Othello's may be even his biggest flaw, is how
much trust he puts in Iago. He trusts him so much throughout the play Iago seems honest and often scared to tell Othello bad news. When the whole
time Iago is
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20. Examples Of Tragic Flaw In Hamlet
Hamlet Essay Paper A fatal flaw refers to the key element in the precipitous decline of a plan or person. It is an event that could cause an unexpected
problem and prevent an opportunity from accomplishing its goals and objectives. Fatal flaws can be associated with assumptions which are difficult to
establish. In literature, fatal flaw is associated with a protagonist who has a serious character flaw which leads to their downfall. (Evans, 158). In the
play Hamlet, Hamlet's tragic flaw is his heart. He is a very clever person because he would make devious plans on finding out if King Claudius
murdered his father or not. He becomes hesitant in carrying out revenge on King Claudius because Hamlet lacks willpower and passion. His
incapability to act is indeed the tragic flaw. He had an opportunity to kill King Claudius when praying in his chamber but he made excuses as to why
he could not destroy him. This indecisiveness leads to his downfall. He again is sent to England by Claudius where he goes through many ordeals
before his flaws lead to Claudius, Gertrude and his death. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hamlet's procrastination brings in him a building anger that leads to Polonius killing. It outlines why inability to perform is the tragic flaw of character.
First, Hamlet's procrastination leads to premature deaths of some characters throughout. In a different scene Hamlet hears noises from behind curtains.
He immediately thought it was Claudius who was spying, Hamlet passed the sword through the curtains and stabbed Polonius who falls and dies.
Hamlet's procrastination leads to this because his emotions were built up so when he hears slightest things that might be Claudius he violently reacts
which is not a good thing because Polonius death leads to two different events that eventually cause other characters to die. (Kliman,
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21. Tragic Flaws Of King Lear
American journalist and historian Herbert Agar once said that "the truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth men prefer not to hear" this
statement rings true in William Shakespeare's tragic play king Lear. In King Lear there is an abundance of tragic flaws that characters face from a
narcissistic King Lear who disowns his daughter. Gloucester, a disloyal father who makes fun of his illegitimate son for the bad choices he has made.
Finally, Edmund, the illegitimate son who schemes to get more from life. The fatal flaws of the characters in king Lear make them unable to see the
truth and result in their ultimate demise king Lear himself has many fatal flaws that, throughout the play, lead him to his death. Firstly, being a king,
and living as one for quite a while, Lear has become accustomed to being given everything he wants. When Lear asks his daughters to tell him "Which
of you shall we say doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend" (1.1.52–53). King Lear wants to know which of his daughters loves
him most, so he can determine who to give the largest portion of his lands too. What he does not understand is that due to his own Narcissism
Goneril and Regan know that to get the most of his land all they need to do is flatter Lear and tell him that they love him more than anything in the
world. Lear's narcissistic nature leads to his downfall because he does not care what they say as long as it inflates his own ego. This quote is proof of the
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22. Caesar's Tragic Flaw
Why stab your friend in the back metaphorically, when you can actually just stab them 33 times and blame it on justice? Aristotle defines a tragic
hero as the downfall of a basically good person through some fatal error or misjudgment, producing suffering and insight on the part of the
protagonist and the arousing pity and fear on the part of the audience. Caesar's tragic flaw is a result of his personal error, and his downfall ensues
because of it. His destruction is for a greater cause and he displays a high title. In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, Caesar exhibits
the traits of a tragic hero, including nobility, a tragic flaw, a reversal of fortune, self–awareness of this flaw, and the evoke of pity from the audience. ...
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This repetitive flaw leads to his downfall. If he were to listen to the numerous warnings given to him, he would have avoided his assassination.
Caesar's wife insists on him staying home from work on March 15th but his arrogance gets the best of him. When he decides to go to work
regardless of Calphurnia's pleas he decrees, "Caesar shall forth. The things that threatened me/ Ne'er looked but on my back; when they shall see
/ The face of Caesar, they are vanished" (Shakespeare 796). He is confident that the omens and warnings that have been threatening will not
continue once they actually see Caesar. Along with this, he believes that he is even more menacing than the things that are out to kill him that
day. He says, "Danger knows full well/ That Caesar is more dangerous than he./ We are two lions in one day,/ And I the elder and more terrible"
(Shakespeare 798). This is the egotism that leads to his ruin. Caesar is also strongly influenced by other people. He does not want anyone thinking
that he is weak or intimidated by anything. Once Decius goes to his house to persuade him into going to work Decius states, " If Caesar hide
himself, shall they not whisper/ 'Lo Caesar is afraid'(Shakespeare 800). Because of this, Caesar decides that it would be foolish to listen to his wife's
fears, and continues on to work. Pride is Caesar's hamartia, which leads to his
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23. Hamlet's Tragic Flaws
The literary definition of a "tragic hero" is the main protagonist in a story or play that has a fatal flaw that leads to their demise. Shakespeare is
especially known for his tragic plays like Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet. Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is about the king of Denmark being murdered
and his son seeking revenge for his father's death. Hamlet sees his father's ghost and discovers who the killer is and then Hamlet begins on his
journey to gain revenge for his father's death. Although Shakespeare's tragic play Hamlet was based on Hamlet and his tragic flaw of hesitation it
could also be based on Claudius, Polonius, Laertes and their tragic flaws.
To begin, Claudius has a couple of character flaws like lustfulness and greed that start the play's chain of tragic events. His lustfulness is apparent in, I,
v, 42 when the ghost of King Hamlet tells Hamlet about Claudius' lustfulness "Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast." This lustfulness of Claudius
led him to murder his brother, King Hamlet, and marry his former sister–in–law. Claudius' other tragic flaw is greed. ... Show more content on
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Laertes' two major tragic flaws are that he is very emotional and impulsive. In IIII,v,115–120 Laertes says, " That drop of blood that's calm proclaims
me bastard, cries "Cuckold!" to my father, brands the "harlot" even here between the chaste unsmirched of my true mother." The quote from Hamlet
shows how Laertes is acting impulsively because of his father's death and charges into the kingdom without thinking of the consequences. In
IIII,vii.127 Laertes agrees to Claudius' plan to gain revenge on Hamlet by having Laertes fence Hamlet with a poisoned and sharpened blade and if that
doesn't work they will have Hamlet drink poison without him knowing it. Laertes is very emotional and isn't thinking straight which allows Claudius to
manipulate him into killing Hamlet so no one will find out about how Claudius killed Hamlet's
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24. Biff Loman's Tragic Flaw
One quality of a tragic hero is his or her flaw. The tragic flaw is the fatal error or misjudgment that results in the downfall of the tragic hero, an
otherwise noble person. The flaw is always partly the hero's fault and most of the time, it is the result of his or her overconfidence or self–pride. The
purpose of the tragic hero's fall is to instigate the downfall of the hero that will then result in a beneficial aftermath such as an increase of
self–awareness and/or self–knowledge. A song that captures the tragic flaw of Biff Loman, the tragic hero from Death of a Salesman, is "Great
Pretender" by Queen. "Great Pretender" tells a tale of the lying narrator who lies so well that he or she can make other people perceive him or her
differently from the narrator's true form. "I seem to be what I'm not." The lyrics tell the audience that the great pretender is living a superficial life
because he or she desires security, even if it is false. "Pretending I'm doing well." "Just laughing and gay like a clown." The great pretender's habit of ...
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Dinah Washington's song talks of a day when she does not have to prove her value to other people because she knows she is doing the best of her
ability. "The day is gonna come when I don't have to prove my worth." "Forgetting the bad and doing good." "A Stranger on this Earth" relates to
Biff's reversal because he is in the process of cutting his habit of lying to become a good honest man. He has seen the negative effects of living in a
life surrounded by lies and he hopes to find a way out of it. In the requiem of the play, Biff tells Happy, "I know who I am, kid". Biff meant that he
has found himself and will not be going on the same path as Happy, who plans on finishing Willy's dream of being a popular salesman. Instead of
teaming with Happy, Biff will find his own road to venture to seek for his
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26. Oedipus Tragic Flaw
Tragedy as told by Aristotle is an imitation of an action that is admirable, complete ( composed of an introduction, a middle part and an ending), and
possesses magnitude. A tragedy is effective through pity and fear, the actual purification of such emotions. Tragedy is the branch of drama explained
in a dignified style such as the sorrowful or terrible events encountered or caused by a heroic individual. Oedipus the King is not a tragedy. Oedipus
doesn't hold the qualities of a tragedy, his story isn't relatable, his actions aren't admirable, and it isn't 'complete'. Although the story does boost
through pity and fear and the events that led up to Oedipus' downfall it lacks tragic flaw. Oedipus has hubris, would could be his tragic flaw, but it
wouldn't classify as having enough magnitude to put his story on the map of being ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Though some of his actions today's audience might find hard to stomach down.. In the beginning of the play, when the people of Thebes are
suffering, Oedipus makes it clear that the pain felt by his people is also felt by himself, and that he will do anything to make them happy again..
Oedipus was willing to help his people, rather than turn his back to them. It bothers him to know that Laius' murderer hasn't been caught all these
years; indeed, it is the fact that justice has not been served in this matter which springs him into action. A strong commitment to justice reflects a
belief in the moral structure of right and wrong. Oedipus could be considered a tragedy because he has hubris that is his pride makes him blind to
the truth. He refuses to listen to Tiresias, who says that Oedipus was the one who killed his father, Laius. He is tragic because he struggles against
the forces of his fate and pity of the prophecy due to his weakness, which puts fear in the audience. Thus, he is an perfect example of a tragic hero for
causing his own downfall, falling from his own grounds and facing undeserved
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27. Tragic Flaws In Julius Caesar
"And Brutus is an honorable man" (3.2.95). Brutus was loyal and kind to his dear friend, Caesar. However once the conspiracy arose, situations began
to change for dear Brutus. His love for his country simply outgrew the love he felt for Caesar. Brutus decided to join the conspiracy and their quest to
take Caesar's life. After they completed this bloodthirsty quest, tension rose in Rome. Mark Antony wanted revenge on the conspirators for killing his
dearest friend and so he set out to do just that. Brutus and Cassius fled Rome to eventually return to Philippi where a battle between armies would
take place. At the town of Philippi, lives were lost and tragic flaws took place. Brutus' desire for dignity led to his poor decision making and his tragic
death within William Shakespeare's art The Tragedy ofJulius Caesar, which makes Brutus the character who suffered from a tragic flaw. Brutus'
aspiration for dignity led to poor decision making. One time that showed his poor decision making was at Caesar's funeral in front of the city of
Rome. He introduces why the conspirators killed Caesar and attempts to persuade them. Brutus states, "Brutus rose against Caesar/ Not that I loved
Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" (3.2.22–23). Brutus' justification for the betrayal of Julius Caesar was that his love for Rome overpowered his
love for his friend. However, his reasons for wanting Caesar's death was pure. Brutus believed that the people of Rome fancied the loss of Caesar. He
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28. Tragic Flaws Of Oedipus Rex
Tragic Flaws of Oedipus Rex
The ancient Greek's culture was greatly influence by their belief in in many gods. They believed that the gods would guide them and that everyone
was destined to live out their fates. In the case of Oedipus Rex Fate drove him into a downfall. Oedipus Rex is a part of the great Sophoclean play,
written by Sophocles. Sophocles' write this story to portray a tragic hero, using character flaws to explain his downfall. Oedipus is a perfect tragic hero
because his whirlwind of a life force the audience to admire him in the beginning of the story as a privilege young man and also pity him as he falls
into a crushing downfall. Sophocles intentionally gave Oedipus certain flaws because he intended his downfall. His tragic flaws, pride, persistence, and
ignorance lead to his fate.
Sight is a very important motif in this play. Oedipus is unable to see his fate clearly because he is blinded by his tragic flaws. Sophocles really
drilled the motif of sight vs. blindness into the fabric of this play. The first sight of this motif is at the beginning of the play when the prophet
Teiresias graces the stage. Teiresias is blind, but he can see Oedipus 's past, present, and future and the pain it will cause. Even though Oedipus 's
eyes are fine, he is blinded to his fate because of pure ignorance. Oedipus's ignorance on this key matter which is purely ironic because he was famous
for his keen insight, after solving the riddle of the Sphinx. As a matter of fact
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29. Antigone Tragic Flaw Analysis
Antigone by Sophocles tells the story of a powerful, independent women who fights for what she believes in. While trying to spread the word about
the burial of her brother, she overcomes many obstacles. During these difficulties, she begins to show a side of her that had not shown before––
arrogance. Antigone's tragic flaw, pride, causes her to show egocentrism and challenge those higher up than her which eventually leads to her self
destruction. Antigone's attitude can be described as self– centered and narcissistic. After she decided to break the law and bury the traitor, her brother,
she shows herself standing up for their traditions and her own beliefs. Antigone then starts acting up after Creon explains to her that what she did was
wrong. This is a cause that will later lead to her self destruction. "Dear god, shout it from the rooftops. I'll hate you all the more for silence– tell the
world!" (Ln100). This quote shows that Antigone wants to be the center of attention and sadly without it she feels lonely. Antigone is proud of her
sacrifice and wants everyone to know that she is proud of what she did. Antigone's Flaw is an article written by Patricia Lines, in the article Antigone
is described as "someone who has a single mission which excludes all else. She is also fully self–centered"(Lines). Antigone is a very unrestrained
women and therefore does not think about how her actions can affect her friends and family and the many others around her. Because of this, it
causes her to lose the support she once had from the people she needed it from most. Since she loses this necessary support, it is a major cause of her
eventual suicide. In a situation such as suicide, support from others is crucial as well as listening to them and their own side of the situation. Antigone
does not accept the concept of listening to authority and being disciplined by others. Her beliefs are that God will guide her in the right direction and
place her where he thinks is best. Creon, another prideful character, attempts to put Antigone in her place , but she immediately fights back and insults
him. "It wasn't Zeus who made this proclamation... Nor did I think your edict had such force that you, a mere mortal, could override
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30. Tragic Flaws in Antigone Essay
One of the greatest Greek plays is Antigone. Antigone is a tragic Sophoclean play, which portray two great examples for a tragic hero. I believe
Creon and Antigone, the main characters of the play to be tragic heroes. A tragic hero is a character who is known for being dignified and has a
flaw that assists to his or her downfall. Both Creon and Antigone are dignified and flawed in their own ways, having a similar tragic flaw. Antigone
is very proud, liker her father Oedipus, who also happens to be a tragic hero; I guess it runs in the family. Pride ends up being their downfall.
Antigone promises her brother, before he is killed, that she will give him a proper Theban burial, but Creon the King decreed that anyone who buries
him will... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Third it shows she is arrogant in the fact that she tells her sister who won't help her, "Oh tell it! Tell everyone! Think how they'll hate you when it
all comes out, if they learn you knew about it all the time. Later on however, nearing her downfall she does not change her views or aspects at all,
retaining who she was at the start of the play. She still believes the gods to be above the laws of mankind, "You will remember what things I suffer,
and at what man's hands, because I would not transgress the laws of heaven." She also saves her pride and arrogance as the Choragos remarks,
"Like father, like daughter: both headstrong, deaf to reason! She has never learned to yield." She had many chances to prevent her demise but her
pride stood in the way. Through the progression of scenes leading to her tragic 'fall', she is every bit of the woman she was at the beginning. Creon
starts off in the play as the king of Thebes, which I found ironic because in Oedipus King he pretty much said he would never want to be king because
there is too much
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31. Oedipus Tragic Flaw
The question is does Oedipus have a tragic flaw? The answer is yes. His tragic flaw is pride and anger which keeps Oedipus from accepting his true
fatal fate. His tragic flaw is what caused his downfall because he can't accept the predictions about his life. He can't admit that he killed the king, his
own father, Laius. He does not get that the stranger he once killed was his father and that he married his own mother.
When Aristotle argues that tragic "is brought about not by vice or depravity" you can't help but to think aboutOedipus and his character. His
impatience, his displeasure at just everything and anything, and for a minute you question whether he was a good person or someone who was
completely driven by anger. But then all of those
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32. The Tragic Flaw Of Oedipus The King
The Unfortunate Fate of a Tragic Flaw
An individual's strengths can eventually become their greatest weaknesses. A tragic flaw is a trait viewed as being favorable to a character at first,
but it leads to their later downfall. It was often used in ancient Greek tragedies to show that mankind was susceptible to flaw. This was present in
Sophocles 's tragedy, Oedipus the King. The protagonist of the tragedy,Oedipus, was not exempt from his own flaws. Oedipus's traits of excessive pride
and desire for knowing the truth were advantageous to him in the beginning, yet were the very things that contributed to his tragic downfall.
Oedipus possessed an excessive amount of pride, otherwise known to the Greeks as hubris. This was necessary for ... Show more content on
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When demanded the answer as to who the murderer was,Tiresias told Oedipus that he, was the "defiler of this land,"(30).Essentially, Tiresias was
telling Oedipus that he was the unclean that needed to be driven out of the land. Angered, outraged, and confused, Oedipus could not accept this truth
of hearing he was the murderer, and further insulted the blind prophet.Similarly, Oedipus's pride falsely led him to think that he could escape his fate
that he was told about in the prophecy. While in Corinth, Oedipus went to a shrine of Apollo, where he was told a prophecy in which he would marry
his mother, have unnatural children, and murder his father. "The oracle of Phoebus Apollo said that I/ Must kill my father, lie with my mother. /This
drove me out of Corinth. I regret nothing – /I have married happily, raised a family, known the sweetness of power" (61). Oedipus believed that since
he escaped his "parents" from Corinth, he escaped his fate and was free of murdering his father and marrying his mother. Because he did not believe
in oracles nor know Laius was his father, he was certain at this point that he indeed was not king Laius's murderer, despite Tiresias's words. As the
tragedy unfolded, it showed further evidence that he had fulfilled the prophecy. Oedipus's pride, which was once seen as favorable to him, destroyed
him in the end.
A need for knowing the truth was considered noble and
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33. Okonkwo Tragic Flaw Analysis
The Warrior's Tragic Flaw
The novel "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe follows the classic model of a tragedy. Where a man of the name Okonkwo spent his life trying
not to follow in his father Unoka footsteps. He had one fatal flaw, he was haunted by the ghost his cowardly father. But will hiding who he really is
lead to the fall of his facade? This fear of weakness and failure has come from his father and is the reason for many things he does in his life. His
father, Unoka, was not a strong higher figure, like Okonkwo. Unoka died, leaving many villagers he knew with unsettled debts. In this story, Okonkwo
is thought of as a tragic hero. His course of action, led by a tragic flaw, being afraid to appear anything like his father, is what brought him to his demise.
One of the most evident traits that Okonkwo possesses is his prejudice towards the people around him. In the book Okonkwo states how he
wished that his daughter Ezinma was a boy. Okonkwo also mentions if she were a boy he would be so much happier, and how she has the right
spirit. He says that his children do not resemble him, and that he is worried about his son Nwoye."If I had a son like him I should be happy. I am
worried about Nwoye. A bowl of pounded yams can throw him in a wrestling match. His two younger brothers are more promising. But I can tell you,
Obierika, that my children do not resemble me. If Ezinma had been a boy I would have been happier. She has the right spirit." (Achebe 8,17) In this text
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34. Okonkwo's Tragic Flaw Essay
A tragic flaw is a trait a character can have that will eventually lead to their horrendous downfall. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe,
the tragic flaw of the protagonist, Okonkwo, was the fear of weakness and failure. Okonkwo's downfall was caused by his father's failure, fear of
showing affection to his family, and his lack of development in seven years. Unoka, Okonkwo's father, was the reason for his tragic flaws. Unoka
was irresponsible and lazy, the opposite of Okonkwo's ideal image of a father and a man. Okonkwo" had no patience with unsuccessful men", and " no
patience with his father" (4). He saw his father "the grown–up" as "a failure" (5). Unoka inspired Okonkwo to be the opposite of what he was. He
strove to be nothing like Unoko, sparking his fear of weakness and failure. He did not only want to be the opposite of his father, he did not like other
men with similar qualities to Unoka. Okonkwo often turned to violence when dealing with the men he saw as weak. His impulses to harm the weak
eventually get back at him when he killed the court messenger in front of his clan, and they turned their backs on him.... Show more content on
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Ikemefuna was a boy sacrificed to Okonkwo's village, Umuofia, in order to prevent war. Ikemefuna lived with Okonkwo and his family for three
years. Okonkwo would "never" show "any emotion openly" towards Ikemefuna, "unless it" was "the emotion of anger; showing "affection was a
sign of" being weak (28). When the oracle tells Okonkwo that Ikemefuna should be killed, wanted nothing to do with the murder. Okonkwo had
duped the boy into thinking that he was going home. On the way to Ikemefuna's home, Okonkwo decided to kill him "afraid of being thought" of as
"weak" (61). The guilt from killing Ikemefuna left Okonkwo with sleepless nights. His guilt and fear of weakness eat away at him because he killed
someone that he loved like a
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35. Examples Of Tragic Flaws In Macbeth
In William Shakespeare's tragic play Macbeth, Macbeth is a tragic hero. His tragic flaws contribute to the changes he makes during the play. Lady
Macbeth, the Witches, and Macbeth himself are influences to his decisions in the play.
Macbeth was very considerate in what life had given him, but then three witches told him he would be king if he killed three certain people. He
became ambitious and followed the plan of the witches, which lead to destructing himself. " He won't catch a wink of sleep, either at night or during
the day. He will live as a cursed man." ( Macbeth pg.11). For example in this quote the witches tell him that if he does not do what they say then he
will be restless, and damned. Another example is " I have never seen a day that was so good and bad at the sametime"(Macbeth pg.13). Which this
explains how Macbeth was astonished of the news that he could be king, and bad because he had to kill people to become king. Finally the witches say
" All hail, Macbeth the future king"(Macbeth pg.15) to puch Macbeth to the idea that he was already king to them. All he had to do was kill the three
people to receive the title of becoming king. This is when Lady Macbeth influenced Macbeth during the play due to his ambition taking over. Lady
Macbeth influenced Macbeth during the play to change from a good man into a tragic hero by making him kill people, and by saying things to him that
he could not comprehend in his right mind. For example, " We can't think that way
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36. Okonkwo Tragic Flaw
A tragic hero, by definition is a successful or powerful character that is destined for failure or suffering. The term tragic hero was explained by
Aristotle as a change of fortune from good to bad. Instead of the reader's emotions coming from the hero's success or becoming a better person it
comes from seeing the hero experience undeserved misfortune due to a judgemental error. Tragic heros normally have a fatal flaw that brings them to
make bad decisions leading to the downfall of the character. In the novel Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe develops the character of Okonkwo
through creating a tragic flaw which is his fear of weakness and failure, which renders him unable to fit in with an ever changing society which leads
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Okonkwo needed that structure in his life because he had built all of his goals around this structure. When Umuofia began to change, as any society
would, Okonkwo was not able to adjust his methods of self–evaluation or the way he functioned to fit in with the changing society. When Okonkwo
was younger, his father couldn't always provide food for his family which created an insecurity that Okonkwo had to fill by beginning to farm his
own yams at a young age. The admiration Okonkwo received for being self reliant at such a young age gave him a sense of security and boosted his
self–confidence. In Okonkwo's mind he linked respect and security together and came to the realization that if he was accepted in the community then
he would receive respect and be considered successful. Although this could never happen because when the white missionaries came, they mixed
everything up in the society and Okonkwo was not able to keep
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37. Claudio's Tragic Flaws
" A Hamartia or Tragic Flaw as it pertains to dramatic literature is commonly understood to refer to the protagonist's error or tragic flaw that leads to
a chain of plot actions culminating in a reversal of their good fortune to bad. It was used by many prominent writers in the past such Aristotle and
Shakespeare. One of William shakespeare brilliant plays was "Much Ado About Nothing," And while none of his characters had a flaw that led to their
down fall,( the play was a comedy) the character closest to having a tragic flaw is Count Claudio. His flaws of being to quick to accept and him
letting his insecurities blind him almost derailed this happy ending. The first signs of Claudio's tragic flaw appears even before the play starts. On ...
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Instead of further questioning Don Jon or even confronting Prince Pedro to get to the bottom of the situation, he enters into a depressed rant, crying
about how he can not compete with the prince and he abruptly gives up on hero "This is an accident of hourly proof,Which I distrusted not. Farewell
therefore, Hero."
So much for true love. A tragic flaw would not be a tragic flaw if it only affected the character. The effects of Claudio's Imperfection also reached
those around him. In act 4 scene one he cause immense grief and shame to be brought on to the family of Hero the one he loves.
Once again the Machivalian–esque character seeks to ruin the lives of everyone close to his brother.
Claudio and Don Pedro are fools to Don Jon's trickery and are led to believe that Hero was being unfaithful. I can't blame them all too much though as
they saw the shadows of another couple expressing their love in her room and mistaken that for Hero.
Claudio then impulsively, decides to unleash his anger on the woman he "loves" by shaming her in front of the wide city asking the woman he "loves"
You seem to me as Dian in her orb,
As chaste as is the bud ere it be blown;
But you are more intemperate in your blood
Than Venus, or those pamper'd
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38. Othello's Tragic Flaws
Othello's tragic flaw
In every great tragedy the lead character has a flaw in his or her personality that leads to his or her downfall. In Othello by William Shakespeare,
Othello has many tragic flaws. Although his character is likeable, his character flaws, like other tragic heroes, lead to his ultimate demise. Perhaps the
character flaw that is most evident is his inability to correctly read or perceive the intentions of those around him. This leads Othello to incorrectly read
his wife's and Iago's behavior, resulting in Othello's demise. Part of his misperception leads to his secondary emotion, jealousy, which he exhibits
towards Desdemona. Both aspects of his personality shed light on the reason for Othello's fall.
Perhaps the character ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It is also a fatal flaw with Othello. Othello becomes so jealous thinking that Desdemona is with Cassio that he plans to murder the person he loves
the most in life. He thinks of his marriage in a jealous manner: "O curse of marriage, that we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their
appetites! I had rather be a toad, and live upon the vapour of a dungeon, than keep a corner in the thing I love for others' uses. Yet,'its the plague of
great ones; Prerogativ'd are they less than the base. Tis destiny unshunnable, like death: even then this forked plague is fated to us when we do
quicken. Look where she comes"(act three3 scene three3 line 268–277). This emotion is secondary to Othello's original inability to discern good from
evil, but it is a strong emotion for Othello,
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39. Hamlet's Tragic Flaw
Tragic flaw, also called hamartia, is an idea that came from Aristotle's Poetics. Webster's dictionary defines tragic flaw as "a flaw in character that
brings about the downfall of the hero of a tragedy". Shakespeare used this concept in many of his plays, including Hamlet. Within this play, Prince
Hamlet, the tragic hero, has the flaws of hesitation, suspicion, and over contemplation which leads him to his death. First of all, Hamlet's hesitation
leads him to destruction. Instead of killing Claudius immediately, he chooses to put on a fake play to ensure Claudius's guilt of the murder of his
father. Before the performance Hamlet says, "One scene of it comes near the circumstance/ Which I have told thee of my father's death" (3.2.74–75). ...
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Although Hamlet still loves Ophelia, he chooses to treat Ophelia rudely since he is afraid that Polonius is watching them. When Hamlet is talking to
Ophelia, he says, "Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool nowhere but in's own house. Farewell" (3.1.132–133). In the quotation,
Hamlet uses rude words as "shut" and "fool" while he is talking to Ophelia because he thinks Polonius is listening to their conversation and wants to
warn Polonius to stop spying. Therefore, although Hamlet regrets his attitude towards Ophelia, due to his suspicion, he keeps treating her rudely.
Another example in the play also proves his suspicion, when Hamlet is talking to his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he says, "Were you
not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me. Come, come. Nay, speak" (2.2.270–272). In this
sentence, Hamlet is trying to test if his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent by Claudius to spy on him. He is suspicious to every strange
thing. The two examples reveal that Hamlet's suspicion leads to his destruction. Because of his suspicious to others, Claudius finds out Hamlet
pretends to be mad and decide to send him to England to be
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