SO WHAT IS A TRAGIC HERO ANYWAY TRAGIC

TRAGIC HERO BACKGROUND “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the

BORN OF NOBLE BIRTH • TYPICALLY A KING OR MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

Possesses a Fatal Flaw • ALSO CALLED THE HAMARTIA • TRADITIONAL FATAL FLAW IS

Fate is controlled by flaw • FIRST ENJOYS PRIVILEGED LIFE (REMEMBER NOBLE BIRTH!) •

Physically or spiritually wounded by experiences • MAY BE INJURED, OR MAY SUFFER LOSSES

Suffers more than he deserves • DOWNFALL OR DEATH IS USUALLY SEEN AS A

Bears no responsibility for flaw, only for actions influenced by flaw • ACTIONS RESULT

Imperfect or “human” despite noble nature • HAS OUTSTANDING QUALITY OR GREATNESS, BUT AUDIENCE

Downfall arouses pity or fear • AUDIENCE FEELS PITY FOR HERO BECAUSE FLAW IS

TRAGIC HERO • HTTP: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=RDLAJUTMCBM • HTTP: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=DE

READ PAGES 872 -3 IN YOUR LITERATURE TEXT. ADD TO YOUR NOTES ON THE

BIGGER ASSIGNMENT (SEE HANDOUT) • SCHOLARS ARGUE OVER WHETHER BRUTUS OR CAESAR IS THE

ONCE YOU HAVE CHOSEN A PROMPT: • COMB THE TEXT (READ THROUGH THE PLAY)

Include title of play, author, and the controlling idea: In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of

For the in class writing, you may bring one single-sided page of notes for

Brutus says that he killed Caesar because he “loved Rome more, ” and no

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SO… WHAT IS A TRAGIC HERO ANYWAY?

TRAGIC HERO BACKGROUND “A man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall. ” -Aristotle The tragic hero is a man of noble stature. He is not an ordinary man, but a man with outstanding quality and greatness about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause or principle.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRAGIC HERO

BORN OF NOBLE BIRTH • TYPICALLY A KING OR MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY • SOMEONE THAT NORMAL PEOPLE WOULD “LOOK UP TO” OR ADMIRE – HAS OUTSTANDING QUALITIES

Possesses a Fatal Flaw • ALSO CALLED THE HAMARTIA • TRADITIONAL FATAL FLAW IS HUBRIS, OR EXCESSIVE PRIDE • FLAW ULTIMATELY LEADS TO HERO’S DOWNFALL, OFTEN DEATH

Fate is controlled by flaw • FIRST ENJOYS PRIVILEGED LIFE (REMEMBER NOBLE BIRTH!) • FLAW CAUSES A REVERSAL OF FORTUNE CALLED THE PERIPETEIA • ULTIMATE FATE IS A DOWNFALL, OFTEN DEATH • DOWNFALL SEEMS MORE IMPRESSIVE DUE TO FALL FROM NOBLE POSITION

Physically or spiritually wounded by experiences • MAY BE INJURED, OR MAY SUFFER LOSSES OF FAMILY OR FORTUNE • WOUNDS ARE NOT ENTIRELY DESERVED

Suffers more than he deserves • DOWNFALL OR DEATH IS USUALLY SEEN AS A WASTE OF HUMAN POTENTIAL • SUFFERING ALWAYS HAS GREATER MEANING, OFTEN RELATED TO THE FLAW

Bears no responsibility for flaw, only for actions influenced by flaw • ACTIONS RESULT IN AN INCREASE OF SELF-AWARENESS AND SELF-KNOWLEDGE • FATE IS DISCOVERED BY HIS OWN ACTIONS, NOT THINGS HAPPENING TO HIM • Downfall is a result of free choice

Imperfect or “human” despite noble nature • HAS OUTSTANDING QUALITY OR GREATNESS, BUT AUDIENCE MUST IDENTIFY WITH HIM • WITHOUT IMPERFECTIONS, DOWNFALL WOULD SEEM IMPROBABLE OR CAUSED BY FATE ONLY

Downfall arouses pity or fear • 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!”

TRAGIC HERO • HTTP: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=RDLAJUTMCBM • HTTP: //WWW. YOUTUBE. COM/WATCH? V=DE 91 I 6 NAWHE (MODERN TRAGIC HEROES? )

AND….

READ PAGES 872 -3 IN YOUR LITERATURE TEXT. ADD TO YOUR NOTES ON THE TRAGIC HERO CONCEPT (THE FUNCTION OF TRAGEDY, OTHER “TRAGIC FLAWS, ” ETC. ).

BIGGER ASSIGNMENT (SEE HANDOUT) • SCHOLARS ARGUE OVER WHETHER BRUTUS OR CAESAR IS THE TRAGIC HERO OF THE PLAY BECAUSE BOTH CHARACTERS ARE MEN OF PROMINENCE WHO HAVE TRAGIC FLAWS THAT CAUSE THEM TO FALL. BASED ON THE EVIDENCE IN THE PLAY, WHICH CHARACTER FITS THE DEFINITION OF THE TRAGIC HERO BETTER? SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH ANALYSIS OF QUOTES AND EVENTS FROM THE PLAY. • • AT SEVERAL POINTS IN THE PLAY, A CHARACTER HAS TO MAKE AN IMPORTANT DECISION. IDENTIFY A SIGNIFICANT CHOICE ONE OF THE CHARACTERS MAKES, EXPLAIN WHY HE/SHE MAKES THE CHOICE, AND EXPLAIN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECISION. SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER WITH ANALYSIS OF QUOTES AND EVENTS FROM THE PLAY.

ONCE YOU HAVE CHOSEN A PROMPT: • COMB THE TEXT (READ THROUGH THE PLAY) TO FIND EVENTS AND LINES WHICH WILL BE OF USE IN WRITING YOUR RESPONSE. NOTE THE ACT, SCENE, AND LINE NUMBERS FOR ANY QUOTES. • AFTER YOU HAVE PONDERED THE POSSIBILITIES AND FOUND LINES, WORK ON A CLAIM.

Include title of play, author, and the controlling idea: In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the conspirators believe Brutus on their side will mean victory for their cause. However, his decision to join them contributes to their failure and to Brutus’ doom. Despite Caesar having top billing in Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Brutus is actually the tragic hero of the play.

For the in class writing, you may bring one single-sided page of notes for support. It should include a working claim—a draft of your claim– and lines from the play you plan to use in support. Remember the lines are there to offer evidence, but you need to both introduce and comment on them/explain their significance in the paper.

Brutus says that he killed Caesar because he “loved Rome more, ” and no one, not even Antony, questions this (3. 2. 22). This is significant because… Line/s (For longer: 127 -134) Act Scene