Tragedy's Heros

As a species, humans have always been interested in entertainment and theatre. One of the genres that captivates an audience most is tragedy. Since the time of the ancient Greeks, tragedy has been a prominent genre. It allows the audience to connect to the character and feel empathy and catharsis, seeing as every tragedy needs its tragic hero. Two of the most notable tragic heroes are Oedipus and Hamlet, both title characters of their own play. This thesis will compare Oedipus and Hamlet, and discuss whether they truly fit Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.

Aristotle’s model of a tragic hero is one that has few but necessary requirements. Within Poetics, Aristotle discusses not only what makes up a tragedy, but also what makes up a tragic hero. He says that a tragic hero must be someone “who is not eminently good and just, whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty...he must be one who is highly renowned and prosperous” (Butcher, 45). This is where Aristotle introduces the idea of a tragic error, or flaw. The tragic flaw is essentially the hero’s undoing. It is what drives the fall of the character. Aristotle also clearly states that a tragic hero needs to be a person that is highly renowned. This is usually a character of high estate or nobility. Another requirement of a tragic hero is “the change of fortune presented must not be the spectacle of a virtuous man brought from prosperity to adversity” (Butcher, 45). This means that in order to be a true tragic hero, the man must be a person from nobility whose fortune changes from good to bad, as opposed to the popular theme of fortune changing from bad to good. This fall of a respected individual from good fortune is what makes the story of a tragic hero a true tragedy.

Everyone knows the story of Oedipus: a tale about a young man who kills his father and marries his mother. Many are also familiar with the story of Hamlet: the young Dane who goes mad and seeks...