Tragic flaw, derived from the Greek word hamartia, which is also translated in religious works (e.g. the Bible) as sin. The term comes from Aristotle's Poetics. Parts of this article contradict each other. ... Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... Aristotle (sculpture) Aristotle (Greek: Αριστοτέλης Aristotelēs; 384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher. ...

A tragic flaw in literature is a series of actions the neither thoroughly good nor evil protagonist (often called the tragic hero) takes, that eventually brings him down in the end. The concept was created in ancient Greek tragedy. More often than not, the tragic flaw is hubris, such as in the works Antigone and Oedipus Rex. Another famous tragic hero is Shakespeare's King Lear. An example of a protagonist with a tragic flaw in modern literature would be Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman. A more subtle example would be the fictionalized Antonio Salieri in Peter Shaffer's Amadeus. Open Directory Project: Literature World Literature Electronic Text Archives Magazines and E-zines Online Writing Writers Resources Libraries, Digital Cataloguing, Metadata Distance Learning Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Classicism in Literature The Universal Library, by Carnegie Mellon University Project Gutenberg Online Library Abacci - Project Gutenberg texts matched with Amazon... The protagonist is the central figure of a story, and is often referred to as a storys main character. ... A tragic hero is a protagonist who is otherwise perfect except for a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, that eventually leads to his demise. ... Hubris is exaggerated pride or self-confidence often resulting in retribution. ... A painting of Antigone by Frederic Leighton There were two women named Antigone (like her ancestors) in Greek mythology. ... Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex and Oedipus Tyrannos) is a Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. The play was the second of Sophocles three Theban plays to be produced, but its events occur before those of Oedipus at Colonus or Antigone. ... A tragic hero is a protagonist who is otherwise perfect except for a tragic flaw, also known as fatal flaw, that eventually leads to his demise. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... King Lear and the Fool in the Storm by William Dyce (1806-1864) King Lear is generally regarded as one of William Shakespeares greatest tragedies. ... Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller. ... Death of a Salesman is a play by Arthur Miller. ... Antonio Salieri Antonio Salieri (August 18, 1750 – May 7, 1825), born in Legnago, Italy, was a composer and conductor, as well as one of the most important and famous musicians of his time. ... Peter Shaffer (born May 15, 1926) is a British dramatist, author of numerous award-winning plays, several of which have been filmed. ... Amadeus is the title of both a stage play and a film written in 1979 by Peter Shaffer, both loosely based on the lives of composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri. ...

However, there is some debate in academic circles as to exactly what hamartia is, and what Aristotle meant by the word. The word literally means something like "missing the mark", and it has been suggested by some that the modern idea of the "tragic flaw" is a mistranslation of the Greek. Some argue that a number of the Greek Tragedies (like Oedipus the King) actually contain no clearly identifiable tragic flaws, but have been interpreted subjectively to fit Aristotle's theory. Regardless of what Aristotle actually meant, though, the term "tragic flaw" and the idea behind it are firmly ensconced within literary criticism. Aristotle (sculpture) Aristotle (Greek: Αριστοτέλης Aristotelēs; 384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher. ... Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex and Oedipus Tyrannos) is a Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. The play was the second of Sophocles three Theban plays to be produced, but its events occur before those of Oedipus at Colonus or Antigone. ... Aristotle (sculpture) Aristotle (Greek: Αριστοτέλης Aristotelēs; 384 BC – March 7, 322 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher. ...

An alternative translation is tragic mistake. This translation implies the idea that the character makes a mistake based on an incomplete self knowledge.

See also

• tragic hero
• Victory disease