The Hero, The Tragic Hero, and The Anti-Hero

1. The Hero, The Tragic Hero, and The Anti-Hero

2. The Hero • Traditionally in literature a hero is a character who possesses a strong moral fiber.  • This is a character that seems to always do to right thing, no matter what the situation.  • A hero has a strong conviction, is dynamic, and/or has a certain magnetism that draws the reader to him/her.  • A hero does not necessarily complete their journey on their own, but they are the central character in the story. • A literary hero will complete the traditional Hero Cycle.

3. ADVENTURE THRESHOLD •  Step 1 The call to adventure  •  Step 2 Crossing the Adventure Threshold •  Step 3 Supreme Ordeal  •  Step 4 The Return 

4. Tragic Hero Background • A tragic hero is often used in Shakespearean literature. • This model of a hero may not always be a “good guy”. • The tragic hero has made its way into more contemporary literature because audiences can relate to them. • A tragic hero follows a twelve step pattern. 

5. What Defines Shakespearean Tragedy?   • A Tragic Hero  • The Tragic Flaw-Hamartia • Reversal of Fortune • Catharsis • Restoration of Social Order –Denouement

6. Tragic Hero Traits • The tragic hero is someone we, as an audience, look up to—someone superior. • The tragic hero is nearly perfect, and we identify with him/her • The hero has one flaw or weakness • We call this the ‘tragic flaw’, ‘fatal flaw’, or hamartia

7. Reversal of Fortune  • The ‘fatal flaw’ brings the hero down from his/her elevated state. • Renaissance audiences were familiar with the ‘wheel of fortune’ or ‘fickle fate’. • What goes up, must come down.

8. Catharsis •  We get the word ‘catharsis’ from Aristotle’s katharsis. • ‘Catharsis’ is the audience’s purging of emotions through pity and fear. • The spectator is purged as a result of watching the hero fall. • This is why we cry during movies!

9. Restoration of Social Order  • Tragedies include a private and a public element • The play cannot end until society is, once again, at peace. • This is why the Tragic Hero often dies!

10. Tragic Hero Pattern • Step 1 – A protagonist of high estate •  Step 2 – A tragic flaw in character  • Step 3 – Intrusion of time, sense or urgency •  Step 4 – Misreading/Rationalizations • Step 5 – Murder, exile, alienation of enemies and allies • Step 6 – Gradual isolation of Tragic Hero

11. Tragic Hero Pattern • Step 7 – Mobilization of opposition  • Step 8 – Recognition of tragic flaw, too late • Step 9 – Last courageous attempt to restore greatness.  • Step 10 – Audience recognizes potential for greatness.  • Step 11 – Death of tragic hero. • Step 12 – Restoration of order.    

12. The Anti-Hero • The concept of an Anti-Hero is often used in darker literature. • The Anti-Hero is being used more in modern literature as authors try to portray villains as complex characters • An Anti-Hero relates to a reader because the Anti-Hero displays more humanity that a regular Hero. • Instead of a standard tragic flaw an Anti-Hero may try to do what is right by using questionable means.

13. Anti-Hero Traits • Anti-Heroes can be obnoxious.  • Anti-Heroes can be pitiful.  • Anti-Heroes can be awkward.  • Anti-Heroes can be passive.    

14. Types of Anti-Hero • Some Anti-Heroes may be unable to commit to traditional values of society.  • This type of Anti-Hero distrusts conventional society. • Another type of Anti-Hero cannot “get a break” in life.  • He/she will move from one disappointment to another, their efforts always ending in failure. • The Anti-hero does not always die at the end of a text

15. Back to the Text Step 1: Get into a group of 5-6 people Step 2: Assign one person to be the scribe for your group Step 3: Answer the following questions with textual support and analysis from acts 1 and 2 from Othello • Who is the Tragic hero? • Is there a hero? • Is there an anti-hero?