Okuzeka
Literature vocabulary · Drama and Theatre

Tragic hero

Meaning in literature, with examples

nounCommon term

In literature, tragic hero means: A central character of tragedy whose strengths are real, but whose error, weakness, or fate leads to serious downfall.

In Turkish: trajik kahraman

How it is used

Common in discussions of classical and later tragedy. It stresses both the character’s importance and the destructive consequences of his or her actions.

Example sentences

  1. In the lecture, Oedipus was presented as a tragic hero whose search for truth destroys his own position.

    The term fits because the character is admirable and central, yet the same force that makes him noble also brings ruin.

  2. The director wanted Macbeth played not as a monster, but as a tragic hero blinded by ambition and fear.

    Here, the phrase frames the role through inner conflict and downfall, rather than treating the character as simply evil.

Common collocations

  • classical tragic hero
  • tragic hero of the play
  • flawed tragic hero
  • tragedyA serious play or story in which the main character suffers and is usually destroyed, often because of a personal flaw or a fatal mistake.
  • dramaLiterature written to be performed by actors on a stage, telling a story through dialogue and action; also a single serious play.

More terms: Drama and Theatre

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