tragic flaw
What is Tragic Flaw? Definition, Usage, and Literary Examples
Tragic Flaw Definition
A tragic flaw (TRAH-jik FLAWW) or fatal flaw is a character trait that causes the downfall or demise of that character. This flaw can be negative, like jealousy, or positive, like honesty. In Greek, the tragic flaw is also closely aligned with hamartia, meaning “to err” or “to miss the mark.”
Tragic Flaw in Greek Tragedies
The tragic flaw originated in Aristotle’s Poetics. The philosopher believed that a character was more effective if they were relatable. As a result, tragedies needed to tell the story of a character who was humanly flawed rather than a virtuous hero or evil villain. Tragic flaws were indeed popular with the Greeks, so Aristotle wasn’t off the mark; several ancient Greek stories, such as those of Achilles and Oedipus, were centered on the leading characters’ tragic flaws.
Tragic Flaw and Other Literary Devices
Tragic Flaw and Hamartia
Hamartia is very closely related to tragic flaw; the two terms are often used interchangeably. However, scholars often debate the subtle difference between the two terms, strongly connected though they are.
The debate is between whether hamartia is the tragic flaw that’s part of the character’s personality or if it’s the tragic error itself—the decision the character makes to trigger their downfall. Aristotle’s text, which is where this debate originates, seems to support both arguments, but scholars agree that hamartia is deeply linked with the tragic flaw.
Tragic Flaw and Tragic Hero
The tragic flaw is what makes a tragic hero, the character who has the tragic flaw. These heroes are usually the protagonist and gain the audience’s sympathy through their human flaws.
However, antagonists can sometimes be tragic heroes, even if they aren’t heroes at all. If their tragic flaw makes them human and relatable to the audience, they may fall under this category. One famous case is Lucifer from the epic poem Paradise Lost. John Milton uses elements of the tragic hero to depict Lucifer as a flawed, humanlike character who allows his jealousy and pride to get the better of him, causing his fall from grace. But, he is still clearly an antagonist.
Why Writers Use Tragic Flaw
As Aristotle argued, tragic flaws give characters relatability. These flaws allow writers to develop characters on various levels, create complexity in the story, lead characters toward a path of self-discovery, and cause readers to feel sympathy toward the characters. Readers may identify with the character on a more personal level, allowing them to care about the character or even fear that they are on the same destructive path.
Tragic Flaw Outside of Literature
As a key element of tragedy since ancient times, tragic flaws make an appearance in television and film. Using tragic flaws in different media has similar effects to its use in literature—story development, character depth, and relatability.
An example of a tragic flaw in film is Moulin Rouge! In the film, the leading heroine Satine is so passionate about her aspirations to become an actress that she hides her illness and pushes herself to the brink for the sake of her dreams, causing her untimely death at the end.
Examples of Tragic Flaw in Literature
1. J.K. Rowling, the Harry Potter series
While the Harry Potter series is not exactly a tragedy, the story’s antagonist Voldemort demonstrates a significant fatal flaw that leads to his downfall: his fear of death. This fear motivates his quest to defy death at any cost. He doesn’t care who he must kill or sacrifice to meet this goal. In the end, this fear is his undoing; by accidentally leaving a piece of his soul in Harry Potter when Voldemort tried to murder him as a baby, he gives Harry the power to weaken him beyond return, resulting in his defeat.
2. G.R.R. Martin, the A Song of Ice and Fire series
Ned Stark is the most standout example of this literary device in this book series thus far. Ned’s tragic flaw is a positive character trait: an assumption that others share his sense of honor. This flaw is why he trusts that King Robert Baratheon is still the man he fought alongside when he was younger, leading him to accept the position as Robert’s righthand man. However, Robert turn out to be an ineffective king, and Ned realizes the antagonistic Lannisters, the family of Robert’s wife Cersei, are the ones in control.
Ned also finds out that Queen Cersei is romantically involved with her brother Jaime and the heirs to the throne―Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen―are actually her children with him, not Robert. Before he can tell Robert, Ned confronts Cersei to push her into exile as he knows Robert would have her executed. However, Robert dies under suspicious circumstances, placing Ned in a precarious position.
It’s at this point that his flaw arises yet again because Ned decides to trust Petyr Baelish, a childhood friend of his wife Catelyn, so he can have the Lannisters removed. Although Ned always distrusted Petyr, the fact that Petyr still had Cat’s trust and was the one who helped Ned uncover Cersei’s secret ultimately sways Ned. Unfortunately, Petyr is aware of Ned’s weakness and uses it to betray him, leading to Ned’s arrest.
Finally, and fatally, Ned trust that the newly crowned King Joffrey will keep his word and let Ned and his daughters leave King’s Landing if Ned falsely confesses to treason. This last error ends in his execution instead.
Further Resources on Tragic Flaw
The University of Pennsylvania’s Classics website has a detailed article on Greek mythology, the tragic hero, and the tragic flaw.
Industrial Scripts offers a thorough guide for successfully developing a tragic flaw in a character.