Name: What is Hamartia — The Secret to Writing a Tragic Flaw
Uploaded: 2023-10-16T19:32:18.000Z
Duration: 16 min 33 s
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Aristotle wrote, 'A man doesn't become a hero until he can see

The greatest protagonists aren't perfect people.

Like any human being they have their faults.

- Sometimes, one of these shortcomings ultimately results in their undoing.

How does a writer create a great tragic flaw?

And what makes the storytelling trick so powerful?

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Tragic flaws in storytelling were first outlined by Aristotle in his "Poetics".

The philosopher referred to the character devices as Hamartia,

which is defined as a fault in a character that results in their ruination.

Ancient Greeks believed that Hamartia was a work of fate.

That a character's imperfections would karmically lead them to tragedy.

"- You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."

- Hamartia can be seen in countless characters throughout

- From Oedipus belief he can cheat the gods,

to Frankenstein's blind confidence in scientific progress.

"- Now I know what it feels like to be God!"

- As such, Hamartia can also take numerous forms.

- A character's fatal flaw may be arrogance, naivete,

jealousy, dishonesty, or countless other faults.

For the last time, anything you put on that prompter Burgandy will read."

- In addition to a character's downfall humartia typically involves irony and moral.

For example, Daniel Plainview Hamartia is greed.

- The irony is that although he ends up with enormous wealth, he has

The moral then is that a ruthless pursuit of money results in selling your soul.

- No. No, it's not like that. - It is like that."

- There are a few techniques which writers often employ to make the

First and foremost, it is crucial to show the consequences of the flaw.

When writing with Humartia, it's important to establish how

- William Shakespeare's Hamlet has one of the most famous uses of Hamartia.

And this is partially because Shakespeare is sure to emphasize the

The play follows a young prince as he embarks on avenging his father's death.

But Hamlet is plagued with a tragic flaw.

- Throughout the story, the prince wavers back and forth, unsure whether to

kill his uncle, the perpetrator of his father's murder, and he's constantly

In Act 3, Scene 3, he decides not to kill Claudius because he's prey.

"- It is heavy with him. And am I then revenged to take him

When he is fit and seasoned for his passage.

Up sword, and know thou are more horrid hent."

- We see the effect of hamartia in "Hamlet" almost immediately.

"- Oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt thaw, and resolve itself into a dew."

- The indecision also affects the people around Hamlet.

It results in the prince killing the wrong man in the play's third of five acts.

And by having this critical mistake occur so early, Shakespeare can showcase

- Oh, what a rash. A bloody deed is this.

- A bloody deed almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.

- The man Hamlet accidentally killed was his lover, Ophelia's father

and his death drives Ophelia mad with grief, resulting in her own demise.

This makes her brother Laertes hell-bent on killing Hamlet

In the final battle, Laertes fights with a poison blade

that will result in the ultimate death of both Hamlet and himself.

And Hamlet's uncle accidentally poisons Hamlet's mother.

This means that when Hamlet finally kills his uncle, Shakespeare

Hamlet has avenged his father, but only after everyone else he loves has died.

Literary critic Paul Cantor prescribes the irony to Hamlet's tragic flaw.

- He does try to be everything and in a way that attempted

- In the end, the moral is abundantly clear, indecisiveness can be deadly.

Another key element to a powerful tragic flaw is making it central to the story.

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What is Hamartia — The Secret to Writing a Tragic Flaw

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