Final answer:
A tragic hero is a noble character destined to fail due to a tragic flaw, leading to their downfall and the audience's catharsis. Sophocles' Oedipus is an archetype of this concept, embodying the Greek value of moderation against the dangers of hubris.
Step-by-step explanation:
A tragic hero is a character of noble stature and greatness who is doomed to fail due to a tragic flaw. This flaw leads to the character's downfall, typically a reversal of fortune (peripeteia), coupled with a self-realization or anagnorisis, ultimately resulting in catharsis for the audience. An example of a tragic hero is Oedipus from Sophocles' tragedy, where his hamartia of arrogance leads him to commit actions that bring about his ruin. Despite his high social status, he faces ethical dilemmas which are not only personal but have consequences for the greater community around him.
Oedipus' story excites pity and fear because he is neither completely good nor entirely evil; his misfortune comes from a mistake, not inherent vice, making him relatable to the audience. The Greek concept of hubris, or excessive pride, often plays a role in the tragic hero's fall, serving as a caution against the potential for human self-destruction. While the tragic hero begins in a place of high esteem, through their journey, the character's flaws are exposed, leading to a fall from grace that provides a moral lesson both to the character and the audience.
In Aristotle's view, the tragic hero is supposed to be a person of high social rank, someone the audience looks up to because their downfall signifies that if such an esteemed individual can't escape fate, then the ordinary person stands even less of a chance. This reinforces the idea that the tragic hero is not only a character in a play but also a reflection of cultural values and concerns of the time.