my presentation is about Tragic Hero: A study of Dr. Faustus, Hamlet and Adam.

1. Topic: Tragic Hero: A study of Dr. Faustus,
Hamlet and Adam
Paper no.-3) Literary theory and criticism
oPrepared by: Dave Nimesh B
oRoll no. 20
M.A.part-1
Sem-1
oSubmitted to : Department of English
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji
Bhavnagar University

2. Tragic Hero
1. A good man coming to bad end (it is shocking
and disturbs faith)
2. A bad man coming to good end ( neither
moving, nor moral)
3. A bad man coming to bad end (moral but not
moving)
4. A rather Good man – coming to bad end ( an
ideal situation)

3. According to Aristotle…
Aristotle disqualifies two types of character-
Purely virtuous and Thoroughly bad
He should be a man of mixed character,
neither blameless nor absolutely depraved.
He must fall from height to prosperity of glory

4. • The protagonist should be renowned and
prosperous, so
• His change of fortune can be from good to bad
• And fall of such man of eminence affects
entire state and nation.

5. • Hubris-
• 1) excessive pride
• 2) over self confidence
• Etc..

6. HAMARTIA..
• Error of judgment

7. • Hamartia- Tragic Flaw/ error of judgment
• According to Aristotle : hamartia in tragedy
comes not from moral status but from the
inevitability of its consequences
• The error of judgment may arise from:
1. Ignorance (Oedipus)
2. Hasty- careless view (Othello)
3. Decision taken voluntarily but not deliberately
(Lear, Hamlet)

8. • Faustus – very profound learner and intellectual and
ambitious
• He feels that nothing left for him to learn
• Hubris: ‘ why should I be afraid of anything’. “I HAVE
POWERFUL MEPHISTOPHILIS”
• WAXEN WINGS (very height) starts melting-so fall will
be great and there will be no one to catch…
HAMARTIA: Rather than using his power on good way he
uses it to get cheap popularity.
Eternal damnation –character is destiny- they are not
choice less

9. Homo fuse!
• Dr. Faustus thinks for
several time before
signing the pact which
says that he has to give
his soul in return of
knowledge after twenty-four
years
• Even after thinking he
makes error in his
judgment and signs the
pact and hands it over to
Mephistopheles.

10. Hamlet as a tragic hero
• Prince of Denmark
• Student of philosophy
from university Of
Wittenberg.
• His error of judgment- ‘
TO BE OR NOT TO BE’
• Hamlet thinks
philosophically- missed
opportunity to kill
Claudius while he was
praying.
• His downfall

11. • Perfect human being
• Physically attractive, mentally adept and spiritually
profound.
• He stands out in Eden as the apex of the hierarchical
pyramid.
• His flaw- uxoriousness
• Adam eats the fruit of the tree of knowledge precisely
because he cannot bear to be without Eve
• Adam’s uxorious attitude toward Eve leads directly to
his fall