King Lear - A Tragic Protagonist

- Assigned by Dr Dilip barad sir

Aristotle argues that hamartia is a powerful device to have a story beginning with a rich and powerful hero, neither exceptionally virtuous nor villainous, who then falls into misfortune by a mistake or error. Discussion among scholars centers mainly on the degree, to which hamartia is defined as a tragic flaw or tragic error. That their work promotes moral behavior in the audience is one of the most notable features of tragic characters. The play is a tragic story about a royal family. Hamartia is an intellectual error rather than a moral failing

The term ‘hamartia’ derives from the Greek hamartánein, which means “to miss the mark” or “to err”. It is most often associated with Greek tragedy. Hamartia as it pertains to dramatic literature was first used by Aristotle in his Poetics. In tragedy, hamartia is commonly understood to refer to the protagonist’s error or flaw that leads to a chain of plot actions culminating in a reversal from their good fortune to bad.

I have studied one of the most famous tragedy 'King Lear' during my B.A. program This play is most famous Tragic drama, here our Protagonist King Lear became a victim of Tragic flaw . A tragic flaw is the flaw that brings about the downfall of the tragic hero. Aristotle suggested that the tragic hero is doomed by forces mostly out of his control. The most important point is that the hero is otherwise noble, and the tragic flaw is his downfall . A tragic flaw in literature refers to a shortcoming in a character's nature which leads to his or her downfall. And in The Greek term there is a word called 'Hamartia'. It is a literary technique used by writers in a drama to tell the audience a moral lesson. King Lear's primary character flaw is their lack of judgment. Main character of this play King Lear has decided to divide his kingdom between 3 daughters and the The division will depend on the quality of each princess' declarations of love for her father before the court. and this bad habit of hearing falls praises has leading him to down fall. Their impetuous acts lead to their tragic end.

∆   HAMARTIA of King Lear :-

In Shakespeare's play "King Lear," the tragic hero Lear's hamartia, or tragic flaw, is his excessive pride and arrogance. He initially divides his kingdom among his daughters based on their flattery and fails to see their true intentions. This tragic flaw leads to his downfall and the unraveling of the play's tragic events.