Litterary Device glossary #10

Litterary device Glossary #10

Tragic flaw: A flaw in the character of the protagonist of a tragedy that brings the protagonist to ruin or sorrow.

example: Now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll do't. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged. That would be scanned: A villain kills my father; and for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. (pg. 167 hamlet)

explanation: Hamlet has a very obvious tragic flaw, which is that he is incapable from acting on his words. the ghost of his father is telling him to avenge his death, but what does hamlet do. he postpones and sets up elaborate traps so he does not have to kill his uncle. he has the perfect opportunity when he is alone with his uncle and his uncle is unaware that hamlet is in the room. but instead of just killing him there, and making him not have to die in the end of the story, he tries to find a better time to kill him. the constant postponing and trying to find a better time ends up leading to his death. if hamlet had just killed his uncle when he was praying, then hamlet would not have to die. but, instead he waits until there is a less perfect scenario where multiple people have to die.