hubris

[Blaise]

No: HPFGUIDX 3111

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Susan McGee" <Schlobin at a...> wrote:

> 
> Hubris or hybris -- the Greek idea that the tragic hero had a fatal 
> flaw (oftentimes the same as his strength) that encompassed his 
> doom..very common in Greek tragedy. Hubris was defined as an 
> overweening pride...
> 
> Not suggesting Harry as the tragic hero at all (perhaps 
Dumbledore?) 
> but certainly Barty Crouch, Sr. has a lot of resemblance to 
Pentheus 
> in the Bacchae.
> 
> Susan

Yes, I can see your point about Bartemius Crouch Sr and Pentheus, 
defintely, and I've got a tendency to think in terms of Greek drama 
sometimes - I'm a classicist.  The situation is very similar to 
tragedy in general, with its theme of family relationships and 
stubborn arrogant people.     

I would cast Snape as a tragic hero with a fatal flaw, myself.  
Hubris is definitely something he suffers from, and it seems to me 
that he's riding for a fall.  Certainly if things had gone 
differently at the end of PoA he would have been in the typical 
position of a tragic hero, who has followed his rigid beliefs without 
paying attention to the warnings and who suffers as a result.  I see 
him as very like Creon from the Antigone, not in terms of his 
situation but in terms of his character and how he deals with 
events.  

Other characters from tragedy ... you could say a similar thing for 
Sirius and Remus, again at the end of PoA when they wanted to kill 
Wormtail.  At this point we don't know why they shouldn't have done 
so, and the parallels are not so apt perhaps, but there was the same 
idea of Sirius in particular being carried away by his own nature 
into doing things that would lead to dire consequences for himself 
and those he loves.  

In both of these instances, though, JKR shies away from the fall from 
grace that would crown a full tragic ending, and rather lets the day 
be saved by someone.  Crouch Sr does suffer his full tragic ending 
though.  

Any other tragedies?  Anyone still awake? ;-)    

-Blaise.