FATAL FLAWS THE DESCENT OF A HERO

Transcription

1 FATAL FLAWS THE DESCENT OF A HERO

2 WHAT IS IN A HERO? WHAT ARE THEIR CHARACTERISTICS?

3 TROPES AND STOCK CHARACTERS TROPE: A FIGURE OF SPEECH OR LITERARY DEVICE WHERE THE DICTION USED IS INTENDED TO HAVE MORE THAN THE LITERAL MEANING STOCK CHARACTER: TYPES OF CHARACTERS THAT OCCUR REPEATEDLY IN A LITERARY GENRE, AND SO ARE RECOGNIZABLE AS CONVENTIONS OF THE FORM.

4 IN BRAINSTORMING IDEAS FOR WHAT MAKES A HERO, WHAT WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY COME UP WITH ARE PARTS OF THE HERO ARCHETYPE AN ARCHETYPE in literature and art is a character, tradition, event, story, or image that recurs in different works, in different cultures and in different periods of time. The word archetype is from the Greek arkhetupon, first mold or model, in the meaning of being the initial version of something later multiplied. An archetype can be thought of as a pattern from which other, similar things can be developed. It is a kind of original model - the skeleton from which all other ideas like it our fleshed out, the muffin tins that begot all other muffin tins! For example, the Flood is an archetypal image/event that exists in myths and stories across many cultures. The basic model is a huge flood covering the entire planet, initiating a kind of clean slate. It is important to note that archetypes do not exist in, or come from, one particular text; rather, they are the molds that a text and its characters fit into

5 WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ARCHETYPES, WE REFER TO GENERAL TITLES THAT INDICATE CHARACTERS, PLACES, WHATEVER IT MAY BE, AS LONG AS those titles indicate a repeating form that can be traced through art and time like the damsel in distress, maybe? Or the innocent monster who intends no, but always causes, harm?

6 WHAT ARE SOME OTHER CHARACTER ARCHETYPES? POSSIBLY

7 Hero/Heroine Sidekick/Helper Villain Outcast Oracle Caring Mother/Earth Mother Damsel in Distress Mad Scientist Femme Fatale Don Juan Star-Crossed Lovers Witch/Shrew Underdog Stern Father

8 AND MY PERSONAL FAVORITE THE TEACHER THE EDUCATOR THE WISE SAGE

9 SO LET US FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON THE HERO/HEROINE As we discussed earlier, we all have a general sense for what makes a hero. Outside of their physical, emotional, and mental characteristics, however, the archetypal hero can also follow a typical trajectory or story line. This archetypal story is referred to as the hero s cycle, or hero s journey. The cycle consists of many particular elements, but can be broken into three major parts: the departure, the initiation, and the return.

10 The hero is presented with a challenge Initially refuses that challenge Meets someone who pushes them along, challenges them Becomes immersed in that dangerous world THE DEPARTURE.

11 This is the trial stage of the cycle, when anything bad can and will occur. Adversaries are faced, skills are gained. Also, many other character archetypes make and appearance. In the end a transformation occurs within our hero: he attains a higher status of person and a new level of knowledge and enlightenment, which benefits not just him but society as well. The Initiation.

12 THE RETURN. Fight, flight and rescue! Hero returns to mundane world after defeating antagonizing forces Rejoins society and offers his boon to the masses Returns to life as normal, now as a mentor / leader, and the journey may begin once again.

13 SO WHAT DO WE KNOW SO FAR?

14 WE KNOW: An archetype is the original pattern or form in literature that acts as the definitive mold for things that are like it It can come in the shape of a character, event, image, story, or tradition The hero/heroine character, and their journey (the hero s cycle) are two distinct kinds of archetypes We can break the hero s journey archetype into three key parts: the departure, the initiation, and the return; and in those three parts, we could generally say, based on the archetype, that: The hero will answer a call to a challenge, face many trials, friends, and enemies; learn from those experiences; and in the end return from his journey to benefit those he left behind

15 IF THAT IS WHAT WE KNOW, THEN WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THREADS IN LITERATURE, HEROES, AND WE HAVE READ THE FIRST CHAPTERS OF THINGS FALL APART. WHAT ARE OUR QUESTIONS

16 THERE ARE ANTI-HEROES, WHO WE WILL NOT DISCUSS TODAY AND LOOK SORT OF LIKE THIS FIRST OF ALL: NOT ALL HEROES FIT THIS ARCHETYPE

17 THE TRAGIC HERO IS A STOCK CHARACTER OF THE TRAGEDY THE ARCHETYPE OF THE TRAGIC HERO WAS DEVELOPED BY ARISTOTLE IN HIS POETICS AS THE NAME IMPLIES, THE HERO HERE IS DOOMED TO FAIL, BUT IN A VERY SPECIFIC TRAJECTORY (IN CONTRAST TO THE TYPICAL HERO S JOURNEY) AND THEN THERE ARE TRAGIC HEROES.

18 THE TRAGEDY CONTINUES ARISTOTLE FELT THAT THE HERO, IN A REAL TRAGEDY, SHOULD UNDEROG SOME SORT OF CHANGE IN FORTUNE THIS CHANGE IS USUALLY FOLLOWED BY A REVELATION OF SORTS, A REALIZATION OF SOME TRUTH THIS DOWNFALL AND REALIZATION WAS TO FOSTER BOTH PITY AND FEAR IN THE AUDIENCE WHY ARE PITY AND FEAR IMPORTANT? WHAT DO THESE EMOTIONS SUGGEST?

19 PITY = FROM MISFORTUNE, UNDESERVED FEAR = WHEN THE RECIEVER IS GOOD AND JUST, BUT NOT COMPLETELY THEY HAVE TO BE HUMAN; GREATER THAN MOST, BUT CERTAINLY NOT A GOD THIS ALLOWS THE AUDIENCE TO RELATE 4 STEPS IN ARITOTLES ARCHETYPE OF THE TRAGIC HERO I. POSITION II. III. TRAGIC FLAW ( RELATES TO HAMARTIA) REVERSAL (CATASTROPHE) IV. RECOGNITION (CATHARSIS)

20 POSITION: ROYAL OR NOBLE WITH GREAT POWER; RESPECTED, GOOD INTENTIONS, HAS A LOT TO LOSE TRAGIC FLAW: A CHARACTER TRAIT, GOOD OR BAD, THAT THE HERO CANNOT RESIST, AND WHICH WILL UNDOUBTEDLY EFFECT HIS STORY (YOU GUESSED IT, NEGATIVELY!) GREEK WORD HAMARTIA, FOR ERROR OR MISTAKE; HAMARTIA IS THAT FATAL MISTAKE, USUALLY BECAUSE OF THE FLAW IN CHARACTER, THAT BRINGS THE HERO S DOWNFALL HUBRIS, OR EXCESSIVE PRIDE, IS TYPICALLY A FLAW LEADING TO DOWNFALL; HOWEVER, COURAGE AND A NEED FOR TRUTH COULD JUST AS EASILY BRING ABOUT DEMISE

21 REVERSAL: THIS IS THE CATASTROPHE, THE MOVEMENT FOLLOWING HAMARTIA, WHERE IT ALL COMES CRASHING DOWN TRAJECTORY = HAPPINESS TO SUFFERING, MISERY TRAJECTORY = ENVY TO PITY TRAJECTORY = MANY TIMES, ALIVE TO DEAD RECOGNITION: CAN ALSO BE THOUGHT OF AS A REVELATION IN GREEK, CATHARSIS REFERS TO A PURGING OF EMOTION, A RELEASE THE TRAGIC HERO, AT THIS POINT, BECOMES AWARE OF HIS FLAW AND MISTAKE BUT IT IS ALMOST ALWAYS TOO LATE COMPARED TO THE HERO S JOURNEY, THE LESSON IS TAUGHT FROM THE GRAVE, NOT AS MENTOR

22 SO WHO FITS THE BILL?

23 NOW LET S REVISIT WHAT WE KNOW An archetype is the original pattern or form in literature that acts as the definitive mold for things that are like it It can come in the shape of a character, event, image, story, or tradition The hero/heroine character, and their journey (the hero s cycle) are two distinct kinds of archetypes We can break the hero s journey archetype into three key parts: the departure, the initiation, and the return; and in those three parts, we could generally say, based on the archetype, that: The hero will answer a call to a challenge, face many trials, friends, and enemies; learn from those experiences; and in the end return from his journey to benefit those he left behind POSITION: ROYAL OR NOBLE WITH GREAT POWER; RESPECTED, GOOD INTENTIONS, HAS A LOT TO LOSE TRAGIC FLAW: A CHARACTER TRAIT, GOOD OR BAD, THAT THE HERO CANNOT RESIST GREEK WORD HAMARTIA, FOR ERROR OR MISTAKE HUBRIS, OR EXCESSIVE PRIDE, IS TYPICALLY A FLAW LEADING TO DOWNFALL REVERSAL: THIS IS THE CATASTROPHE, THE MOVEMENT FOLLOWING HAMARTIA, WHERE IT ALL COMES CRASHING DOWN RECOGNITION: CAN ALSO BE THOUGHT OF AS A REVELATION CATHARSIS REFERS TO A PURGING OF EMOTION, A RELEASE