Hamartia

Aristotle called it Hamartia, meaning to miss the mark or too err. It’s the part of a story when a central character’s tragic flaw that distracts from an initial intention and drives the plot toward a different end.

Your mission is to write a scene in which a character’s tragic flaw exerts itself on the story.

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Some examples include:

Oedipus Rex doing his  thing when his pride results in him killing a chariot driver who turned out to be his father thus kicking off the prophecy that we all know so well.

 

The great doctor Victor Frankenstein belief that he can play God and resurrect the dead resulting in his unleashing a monster on the world.

 

King Midas’s love of gold destroys everything he has.

 

King David’s lust for Bathsheba resulted in the immoral scheme to kill her husband.

 

Orthello trusting the word of Iago and his resulting jealousy.

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Try and keep your attempt under 500 words, but most importantly:

HAVE

FUN!

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