Analysis of a Tragic Hero in Macbeth, Peter Pan, and a Good Man is Hard to Find

Every hero has a flaw. As the dictionary states, a “tragic flaw is a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character leading to his downfall, and the character is often the hero of the literary piece. This trait could be the lack of self-knowledge, lack of judgment, and often it is hubris.” With that said, every form of literature needs a tragic hero with a flaw in order to fuel conflict. Tragic flaws add depth, realism, and drama to a fictional story. If we look at Macbeth from Macbeth, the grandmother from “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, and Peter Pan from Peter Man, we will see they have all common elements, which makes them vulnerable and have the tendency to create errors. 

Within the play Macbeth, Shakespeare develops the concept of a tragic hero as the story progresses. Macbeth has multiple characteristics that prove his downfall was a result of tragic hero qualities. All tragic heroes have a fatal flaw or error of judgement that enlist them to act in ways that result in a reversal of fortune. Macbeth’s fatal flaw would be his ambition. He would do anything and everything for the throne. It is this mindset that drives him mad and leads him to insanity. It is not entirely his responsibility as it is the three witches that plant the seed of desire in his mind by telling him one day he will be king. Macbeth is convinced by his wife that in order for this to happen he must commit the murder of the current king of Scottland, King Duncan. He does feel guilty after doing so but then something inside him switches. Macbeth gets anxious and decides that he must also murder anyone that could pose as a threat to his kingship, this includes his good friend Banquo, and the Thane of Fife, Macduff’s, family. Partaking in these actions leads Macduff himself to form an army against Macbeth, where they kill him and take over the throne. Macbeth started off as a noble soldier and Thane but quickly got power hungry and let his ambition get the best of him. 

Another example of a tragic hero is the grandmother in the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Like an average tragic hero, the grandmother is a formal and proper old lady who still possesses a tragic flaw. From the very beginning, it is seen that the grandmother is pretty self centered and likes to hold herself above everyone else. She still has an old mindset which has her almost living in the past and not understanding what her life is like in the present. The grandmother’s tragic flaw is her manipulativeness and her ability to think she does no wrong. This is seen when the family is trying to discuss their family vacation that they wish to take in Florida. The grandmother doesn't like this idea as she would rather go to Tennessee so the entire time she tries to convince the family that Florida is a bad idea. Once they are on the way she spends the entire time thinking about how prim and proper she must be. She then directs the family down the wrong path but is too afraid to admit that she is wrong, which ends up causing the family to get into a car crash. The first person to come to the family is a wanted criminal known as the Misfit. The grandmother recognizes him and spends the entire time trying to convince him not to kill her while he is taking her beloved family and having them be shot. This proves the grandmothers fatal flaw of self-centeredness as it led to her whole family, including herself, being shot and killed. 

Lastly, a pop-culture example of a tragic hero would be Peter Pan from Peter Pan. Unlike most tragic heroes, Peter Pan did not die however, he still does possess tragic hero qualities. Peter Pan is a loveable hero with charisma and leadership. The watered-down, temperate, and child-friendly image of Peter Pan that modern movie producers construct completely dilutes the dangers that underlies the story and disregards Peter as a tragic hero. In Peter’s case, his fatal flaw is the fear of growing old which causes him to make terrible mistakes of rejecting his development of humanity and the opportunity for redemption through maternal love. By the end of Peter Pan’s story - even with the adventures, games, and amusing experiences he had - he cannot remember the things he has done due to his constant search for new things to keep him occupied. Peter is filling his life with fun because that is all he knows, all he wants to know, and the only thing he was. Without the love of his family, which he found slightly in Wendy and the Lost Boys, Peter is not a complete person. He lacks the empathy and unchecked violence which results in his refusal to mature in any way, leading to his failing as a hero - the rejection of the love and change that could have saved him from the feeling of constantly needing to run away from memories and nightmares. Even during the most heightened point of Peter’s morality, when he allows Wendy and the boys return to the Darling’s nursery, Peter still chooses to run from a welcoming family because all children, but him, grow up. 

Therefore, all three of these characters discussed are examples of tragic heroes. Every character depicts a full cycle of a rise to power, followed by a great demise. Their ambition leads to their degeneration as a character which results in their ultimate downfall or death. In conclusion, the characters display strong signs of a tragic hero, making each of them an ideal classic example in their own unique way.