The tragic hero derives from the Greek drama, as elucidated by the criticism of Aristotle in particular. Tragedy in this conception is struggling against something over which we really have no control. The tragedy develops from a recognition of the futility of the struggle, leading to the resignation of the tragic hero to his or her fate and indeed even to the embracing of that fate. The hero often knows his fate but still does not see it coming, as it were. He or she then takes responsibility for that failure--this is the lesson learned and imparted to the audience and only reinforces the power of the gods and the need for the human spirit to obey. Underlying the actions of the tragic hero is a fatal flaw in his character, and it is because of this flaw that he or she is not able to escape fate. The flaw is usually a form of pride, but it need not be that particular characteristic. The Greek hero has a high level of integrity but also possess the flaw that determines his or her fate.
Integrity is a term that has moral, cultural, and intellectual significance. The term changes meaning somewhat depending on the period in which it is used, as an examination of these uses will show. The word "integrity" is derived from the Latin word integri, which means "as a whole." The general meaning of the word embodies this sense of wholeness as a reference to the state or quality of completeness and purity, or to something that exists in an unmarred state: "Integrity, then, at least as applied to things rather than persons, suggests an element of wholeness or completeness" (Halfon 7).
In Greek tragedy, personal integrity is central to the character of the hero. It is displayed in its absolute form in Homer's Iliad in the Achilles of the final chapters, and it can be seen as the fulfillment of the precept, "Know thyself." Self-knowledge for the many heroes portrayed in the Iliad means a recognition of one's limitations as a mor...