Hamartia Literary Device Explained: 5 Examples of Hamartia

Hamartia is a literary device that refers to the tragic flaw of a main character in a story, which ultimately leads to the character's downfall. Errors of judgement or specific character traits like excessive pride, greed, or jealousy can be a character’s fatal flaw or lead to a reverse of fortune. Several of William Shakespeare’s plays revolve around a tragic hero with a character flaw, the tragedies Othello (1603), Macbeth (1606), and Hamlet (1609).

The etymology of the term “hamartia” dates back to ancient Greek tragedies. The word “hamartia” comes from the Greek word “hamartanein,” meaning “to err.” The literary device first appeared in Aristotle’s Poetics (circa 330 BC), a book on dramatic theory. Aristotle examined hamartia in Oedipus Rex (circa 429 BC), also known as Oedipus the King, a tragic play by Sophocles. In the play, a sequence of misjudgements leads the titular character to his tragic end.

Explore the following examples of hamartia in contemporary films and works of literature:

1. 1. The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald: Jay Gatsby’s unwillingness and inability to accept reality leads to his ultimate demise.
2. 2. Jealousy (1957) by Alain Robbe-Grillet: In his experimental novel, French writer Robbe-Grillet follows a husband whose suspicions about his wife’s fidelity lead him to the brink of obsession.
3. 3. True Grit (1968) by Charles Portis: Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross’s hatred and need for revenge results in a dangerous outcome.
4. 4. There Will Be Blood (2007): Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film There Will Be Blood follows a greedy oilman (Daniel Day-Lewis) who sacrifices everything to make a fortune. The 1927 novel Oil! By Upton Sinclair loosely inspired the film.
5. 5. Network (1976): In this dark satirical film directed by Sidney Lumet, newscaster Howard Beale’s (Peter Finch) obsession results in a tragic end.

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