Hamartia comes from the Greek verb hamartanein, meaning "to miss the mark." Aristotle used the word in his Poetics to refer to the error of judgment which ultimately brings about the tragic hero's downfall.

Hamartia is a morally neutral non- normative term, derived from the verb hamartanein, meaning 'to miss the mark', 'to fall short of an objective'.

Here’s a quick and simple definition: Hamartia is a literary term that refers to a tragic flaw or error that leads to a character's downfall.

In the play, Heracles is a great hero and does many great deeds, but his one flaw, his hamartia, is madness, which makes him kill his family. Hamartia is the name used to describe the fatal flaw that …

Hamartia, a term originating from ancient Greek tragedy, is often translated as “ tragic flaw ” or “error in judgment.” However, it isn’t more nuanced than a simple mistake. It isn’t necessarily a moral failing, …

Hamartia, (hamartia from Greek hamartanein, “to err”), inherent defect or shortcoming in the hero of a tragedy, who is in other respects a superior being favoured by fortune.

HAMARTIA definition: tragic flaw. See examples of hamartia used in a sentence.

hamartia in American English (ˌhɑmɑrˈtiə ) noun Origin: Gr < hamartanein, to err tragic flaw

Feb 20, 2025 · Hamartia is a fatal flaw leading to the downfall of a tragic hero. Hamartia derives from the Greek term meaning “to miss the mark” or “to err.”

hamartia (həˈmɑːtɪə) n (Literary & Literary Critical Terms) literature the flaw in character which leads to the downfall of the protagonist in a tragedy [C19: from Greek]