The Tragedy of Richard III is full of common literary elements that are important for students to explore. One of these elements is the tragic hero, a protagonist who seems to be ill-fated, and destined for doom. In this play, while Richard himself admits he is a villain and commits evil acts, he does fit all of the standard attributes of a tragic hero. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, first articulated the specific attributes or principles of a tragic hero. For the storyboard above, students can use a template to storyboard the qualities that make Richard a tragic hero. The finished product outlines each of Aristotle's principles with a detailed explanation of the specific attributes.
| ATTRIBUTE | DESCRIPTION | Example from Richard III |
|---|---|---|
| Hamartia | Hero's Flaw that Causes Downfall | Richard is driven by his ambition to become king, regardless of any cost. |
| Hubris | Excessive Pride | Richard thinks he is invincible; he is arrogant and believes that he will successfully sway Lady Anne to marry him, and he will kill everyone in his way to get the crown. |
| Peripeteia | Reversal of Fortune | Buckingham flees to Wales and raises an army against Richard; Richard discovers that the Earl of Richmond is bringing an army against him in a final challenge to the throne. Richard realizes that most of his allies are dead or turned against him. |
| Anagnorisis | Moment of Critical Discovery | Richard is visited by the ghosts of those he’s murdered, and discovers that he is an evil villain who hates himself. For the first time, he is afraid. |
| Nemesis | Fate that Cannot be Avoided | The ghosts predict Richard’s defeat and Richmond’s victory, and the sun refuses to rise. Richard and Richmond meet on the battlefield, where Richard is killed. |
| Catharsis | Audience's Feeling of Pity or Fear After the Hero's Fall | The audience feels a slight pang of pity when Richard realizes how badly he has sinned by killing so many people. He also shows fear at his impending defeat and doom. |
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that shows how Richard can be considered a tragic hero.
Involve your students in analyzing Richard III by going beyond templates—ask them to create character diaries or social media profiles from Richard’s perspective. This approach encourages deeper empathy and understanding of his motivations and tragic flaws.
Select students to play key characters and read pivotal scenes aloud. This strategy energizes the classroom, supports comprehension, and lets students experience the emotional shifts of Richard’s journey as a tragic hero.
Guide students to map Richard’s decisions and their outcomes using a visual chart. This helps students see connections between character traits and plot events, reinforcing key tragic hero concepts.
Organize a class debate where students defend or challenge the idea that Richard III fits Aristotle’s tragic hero mold. Debates foster critical thinking and allow students to practice citing text evidence.
Ask students to write short journal entries reflecting on a time they faced a difficult choice or flaw, connecting their experience to Richard’s journey. Personal reflection deepens understanding and makes the material more relatable.
Richard III is considered a tragic hero because he displays key Aristotelian traits: hamartia (fatal flaw—his ambition), hubris (excessive pride), a reversal of fortune, anagnorisis (critical self-discovery), nemesis (unavoidable fate), and he inspires catharsis (pity and fear) in the audience.
Students can examine the play for scenes that illustrate each Aristotelian trait: identify Richard's ambition as his flaw, moments of pride and arrogance, his downfall after allies turn against him, his realization of guilt, and the audience's emotional response after his defeat.
Richard's hamartia is his ruthless ambition to seize the throne at all costs. His hubris shows when he arrogantly believes he can manipulate anyone—including Lady Anne—and eliminate all rivals without consequence.
Catharsis is important because it lets the audience experience pity and fear as Richard realizes his own evil and faces defeat. This emotional release helps viewers reflect on the consequences of unchecked ambition and moral corruption.
Effective activities include creating a storyboard mapping Richard's actions to Aristotelian traits, discussing key scenes for each attribute, and writing short descriptions that connect Richard's journey to the concept of a tragic hero.