Twelfth graders explore the tradition of tragedy — from Greek drama to Shakespeare — and the tragic hero: a great but flawed figure whose downfall, driven by hamartia and hubris, evokes pity, fear, and catharsis.
Students will be able to…
Why have audiences wept over the falls of Oedipus, Macbeth, and Hamlet for thousands of years? Tragedy follows a powerful pattern — and its flawed hero is at the center.
Project this and tap each element of tragedy. Have students learn what makes a tragic hero and how tragedy moves an audience!
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
Why do the falls of Oedipus and Macbeth still move us?
Teacher models.
Class uses the Tragedy Explorer.
Students analyze.
Students share an analysis.
Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts (Grades 11–12).
Analyze how an author’s choices about structure (e.g., tragedy) contribute to overall meaning.
Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding character development.
Analyze the development of themes.
Read and comprehend drama proficiently.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students debate whether a modern figure (from a novel, film, or history) fits the classical definition of a tragic hero. A printable tragedy sheet is in the ELA library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.