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(Greek: ἁμαρτία) Derived from hamartanein, meaning “to miss the mark.” In Aristotle’s Poetics, it describes the error, misjudgment, or fatal flaw that triggers the downfall of a tragic hero. The term is deliberately ambiguous — it can describe a single mistaken act (as in Oedipus) or a recurring character defect (as in Macbeth). It is not synonymous with villainy; the tragic hero must retain our sympathy even in ruin.

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