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Madison Martin

ENG 489

Dr. Kuhns

12 December 2022

Fatal Flaws in Mythic Discourse

Great literature is sometimes referred to as “mythic” literature. However, there are elements that

need to be present in a piece to classify it as such. Everything in culture is based on myth, if it

itself is not mythic. Literature, art, music, and theatre all contribute to the mythic canon. A piece

must have a mythic agent, who performs a mythic action, in a mythic scene, in order to be myth.

However, I also believe that the “fatal” or “tragic” flaw of the mythic agent is an integral part of

myth. While a flaw is not always present, it makes an appearance in many myths. This flaw is

typically what gives a moral or theme to the myth. Examples of a fatal flaw in myth include

Achilles’ desire for earthly honor, Odysseus’s arrogance, and Hamlet’s indecision, to name a

few.

The mythic agent is the main protagonist that the reader follows throughout the story. Much like

an epic hero, the agent is typically a male hero of some sort- a warrior, prince, or some form of

leader. He has a role of authority which allows him to rise to the occasion he is presented with.

He may go on a journey or fight in a battle, but he will most certainly face trials and tribulations

throughout his myth. His sheer ability or prowess leads him to become a mythic agent.

Something about him sets him apart from other protagonists and elevates him to the mythic level.

The mythic agent is also usually faced with a supernatural element. Either he himself is

supernaturally blessed, or some mythic being (like a ghost or a triad of witches) will visit him
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somewhere on his journey. Examples of mythic agents include Achilles from the Iliad, Odysseus

from the Odyssey, Beowulf, Hamlet, and Macbeth.

A mythic agent must perform a mythic action at some point in his myth. This is the hero’s

journey. It is the battle he must face, the demon he must slay, or the treacherous land he must

navigate through. The mythic action is something that only the mythic agent can complete. Other

men may try, but they will fail. A mythic action is different from just a regular action that the

mythic agent completes because it allows him to face a challenge that will either cement or

destroy his mythic status. Beowulf slaying Grendel, for example, is a mythic action. Beowulf,

the mythic agent, slays this creature to defend his people. Many other men have faced Grendel,

but they have not been able to defeat him. Only Beowulf’s prowess and piousness, combined

with a divine blessing, are enough to give him the almost supernatural strength required to defeat

this hellish creature. This action is what cements Beowulf’s status and elevates him as a mythic

agent.

The mythic agent must also be present within a mythic scene. This is the hardest of the three

elements to explain. While it can be an actual place, like Hell in Dante’s Inferno, it can also be

the events surrounding or leading up to the mythic action. The mythic scene could be something

like the speech that Macbeth gives at the end of the play, shortly before he is killed. It is the

context of the mythic agent as he performs a mythic action.

The fatal or tragic flaw is something that is not always present in myth. However, it is seen quite

frequently. In her essay “Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare’s Hamlet”, Indira Devi describes a tragic

flaw as “a literary term that refers to a personality trait of the protagonist that leads to his or her

downfall due to the personal defect of character.” (Devi, 1) The tragic flaw is what leads to the

mythic agent to his demise- or, at the very least, the loss of his mythic status. It is a personality
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trait rather than a physical trait. The tragic flaw is often seen in conjunction with other literary

devices, like dramatic irony, foreshadowing, or some sort of revenge. These things all combine

to make a perfect storm that leads to the hero’s downfall. It typically also leads to the moral of

the story. For example, Achilles is often alluded to as an example of the dangers of rage or

arrogance. Icarus’s plight is often referenced when someone does something that is obviously

dangerous when they are close to succeeding in their goal. The tragic flaw, sadly, is what is most

often remembered about the mythic agent.

Achilles is one of the many mythic heroes included in the Iliad. Homer’s epic poem describes the

end of the twelve-year-long Trojan war. This is an example of Classic Greek myth. Humans

squabble in the dust below as gods watch on from Mount Olympus. Achilles was a Greek man

fighting under Agamemnon who straddled the line somewhere between man and god. His father,

Peleus, was mortal. His mother, Thetis, was immortal. According to legend, Thetis dipped the

young Achilles in the River Styx, which made him invulnerable to attack. When he is killed in

battle, it is said that he was struck in the only place the water did not cover him. Hence, the

phrase Achilles’ heel was formed to describe a character’s weakness or fatal flaw.

However, I do not believe that his weak ankle was his true tragic flaw. Instead, it was his

arrogance, rage, and desire for honor. He was supernaturally skilled on the battlefield; the

average man stood no chance against him. Achilles knew and took advantage of this. He wanted

to be known for all of eternity as the best warrior that ever existed. His rage, when unbridled,

somehow amplified this supernatural killing power. As seen in the chapter “Achilles Fights the

River”, once enraged, he is nearly unstoppable. He kills hundreds of soldiers with his bare hands

and even defies the gods when they try to contain his rage. He cares only about how “mythic” he

really is- he wants to be remembered as a god on the battlefield. He does not truly care about the
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war or those around him. He only cares about himself. In Greek culture, being remembered and

honored after death was the only real form of afterlife. Achilles spent his entire life preparing for

his death. When the only person he arguably truly cares for, Patroclus, is killed by the Trojans,

Achilles’ fatal flaw comes to fruition. His rage blinds him and he cares only about the honor of

he and his friend. Ultimately, this leads to his death. When his comrade, Odysseus, visits the

Underworld on his own journey, he and Achilles have the chance to reconnect. Achilles has

made it to the afterlife. He is a shadow of his former self. He only asks Odysseus whether or not

he is remebered on Earth as the best warrior in their time and how his myth lives on. He asks

about whether his son is known as a great warrior like he himself was. His fatal flaw is so all-

consuming, it not only kills him; it follows him to the afterlife and haunts him even in death. He

regrets being so willing to die for his honor- he tells Odysseus he would “rather slave on Earth

for another man... than rule down here over the breathless dead.” (Homer, page 265, line 555.)

Too late, Achilles has realized the consequences of his fatal flaw.

Odysseus is another character from the Classic Greek canon. He is present in many

myths, and is featured heavily in the Iliad. The Odyessey, another epic poem written by Homer,

follows Odyessus’s journey home to Ithaca. He is a mere mortal, unlike Achilles. Howveer, he is

the king of Ithaca and favored by Athena, goddess of wisdom. He is known throughout the world

for his wit and quick thinking. Throughout his journey home, he encounters many, many gods

and other supernatural characters. There is no doubt that Odysseus is a mythic agent. However,

what is his tragic flaw? He makes it back home, vanquishes the suitors that have been harassing

his wife and son, and takes back his throne. Although it does not kill him, I believe his wit is

Odysseus’s fatal or tragic flaw.

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Odysseus’s wit causes many delays in his journey home. Since he is favored by Athena,

other gods interfere with his life to provoke or get revenge on her. Even though Odyseeus

survives, he is the only one who makes it home to Ithaca. The rest of his men are tragically and

horrifically killed long before he makes it home. He laments the deaths of these men, and in

other myths, he is said to feel personally responsible and be haunted by the fact that he could not

save them. However, it very well may be his fault that these men all died. Halfway through his

jouney, Odysseus and his men chose to dock at the island of the Cyclops to rest for the night.

The Cyclops are described as “lawless brutes” (Homer, 215, line 120). He has lost a few men at

this point, but a large group of his sailors still survives. They are unfortunate enough to hunker

down for the night in the cave of Polyphemus, a large and especially monstrous Cyclops, Over

the course of several days, he brutalizes and eats many of the sailors alive. Odyssues and his wit

come up with a plan to escape; he will blind the Cyclops with a burning hot stick after getting

him drunk. As he and the Cyclops are having conversation during this plan, Odysssues tells

Polyphemus that his name is “Nobody”. When Polyphemus cries out that “Nobody is trying to

kill him!”, the other Cyclops do not come to investigate his cries of pain or come to his aid.

Odysseus and his men escape and are sailing away when Polyphemus emerges from his cave and

begins to hurl stones at their ship. Odysseus, who wants his great wit to be recognized, tells

Polyphemus his true name. In retaliation,the Cyclops calls upon his father, Poseidon, to curse

Odysseus:

“If I really am your son and you claim to be my father, come grant that Odysseus... never

makes it home. Or, if he’s fated to see his people once again and reach his well-built

house and native country, let him come home late and a broken man- all shipmates lost and
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alone in a stranger’s ship- and let him find a world of pain at home!” (Homer, page 228, line

590)

Polyphemus’s curse comes true- Odysseus's men are all killed, he is delayed getting home many

times, and returns to find a son he does not recognize and a home full of suitors trying to woo his

wife. His fatal flaw leads to immense suffering- his sailors’ as well as his own. This is why I

believe that Odysseus’s wit is his fatal flaw.

William Shakespeare is well-known for his plays of all genres, but especially his tragedies. He

creates mythic characters, actions, and scenes that have resonated with readers for hundreds of

years. His tragedies are widely read throughout high schools and colleges and are many students’

first interactions with the concept of a tragic flaw. “In the tragedies of Shakespeare, the tragic

hero is not an ordinary man but of noble stature with an outstanding quality and greatness.

Usually, the hero’s own tragic flaw is the cause of his destruction and downfall which create pity

and fear in audience. “ (Devi, 2) Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are most certainly mythic agents.

The tragic part of their fatal flaws is that typically, they could have been easily prevented.

Devi’s paper focuses mainly on Hamlet’s fatal flaw. She believes that his flaw is “his failure to

act immediately to kill Claudius, his uncle and murderer of his father. His tragic flaw is

‘procrastination’.” (Devi, 2) However, I disagree with this statement. While procrastination to

kill Cladius leads to his demise, I believe Hamlet’s true fatal flaw is his indecision. Hamlet

leaves his post as Prince to go to college and learn as much as he can about the world around

him. When he comes home, he learns of the death of his father, which shatters him. To make

matters worse, his mother has married her deceased husband’s brother, Cladius. The ghost of

Hamlet’s father visits him and tells Hamlet that he has been murdered by Claudius, who desired

the throne. The spirit implores Hamlet to avenge him by killing Claudius and taking the throne as
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his rightful descendent. What follows this is essentially an entire play of Hamlet weighing his

options. He cannot decide what would be the ethical solution to his problem. As an educated

Christian, he knows that murder is not acceptable. As a traditional Pagan, he believes that his

father’s soul will not find rest until he is avenged. “Hamlet is struck between two values which

cause conflict in him—his loyalty to his father, and his belief that murder of any kind is wrong.”

(Devi, 3) Hamlet questions and considers everything before he acts. He wonders whether he even

saw his father’s spirit. Was it a grief-induced hallucination? It could have been the Devil, come

to test him and make him sin. Did Claudius truly murder his own brother? Is Hamlet’s mother’s

marriage ethical? What would the repercussions of his actions be, and does he even care

anymore? Every time that Hamlet comes close to acting, be it one way or the other, something

stops him.

His indecsion leads to countless deaths and an ending that resolves nothing. Every major

character has died, and none of Hamlet’s questions are asnwered. “Claudius is killed, but his

death reflects little credit upon Hamlet. Many lives are lost and Hamlet himself is killed,

Denmark is rotten, all this happened just because of Hamlet’s delay in taking action.” (Desi, 5)

The reader, along with Hamlet, leaves the play feeling unsatisfied and unfulfilled. The tragedy is

that every death in the play, including the King, could have been prevented. However, Hamlet’s

fatal flaw, indecision, leads to unnecessary and preventable violence.

Macbeth is arguably the most well-known of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes. (He is also my

favorite.) His character arc quickly spirals into a tragic killing spree, and a state of intense

anxiety, paranoia, and deceit. The interesting aspect of his tragic flaw is that is sparked by and

shared with his wife. Perhaps, one could say that his tragic flaw is his inability to stand up for

himself, his ability to be influenced by others, or a lack of moral compass. The overarching flaw
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that he indubitably faces is the desire for power. Macbeth is a skilled warrior at the beginning of

the play who receives a “divine” prophecy from three witches. He is destined to become the king

of Scotland. While he is also given several hints and warnings that all will not be as it seems, he

does not heed them. Macbeth gives up all of his morals in order to attain power. “Of course,”

says Devi on page 2, “chance, fate and supernatural also play a vital role in the fall of the hero.

But Shakespeare’s tragedy is the tragedy of character.” Macbeth loses himself in his desire for

power. Although murders were committed and ultimately a war breaks out, the real tragedy is the

damnation of Macbeth’s soul.

Lady Macbeth comes up with a grand scheme after she hears about Macbeth’s prophecy. She

believes that the witches are urging him to take the power that he deserves. Macbeth was happy

with the life they were leading before. He was a thane of a prosperous nation and a loved and

respected warrior. Lady Macbeth, however, convinces him that his competency as a thane was

really just a stepping stone to being the king of Scotland. She decides that they must kill King

Duncan and allow Macbeth to ascend to the throne. She longs for the power and social status that

comes with being Queen. At some point, Macbeth begins to agree with her. One of his tragic

flaws is certainly his ability to be easily influenced by those around him. Before the prophecy, he

was happy with the live he lived. He did not have any desire to become King. However, once his

wife begins to suggest that it is their destiny, he quickly gives in. Any doubts that he had are

quelled as their plan is executed flawlessly and he is named the new King of Scotland. No one

suspects him of murder due to his once honorable and virtuous reputation.

The problem comes when his power is questioned. He and Lady Macbeth seem to switch places.

He becomes desperate to maintain the throne and kills anyone who gets in the way of his reign.

Friends, women, and children all die at either his hand or bequest. The trepidation and gult he
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felt over Duncan’s death are nowhere to be found. Instead, he is full of lust for blood and power.

The situation quickly spirals out of any semblance of control that there once was. By the last act

of the play, Macbeth is nearly unrecognizable. He has lost everything that had meaning to him in

life- his honor, his friends, and even his wife. Lady Macbeth goes mad and commits suicide due

to the immense guilt she felt about their reign of terror. Macbeth, on the other hand, is tragically

indifferent. When told about his wife’s suicide, he responds in one of the most famous

Shakesperean speeches:

“She should have died hereafter. There would have been a time for such a word.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools/

The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor

player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It

is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.” (Shakespeare, Macbeth,

Act 5, Scene 5, lines 16-27)

In this nihilistic and despairing speech, Macbeth shows that he has lost all optimism,

drive, or meaning in his life. He became the king, but at what cost? He paid for his reign with

blood, fear, and his soul. This speech is the penultimate recognition of one’s own tragic flaw- it

would be hard to find another literary example that shows a character's struggle as well.

Myth dominates the culture that we live in. It surrounds us every day. We see and hear

the echoes of the great myths in literature, music, film, and television. However, not everything

is myth. A piece must meet certain requirements to be labeled as “mythic.” It must have a mythic

agent, or a hero who meets certain standards. The mythic agent must complete a mythic action,

which sets them apart from the standard hero. This all must take place in a mythic scene, which
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includes the physical location but also the philosophical context. I would suggest that the fatal or

tragic flaw is a part of mythic discourse. Although it is not present in every myth, I believe that

most of the heros who are tragic are also mythic. It allows for there to be a moral in the myth

without the need for it to be explicitly stated.

Works Cited

Devi, Indira. “Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.” Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Press. 2014.