[identity profile] nerdfury.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] 1word1day
Sorry I'm late! This one is a good word for authors to remember!

Hamartia [ham-ar-shee-ah, shuh]
noun

Definition
The fault or error which entails the destruction of the tragic hero.

Etymology
From a Greek word, meaning fault, failure, guilt. Unfortunately, Greek letters don't copy so well into LJ so I haven't included it here.

First seen
1789 T. Twining Aristotle's Treat. Poetry 308 Dacier confounds himself and his readers in his note about Thyestes. He mistakes Aristotle's sense of hamartia.

Usage
Tordak the Mighty was pretty pissed when he pulled his fatal hamartia out of the hat. I mean, that Achilles guy got a tendon on his foot, Samson pulled out his hair, and Harry Dresden got a coin wih a demon inside - but, really, this was a little open to abuse.. anything blue? REALLY?
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