Hubris and the Myth of Sisyphus

Hubris in Ancient Greek tragedy simply meant the revealing tale of how a great man's fortunes shifted from initial prosperity to final wretchedness. The hero, once overambitious, self-confident, insolent, and magnificent, faces a tragic fall.

Hubris, also known as 'amartia' is the tragic flaw; the inherent defect or shortcoming in the hero who, in all other aspects, is favored by fortune.

Tragedy unfolds as a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force, leading to a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that evokes pity and terror.

The hero confronts a series of disastrous events, grappling with life under the shadow of disaster. Overcoming adversity, he becomes unduly confident, arrogant, and presumptuous, entangled in an intolerable yet inescapable situation, guided by will or circumstances, fatal ignorance, or binding obligation. Ultimately, he faces the workings of an inexorable fate, ensuring an unhappy outcome. The ordeal, however, may reveal dimensions of human grandeur and dignity in extreme circumstances.

The tragic hero, a man of noble rank and nature, faces misfortune not due to villainy but some 'error in judgment.' The hero's suffering, disproportionate to its flaw, involves a cosmic collusion among the hero's flaw, chance, necessity, and external forces, bringing about the tragic catastrophe.

The hero's flaw is elusive; often, tragic deeds are committed unwittingly. If knowingly committed, they are not by choice. An apparent weakness is sometimes an excess of virtue, like extreme probity or zeal for perfection.

Since the hero is never passive, struggling to resolve his tragic difficulty with obsessive dedication, he is guilty of Hubris; an assumption of godlike qualities and an attempt to overstep human limitations.

The hero's Hubris is subtle, sometimes wholly blameless, yet his unbroken spirit under the tragic ordeal suggests an overconfidence the Gods find offensive.

Tragedy delves into the role of man in the universe, questioning his actions.

Why must he suffer?


Why is man torn between irreconcilables like good and evil, freedom and necessity, truth and deceit?

Are the causes of suffering external; in blind chance, the evil designs of others, or the malice of God?

Are its causes within, brought upon himself through arrogance, infatuation, or the tendency to overreach?

Why is Justice so elusive?