The Tragic Hero

What is Said’s tragic flaw?

Said’s tragic flaw or hamartia, would be his inability to forgive those who have wronged him. By refusing to let go of his hate and move on with his life, Said allows his desire for revenge to consume his person, and by this means, shortchanges himself of any future he might have had. This detail is made clear from the very outset of the narrative where Said states “Nabbawiyya. Ilish. Your two names merge in my mind… You'll be watching now, but I won't fall into the trap. At the right moment, instead, I'll strike like Fate.” Despite being granted a second chance at life, Said choses to cast all this aside in the pursuit of “justice” and self-vindication.

How does he display excessive pride?

The flaw of many a hero, Said’s hubris was that of he failed to acknowledge, that his undoing was just as much a result of his own actions, as it was the actions of those he blamed. Steadfast in his belief that his four years in prison were owed to ‘betrayal’ of his friends and not the narrow-mindedness of his profession, Said is unable to pick out the plank from his own eye. And as a result of this standpoint, his character is doomed to a cycle of self-destruction, ultimately culminating in his death.

When is his reversal of fortunes?

Said’s reversal of fortunes takes place during his attempted assassination of Illish. Failing to take the life of his former confident, Said instead ends the life on an innocent man. The reason for this scene’s importance, is that it is marks a shift in Said’s character and identity, he describes himself stating “A murderer! You are now one of those who commit murder.” He then goes on to divulge the far-reaching impact of this decision saying, “you have a new identity now and a new destiny! You used to take precious goods--now you take worthless lives!”

At what moment in the text does he recognize that the reversal was to due to his own actions?

It could be argued that Said’s revelation concerning his change in fortune take places the very moment he commits the crime. By openly considering the repercussions of his actions, Said is able to quickly come to terms with the atrocity he has committed. And this is somewhat of running theme in the novel, following his attempted burglary of Rauf’s home, Said had once more been able to quickly recover, leaving the crime scene with little to no remorse concerning his actions.

The murder scene serves as no exception and following its execution Said is able to swiftly come to terms with his situation and accept the hard truth that from here on “Darkness must extend…to all eternity.”

Is his fate greater that he deserved?

Unlike most tragic heroes, Said was fully aware of the path on which he was embarking and the consequences he would incur if he failed. For this reason I believe that his fate was not greater than that which he deserved. Though his friends and wife might have wronged him, Said was by no means justified in taking their lives. Nonetheless by choosing to continue down this path, Said opted for self-annihilation and the fulfillment of the age-old proverb: he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.