The tragic hero is one of the most profound and symbolically charged archetypes in the world's literary canon. From the earliest mythological epics to the sophisticated dramas of modernity, this figure has captivated readers and audiences by embodying the universal human experience of internal conflict, moral ambiguity, and the limits of human agency. Whether situated in the ancient Greek polis, medieval Islamic courts, Renaissance England, or the Enlightenment salons of Europe, the tragic hero serves as a literary mirror reflecting not only personal destiny but also the ethical, spiritual, and philosophical anxieties of his time. At the heart of the tragic hero's narrative lies a fundamental contradiction: the tension between individual will and divine order, between personal ambition and moral responsibility, and between human limitation and the desire for transcendence. This internal dialectic is often expressed through critical moments of choice, acts of rebellion or obedience, and confrontation with fate or divine justice. The tragic hero does not merely suffer passively but becomes actively entangled in the consequences of his decisions, making his downfall both inevitable and meaningful. In Western literature, the tragic hero frequently embodies the ideals of individualism, autonomy, and rational inquiry. Figures

such as Oedipus, Hamlet, and Faust reflect the struggle of the self in asserting control over its fate, often.

Leading to a confrontation with existential truths or divine punishment. Their tragedies are deeply intertwined with the philosophical developments of their respective eras-such as Greek fatalism, Renaissance humanism, or Enlightenment rationalism. These characters are typically marked by hamartia (a fatal flaw), anagnorisis (recognition), and catharsis (emotional purification), forming the classical model of tragedy as defined by Aristotle [1, 112].  In contrast, Eastern literature, particularly within the Islamic-Persian and Turkish traditions, offers a different perspective. While the tragic hero also experiences profound suffering and moral conflict, the emphasis is often on spiritual devotion, divine love, and submission to God's will. Characters like Majnun in Nizami's "Layli and Majnun" or Farhod in Alisher Navoi's "Farhod and Shirin" are defined less by rebellion and more by their unwavering fidelity, idealism and internal purification. Their tragedies stem not from moral failure but from the harsh collision between spiritual ideals and worldly obstacles. These narratives reflect the Sufi-influenced worldview where suffering becomes a path to enlightenment, and love-whether human or divine-is both a blessing and a trial.

The central question is how the concept of individualism and the inner moral or existential struggle is constructed and resolved in different cultural contexts. Through a comparative literary analysis, the study will highlight the philosophical foundations, thematic motifs, and aesthetic strategies that shape the portrayal of the tragic hero across civilizations. Such an inquiry not only deepens our understanding of the tragic mode in literature but also reveals the shared human longing for meaning, justice, and redemption in the midst of suffering.  This research adopts a comparative literary analysis grounded in hermeneutic methodology to explore the representation and evolution of the tragic hero in world literature. By engaging with texts from diverse historical periods and cultural traditions, the study aims to trace how differing worldviews-especially concerning individualism and internal moral conflict-shape the literary construction of the tragic figure. The comparative method involves juxtaposing.

Key literary works that exemplify the tragic tradition within both Western and Eastern canons. This enables the identification of both universal patterns and distinct cultural markers in the portrayal of tragic heroes. The study does not seek to create a hierarchy between traditions but rather to illuminate their unique contributions to the sad mode and to examine how philosophical, religious, and social contexts influence the narrative arc and moral implications of tragedy. To achieve this, the following primary texts were selected for detailed analysis: Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex" Represents the classical Western model of tragedy as defined by Aristotle, where fate, human error, and recognition drive the hero's downfall. Shakespeare's "Hamlet" Illustrates the Renaissance exploration of internal psychological conflict, moral hesitation, and individual conscience. Goethe's "Faust" (18th–19th century Germany): Demonstrating the Enlightenment and Romantic era's focus on intellectual ambition, moral duality, and metaphysical striving. Alisher Navoi's "Farhod va Shirin" is An Eastern tragic romance where devotion, love, and sacrifice are central, reflecting Islamic ethical and mystical values. The figure of Majnun in Nizami's "Layli and Majnun" (Islamic-Persian tradition) is a character who embodies divine love and spiritual tragedy through asceticism and madness, blending earthly suffering with transcendental longing. These texts were analyzed using hermeneutic principles, which emphasize interpretation through contextual understanding-historical, religious, philosophical, and literary. Each work was approached not merely as a narrative but as a reflection of its cultural ontology-its society's vision of humanity, fate, divinity, and the self.

Additionally, the study incorporates critical commentary and philosophical readings from a range of scholarly sources. These include classical treatises (such as Aristotle's Poetics), Islamic theological and Sufi texts, modern literary theory, and existing academic literature on tragedy. The intersexual analysis is also employed to trace recurring motifs (e.g., blindness and insight, rebellion and submission, solitude and society), revealing how the tragic hero functions.

Symbolically and thematically across different civilizations. Through this interdisciplinary and cross-cultural methodology, the research aims to provide a nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the tragic hero not just as a literary construct but as a dynamic figure situated at the intersection of culture, thought, and emotion.

1. Sophocles' "Oedipus Rex" (Ancient Greece)

Sophocles' Oedipus Rex stands as the archetype of classical Greek tragedy, epitomizing Aristotle's concept of hamartia (tragic flaw), anagnorisis (recognition), and peripeteia (reversal of fortune). Oedipus, the King of Thebes, is determined to uncover the truth about the cause of a deadly plague afflicting his city, only to discover that he is the source of the curse-having unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. His downfall is propelled not only by fate but also by his relentless pursuit of knowledge and truth-traits that initially make him admirable. However, it is his pride (hubris) and overconfidence in human reason that close his eyes to the divine warnings and oracles. The climactic moment of self-recognition- "Light, let this be the last time I see you, I who have been revealed as cursed" - reveals a man caught in a cosmic struggle between free will and preordained destiny. Oedipus's internal conflict arises as he tries to assert agency in a world governed by divine law, exemplifying the tragic burden of individualism against an unyielding moral order [2].

2. Shakespeare's "Hamlet" (Elizabethan England)

In Hamlet, William Shakespeare portrays a profoundly introspective tragic hero whose inner turmoil serves as the central axis of the entire drama. Prince Hamlet is thrust into a moral and existential crisis. Unlike Oedipus, Hamlet is not doomed by fate but by his psychological paralysis and the conflict between action and contemplation. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles with the ethical implications of revenge as shown in his famous soliloquy: "To be or not to be—that is the question." Here, he wrestles with the meaning of existence, death, and the moral ambiguity of his choices. His delay in killing Claudius stems not from cowardice but from his need for moral certainty. Ultimately, his tragic flaw lies in overthinking, which leads to unintended deaths and his demise. Hamlet represents Renaissance individualism, where the tragic hero is self-aware, burdened by conscience, and seeking truth in a morally complex world. His death at the end symbolizes not only personal failure but also the collapse of political and moral order in Denmark [3,230].

3. Goethe's "Faust" (18th–19th century Germany)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust presents a tragedy of ambition and metaphysical yearning, deeply rooted in Enlightenment and Romantic ideologies. Dr. Faust, a learned scholar, becomes disillusioned with the limits of rational knowledge and enters into a pact with the devil, Mephistopheles, in pursuit of ultimate truth, pleasure, and experience. Faust's individualism is extreme: he seeks to transcend human limitations and reshape the world according to his desires. In one scene, he declares, "Two souls, alas, are dwelling in my breast, and one is striving to forsake the other." [4,350].  This internal duality-between the intellectual and the sensual, the moral and the rebellious-defines his character. Unlike Oedipus or Hamlet, Faust is not destroyed solely by fate or hesitation but by his cosmic ambition and ethical blindness. Yet Goethe's version offers a redemptive twist: Faust is ultimately saved through divine grace, suggesting that striving, though flawed, is noble when it serves a higher purpose. Thus, Faust explores the tragic hero as a Romantic visionary caught between human aspiration and moral consequence.

4. Alisher Navoi's "Farhod and Shirin" (15th century Timurid Empire)

Alisher Navoi's Farhod va Shirin is a masterpiece of Eastern tragic romance that reflects Islamic ethical principles, Sufi mysticism, and Persian literary tradition.

Farhod, a noble and virtuous young man, falls deeply in love with the beautiful

princess Shirin. His passion is spiritual as much as it is romantic, marked by devotion, chastity, and sacrifice. Farhod undergoes numerous trials, including exile and physical labor, all endured with patience and dignity. His tragic fate is not due

to personal error or pride but to external circumstances, court intrigue, and destiny. The emotional climax comes when Farhod, misled by false news of Shirin's death, takes his own life-an act not of despair but of sacrificial love. Shirin, upon learning the truth, also dies, uniting the lovers in death. Farhod's internal struggle is not between desire and duty but between personal longing and spiritual integrity. His tragedy symbolizes divine love, where worldly suffering purifies the soul. This story emphasizes collective values-loyalty, honor, and humility-marking a contrast to the Western emphasis on self-assertion [5,392].

5. The figure of Majnun in Nizami's "Layli and Majnun" (Islamic-Persian tradition)

Majnun (literally "madman") is one of the most iconic tragic lovers in Eastern literature. In Nizami's Layli and Majnun, Qays (later known as Majnun) falls in love with Layli, but societal conventions and family opposition prevent their union from being realized. Overcome with love, Qays retreats into the desert, forsaking worldly life and embracing asceticism, poetry, and solitude. Majnun's tragedy is not one of failure or guilt but rather divine madness—his love for Layli transforms into a love for the eternal and infinite, echoing Sufi ideals. One of the most poignant moments occurs when Majnun sees Layli but chooses not to approach her, believing that the ideal of love is more sacred than its fulfillment. His madness becomes a metaphor for spiritual enlightenment: "I am not mad; I am in love. And love itself is my only sanity. " Majnun's story embodies the archetype of the tragic hero as a mystical seeker whose suffering ultimately leads to spiritual transcendence. Unlike Faust's hubris or Hamlet's doubt, Majnun's internal struggle is devotional, offering a uniquely Eastern interpretation of tragedy as the soul's journey toward unity with the divine [6].

The comparative analysis of tragic heroes across diverse literary traditions reveals a complex interplay between individualism, internal struggle, cultural values, and philosophical worldviews. Despite the varied historical and cultural backgrounds, several recurring themes and structural similarities emerge in how these heroes are constructed and how their fates unfold. However, the nuances of tragic experience, moral reasoning, and spiritual resolution vary significantly between Eastern and Western literary canons. A central finding is that all tragic heroes, regardless of cultural origin, are defined by a deep internal conflict. This struggle often takes the form of a moral or existential dilemma, where the character must choose between competing values-such as duty and desire, love and honor, reason and emotion, or faith and self-interest. Oedipus struggles with the desire to uncover the truth versus the horror of discovering his guilt. His downfall is precipitated not by malice but by an earnest pursuit of knowledge and justice.

 Hamlet embodies the torment of indecision, caught between his philosophical introspection and the moral imperative to act. His soliloquies ("To be or not to be") reveal a psyche torn between life, death, and the burden of conscience. A thirst for absolute knowledge and meaning torments Faust. His internal duality is expressed through his pact with Mephistopheles, symbolizing a metaphysical conflict between the striving intellect and divine morality. Farhod, in Navoi's poetic epic, battles between the worldly rewards of power and the spiritual nobility of love. His inner journey is marked by sacrifice and emotional devotion rather than ambition or vengeance. Majnun, unlike the Western tragic heroes, descends into madness not from guilt or fate but from a profound, unfulfilled love that transforms into a spiritual quest. His internal suffering leads to transcendence, not destruction. The concept of individual agency plays out differently in Western and Eastern texts.

In literature, the tragic hero often challenges or defies external forces-such as fate, society, or divine will-and faces ruin as a consequence. This is evident in Oedipus' defiance of prophecy and Hamlet's resistance to political and familial expectations.

In Eastern literature, individualism is more often expressed through self-sacrifice and spiritual purification. Farhod and Majnun do not rebel against the divine order; instead, their tragedies lie in the human inability to reconcile inner longing with the constraints of both the sacred and social orders. This results in a metaphysical resolution rather than purely a physical or dramatic climax. The tragic hero remains a powerful and dynamic archetype in world literature, evolving in form yet consistent in purpose: to explore the limits of human freedom, the burdens of moral choice, and the existential weight of suffering. Through a comparative analysis of key literary figures-Oedipus, Hamlet, Faust, Farhod, and Majnun-we see how different cultures interpret tragedy in ways that reflect their own philosophical, spiritual, and ethical paradigms. In Western literature, the tragic hero often emerges as a solitary figure characterized by intellectual defiance, existential doubt, and a quest for personal truth. Figures like Oedipus and Hamlet are driven by a compulsion to act and know, even when such action leads to their destruction. Goethe's Faust extends this pattern into the Romantic era, symbolizing the human desire to transcend limitations and the dangers of unchecked ambition.

In contrast, Eastern literary traditions, particularly those influenced by Islamic and Persian philosophy, present a more spiritually oriented vision. Tragic heroes like Farhod and Majnun are defined not by rebellion but by submission, sacrifice, and mystical longing. Their tragedies are not the product of arrogance or error but of intense love-human and divine-and a willingness to endure suffering as a path to transcendence. Despite these differences, both traditions agree that tragedy is not merely about death or defeat but about insight, transformation, and confrontation with forces beyond the self. The tragic hero, whether confronting fate or surrendering to love, embodies the paradox of being human: capable of greatness yet bound by fragility.

By examining these diverse portrayals through a hermeneutic and comparative lens, this study affirms that tragedy is not confined to a single culture or era. It is a shared literary language through which civilizations express their deepest concerns about the self, the sacred, and society. Understanding the tragic hero as a cultural and moral construct enriches not only our literary knowledge but also our appreciation for the diverse ways human beings grapple with destiny, responsibility, and meaning.