The concept of a tragic hero comes from the ancient literary writers who actually differed in their own explanations. Basically, the tragic hero was the main character in a drama that would usually be destroyed by actions arising from a deeply imbedded personality flaw, often but not always sexual in nature. In the process of suffering, the character would come to understand his/her weakness and frequently accept his/her impending death peacefully. Aristotle’s definition was somewhat different in that he viewed the main character as tragic because of the terrible consequences that would result not from an innate character flaw, but from a simple lack of judgment. Hamlet, Macbeth, Antigone, and Hercules have all been considered tragic heroes.

In more modern times, authors such as Truman Capote have changed the idea of a tragic hero to be someone who is much more ordinary but who becomes almost the victim of Fate or circumstances that push him/her to make horrible choices and thus suffer the consequences. His Perry Smith of In Cold Blood became such a character. Mike Tyson, Bill Clinton, Martha Stewart, and Bernard Madoff might also be categorized as tragic heroes, although in today’s more forgiving society, an unexpected regaining of reputation, freedom, and material possessions could be just around the corner.

A tragic hero is a character in a work that displays great skill or ability or charisma or some other laudable or praiseworthy traits. However, he has a tragic flaw, one that is usually hidden, either from others or even himself. This tragic flaw leads to his downfall in some way.
For example, in Romeo and Juliet, Romeo’s tragic flaw is that he is impatient. He simply will not wait and let his situation develop as naturally as it should. So instead of waiting to meet a girl on his own, he runs into the Capulet party. He could have been killed there, but it leads him to marry Juliet the very next day. Eventually, all this hurrying leads to his own suicide. This would be how his tragic flaw lead to his death.

The definition of a tragic hero is the main character in a dramatic tragedy tale. The concept of the tragic hero is that the hero, for example, gets the girl, then finds out she is married. In essence, the tragic hero is noble and morale; therefore the hero does not self-destruct, but is a victim of their bad choices.

As Aristotle referred to the misfortune of the tragic hero, "by vice and depravity but by some error of judgment." He felt that the only way a character could be tragic was if he was free from self-destructive behavior, that way the audience could sympathize with their story.

Tragic heroes can be seen throughout literary history. However, some of the more notable characters are Macbeth, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Oedipus, Hamlet, Richard III, Electra, and Antigone.

Additionally, a primary example in recent times of a tragic hero would be George Clooney for his Academy Award-nominated role in "Up In The Air".

Sources: Preminger, Alex, ed (1965). "Tragic Flaw". Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics. Princeton UP. pp. 864–65.