The overwhelming pride that destroys the tragic hero is called

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for the literary term for the overwhelming pride that brings about the downfall of a tragic hero.

Step 2: Explain the concepts Let's look at each option:

• Nemesis: The downfall or retribution that befalls the hero. It is the consequence, not the pride itself. (In Greek myth, Nemesis was the goddess of retribution.)
• Catharsis: The emotional purging or release the audience feels at the end of a tragedy, through pity and fear.
• Hubris: Excessive pride or arrogance, often a defiance of the gods or fate. This is the tragic flaw (hamartia) that leads to the hero's destruction.
• Tragedy: The whole genre or type of drama in which a noble hero falls. It is not the name for the pride itself.

Step 3: Match the definition "Overwhelming pride that destroys the tragic hero" matches hubris.

Examples:

• Macbeth's ambition and pride lead to his downfall.
• Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart is brought down by his pride and rigid fear of appearing weak.
• Oedipus's confidence in his own ability to defy prophecy leads to his ruin.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is C. hubris.

Exam tip: Remember the chain H-N-C: Hubris (pride) → Nemesis (downfall) → Catharsis (audience's emotional release). Pride comes first, then the fall, then the audience feels relief.