Does any 1 know a heroic character in

Question

literature?

Robin Hood

Usually, the main character in very famous stories, poems, legends, etc., are considered "heroic" -- Macbeth, Oedipus, Hamlet, et al. Below is a section dealing with tragic heroes:

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Definition of a tragic hero: a literary technique used to point out the potential greatness of a hero who has a tragic flaw that causes him to fall from the favor of the people.

Five common characteristics: (1) noble or unusual birth (2) tragic flaw in personality (3) fall from the favor of the people for deeds or personality (4) remorse (5) catharsis

(from www.m-w.com)
ca*thar*sis (noun), plural ca*thar*ses

[New Latin, from Greek katharsis, from kathairein to cleanse, purge, from katharos]
First appeared circa 1775
1 : PURGATION
2 a : purification or purgation of the emotions (as pity and fear) primarily through art
b : a purification or purgation that brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension
3 : elimination of a complex by bringing it to consciousness and affording it expression

I don't know if I agree with your assertion that MacBeth, Oedipus and Hamlet are from the genre "Heroic Literature". I agree that they have a tragic flaw, but in terms of Heroic, I think more accurate represntations exist in Beowulf, Finnesburg etc...and of course some of the Greek literature. Usually to be classified as "Heroic" there needs to be the basic inference of the "heroic code" as well as valor in battle, superhuman strength, and the main character as a moral agent working against the foces of evil in order to complete his mission.
I don't see these qualities in...well...MacBeth for sure. Possibly a little bit in Oedipus, and Hamlet, but I don't think I would classify any of these works as "Heroic Literature".