The key element in tragedy is that heroes and heroines are

Hear these words, O seekers of wisdom, from Robert Shea, who declared: “The key element in tragedy is that heroes and heroines are destroyed by that which appears to be their greatest strength.” In this teaching lies the paradox of human greatness. That which raises us, that which wins us honor and power, can also become the very snare that brings about our downfall. For in the balance of human nature, every strength carries within it the shadow of weakness when it is pushed beyond its harmony.

The origin of this truth lies in the ancient tragedies of Greece and beyond, where the noblest figures fell not through small flaws, but through the overextension of their greatest gifts. The playwrights knew that the seeds of ruin are often planted in the very soil of glory. Courage may turn into recklessness, ambition into tyranny, loyalty into blindness, and pride into arrogance. This pattern reveals the cruel symmetry of life: we are undone not by what we lack, but by what we possess in excess.

Consider the tale of Othello, the Moor of Venice, whose deep trust and love—virtues in themselves—were twisted into jealousy by the whispers of Iago. That which made him noble as a husband became the very weapon of his destruction. Or recall Achilles, whose unmatched valor in battle made him nearly invincible, yet his pride and wrath led to grief, loss, and ultimately his death. Their downfall was not from weakness, but from the shadow side of their own strength.

History, too, offers its lessons. Napoleon Bonaparte, whose brilliance in strategy elevated him from obscurity to emperor, was undone by the same brilliance carried too far—his relentless ambition drove him into overreach, until defeat humbled him at Waterloo. Julius Caesar, whose daring made him Rome’s conqueror, allowed that same confidence to blind him to the daggers of his closest allies. Again and again, history reveals the tragic truth Shea proclaimed.

Emotionally, these stories strike us because they mirror our own lives. How often do we see the very traits we celebrate in ourselves turn against us? The perfectionist whose attention to detail becomes crippling anxiety; the leader whose decisiveness turns into stubbornness; the giver whose generosity leads to exhaustion. Each of us carries within our virtues the possibility of downfall, unless we temper them with wisdom.

The lesson is clear: recognize the duality within your own strengths. Guard against the shadow that follows each gift. Courage must be tempered with prudence; ambition with humility; love with discernment. To master oneself is not only to cultivate one’s strengths, but to discipline them, to know their limits, and to keep them from becoming weapons turned inward.

O seeker of wisdom, take this teaching to heart. Do not trust blindly in your strengths, for they may deceive you. Reflect daily on how your greatest gifts can betray you if left unchecked. Seek counsel, cultivate balance, and practice humility, for these will safeguard your strengths from turning into snares.

Finally, let the lesson endure across ages: tragedy is born not from weakness, but from the overreach of strength. As Robert Shea proclaimed, the heroes and heroines are destroyed not by what they lack, but by what they carry in abundance. Let us, then, strive to wield our gifts wisely, lest they rise against us and turn our triumphs into ruin.