Fatal Flaws in a Rom-Com? Yes, Please! by Laurel Osterkamp

Let’s welcome back Laurel Osterkamp as she shares with us “Fatal Flaws in a Rom-Com? Yes, Please!” Enjoy!

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Ever since I was a kid in high school, studying Macbeth in my British Lit class, I’ve been enamored with the idea of a fatal flaw.

All of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes have one. Macbeth is too ambitious; Romeo has a bad temper; Othello is jealous and insecure.

Scholars still argue about Hamlet’s fatal flaw, but I say it’s indecisiveness.

If Hamlet could just get over all his angst and decide which path to take, then most of his problems would be solved. Same is true for the other heroes.

Their fatal flaw led to their tragic downfall.

Origins of the Fatal Flaw

This idea was not original to Shakespeare. He took it from the Ancient Greeks and their Elements of Tragedy.

But Shakespeare’s tragedies brought the fatal flaw to the next level. 

They are known for both complex and flawed characters.

These flaws are not random, but rather integral parts of the character’s personality that are exploited by the events of the story.

So how can we, as novelists, use this idea of the “fatal flaw” to develop our own characters, even in a light-hearted novel?

The key is understanding how it can manifest in different ways and how it can be resolved through a character arc.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot, as I simultaneously read Persuasion by Jane Austen and Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood.

Both novels are light-hearted romances, albeit from very different eras. And both authors use the idea of a fatal flaw effectively.

In Persuasion, our heroine Anne is too weak-willed. She lets others persuade her, and loses her chance at a loving marriage.

In Love, Theoretically, Elsie is a chronic people-pleaser. She sacrifices her own happiness to please every person she encounters, and at times she even shifts her personality to meet the needs of others.

This creates a hopeless situation, and Elsie must learn to overcome those tendencies.

Fatal Flaws for Character Arc

After both Austen and Hazlewood established their characters’ “fatal flaws,” they used them to develop a character arc.

That’s where the genius of each novel comes in.

The arcs show the character’s growth and transformation as they confront and overcome their flaws.

We see Anne learning to stand up for herself against her selfish family and to show her feelings for Frederick Wentworth.

We see Elsie let down her guard, expressing herself when she’s angry, and doing something very risky for her: disappointing others.

Neither of these light-hearted novels are as dramatic as a Shakespearean tragedy, and the stakes are not life and death. Yet the fatal flaws are still crucial to the character development and the novels’ plots.

Additionally, as readers, we’re all able to relate.

Our Own Fatal Flaws

We all have flaws and struggles, and it is through seeing these flaws in characters that we can connect with them on a deeper level.

We root for them, we empathize with them, and we feel a sense of satisfaction when they overcome their flaws and grow as individuals.

In a light-hearted novel, this can also be a source of humor and entertainment, as we see characters make mistakes and learn from them in amusing ways.

Thus, the idea of a “fatal flaw” found in Shakespeare’s tragedies can be a useful tool for novelists to develop a character arc, even in a rom-com.

By understanding how a flaw can manifest in different ways and drive character growth, we create relatable and dynamic characters that will resonate with readers.

So, no matter your genre, don’t shy away from the “fatal flaw.” It will make your characters seem human, and that’s when their journey becomes meaningful.

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About the Author 

Laurel Osterkamp is from Minneapolis, where she teaches and writes like it’s going out of style. Her short fiction has been featured in Abandon Journal, Idle Ink, Tangled Locks Literary Journal, Bright Flash Literary Journal, and The Metawoker, among other places. Her new novel, The Side Project, was released on November 13th by The Wild Rose Press.

 

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