King Saul was a tragic hero

Initially, Saul was a hero. He was humble. God chose him to be the first king of God's people, 1Sa 10:

1 Then Samuel took a flask of olive oil and poured it on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying, “Has not the Lord anointed you ruler over his inheritance? ... 15 Saul’s uncle said, “Tell me what Samuel said to you.”

Click to expand...

Saul was cool. Not many can contain such huge news from God.

He was decisive and courageous in his first military engagement (1Sa 11). He showed incredible leadership skills and was fit to be the king.

Later, however, things changed for Saul. He disobeyed God, 1Sa 13:

13“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

Click to expand...

This was the beginning of Saul's downfall. After this, he made one mistake after another. 1Sa 15:

17 Samuel said, “Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. 18 And the Lord sent you on a mission and said, ‘Go, devote to destruction the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord?

Click to expand...

God told Saul to exterminate the Amalekites, but he didn't.

The Gideonites feared God. They made a covenant with Joshua. Joshua swore in the name of the Lord (Jos 9:18) not to destroy them but Saul didn't honor the oath (2Sa 21:1).

Saul's tragic flaw was pride. He disobeyed God and refused to accept David, God's anointed second king. He clung to his power until the bitter end. I view Saul as a tragic hero and a foil for David's character.