Elements of Tragedy in Hamlet Essay - 1006 Words

Hamlet: The Element of a Tragedy In 350 B.C.E., a great philosopher wrote out what he thought was the definition of a tragedy. As translated by S.H. Butcher, Aristotle wrote; â€Å"Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. . . . Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which parts determine its quality—namely, Plot, Characters, Thought, Diction, Spectacle, Melody. (http://www.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html)† Later in†¦show more content†¦In Hamlet’s case his flaw was his brilliant mind, the tendency to dwell on things and procrastinate. Procrastination caused Hamlet’s downfall because out of the many opportunities he had to kill his uncle, he waited until he was fatally wounded before killing Claudius. He also had the unhealthy problem of obsessing over killing Claudius. He wanted to make sure the time was right. In Shakespearean tragedies, the hero doesn’t necessarily have to be â€Å"good†, though they generally are, but they are never small or contemptible. The heroes illustrate a sense of waste, for example, in the end of Hamlet, most people feel like his death was unncessesary; that if he had only killed his uncle sooner, Hamlet, his mother, and others would not have died. Aristotle was brief with his third point, Thought. Thought is how the characters should reveal themselves in their speeches. Shakespeare used very rich descriptions and words with his characters. In his famous â€Å"to be, or not to be† soliloquy, Hamlet is wrestling the idea of killing his uncle, not about suicide like most people think. â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the question Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die, to sleep-- No more; and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to--tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished: to die,Show MoreRelatedThe Use of Supernatural Elements in Shakespeares Hamlet and Kyds the Spanish Tragedy1181 Words   |  5 PagesDiscuss the usage and effects that the supernatural elements have in both Kyds `The Spanish Tragedy and Shakespeares Hamlet. Ghosts or supernatural beings feature both in The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd, in 1587, and in Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, in 1601. Ghosts and the supernatural `remind the characters and the audience of the constraints the past places on the present, and also the obligations the living bear to the departed . There were many superstitions surroundingRead MoreHamlet : A Flawed Anti-Tragic Hero1715 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle’s poetics have long been considered the go-to guide for determining well written â€Å"poetry†, most notably in comedies and tragedies. Hamlet, like many of Shakespeare’s plays, is considered to be a tragedy although there is room to debat e whether or not its protagonist is the quintessential tragic hero or a deeply flawed anti-tragic hero. Evaluating Hamlet using Aristotle’s theories, especially considering the criticism Shakespeare received for seemingly defying these ideals, may be the mostRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet And Henrik Ibsen s A Doll s House1400 Words   |  6 PagesThe concept of tragedy has experienced significant change over the last few centuries. Yet despite human fascination with the concept it appears there is no consensus on what defines true tragedy. The classical notion is that a tragedy tells the tale of a tragic hero, a virtuous character who due to a tragic flaw is fated to an unhappy ending (usually death) that inspires fear and pity within the audience. However, there is the argument that tragedy does not have to follow such regulations. A heroRead MoreReligion in Hamlet Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesThe Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is one of the most famous tra gedies William Shakespeare has ever written. Found throughout Shakespeare’s tragedy are many religious references. According to Peter Milward, the author of Shakespeares Christianity: The Protestant and Catholic Poetics of Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and Hamlet, â€Å"From a purely religious point of view, which is more than just biblical, Hamlet is rich in homiletic material of all kinds, reflecting almost every aspect of the religiousRead MoreWhat Makes A Tragedy?908 Words   |  4 PagesWhat Defines a Tragedy? The dictionary describes a tragedy as, â€Å"a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force (as destiny) and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that elicits pity or fear.† Aristotle’s â€Å"Poetics† have long been the standard of a proper tragedy. Yet, could there be more to the perfect tragedy than what either the dictionary or Aristotle suggests? What are the actual characteristics that form a â€Å"true† tragedy? In Sophocles’ â€Å"OedipusRead MoreHamlet, Prince of Denmark825 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet, Prince of Denmark By William Shakespeare Submitted by: Tariq Khan Dated: Monday, 24th September, 2012 Hamlet as a Tragedy by William Shakespeare 1.1. Brief Introduction to Tragedy: Greek and English: Elizabethan tragedy is traced back to Greek tragedy, since Greeks are said to have pioneered the Western knowledge, be it Science, Arts, or Humanities—not necessarily Technology. The rich contribution of Greek dramatists like Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus and AristophanesRead More Comparing the Tragedies of Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman1023 Words   |  5 PagesComparing the Tragedies of Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman The tragedies Hamlet, Oedipus the King, and Death of a Salesman have strikingly different plots and characters; however, each play shares common elements in its resolution. The events in the plays’ closings derive from a tragic flaw possessed by the protagonist in each play. The downfall of each protagonist is caused by his inability to effectively cope with his tragic flaw. The various similarities in the closingRead More tragoed The Changing Tragedy of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire under the Elms879 Words   |  4 PagesChanging Tragedy of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, and Desire under the Elms nbsp; Tragedy can easily be considered the greatest of all genres due to the fact that it has withstood the test of time. Formally, tragedy employs something more complex than other genres. It is not part of a life full of happy endings. It is part of a bigger system of things. It is part of who we are. Perhaps tragedy is simply the art that truly imitates life.gt; Historically speaking, the great rises of tragedy have occurredRead MoreHamlet Soliloquies Essay1218 Words   |  5 PagesElizabethan dramas, there has been much discussion regarding the concept of tragedy in â€Å"Hamlet†. One definition of tragedy offered by the Oxford English Dictionary is ‘a serious play with an unhappy ending’. However, the concept is broader and more complex than the definition aforementioned. Aristotle is believed to have offered the first (and perhaps the most suitable) definition. According to Aristotle’s Poetics, a tragedy must involve a reversal of fortune of the main character. This character mustRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet 1474 Words   |  6 PagesBibliography There are no sources in the current document. Hamed Alanazi English 230 Dec 4, 2015 Hamlet Hamlet, a play written by William Shakespeare is very close to the dramatic conventions of the revenge in Elizabeth era. All the revenge conventions are used in Hamlet which made it a typical revenge play. Hamlet is one of those Elizabethan heroes considered themselves seriously mistreated by an influential figure with having a desire to avenge the crime against their family. Shakespeare learned