ShakespeareanTragedy

TheElementsofaTragedy

Element1TheTragicHero

Usuallythereisonlyonetragichero
Examples
Macbeth
Hamlet

ExceptionsTheLoveTragedies

OnlyGreatMenareTragicHeroes

Peasants(merelybecausetheyarehumanbeings)donotinspirepityandfearasgreatmendo.
ForexampleThepangsofdespisedloveandtheanguishofremorsearethesameinapeasantas
inaprince.However,apeasantsemotionaldistresswillnotaffectthewelfareofanationor
empire.Sowhenagreatmanfallssuddenlyfromtheheightsofearthlygreatness,hisfall
producesasenseofcontrast.

CommonQualitiesoftheTragicHero
1.Tragicheroesareexceptionalbeings.Theyarefromahighestate,butthetragicheros
naturegenerallyraiseshiminsomerespectmuchhigherthantheaveragelevelofhumanity.The
tragicherocarriesatouchofgreatness(fiercedetermination,fixedideas,whichstirsnotonly
sympathyandpity,butalsoadmiration,terror,andawe.
2.Tragicheroescontributetotheirowndestructionbyactsinwhichthereaderseesaflawin
theircharacter.Theflawoftentakestheformofobsession.
3.Thedifficultyisthattheaudiencemustdesirethedefeat/destructionofthetragichero,but
thisinitselfdoesnotconstitutetragicfeeling.
4.Shakespearestragicheroesneednottobegood,
thoughtheygenerallyare.
5.Shakespearestragicheroesprojectthatmanisnotsmallorcontemptible,nomatterhow
rottenhecanbe.
Example
6.Shakespearestragicheroesillustratethecenterofthetragicimpression:thesenseofwaste.
Thereisaprofoundsenseofsadnessandmysterywhichisduetothisimpressionofwaste.
Example
7.Shakespearestragicheroesliveforwhatseemstobeatypeofthemysteryofthewhole
world.Shakespearetriestoshowthereaderthetragedythatisallaroundandthewastethatit
creates.


Element2TheTragicFlaw

Hamartia(Greek)Inatragedy,thequalitywithintheTragicHeroorheroinewhichleadstohis
orherdownfall.
ExamplesMacbethsobsessionwithpower,
Othellosjealousy
Hamletsindecisiveness

However,mostgreattragediesdefysuchsimpleexplanations.

Theflawoftentakestheformofobsession.

Element3TheTragicStory

Plot
1.Thetragicstoryleadsupto,andincludes,thedeathofthehero.
2.Thesufferingandcalamitiesthatbefallstheheroareunusualandexceptionallydisastrous.

ExplanationoftheCalamity
Thesufferingbefallstoaconspicuousperson.
Thesufferingisitselfofastrikingkind.
Thesuffering,asarule,isunexpected.
Thesuffering,asarule,contrastswithprevioushappinessand/orglory.

Tragedy,HumanFlaws,andResponsibility

1.Thecalamitiesofatragedydonotsimplyhappen,noraretheysent.
2.Thecalamitiesoftragedyproceedmainlyfromactions,andthose,theactionofmen.
3.Shakespearestragicheroesareresponsibleforthecalamityoftheirfalls.Thecenterofthe
tragedy,therefore,liesintheactionissuingfromthecharacter,offlawedperceptions,andhuman
frailtyforwhichtheheroisultimatelyresponsible.Theherorecognizeshisownresponsibility
forthecalamitytoolatetopreventhisowndeath.

Element4TheAbnormal,TheSupernatural,Fate/Fortune/Chance

1.
2.

Shakespeareoccasionallyrepresentsabnormalconditionsofmind:insanity,hallucinationsetc.The
abnormalconditionsofthemindareneverintroducedastheoriginofanydeedsofanydramaticmoment.
Shakespearealsointroducesthesupernatural:ghostsandwitcheswhohavesupernaturalknowledge.The
supernaturalelementscannotbeexplainedawayasanillusioninthemindofoneofthecharacters.Itdoes
contributetotheaction,butitisalwaysplacedintheclosestrelationwiththecharacter.Itgivesa
confirmationandadistinctformtoinwardmovementsalreadypresentandexertinganinfluence:tothe
halfformedthoughtorthememoryofguiltorsuspicion.

3.Shakespeare,inmosttragedies,allowschanceinsomeformtoinfluencesomeofthe
action.Finally,chanceisaprominentfeaturein life.Thatmenmaystartacourseofevents
butcanneithercalculatenorcontrolit,isa
tragicfact.However,anylargeuseof
chancewouldweakenthesenseofthe casualconnectionofcharacter,deed,andcalamity.

Element5TragicConflicts

Theactionoftheprotagonist/tragicheroismostoftenmotivatedbyexternalandinternal
conflicts,whichleadtocomplicationsfromwhichfurtherconflictsariseallinakindof
snowballingeffect,drivingtheactiontowardatragicresolution.

ExternalConflict

1.Usually,therearetwopersons,ofwhomtheheroisone,
Example
2.TwoPartiesorGroups,oneofwhichtheheroleads
Example
3.Thepassions,tendencies,ideas,principles,forces,whichanimatethesepersonsorgroups

InternalConflict

1.Shakespearestragichero,thoughhepursueshisfatedway,is,atsomepoint,tornbyan
inwardstruggle.
2.Acomparisonoftheearlierandlatertragediesshowthisstruggleismostemphasizedinthe
latertragedies.
3.Theconceptionofouterandinnerstruggleincludestheactionofspiritualforces.
Thespiritualforcesgeneratingtheinternalturmoilfortheheroisthecombinationofthe
pressuresoftheexternalandinternalstrugglesorconflicts.

Element6TheTragicPatternYoucanusethreedifferentstagesintheTragicPatternto
makeandproveyourthesis.

1.AmanofhighestateAking,aprince,ageneral
2.AflawofcharacterWithinthefirsttwoacts,thereaderwillbecomeawareoftheTragic
Herosobsession.
3.IntrusionoftimeandasenseofurgencyAstheinnerandouterconflictsintensify,the
readerseestheTragicHerosactionssnowballtohisfinaldemise.(Act3)
4.MisreadingsandRationalizationsTheoccurrenceofthethirdelementwillincreasethe
TragicHerosurgency.TheTragicHerooperatesonwhathebelievestobethecaseratherthan
whatheactuallyknowstobethecase.
5.Murder,exile,alienationofenemiesandalliesBroughtonbynewconflicts
6.GradualIsolationoftheTragicHeroBroughtonbynewconflicts,whichforcestheTragic
Herotofacetheresponsibilityforhisactionsalone.
7.MobilizationoftheoppositionThestagewilloccurwhentheopposingforcesmobilize
againsttheTragicHerotobringthetragedytohisconclusion.Oftentimes,theTragicHerois
confrontedbyanenemyinthefifthactwhohasagoodreasonforseekinghisdeath.

8.TragicrecognitionoftheFlawbytheTragicHero:toolateAtthepointofnumber7,the
TragicHerorealizeshiserror.TheTragicHeromustacceptresponsibilityforwhathas
happened.
9.Lastcourageousattempttorestorelost
10.AudiencerecognizespotentialforgreatnessThisoccurswhentheTragicHeroshowsthe
audiencethenobilityofhisheart,andtheaudiencerecognizeshislossasawaste.
11.DeathoftheTragicHero
12.Restorationoforder

Element7TragicStructureinthePlays

AsaShakespeareantragedyrepresentsaconflictwhichendsincalamity,anysuchtragedycan
bedividedintofourparts.

1.ExpositionTheexpositionisthetaskofthefirstandsecondact.Herethereaderlearns
aboutthegeneralsetting,thepersons,thecharactertraits,problemsoftheplay,themajor
conflict,andthetragicherosflaw.
2.Development/RisingActionsThiscomprisesthesecond,third,andfourthactswithparts
ofthefirstandfifth.Timeandurgencybecomesimportantandtheactionincreases.Eventually,
thetragicherowillendupalone.
3.Development/FallingActionInactfour,opposingforcesbegintoopenlyresistandmake
plansfortheremovalofthetragichero,andthetragichero'spowerisdecliningasthe
oppositionspoweradvances.
4.ResolutionInthefinalact,theoppositionreachesitsfullstrengthanddefeats/destroysthe
isolated,weakenedhero.ThisiswhereTragicRecognitiontakesplace,thereaderbecomes
awareofthegreatnessofthemanjustloss,andorderisrestored.