Definition and Characteristics of

Shakespearean Tragedy
Update d on May 24, 2017

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Muhammad Rafiq is a freelance writer, blogger, and translator with a Master's degree in English literature from
the University of Malakand.
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What Is a Shakespearean Tragedy?

A Shakespearean t ragedy is a play penned by Shakespeare himself, or a play writ t en in t he st yle of Shakespeare
by a different aut hor. Shakespearean t ragedy has got it s own specific feat ures, which dist inguish it from ot her
kinds of t ragedies. It must be kept in mind t hat Shakespeare is most ly indebt ed to Aristot le’s t heory of t ragedy in
his works. T he element s of a Shakespearean t ragedy are discussed below.

A tragedy is the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as

having magnitude, complete in itself; in appropriate and pleasurable
language; in a dramatic rather than narrative form; with incidents
arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish a catharsis of these
emotions.”
— Aristot le

The 9 Elements of Shakespearean Tragedy at a Glance:

Element s Explanat ion

A main character cursed by fate and possessed of a tragic

Tragic Hero
flaw.
 Element s Explanat ion

T his struggle can take place as part of the plot or exist within
A Struggle Between Good and Evil
the main character.

Hamartia T he fatal character flaw of the tragic hero.

T he good being destroyed along with the bad at the resolution

Tragic Waste of the play. Often played out with the unnecessary loss of life,
especially of "good guy" characters.

T his can be a problem facing the hero as a result of the plot or

External Conflict
a "bad guy" character.

Internal Conflict T he struggle the hero engages in with his/her fatal flaw.

T he release of the audience's emotions through empathy with

Catharsis
the characters.

Supernatural Elements Magic, witchcraft, ghosts, etc.

Lack of Poetic Justice T hings end poorly for everyone, including the "good guys."

One or more humorous characters who participate in scenes

Comic Relief
intended to lighten the mood.

All Shakespearean tragedies include these elements in some shape or form.

What Is a Tragedy?
T he word t ragedy was derived from t he Greek word tragoidia, which means ‘the song of the goat.’ It is called "t he
song of t he goat " because in ancient Greece t he t heat er performers used to wear goat skin cost umes to
represent sat yrs.

Today in t heat er and lit erat ure a t ragedy is a work t hat has an unhappy ending. T he ending must include t he main
charact er's downfall.

Tragedy is a serious play or drama typically dealing with the

problems of a central character, leading to an unhappy or disastrous
ending brought on, as in ancient drama, by fate and a tragic flaw in
this character, or, in modern drama, usually by moral weakness,
psychological maladjustment, or social pressures.”
— Webst er Dict ionary

How Is a Shakespearean Tragedy Different From a Regular

Tragedy?
A Shakespearean t ragedy is a specific t ype of t ragedy (a writ t en work wit h a sad ending where t he hero eit her dies
or ends up ment ally, emot ionally, or spirit ually devast at ed beyond recovery) t hat also includes all of t he addit ional
element s discussed in t his art icle.

The 9 Elements of a Shakespearean Tragedy

Below we are going to t ake a more in-dept h look at each of t he element s of Shakespearean t ragedy, as well as
explore a few examples.

1. The Tragic Hero

A t ragic hero is one of t he most significant element s of a Shakespearean t ragedy. T his t ype of t ragedy is
essent ially a one-man show. It is a story about one, or somet imes t wo, charact ers. T he hero may be eit her male or
female and he or she must suffer because of some flaw of charact er, because of inevit able fat e, or bot h. T he hero
must be the most t ragic personalit y in t he play. According to Andrew Cecil Bradley, a not ed 20t h cent ury
Shakespeare scholar, a Shakespearean t ragedy “is essentially a tale of suffering and calamity conducting to death.”
(Usually t he hero has to face deat h in t he end.)

An import ant feat ure of t he t ragic hero is t hat he or she is a towering personalit y in his/her st at e/kingdom/count ry.
T his person hails from t he elit e st rat um of societ y and holds a high posit ion, oft en one of royalt y. Tragic heroes
are kings, princes, or milit ary generals, who are very import ant to t heir subject s. Take Hamlet , prince of Denmark;
he is int ellect ual, highly educat ed, sociable, charming, and of a philosophic bent . T he hero is such an import ant
person t hat his/her deat h gives rise to full-scale t urmoil, dist urbance, and chaos t hroughout t he land. When Hamlet
t akes revenge for t he deat h of his fat her, he is not only killing his uncle but invit ing his own deat h at t he hands of
Laert es. And as a direct result of his deat h, t he army of Fort inbras ent ers Denmark to t ake cont rol.

2. Good vs. Evil

Shakespearean t ragedies play out t he st ruggle bet ween good and evil. Most of t hem deal wit h t he supremacy of
evil and suppression of good. According to Edward Dowden, a 19t h cent ury not ed poet and lit erary crit ic, “Tragedy
as conceived by Shakespeare is concerned with the ruin or restoration of the soul and of the life of man. In other words, its
subject is the struggle of Good and Evil in the world.” Evil is present ed in Shakespearean t ragedies in a way t hat
suggest s it s exist ence is an indispensable and ever-enduring t hing. For example, in Hamlet, t he reader is given t he
impression t hat somet hing rot t en will definit ely happen to Denmark (foreshadowing). T hough t he reader get s an
inkling, t ypically t he common people of t he play are unaware of t he impending evil.

In Julius Caesar, t he mob is unaware of t he st ruggle bet ween good and evil wit hin King Caesar. T hey are also
ignorant of t he furt ive and sneaky mot ives of Cassius. Goodness never beat s evil in t he t ragedies of Shakespeare.
Evil conquers goodness. T he reason for t his is t hat t he evil element is always disguised, while goodness is open
and freely visible to all. T he main charact er (t he most pious and honest person in t he t ragedy) is assigned t he t ask
of defeat ing t he supreme evil because of his goodness. As a result , he suffers t erribly and ult imat ely fails due to
his fat al flaw. T his t ragic sent iment is perfect ly illust rat ed by Hamlet in t he following lines:

O cursed spite,
That ever I was born to set it right."
3. Hamartia
Hamart ia is t he Greek word for “sin” or “error”, which derives from t he verb hamatanein, meaning “to err” or “to miss
t he mark”. In ot her words, hamart ia refers to t he hero's t ragic flaw. It is anot her absolut ely crit ical element of a
Shakespearean t ragedy. Every hero falls due to some flaw in his or her charact er. Here I will once again reference A.
C. Bradley, who assert s, “The calamities and catastrophe follow inevitably from the deeds of men and the main source of
these deeds is character.” As a result of t he fat al flaw, t he hero falls from a high posit ion, which usually leads to
his/her unavoidable deat h.

A good example of hamart ia can be seen in Hamlet when Hamlet 's falt ering judgment and failure to act lead him to
his unt imely deat h. He suffers from procrast inat ion. He finds a number of opport unit ies to kill his uncle, but he fails
because of his indecisive and procrast inat ing nat ure. Every t ime, he delays t aking act ion. In one case he finds an
opport unit y to kill Claudius while Claudius is praying. St ill, Hamlet forgoes t he excellent opport unit y to achieve his
goal wit h t he excuse t hat he doesn’t want to kill a man while he is praying. He want s to kill Claudius when he is in t he
act of commit t ing a sin. It is t his perfect ionism, failure to act , and uncert aint y about t he correct pat h t hat
ult imat ely result in Hamlet 's deat h and lead Denmark into chaos.

Hamartia, also called tragic flaw, (hamartia from Greek

hamartanein, “to err”), inherent defect or shortcoming in the hero
of a tragedy, who is in other respects a superior being favoured by
fortune."
— Encyclopedia Brit annica

4. Tragic Waste
In Shakespearean t ragedies, t he hero usually dies along wit h his opponent . T he deat h of a hero is not an ordinary
deat h; it encompasses t he loss of an except ionally int ellect ual, honest , int elligent , noble, and virt uous person. In a
t ragedy, when good is dest royed along wit h evil, t he loss is known as a "t ragic wast e." Shakespearean t ragedy
always includes a t ragic wast e of goodness. Hamlet is a perfect example of t ragic wast e. Even t hough Hamlet
succeeds in uproot ing t he evil from Denmark, he does so at t he cost of his deat h. In t his case, t he good (Hamlet )
get s dest royed along wit h evil (Claudius). Neit her of t hem wins. Inst ead, t hey fail toget her.

5. Conflict
Conflict is anot her imperat ive element of a Shakespearean t ragedy. T here are t wo t ypes of conflict s:

External Conflict

Ext ernal conflict plays a vit al role in t he t ragedies of Shakespeare. Ext ernal conflict causes int ernal conflict in t he
mind of t he t ragic hero. Every t ragic hero in a Shakespearean play is confront ed wit h ext ernal conflict s t hat must
be addressed. Hamlet , for example, is confront ed wit h ext ernal conflict in t he shape of his uncle, Claudius. He has
to t ake revenge, but as a result of his uncle's craft iness and effect ive securit y, Hamlet isn’t able to t ranslat e his
ideas into act ion. T his ext ernal conflict gives rise to int ernal conflict , which hinders Hamlet from t aking any act ion.

Internal Conflict
Int ernal conflict is one of t he most essent ial element s in a Shakespearean t ragedy. It refers to t he confusion in t he
mind of t he hero. Int ernal conflict is responsible for t he hero's fall, along wit h fat e or dest iny. T he t ragic hero always
faces a crit ical dilemma. Oft en, he cannot make a decision, which result s in his ult imat e failure. Again, Hamlet is a
perfect example. He is usually a doer, but over t he course of t he play, his indecision and frequent philosophical
hangups creat e a barrier to act ion. Int ernal conflict is what causes Hamlet to spare t he life of Claudius while he is
praying.

6. Catharsis
Cat harsis is a remarkable feat ure of a Shakespearean t ragedy. It refers to t he cleansing of t he audience's pent -up
emot ions. In ot her words, Shakespearean t ragedies help t he audience to feel and release emot ions t hrough t he aid
of t ragedy. When we wat ch a t ragedy, we ident ify wit h t he charact ers and t ake t heir losses personally. A
Shakespearean t ragedy gives us an opport unit y to feel pit y for a cert ain charact er and fear for anot her, almost as
if we are playing t he roles ourselves. T he hero's hardships compel us to empat hize wit h him. T he villain's cruel
deeds cause us to feel wrat h toward him. Tears flow freely when a hero like Hamlet dies. At t he same t ime we feel
bot h sorry for Hamlet and happy t hat Claudius has received his proper punishment .

7. Supernatural Elements
Supernat ural element s are anot her key aspect of a Shakespearean t ragedy. T hey play an import role in creat ing an
at mosphere of awe, wonder, and somet imes fear. Supernat ural element s are t ypically used to advance t he story
and drive t he plot . T he ghost Hamlet sees plays an import ant role in st irring up int ernal conflict . It is t he ghost who
t ells Hamlet his fat her was killed by his uncle Claudius and assigns him t he dut y of t aking revenge. Similarly, t he
wit ches in Macbeth play a significant role in t he plot . T hese wit ches are responsible for mot ivat ing Macbet h to
resort to murder in order to ascend t he t hrone of Scot land.

8. Absence of Poetic Justice

Poet ic Just ice means good is rewarded and evil is punished; it refers to a sit uat ion in which everyt hing comes to a
fit t ing and just end. T here is no poet ic just ice in t he t ragedies of Shakespeare, rat her, t hese plays cont ain only
part ial just ice. Shakespeare understood t hat poet ic just ice rarely occurs out side of fict ion. Good deeds oft en go
wit hout reward and immoral people are oft en free to enjoy life to it s fullest . “Do good and have good” was
considered an out dat ed et hos in t he t ime of Shakespeare, which is why we don’t find any poet ic just ice in his
t ragedies. Good is crushed along wit h evil. Hamlet dies along wit h Claudius.

9. Comic Relief
Comic relief is our final key element . Shakespeare didn’t follow in t he foot st eps of his classical predecessors when
writ ing t ragedies. Greek and Roman writ ers didn’t use comic relief. But Shakespeare want ed to relieve t he t ension
for t he reader and light en up t he mood here and t here. A few examples of comic relief scenes include t he grave
digger scene in Hamlet, t he drunken port scene in Macbeth, t he fool is smart er t han t he king dialogue in King Lear,
and t he Polonius in t he wings speech in Hamlet. We also have t he following scene in Romeo and Juliet:

MERCUT IO: “No, ‘t is not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but ‘t is enough; ‘t will serve. Ask for me to-
morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am pepper’d, I warrant , for t his world.”
 HAMLET: Whose Grave’s this, sirrah?
CLOWN/GRAVEDIGGER: Mine, sir….
HAMLET: What man dost thou dig it for?
CLOWN: For no man, sir.
HAMLET: What woman then?
CLOWN: For none neither.
HAMLET: Who is to be buried in’t?
CLOWN: One that was a woman, sir; but, rest her soul, she’s dead.
HAMLET: How absolute the knave is! We must speak by the card, or
equivocation will undo us.
— Shakespeare

Share Your Opinion

What is the most important feature of Shakespearean tragedy?

Comic Relief

Tragic Wast e

Supernat ural Element s

Conflict (Ext ernal & Int ernal)

Absence of Poet ic Just ice

Tragic Hero

Hamart ia

Good vs. Evil

Cat harsis

Vote See results

Other Types of Shakespearean Plays

Shakespeare's t ragedies are cert ainly among his most famous works. T hey include classics like Hamlet, Macbeth,
King Lear, Julius Caesar, and Romeo and Juliet, all of which are ment ioned above. However, t ragedies were not t he
only t ype of play he wrot e. In fact , many of his ot her works fall into t hree dist inct cat egories. T hey include
comedies (like A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, and The Taming of the Shrew), histories (such
as Anthony and Cleopatra, Henry VIII, and Richard III), and romances (including The Tempest, Cymbeline, and The
Winter's Tale). Each t ype of Shakespearean play, t he t ragedies, comedies, histories, and romances, have t heir own
set of defining charact erist ics uniquely at t ribut ed to T he Bard himself, and t hose charact erist ics are responsible
for t he enduring popularit y of his works and st yle today.