Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy

Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy

Abstract

Shakespeare’s tragic plays are the beautiful combination of Aristotelian tradition and the plays of Seneca. There is a touch of poetic emotions and sublime experiences. In the words of critics, his tragedies are nothing but a tale of sympathy. In his tragedy, the hero suffers a lot. Besides it, there are some common features observed almost in all his tragedies

Introduction

During the Elizabethan Age, the romantic drama and tragedy reached its climax. William Shakespeare has won an immortal place. His foremost tragedies “Hamlet”, “Othello”, “King Lear” and “Macbeth” are the greatest gifts to humanity. Because of his universal appeal, he is considered as an uncrowned king of English Literature. Shakespeare possessed a creative mind. He is the man of genius. He is the wonder of the Elizabethan stage. He is a master in showing the struggle between good and evil. In his hand, a story never remains a mere tale of suffering. A. C. Bradley says…

“A Shakespearean tragedy is a story of human action producing exceptional calamity in the death of a man in the high estate”.

Shakespearean tragedy revolves around the tragic life and action of the hero. According to A.C. Bradley, Shakespearean tragedy is divided into three part i.e. exposition, conflict and catastrophe. Though Shakespeare followed Aristotelian tradition, he has his own touch in creating a magnificent tragedy. There is a common feature of his tragedies that hero dies with a tragic death. His tragic suffering lies in his emotional and spiritual agony. We observed that in the life of the hero, death comes to him more as a relief than a punishment. As we come across to Shakespearean literary chronology, he wrote his greatest tragedies during the third period of his literary life. We can consider his first literary period when he contributed twenty-six sonnets and seven plays from 1585 to 1594. There are influences of many writers yet Shakespeare became a successful writer. He has his own techniques.

 Shakespearean Tragedy

à A Shakespearean tragedy is a play penned by Shakespeare himself or a play written in the style of Shakespeare by a different author.

à  Shakespearean tragedy has got its own specific features, which distinguish it from other kinds of tragedies.

à It must be kept in mind that Shakespeare is mostly indebted to Aristotle’s theory of tragedy in his works.

à The elements of a Shakespearean tragedy are discussed below.

The 9 Elements of Shakespearean Tragedy at a Glance:

® Tragic Hero

The main character cursed by fate and possessed of a fatal flaw.

® A Struggle Between Good and Evil

This struggle can take place as part of the plot or exist within the main character.

O cursed spite,

Whatever I was born to set it right." (Hamlet)

® Hamartia

The fatal character flaw of the tragic hero.

Hamartia, also called tragic flaw, (hamartia from Greek hamartin, “to err”), inherent defect or the shortcoming in the hero of a tragedy, who is in other respects a superior being favored by fortune."

® Tragic Waste

The good being destroyed along with the bad at the resolution of the play. Often played out with the unnecessary loss of life, especially of "good guy" characters.

Hamlet is a perfect example of a tragic waste

® External Conflict

This can be a problem facing the hero as a result of the plot or a "bad guy" character.

® Internal Conflict

The struggle the hero engages in with his/her fatal flaw.

® Catharsis

The release of the audience's emotions through empathy with the characters.

® Supernatural Elements

Magic, witchcraft, ghosts, etc. The ghost Hamlet sees plays an important role in stirring up an internal conflict.

® Lack of Poetic Justice

Things end poorly for everyone, including the "good guys." The good is rewarded. The evil is punishing.

® Comic Relief

One or more humorous characters who participate in scenes intended to lighten the mood.

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 isn’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.

The Tragedies

A brief look shows that these 10 classic plays all have common themes.

1) “Antony and Cleopatra”: Antony and Cleopatra’s affair brings about the downfall of the Egyptian pharaohs and results in Octavius Caesar becoming the first Roman emperor.

2) “Coriolanus”: A successful Roman general is disliked by the “play Bienz“ of Rome, and after losing and gaining their trust throughout the play, he is betrayed and assassinated by Aufidius, a former for using Coriolanus to try to take over Rome. Aufidius felt like Coriolanus betrayed him in the end; thus, he has Coriolanus killed.

3) “Hamlet”: Prince Hamlet devotes himself to avenging his father’s murder, committed by his uncle, Claudius. Hamlet's quest for revenge causes the deaths of many friends and loved ones, including his own mother. In the end, Hamlet is lured into a fight to the death with Laertes, brother of Ophelia, and is stabbed by a poisoned blade. Hamlet is able to kill his attacker, as well as his uncle Claudius, before dying himself.

4) “Julius Caesar”: Julius Caesar is assassinated by his most trusted friends and advisers. They claim they fear he is becoming a tyrant, but many believe Cassius wants to take over. Cassius is able to convince Caesar‘s best friend, Brutus, to be one of the conspirators in the death of Cesar. Later, Brutus and Cassius lead opposing armies into battle against each other. Seeing the futility of all they have done, Cassius and Brutus each order their own men to kill them.

5) “King Lear”: King Lear has divided his kingdom and given Goneril and Regan, two of his three daughters, each a part of the kingdom because the youngest daughter (Cordelia), previously his favorite, would not sing his praises at the dividing of the kingdom. Cordelia vanishes and goes to France with her husband, the prince. They treat him poorly, leading him to go mad and wander the moors. In the end, Cordelia returns with an army to save her father. Goneril poisons and kills Regan and later commits suicide. Cordelia’s army is defeated and she is put to death. Her father dies of a broken heart after seeing her dead.

6) “Macbeth”: Due to an ill-timed prophecy from the three witches, Macbeth, under the guidance of his ambitious wife, kills the king to take the crown for himself. In his increasing guilt and paranoia, he kills many people he perceives are against him. He is finally beheaded by Macduff after Macbeth had Macduff’s entire family assassinated. The “evilness” of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth‘s reign comes to a bloody end.

7) “Othello”: Angry that he was overlooked for a promotion, Iago plots to overthrow Othello by telling lies and getting Othello to cause his own downfall. Through rumors and paranoia, Othello murders his wife, Desdemona, believing she has cheated on him. Later, the truth comes out and Othello kills himself in his grief. Iago is arrested and is ordered to be executed.

8) “Romeo and Juliet”: Two star-crossed lovers, who are destined to be enemies because of the feud between their two families, fall in love. Many people try to keep them apart, and several lose their lives. The teens decide to run away together so that they can wed. To fool her family, Juliet sends a messenger with news of her “death“ so they will not pursue her and Romeo. Romeo hears the rumor, believing it to be true, and when he sees Juliet’s “corpse,“ he kills himself. Juliet wakes up and discovers her lover dead and kills herself to be with him.

9) “Timon of Athens”: Timon is a kind, friendly Athenian nobleman who has many friends because of his generosity. Unfortunately, that generosity eventually causes him to go into debt. He asks his friends to help him financially, but they all refuse.

10) “Titus Andronicus”: After a successful 10-year war campaign, Titus Andronicus is betrayed by the new emperor, Saturninus, who marries Tamora, Queen of the Goths, and despises Titus for killing her sons and capturing her. Titus’s remaining children are framed, murdered, or raped, and Titus is sent into hiding.

Summary:

The Shakespearean tragedy mainly arouses two types of feeling in the audience i.e. pity and fear. Shakespeare has made very effective use of soliloquy in his plays, especially in his tragedies. His tragedy is the story of calamity, which leads to the death of a hero of high status. Shakespeare’s popularity lies in his characteristics of tragic writing. In the words of Dowden… “Tragedy, as conceived by Shakespeare, is subject to the struggle of good and evil in the world”. We can consider his tragedy as an epitome of great art. We totally agree with Carlyle when he says… “Shakespeare lasts forever with us; we cannot give up our Shakespeare”.