Shakespearean Tragedy .k12.nj.us



Shakespearean Tragedy

Think about these generalizations and try to apply them to the tragedies that you have read.

The nature of the tragic world…

The world of tragedy is complex and is also inscrutable; that is, the protagonist does not have all the information he/she needs. Thus he/she acts without complete knowledge. It is also hierarchical; order and stability are important characteristics of this tragic world. The tragic events are precipitated by or cause disorder, and the tragic resolution produces a return to order and stability. It is also moral; decisions and events have moral as well as physical consequences.

The nature of the hero…

The hero is complex. He/she is composed of many positive traits as well as one or more traits that caused or lead to the tragic denouement. Some writers refer to a “tragic flaw” while others refer to the one-sidedness of the tragic hero. It may be that the flaw is an extreme of a positive trait.

The nature of the events…

They occur in the world of people and result from the deeds of human beings. They result from the interaction of the nature of the hero and the nature of the tragic world. At some point in the play, the protagonist commits an irrevocable deed. Once this deed is accomplished, the play turns towards its inevitable denouement.

What redeems the tragedy?

Critics are agreed that although tragedy produces feelings of pity, terror, and (Bradley says) a sense of waste, other elements redeem these sad feelings.

• Frequently the protagonist experiences self-knowledge. The suffering produces new understanding in the protagonist.

• Frequently, the protagonist, by the way he/she reaches beyond the ordinary, reveals the potential of man for greatness.

• Order is restored. Although great suffering occurs, the initial problem is righted.

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