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Answer:
Points to remember :
Introduction
“HAMLET” AS A TYPICAL SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY
The following fourteen points are a summation of a typical
Shakespearean tragedy.
1. Tragedy is concerned primarily with one person – The
tragic hero.
2. The tragic fate of the hero is often triggered by a tragic
flaw in the hero’s character. The hero contributes in some
way, shape, or form to the disaster in which he perishes.
3. Shakespeare often introduces abnormal conditions of the
mind (such as insanity, somnambulism, or hallucinations).
4. Supernatural elements are often introduced as well.
5. Besides the outward conflict between individuals or
groups of individuals, there is also an inner conflict(s) and
torment(s) within the soul of the tragic hero.
6. The tragic hero need not be an overwhelmingly “good”
person, however, it is necessary that he/she should contain
so much greatness that in his/her fall the audience may be
vividly conscious of the individual’s potential for further
success, but also the temptation of human nature.
Therefore, a Shakespearean tragedy is never depressing
because the audience can understand where the hero went
wrong.
7. The central impression of the tragedy is one of waste.
Conclusion
INTRODUCTION :
Hamlet is the perfect example of the tragic hero. Hamlet has all the good traits
needed to be a tragic hero. He is brave and daring. One example of this is that
when he went to England, he was taking a big risk. If his plan didn't work, he
would have been executed He also is also loyal. His loyalty to his father, was
the reason he was so angry at Claudius and his Mother. Another trait was that
he was intelligent. He was able to think up the idea of faking insanity, in
order to get more information about Claudius. But Hamlet like all other tragic
hero's had a flaw. He couldn't get around to doing anything, because he
couldn't move on. He was a full grown adult, yet he still attended school in
England, because he couldn't move on. Also, it took him a long time to stop
grieving about his father, because he didn't want to move past that part of his
life. And after he finally did, Hamlet couldn't get around to killing Claudius.
He kept pretending he was insane even after he was sure that Claudius killed
his father. The final example of Hamlet's inability to get around to do
anything was that he was dating Ophelia for a long time, but never got around
to marrying her. The audience was able to feel sympathy for Hamlet too. He
had just lost his father, and his mother remarried so quickly that according to
him they could have used the leftover food from the funeral in the wedding
reception. Also, the audience could feel that Hamlet loved his parents and this
sudden change was hurting him.
A tragic hero also must have free will or his fate would be decided for him,
and his death could be avoided. Finally, the audience must have sympathy for
the tragic hero, or it wouldn't seem so tragic.
Hamlet is a perfect example of a tragic hero. He was brave, loyal, and
intelligent, but he couldn't move on past one thing, which led to his death. He
had a choice of how he would deal with Claudius, and like other tragic hero's
made a decision. Also, the audience was able to feel sympathy for the position
Hamlet was in. These attributes made Hamlet the perfect example of a tragic
hero.
Hamlet’s suffering and misfortune are so extraordinary that his fall causes pit
and terror in us. Hamlet feels deeply agonized at the marriage of his mother.
He is ashamed of the act of his mother. The ghost tells him to take revenge for
the murder of his father. But he is unable to take action and he meets his tragic
death in taking revenge against his uncle Claudius.
This reversal excites and arouses the emotions of pity and fear within the
audience. The reversal may frighten and awe, making viewers or readers of
the play feel that man is blind and helpless. The audience will regard the
tragic hero as an individual who is up against an overwhelming power that
may treat him well for a short period of time, but will eventually strike him
down in his pride.
2. The tragic fate of the hero is often triggered by a tragic flaw in the
hero’s character. The hero contributes in some way, shape, or form
to the disaster in which he perishes.
Yet fate doesn’t prevent him from killing Claudius when he had a chance
(when Claudius seems to be praying) – he chose not to do it.
On the other hand, if he had been less resigned to Fate and more suspicious, he
might not have bee tricked in the sword fight. Fate always seems to take a
hand and restore stability – so we have Fortinbras set up to rule Denmark and
presumable restore order. The state isn’t left leaderless.
Following this, Hamlet proceeds to kill Polonius who he had mistaken for the
King. Because he has yet to get revenge, Hamlet's state of mind becomes even
more distorted. Whether he is insane or merely carrying out his father's will is
unclear. However, Hamlet's rash behavior strongly suggests that his father's
death coupled with his failed revenge has driven him to insanity.
The conversation between the ghost and hamlet serves as a catalyst for
Hamlet's last actions and provides us with insights into Hamlet's character.
The information the ghost reveals insights Hamlet into action against a
situation he is already uncomfortable with. It must be noted, that hamlet is not
quick to believe the ghost. He states that maybe he saw a devil that abuses him
due to his melancholy. We are thus subjected to an aspect of Hamlet's
character. Hamlet next encounters the ghost in his mother's room. The ghost
wets hamlets appetite. Hamlet is now convinced of the ghost and listens to
it. The ghost is the guiding force behind hamlet. It asks hamlet to seek
revenge for king Hamlet's death. This propels him into a series of events that
end in his death.
The appearance of the ghost to Hamlet caused him much confusion. He, at
first, regards the ghost as questionable. Hamlet doesn't know if he should
listen to the ghost. If this is the ghost of king Hamlet, then hamlet is obligated
to listen to the ghost. This is the beginning of Hamlet's problems.
There are probably many different Hamartias exhibited by Hamlet, the one
that seems most obvious would have to be his indecisiveness. Hamlet seems
to have trouble making up his mind about a couple of different dilemma’s that
he is faced with. A good example is his struggle with whether or not he
should kill Claudius. Hamlet's flaw was that he ruined his life by not
confronting the problem earlier, instead he wanted to obtain proof beyond a
reasonable doubt to justify what he wanted to do to Claudius, and nothing less
would suffice. Hamlet not only wanted to kill Claudius, he wanted to damn
him to hell. However, during his mental battle he wasn't seeing the damage he
was doing to himself. By Feigning madness he almost got himself killed a
few times, he destroyed the relationship he had with his mother, and he sent
Ophelia into a downward spiral of depression that ended with her suicide, and
her suicide led to the final bloodbath at the end which saw nearly everyone
killed. His fake insanity was his indecisiveness in action, he decided to act
insane so he could hide his motives, but other than that he didn't know what he
was going to do. He didn't have the stomach to ascend the throne by exposing
his uncle and then killing him. Although he did end up killing Claudius at the
end, it was only because of the madness that went on in the final scene. Had
he not been challenged at the end, I don't believe he would have killed
Claudius, regardless of the evidence he obtained against him.
Claudius' only hamartia is his cold, calculating, evil nature. Claudius causes
his own ruin because of his evil behavior. He murders the queen because he
has a lust for power, and perhaps for Gertrude, he spied on Hamlet and
concocted several plans for his murder. His death would have been avoided if
he didn't have the kind of personality that allows him to kill everyone in the
way of getting what he wants.
CONCLUSION :
PREPARED BY:
POONAM VALERA
CONTACT NO. 9898679505