Hamlet, Prince of Denmark The Archetypal Tragic Hero

CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRAGIC HERO APPLICATION TO HAMLET NOBLE STATURE: The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. He must occupy a “high” status position as well as exemplify nobility and virtue as part of his innate character.

TRAGIC FLAW (HAMARTIA): Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he is not perfect. The tragic hero must “fall” due to some flaw in his own personality. This is partially because we would be unable to identify with the tragic hero, which is something we must do in order to experience catharsis. We should see in him someone who is essentially like us, although perhaps elevated to a higher position in society. The most common tragic flaw is hubris (excessive pride).

FREE CHOICE: While there is often a discussion of the role of fate in the downfall of a tragic hero, there must be an element of choice in order for there to be a true tragedy. The hero’s downfall, therefore, is partially his own fault, and thus the result of free choice, not of accident, villainy, or some overriding, malevolent fate. In fact, the tragedy is usually triggered by some error in judgment or some character flaw (hamartia) that contributes to the hero’s lack of perfection.

PUNISHMENT EXCEEDS THE CRIME: The hero’s misfortune is not wholly deserved. The audience must not be left feeling that the tragic hero got what he deserved. Part of what makes the action “tragic” is to witness the injustice of what has occurred to the tragic hero.

HERO’S INCREASED AWARENESS: It is crucial that the tragic hero come to some sort of an understanding of what when wrong or of what was really going on before he comes to his end. The fall is not pure loss. There must be some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge, some discovery on the part of the tragic hero.

CATHARSIS: Catharsis is a feeling of emotional purging that an audience feels after witnessing the plight of a tragic hero.

Elements of Tragedy

. A DRAMATIC work (i.e., a play) . A SERIOUS OR SOMBER theme . The hero has a MAJOR FLAW OF CHARACTER or conflict with some overpowering force . The hero is DESTINED FOR DESTRUCTION AND DOWNFALL . Not all tragedies end in death, but Shakespearean tragedies do. Another characteristic of the Shakespearean tragedy is that, despite the death of individuals at the end, the play’s conclusion promises a RESTORATION OF POLITICAL ORDER.

Elements of Revenge Tragedy

. A SECRET MURDER, usually of a benign ruler by a bad person

. A GHOSTLY VISITATION of the murder victim to a younger kinsman, generally a son

. A PERIOD OF DISGUISE, INTRIGUE, OR PLOTTING, in which the murderer and the avenger scheme against each other, with a slowly rising body count

. A descent into EITHER REAL OR FEIGNED MADNESS by the avenger

. A HESITATION on the part of the revenger

. Long SOLILOQUYS that provide insight into the characters’ mentality and moral uncertainty

. The use of a PLAY WITHIN THE PLAY as a means of exposing or killing the revenger’s target

. There is an ERUPTION OF GENERAL VIOLENCE at the end resulting in high body count (usually including the avenger).

BEST KNOWN REVENGE TRAGEDIES: The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd Hamlet by William Shakespeare