Shakespearean Tragedy – Shakespearean Tragedy – Key ElementsKey Elements

Story concerned primarily with ONE Story concerned primarily with ONE personperson

Leads up to and includes the DEATH of Leads up to and includes the DEATH of the herothe hero

Is a tale of suffering and calamity Is a tale of suffering and calamity resulting in deathresulting in death

Suffering and calamity are unexpected Suffering and calamity are unexpected and exceptionaland exceptional

May feature COMEDY/COMIC RELIEFMay feature COMEDY/COMIC RELIEF

Key Elements cont’d.Key Elements cont’d.

Features total reversal of fortune, Features total reversal of fortune, coming unexpectedly upon a man who coming unexpectedly upon a man who stands in high degree/elevated statusstands in high degree/elevated status

Shakespearean tragedy is ALWAYS Shakespearean tragedy is ALWAYS concerned with persons of ‘high concerned with persons of ‘high degree’; when he falls, it produces a degree’; when he falls, it produces a sense of contrast, of the powerless-sense of contrast, of the powerless-ness of Man and the capriciousness of ness of Man and the capriciousness of Fate or FortuneFate or Fortune

Key elements cont’d.Key elements cont’d.

Calamities of tragedy for Shakespeare Calamities of tragedy for Shakespeare proceed mainly from ACTIONS – the proceed mainly from ACTIONS – the actions of Menactions of Men

Hero always contributes in some Hero always contributes in some measure to his own downfallmeasure to his own downfall

Actions are the predominant factor; Actions are the predominant factor; deeds characterize the doerdeeds characterize the doer

Always is DRAMATIC (characteristic Always is DRAMATIC (characteristic of Shakespeare)of Shakespeare)

Key Elements cont’d.Key Elements cont’d.

Occasionally, characters reflect Occasionally, characters reflect abnormal conditions (insanity, abnormal conditions (insanity, hallucinations)hallucinations)

Often includes Supernatural element in Often includes Supernatural element in the problems the characters must facethe problems the characters must face

Allows some influence by Coincidence Allows some influence by Coincidence or Serendipity (but used sparingly)or Serendipity (but used sparingly)

May feature conflict within the hero or May feature conflict within the hero or with another characterwith another character

Key Elements cont’d.Key Elements cont’d.

Hero’s internal struggle may result Hero’s internal struggle may result in showing his greatest powerin showing his greatest power

Central characters are exceptional Central characters are exceptional beings; their suffering is unusual; beings; their suffering is unusual; their nature is exceptionaltheir nature is exceptional

Tragic characters are made of the Tragic characters are made of the stuff we find within ourselves and stuff we find within ourselves and within people who surround the within people who surround the central charactercentral character

Key Elements cont’d.Key Elements cont’d.

Fundamental tragic trait – an incapacity to Fundamental tragic trait – an incapacity to resist the forces which draw the character resist the forces which draw the character in a specific directionin a specific direction

Inspires specific emotions within the Inspires specific emotions within the audience (sympathy, pity, admiration, audience (sympathy, pity, admiration, terror, awe)terror, awe)

Hero’s tragic trait is also his greatest traitHero’s tragic trait is also his greatest trait Is never depressing – hero’s struggle or Is never depressing – hero’s struggle or

failure shows the audience human failure shows the audience human possibilitypossibility

Key Elements cont’d.Key Elements cont’d.

Tragedies reflect a secular world (no Tragedies reflect a secular world (no religious influences)religious influences)

No trace of Fatalism in ShakespeareNo trace of Fatalism in Shakespeare Shakespearean tragedy never asks reader/Shakespearean tragedy never asks reader/

audience to decide if the hero is RIGHT vs. audience to decide if the hero is RIGHT vs.

WRONGWRONG Cause of the conflict? Always EVIL in its Cause of the conflict? Always EVIL in its

fullest sense (which results in the fullest sense (which results in the TRAGEDY)TRAGEDY)

Structure of Structure of Shakespeare’s TragedyShakespeare’s Tragedy

Exposition – the situation out of which Exposition – the situation out of which the conflict arises is describedthe conflict arises is described

22ndnd, 3, 3rdrd, 4, 4thth Acts – Explains definite Acts – Explains definite beginning, growth and vicissitudes of beginning, growth and vicissitudes of the conflictthe conflict

55thth/Final Act – Shows issue of the /Final Act – Shows issue of the conflict in a catastropheconflict in a catastrophe

May feature a ‘plot-within-a-plot’ or a May feature a ‘plot-within-a-plot’ or a ‘play-within-a-play’‘play-within-a-play’

Structure cont’d.Structure cont’d.

Features rising and falling actionFeatures rising and falling action Alternation of plot – oscillating Alternation of plot – oscillating

movement/actions (moves back and movement/actions (moves back and forth)forth)

One side is definitely seen as One side is definitely seen as advancing to a certain point in the advancing to a certain point in the conflict (KEY = a turning point in the conflict (KEY = a turning point in the story)story)