Nature and Definition: Tragedy is a very difficult
concept to define. Despite what modern critics have labored on the subject,
Aristotle’s definition of tragedy in his Poetics, still remainsthe
best and comprehensive with some minor difference in the 21st century.
Tragedy is a representation of an action which is serious, complete in itself,
and of a certain magnitude; it is expressed in speech made beautiful in
different ways in different parts of the play; it is acted, not narrated
and by exciting pity and fear gives a healthy relief to such emotions.
However, A.C. Bradley most perceptively comments the
Shakespearean Tragedy: A tale of suffering and calamity conducing to
death. Although this remark captures what is common to Shakespearean
Tragedies. It must be noted that ever Shakespearean Tragedy in unique in its
way. There are very few observations which one may make about one of them which
are applicable to others.
The Tragic Hero: Shakespeare’s tragedies are built of a
single man who towers above the other characters. So Shakespeare’s major
tragedies such as Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth are all
tragedies of character. The central character, for the most part, may be
regarded as a double entity. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes have many
qualities in common. One of the qualities are their intense concern for some
one, some thing or some aspect of life. In the case of Othello, we find
the character to be deeply concerned about Desdemona. It is doubtful
whether Shakespeare knew Poetics; all his heroes except the possible
exception of Macbeth are good. His tragic heroes are of an extremely sensitive
and poetic nature. Hamlet being the most intellectual and Othello being the most
poetic and romantic of them. They also belong to thehigher order of
society. The lowest in rank is Othello who is at least general whose progeny
may be traced to kings. Still he is no common man. In every one of
Shakespeare’s tragedies, the hero is either faced with making a moral choice of
grave consequences or initiating some action which has far-reaching
consequences.
The Tragic Flaw: Shakespeare’s tragedy is above all a
tragedy of character, though environment, coincidences and chance play their parts.
However, it is some flaw in the tragic hero which causes his tragedy. The
example being Othello whose tragic flaw is jealousy. The tragic flaw is not
always a shortcoming in itself. It is only in the particular situation in which
the hero is placed that the particular quality of the hero becomes damaging to
him. For example, Hamlet’s habit of carefully weighing the pros and cons of
every thing before taking action would have proved an asset to Othello, while
precipitateness of action would have cut-short Hamlet’s agonies.
The Role of Chance and Fate: Chance and fate, the latter
sometimes in the form of supernatural, also play their part in
Shakespearean tragedies. However, they are never the starting point of
tragedies, but are led into when the story has taken a definite course. The
incident of handkerchief in Othello is an example of pure chance which is
exploited by the villain, but this chance crops up when the seeds of jealousy
in Othello’s mind have become strong trees
Theme and Action: Shakespearean tragedies have
well-defined themes which are also capable of being expressed in moral terms.
For example, the theme of King Lear is regeneration while that of
Othello is one of making a choice. His stories involve themes such as murder,
madness, duels etc. Shakespeare doesn’t conform to the classical view of
tragedy which insisted on the purity of genres and the unities of time and
space. For Shakespeare, the prime unity is the tragic effect created by a
strong sense of inevitability.
Characterization: Shakespearean tragic hero is
the only and the one in the play; however, there is at least one character near
him which is also highlighted. In his tragedies, male characters have a
dominant role and female characters, although unforgettable, usually play
little action. Shakespeare also uses double plots and comic scenes for comic
relief.
Tragic Effect: Even without knowing the Poetics,
Shakespeare is able to arouse strong pity and fear in the minds of his readers
and theater viewers. In Shakespearean tragedies, only these emotions are not
aroused; but according to A.C. Bradley, the characteristic emotion aroused by
Shakespeare’s tragedies is a profound sense of waste. This is derived from the
idea of human worth and dignity which the plays express and the missed opportunities or
wrong choices which lead to man’s defeat without affecting his essential
dignity. Shakespearean tragedies embody a sense of profound suffering and
sadness and some of them end in a number of deaths which enhance Shakespeare’s
intended tragic effect. For example, Hamlet and King Lear end in so
many deaths that the stage is littered with dead bodies in the last
scene.
Passion Versus Reason: The predominantly tragic
conflict in the minds of Shakespearean heroes is between passion and conflict.
The opposition between reason and passion, first isolated – through Othello and
Iago - in a dramatic conflict of personalities and then projected in Macbeth
and Lear, beyond the original hero to the state and universe which surround him
in an eternal fight between good and evil.
Shakespeare’s Personal Views: Many books have been
written on subjects such as ‘Shakespeare’s Religion’, but there’s
nothing definitely coming from his own plays. On the whole, Shakespeare is the
most impersonal writer. That’s perhaps what makes him the greatest writer in
the world. Shakespeare was greatly religious and compassionate; but we don’t
know his brand of Christianity. It is, however, very difficult to get insight
into Shakespeare.
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