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Hamlet: Shakespeare Tragic Hero - College Essay

Hamlet: Shakespeare Tragic Hero

In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, the main character is a classic
example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. Hamlet is considered to be a
tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw that in the end, is the cause of
his downfall. The play is an example of a Shakespearean tragic play
because it has all of the characteristics of the tragic play. As defined
by Aristotle, a tragic play has a beginning, middle, and end; unity of time
and place; a tragic hero; and the concept of catharsis.
One of the main reasons this play is considered a tragic play is
because the main character is a tragic hero. Hamlet's tragic flaw is he
spends too much time thinking and not enough time acting. This is ...

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his tragic
flaw.
Another reason Hamlet is a classic example of Shakespearean tragedy
is because it incorporates the idea of catharsis. Aristotle defined
catharsis as the purging of the emotions of fear and pity. In the play,
Claudius has the emotion of fear because he is afraid of Hamlet knowing
that he killed his father. Claudius knows that Hamlet is capable of
killing him. He knows that he cannot kill Hamlet to protect himself or to
prevent the people from knowing who killed the king because the people love
Hamlet too much. Claudius feels pity after he sees the "Mouse Trap"
because he realizes what he had done was wrong now that Hamlet knows the
truth behind the matter.
Hamlet is a tragic play because it has a beginning, middle, and end,
and takes place in a short period of time. The play has a specific
beginning, which consists of Hamlet seeing his father and considering what
to do about it. The middle is one of the actions that he took, the "Mouse
Trap." This set the ...

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Hamlet: Shakespeare Tragic Hero. (2004, January 5). Retrieved April 16, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Hamlet-Shakespeare-Tragic-Hero/990

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 1/5/2004 01:45:50 AM
Category: Arts
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 529
Pages: 2

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