Hamlet Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is one the begins as a highly-respected individual, until they are faced with a decision that exploits their tragic flaw which sends them towards there mere end but die with pride. A tragic hero is evident through Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare and Satan in Paradise Lost by John Milton. These tragic heroes are often compared but the question remains, who is the more tragic hero? While it is clear both characters support the makeup of a tragic hero, Satan’s story occurs on a more important topic, making his characteristics more evident than those of Hamlet. Satan’s pride in his action differs from hamlets lack of willingness to trust his instincts and act. The characters share characteristics as well; their position before
conflict, their error in judgement and their ability to evoke fear and pathos from the reader. However, Satan’s characteristics are more powerful.

A major factor of being a tragic hero is being of high importance before the tragic flaw leads to the tragic hero’s demise. Before Satan became the ruler of the horrifyingly described Hell was among the highest of the angels in heaven. When Satan is described Milton portrays Satan/as a figure to look up to “…or that Sea-beast Leviathan, which God of all his works Created hugest that swim th' Ocean stream: Him haply slumbring on the Norway foam The Pilot of some small night-founder'd Skiff, Deeming some Island…” (I.200-05) This quote compares Satan to one of Gods largest creations, Leviathion, proving that Satan is of high stature because he is so massive. Lucifer was respected in Heaven, proven through his following that are willing to rebel against God under his command. “O Prince, O Chief of many Throned Powers, That led th' imbattelld Seraphim to Warr Under thy conduct, and in dreadful deeds Fearless, endanger'd Heav'ns perpetual King…” (I. 128-31) Beelzebub says this to Satan after they are cast to hell, this is significant to the fact that Satan has a following and he was the leader of the “great battle”. Although not on the same level as God Satan is a massive creature that was admired by all the rebels that he led in the fight against God. Hamlet is also a figure of higher position. Hamlet is a Prince “For let the world take not, / You are the most immediate to our throne.” (Shakespeare I.II.108-9) In Shakespearian times to be of the crown family is the highest position one can be in, just like Satan, Hamlet is highly respected. To lead a group against God is more astonishing then being a descendant of the crown proving that although both Satan and Hamlet meet the criteria of the tragic hero Satan is more of a tragic hero because his position is more important.
Satan before the rebellion is known as Lucifer, “He trusted to equal’d the most high, if he oppos’d…” (MiltonI.40-41) before Satan’s tragic flaw of over ambition came about he was a major part of Heaven, this quote shows that if there was someone close to the power of God it was Lucifer. Knowing that God is the only being without sin, Lucifer is a very good person to be even compared to God. Before Hamlets father is murdered Hamlet would have been living a normal life of a prince and had a clear devotion to Ophelia. The course of events that play out in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Cause Hamlet to feel betrayed by everyone, leading him to act in devious ways. When speaking to Ophelia she says “Oh, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown! / The courtier’s, soildier’s, scholar’s eye, tongue, sword… Oh, woe is me, t’have seen what I have just seen, see what I see!” (Shakespeare III.I.150-61) This quote proves that Hamlet was once a good person but since his father’s death, his mother’s early remarry and the feeling that everyone is conspiring against him it drives him to a “madness” that is far beyond his previous ways of acting.
Satan’s ignorance to Gods power leads to his fall and is Satan’s tragic flaw. Satan truly believes that when he battles with God for the first time they caused Heaven distress because it was such a tiring fight “And reassembling our afflicted Powers, Consult how we may henceforth most offend Our Enemy, our own loss how repair…” (Milton I.186-88) Satan says this to Beelzebub. This quote proves that Satan believes he “offended his enemy” when really all God had to do was flick them down into the depths of hell. The ignorance continues after Satan makes it to the island in hell. “As Gods, and by thir own recover'd strength, Not by the sufferance of supernal Power.” (Milton I.240-41) He believes he made it to the island by himself and has regained his power, however if God did not want him to raise, he would not. Satan is ignorant to this fact so he wants to continue to challenge God, this is what God wants because evil will make his greatness seem greater. Satan’s false judgement is one of his tragic flaws, the situation leads to the continuous agony of himself which would be the equivalent to the death of a mortal character. Hamlet being a moral character experiences death because of his error of judgement. That being when he kills Polonius. “Nay I know not. Is it the king?” (Shakespeare III.IV.27) Hamlet believes it is the king and acts uncharacteristically killing Polonius leading to the death of Ophelia, Hamlet, his mother, Claudius and Laertes. While Satan and Hamlet both show ignorance that leads to their demise, Satan’s ignorance is greater and the consequences are incessant.
Even when Satan is in the furthest place from Heaven and is in suffering he still feels no remorse for his actions or future actions.
“The force of these dire arms? Yet not for these, Nor what the Potent Victor in his rage can inflict, do I repent or change…” (Milton I.94-96) This quotes proves Satan’s Pride in rebelling against God, losing everything he once had, and who he now is. Satan regrets nothing and will never change, his thirst for revenge and hunger for evil will remain for all of eternity. “…can make a Heav’n of Hell and a Hell of Heav’n… Better to reign in hell then to serve in Heav’n.” (Milton I.255-63) Satan truly believes that his actions have made his life better, this great ordeal of pride is the most important factor to a tragic hero. Hamlet however does not feel the same amount of pride in himself as Satan does towards himself. Hamlets lack of pride is proven through the quote “… I not set my life in a pin’s fee / and for my soul what can it do to that…” (Shakespeare I.IV.68-69) Proving Hamlet feels there is no value or purpose to his life, leading him away from the characteristics of a tragic hero. Hamlet also lacks in Hubris because of his inability to act, he always finds a reason against avenging his father at that moment. When he sees an opportunity to kill Claudius “Now I might do it pat. Now he is praying…A villain kills my father and, for, that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to Heaven… no.” (Shakespeare III.III.74-87) Hamlet does not
act. He only acts when he has no choice but to act and the consequences are clear.
When reading fictional works, one often pictures one’s self in the position of the characters.
It is easy to relate to Satan and fear how easy it is to lose everything that one once had because of a mistake one must live the rest of their life with the consequences. Even if one’s position is of high stature for example, the neuro surgeon that murdered his wife three weeks ago, just like Satan he was once respected and now he will spend the rest of his life with nothing due to that one mistake. One can also relate to the inner turmoil Hamlet suffers, Hamlet struggles to carry out his thoughts into actions his procrastination leads to the demise of everyone but Horatio. This moves readers to fear because they realize their own procrastination in their own lives. While most likely not leading to the same outcome as the one in Hamlet, procrastination never leads to anything good and Hamlet portrays this tremendously. Fear is placed in the reader because the characters of high importance make mistakes that lead to undesired outcomes. These errors would easily be made by someone more fallible then these characters. Placing fear in the reader is a criterion for a tragic hero, while both characters meet this criteria Hamlet is the more relatable when compared to Satan because he is mortal and Satan is
not.
John Milton gets readers to go against our will and pity Satan, he is unaware that he is just a mere piece of Gods plan and if God wanted him gone God would vanquish him. “Left him at large to his own dark designs, That with reiterated crimes he might Heap on himself damnation, while he sought Evil to others” (Milton I.213-16) the reader feels bad for the once ultimately described Satan because he believes he is affecting God and Heaven but in reality all he is doing is affecting himself and making God seem greater. When Satan is condemned to Hell “Where peace and rest can never dwell, hope never comes that comes to all; but torture without end still urges…” (Milton I.65-68) The reader feels pathos towards Satan and his followers for they must live eternity in this place making the reader feel pathos, which is another key characteristic to a tragic hero. Hamlet is pitied by the reader because he just recently lost his father. Soon after he is betrayed by his uncle and mother when they marry, Hamlet sees the marriage as being too soon and is understandably bothered. “…the funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.” (Shakespeare I.II.179-80) this quote shows how quickly Hamlets mother remarried and his sarcastic tone shows his disapproval of the situation. Just like Satan, Hamlet extracts pity from the reader. The pathos for Satan is deeper than that of Hamlet because his punishment is eternal, Hamlets is not.
The criteria for tragic heroes is met in both works. The main tragic heroes are Satan in Paradise Lost by John Milton and Hamlet in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. These tragic heroes are highly respected, have an error in judgement, have some amount of pride, and put fear and pathos into the minds of the reader. When compared to Hamlet, Satan often edges above Hamlet in terms of being a tragic hero because his starting position is much higher, his error in judgement, pride and ability to obtain emotion from the reader happen on a much larger more important scale than those of Hamlet. Aristotle once stated that “Character determines men’s qualities but it is by their actions that they are happy or reverse.” (Aristotle) meaning without action there is no tragedy. Hamlet struggles with following through with his actions and dealing with the consequences, showing that he is a weaker tragic hero to Satan who acts abruptly and is proud no matter the outcome.