Tragic Heroes in Shakespeare Essay Example
6ET02
Unit 2: Explorative study
Mashal khan
A-2 business
6ET02
Unit 2: Explorative study
Mashal khan
A-2 business
Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra" and "Macbeth" are the studies of a tragic hero; a hero who falls from grace due to 'hamartia'. Explore the tragedies as a commentary on the infallibility of man.
The tragic hero is a man of majestic position. He is an extraordinary man with exceptional qualities and magnitude about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause or belief. As Aristotle states "a man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall”. Their downfall happens through many events; sometimes due to excessive arrogance and because of this he is doomed from the beginning. He bears no responsibility for possessing his flaw or for his actions. He has discovered fate by his own actions, and not by things happening to him. Tragic heroes are usually kings or leaders which in turn affects the fate and the welfare of a whole nation or number of people. Peasants do not inspire pity and fear as great men do. The sudden fall from greatness to nothing provides a sense of contrast. Probably the most important characteristic of a Shakespearean tragic hero is that one must posses a tragic flaw, because without the flaw, there would never be a downfall. While the tragic flaw is the key element in a tragedy, the tragic hero’s social status is also of high importance. The tragic hero mirrors everyone's, positive traits and faults. For each tragic hero the suffering has gone on too long and the only way to receive redemption, and to end the suffering, is death. It is in their death scene that the tragic figure is transformed into the tragic hero. His characteristics range between two extremes – he is eminently good and benign yet whose misfortune is brought about not by blemish or immorality, but by some error or fault. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes tend to be consciously doing wrong and driven by wild passions.
Unit 2: Explorative study
Mashal khan
A-2 business
6ET02
Unit 2: Explorative study
Mashal khan
A-2 business
Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra" and "Macbeth" are the studies of a tragic hero; a hero who falls from grace due to 'hamartia'. Explore the tragedies as a commentary on the infallibility of man.
The tragic hero is a man of majestic position. He is an extraordinary man with exceptional qualities and magnitude about him. His own destruction is for a greater cause or belief. As Aristotle states "a man cannot become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall”. Their downfall happens through many events; sometimes due to excessive arrogance and because of this he is doomed from the beginning. He bears no responsibility for possessing his flaw or for his actions. He has discovered fate by his own actions, and not by things happening to him. Tragic heroes are usually kings or leaders which in turn affects the fate and the welfare of a whole nation or number of people. Peasants do not inspire pity and fear as great men do. The sudden fall from greatness to nothing provides a sense of contrast. Probably the most important characteristic of a Shakespearean tragic hero is that one must posses a tragic flaw, because without the flaw, there would never be a downfall. While the tragic flaw is the key element in a tragedy, the tragic hero’s social status is also of high importance. The tragic hero mirrors everyone's, positive traits and faults. For each tragic hero the suffering has gone on too long and the only way to receive redemption, and to end the suffering, is death. It is in their death scene that the tragic figure is transformed into the tragic hero. His characteristics range between two extremes – he is eminently good and benign yet whose misfortune is brought about not by blemish or immorality, but by some error or fault. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes tend to be consciously doing wrong and driven by wild passions.