Draw yourself a Venn diagram and use it to note similarities and differences between the two characters‚ Hamlet and Agamemnon. Do this on your own now and complete it thoroughly. As part of your analysis‚ consider how the following elements of tragedy are used in each play. (Remember‚ this is what you learned in Lesson 1.) Aristotle’s four components of tragedy: It involves someone of higher standing. This protagonist makes an error in judgement. This error results in suffering for the person. This
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Context reflects values Context is a clear reflection of the values of any era‚ especially in Shakespeare’s canonical play Hamlet. The events and characters in Hamlet embodies the historical context of shifting religions and political uncertainty that lead to a society imploding. Composed in the 1600s‚ the murder of a king and the encroachment of foreign power would have had particular resonance for the audience as there was an innate failed invasion of Britain by Spain and an attempted assassination
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Greek Contributions to Modern Western Civilization Ancient Greek culture has influenced modern western civilization from their discoveries and traditions during their Golden Age. Their philosophies‚ politics and values have helped shape our every day life. Some of the most prominently displayed leaders of all time lived in Greece during the time. Their math‚ art science politics‚ architecture‚ drama‚ medicine‚ philosophy and values have inspired today’s everyday way of life. If it weren’t for their
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Throughout the course of the drama‚ Willy Loman‚ a delusional salesman sinks lower into his depression and confusion‚ until he eventually ends his life. There has been much discussion on whether ’Death of a Salesman’ is a tragedy‚ and if Willy is a tragic hero. Many critics question the supposedly tragic elements of the drama‚ citing Aristotle’s definition of tragedy‚ and Shakespearean examples. Willy is often compared to King Lear‚ however it is often suggested that his misfortune pales in comparison
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In the tragic play "Antigone"� by Sophocles there has commonly been a controversy as to who is the "tragic hero"�. Sophocles clearly portrays the male protagonist‚ Creon‚ as the tragic hero through his social status and his actions being good‚ yet not exceedingly‚ having an evident tragic flaw that eventually leads to his downfall‚ and his repentance; these are all in accordance with Aristotle’s view of a tragic hero. First‚ Creon is born into a family situation that fits him for the suit of tragic
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HAMLET CRASH COURSE Syllabus: Read and understand the text Evaluate how text is perceived in various contexts Questions of textual integrity – what is this text that gives it value Analyse its construction – look at all the details of how the text is put together Research others perspectives of the text – test these against your own understanding of the text Develop a range of imaginative‚ interpretive and analytical compositions that relate to the study of their specific text. Engage with and
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For a story to be a tragedy it has to follow the principles set by Aristotle‚ a Greek philosopher‚ or those of Arthur Miller who is a twentieth century playwright. A tragedy‚ in Aristotle’s view‚ usually concerns the fall of an individual whose character is good but not perfect and his misfortunes are brought about by the tragic flaw. This flaw is the part of the character that personifies him as being tragic. Miller uses this definition of a tragedy but also broadens it including the common
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We as readers have too often become one-sided on a particular topic and failed to consider other possibilities. Even today‚ over fifty years after Arthur Miller ’s essay Tragedy and The Common Man; we still associate tragedy with the highborn and their plights. However‚ Arthur Miller stimulates our minds by explaining that a tragic hero can and should include the common man. He defines a tragic hero as one who attempts to "gain his ’rightful ’ position in his society" and in doing so‚ struggles
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Heroes and Their Hamartia Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a classic example of a literary tragedy. There are multiple tragic heroes‚ whose consequences of their actions contribute to a series of catastrophic events. Arthur Miller‚ in his essay “Tragedy in the Common Man”‚ states that only those who accept their fate without a fight are flawless and that most of us are in this category. Conversely‚ Aristotle believed “the hero often has many positive qualities‚ but also possesses a tragic
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Oedipus’ Hamartia Aristotle once said that a hero’s downfall must be a result of some tragic flaw within the character. This flaw was known as hamartia in the Greek world of Aristotle. Since Aristotle greatly admired Oedipus the King‚ many people believe that Oedipus must have had a prominent and complex hamartia. Discovering Oedipus’ hamartia within the play is not an easy task. In fact‚ it is impossible to point out Oedipus’ hamartia since I do not believe that he has one. Everything
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