VCCS Litonline Introduction to Literature English 112 (English Composition II)

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Objective for this Page: To analyze Hamlet using Artistotle's definition of tragedy. Here's a recap of Aristotle and a box for you to write down what you think. Does Hamlet meet the stated criterion or not? You might want to jot down some evidence for your answer, too.

1. The tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness.

2. Though the tragic hero is pre-eminently great, he/she is not perfect.

3. The hero's downfall, therefore, is partially her/his own fault, the result of free choice, not of accident or villainy or some overriding, malignant fate.

4. The hero's misfortune is not wholly deserved. The punishment exceeds the crime.

5. The fall is not pure loss. There is some increase in awareness, some gain in self-knowledge, some discovery.

6. Though it arouses solemn emotion, tragedy does not leave its audience in a state of depression.

You might want to copy your responses and save them before going on to the next page, where we will look at some of the items above that pose special problems in relationship to this play.

The URL for this page is http://vccslitonline.cc.va.us/tragedy/shakespeare2.htm