Hamlet A Tragic Hero Essays - 873 Words

â€Å"A tragic flaw is an error or defect in the tragic hero that leads to his downfall.† (http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/literature/bedlit/glossary_t.htm) In the history of literature, if the question of who was the most indecisive character was brought up, Hamlet would be a prime candidate. Hamlet had numerous chances to reap revenge for his father’s death but was only able to follow through after the accidental murder of his mother. Hamlet’s inability to make a decision ultimately leads to his demise, and for that is his tragic flaw. What makes a tragic hero? Dr. Peter Smith, Associate Professor of English at Kentucky State University, broke the archetypical characteristics of a tragic hero down into six groups. Of the six, four will†¦show more content†¦Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his inability to act. We are first introduced to this flaw in Act I Scene iv through Act I Scene v. Hamlet encounters the apparition that appears to be his father in scene iv and agrees with Horatio and Marcellus that it does resemble the late king. When he is beckoned to follow the spirit, he does so only after questioning the spirit’s intent: â€Å"Be though a spirit of health or goblin damn’d/ Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell/ Be thy intents wicked or charitable†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Clark, 1014) He wonders if the spirit is truly his father or only the devil trying to trick him. In scene v the spirit tells him that he was murdered by his brother and that Hamlet must â€Å"revenge his [fatherà ¢â‚¬â„¢s] foul and most unnatural murder.† (Clark, 1015) Hamlet does not jump to conclusions but rather decides that he must prove his uncle’s guilt by having a play performed (Act III Scene ii) that emulates what may have happened when his father was killed. Claudius’ reaction will uncover his guilt or innocence. In the course of the play Claudius calls for the play to be stopped and leaves abruptly. Hamlet takes this to be a sign of guilt. In Act III Scene iii, Hamlet encounters his uncle alone, in his room, praying. As he prepares to kill his uncle, he realizes killing him while in prayer will save his soul and send him to heaven. His father was not able to repent before his death and neither should his uncle. Instead, heShow MoreRelatedHamlet As A Tragic Hero850 Words   |  4 Pagesas a hero if they revenge? Well In the novel Hamlet the author, William Shakespeare creates tragic events where his main character Hamlet has to overcome to achieve his goal of killing his evil uncle Claudius. â€Å"In life one has to do bad thing in order to be a hero,the hero also has to make sacrifices in order to be successful† (John Barrowman). In Shakespeare Hamlet, should hamlet be considered a tragic hero judging by him following the hero steps. Shakespeare proves that Hamlet was a tragic heroRead MoreHamlet, A Tragic Hero1003 Words   |  5 Pagesmemorable tragic hero’s Hamlet is the definition of a tragic hero. In the book, Hamlet, Shakespeare’s character hamlet is determined on killing his uncle the king. This goal proves to be challenging to him due to his morals. He often struggles with this throughout the book. This proves to be his downfall for not deciding to kill the king until the very end. A tragic hero has to have a fatal flaw that, combined with fate, brings tragedy. This is one of the key characteristics of a tragic hero. He hadRead MoreHamlet As A Tragic Hero1071 Words   |  5 Pages Hamlet as a Tragic Hero The Webster dictionary defines tragedy as, â€Å"a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror.† (Webster Dictionary) So a tragic hero is a character who goes through a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a direct result of his choices. You will see throughout this story that the character Hamlet is a clear example of Shakespeare’s tragic hero. ShakespeareRead MoreHamlet : A Tragic Hero995 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet: A Tragic Hero William Shakespeare is known through the ages as a brilliant playwright. He has written several comedies and tragedies that people have loved through decades. Shakespeare’s plays have been interpreted in many different ways and have been debated on which interpretation is correct. Some of these included even the basis of the character’s persona. In the Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet, the main protagonist, Prince Hamlet, is fated by the ghost of his late father that, becauseRead MoreHamlet as a Tragic Hero2505 Words   |  11 Pagesterror. A tragic hero, therefore, is the character who experiences such a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a result of his choices and related actions. The character of Hamlet is a clear representation of Shakespeares tragic hero, as he possesses all the necessary characteristics of such a hero. Hamlet is seen as a tragic hero as he has doomed others because of a serious error in judgment, also Hamlet is responsible for his own fat e and Hamlet has been endowed with a tragic flaw. TheseRead MoreHamlet As A Tragic Hero1305 Words   |  6 Pages Sympathy is a feeling of sorrow, pity, or understanding of someone else’s misfortune. Hamlet, in this case, is the tragic hero due to many different sources that cause the reader to have an immense amount of sympathy for him. A series of events such as murder, failed relationships, and all the madness, created the feeling of sympathy from the audience. These specific sources cause the reader to see the development of the overall themes of deceit, justice, and revenge. Deceit is one of the mainRead MoreHamlet; Tragic Hero3618 Words   |  15 Pages Hamlet; The Tragic Hero            Ã‚  Ã‚      In many plays there is always one person that is the tragic hero. They always possess some type of tragic flaw that in turn leads to their tragic deaths. In the Shakespearean play Hamlet the main character Hamlet is considered to be a tragic hero. By carefully analyzing the Shakespearean play Hamlet one can debate whether the main character Hamlet is a tragic hero. Although it is debatable whether or not Hamlet is a tragic hero, one wouldRead MoreIs Hamlet A Tragic Hero Essay961 Words   |  4 PagesTo be, or not to be: a hero. That is the question often asked of William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet: whether Hamlet II, Prince of Denmark, can be considered a hero. Throughout the play Hamlet proves himself to be a hero, although different from the usual sense of one. Hamlet is a tragic hero, â€Å"a great or virtuous character . . . who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat . . . who makes an error of judgment or has a fatal flaw tha t, combined with fate and external forces, brings on a tragedyRead MoreHamlet As The Tragic Hero Of The Play Hamlet 1314 Words   |  6 PagesIn order to better understand Hamlet one must first asses, and define man. According to webster dictionary a man is a male often having the qualities associated with bravery,script or toughness(site webster dictionary www.define a man.com here). We know the male figure is known to exhibit distinctive male traits such as strength, dignity, courage and be a provider and supporter. As seen in Hamlet one must understand the male figure to better understand Hamlet and why the male behave in such waysRead MoreHamlet: A Tragic Hero Essays697 Words   |  3 Pagestragedy of Hamlet, Shakespeare’s most popular and greatest tragedy, presents his genius as a playwright and includes many numbers of themes and literary techniques. In all tragedies, the main character, called a tragic hero, suffers and usually dies at the end. Prince Hamlet is a m odel example of a Shakespearean tragic hero. Every tragedy must have a tragic hero. A tragic hero must own many good traits, but has a flaw that ultimately leads to his downfall. If not for this tragic flaw, the hero would be