Renaissance Literature

 

 

Hamlet as a Shakespearean Tragedy

 

 

 

Preface

 

In our day-to-day life, we are habituated of talking about tragedy whenever we watch plays or movies. But we have to think twice when we use the word tragedy. When some sad or threaten events or accidents happens within the play or movie, we called it tragedy, but tragedy has much & more significance than this.

 

Before entering into discussion about one of the greatest tragedy- HAMLET, let’s have a look upon Tragedy.

 

 

What is Tragedy?

 

In very common words, a very sad event or situation, especially one that involves death.

 

According to Aristotle,

 

 “Tragedy is an imitation of an action that is admirable, complete (composed of an introduction, a middle part and an ending), and possesses magnitude; in language made pleasurable, each of its species separated in different parts; performed by actors, not through narration; effecting through pity and fear the purification of such emotions.”

 

Shakespeare has, to some extent, tried to follow Aristotle's definition of tragedy. But some of the old-fashioned customs have tried to discover on the stage. Breaking down some old concepts and concepts that could not be shown on the screen, he introduced a new veil to the audience and became immortal in the history of literature. Perhaps this is why even if we read Shakespeare's characters today, their characters seem to be lively.

 

Now the Question is,

 

What is Shakespearean Tragedy?

 

Shakespeare's concept of tragedy is newer, more advanced and universal than all other tragedy concepts. Breaking down the old-fashioned customs and traditions in the theater world and introducing us to a new scene!

 

Only Aristotle contradicted one of the times and gave God the human-centered play Shakespeare, breaking the tradition of the only God-centered plays that were more powerful and responsible for the downfall of human being or tragic hero.

 

Now if we look at the main features of Shakespearean Tragedy are:

 

Shakespeare's concept of Tragedy

 

There are some certain features which makes it apart from other tragedies or from other plays. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, we can find some general characteristics also. First let’s have look upon it.

 

Shakespeare’s concept of tragedy

 

(1) Tragic Waste

(2) Character and Destiny

(3) Three complicating features

(i)Tragic Waste

(ii) The supernatural ghosts and

     Witches

(iii) The role of chance

 

(4) The Melodramatic elements

(5) No poetic Justice

 

Now let's examine the features of Hamlet with Shakespearean Tragedy.

 

(1)Tragic Hero

 

There can be three types of tragic hero:

(1) Good man coming to bad end

(2) Bad man coming to good end

(3) Bad man coming to bad end

 

If we look at the character of HAMLET, then Hamlet is the best example of a tragic hero an intelligent, but he couldn't move on past one thing, which led to his death. Not once but twice did Hamlet have the opportunity to take revenge but due to his virtues he could not attack from the back and retaliate. In the end, when the plot is betrayed by Hamlet to kill him, the audience also gets sympathy for Hamlet. And this same characteristic of Hamlet proves him to be a truly tragic hero. the observed of all observers.'

 

(2) The tragic flaw

 

The tragic fate of the hero often triggered by a tragic flaw in the hero's character. The hero contributes in some way, shape or form to disaster in which he perishes. When we consider the tragedies of ancient times, the downfall of the hero is seen as something wherein the fortune has caused the collapse of the hero, which does not lead to blame on the hero. Moreover, the hero can be released by saying that God is almighty. Whereas in the tragedy of Shakespeare human karma is given more prominence. Even more, in the tragedy of Shakespeare, human karma is responsible for the degeneration or upward motion of human beings. Hamlet's overthinking and inability to take action becomes HAMLET's tragic flaw and is responsible for its downfall also.

 

From two of Shakespeare's characters, ACTION WITHOUT THINKING and THINKING WITHOUT ACTION among ACTION WITHOUT THINKING seem to be placed here. A student of philosophy may not be passionate or even think of any work for a while is even shown an artistic skill. Even when searching for the ghost and finally killing Claudius, he cannot kill him at the time of prayer which also shows his scholarship.

 

Thus, Hamlet's tragic flaw leads him to his downfall and ultimately to the downfall of everyone.

 

 

(3)True to life (Nature)

 

The tragic hero of any tragedy must stick to his nature until his final breath. The hero has to be so devoted to his nature, attitude that the creation of the situation can do whatever it takes to pierce its basic characteristics, which is usually human nature. The hero of the tragedy should neither be too good nor too bad. Even if a person is much good and there is a mishap with him, instinct cannot be accepted, and even if a person is very bad and something very good happens to him, one cannot be readily accepted. That means the hero must be true to type.

 

Just like Othello can't think of himself before making a decision or action because if Othello was told that he would have been once thought before killing his beloved Desdemona, Othello's answer was the same that if I think, there was no time. If I had spent my time in thinking, it would not be what I am today!

 

Likewise if Hamlet wasn't overthinking this, Hamlet wouldn't be Hamlet.

 

(4)Three complicating factors:

 

In the character of Hamlet, we can find these three complicating factors are being true to his character that elements of supernatural power of King Hamlet, abnormal condition of mind in Hamlet. Role of chance and fate also plays vital role to bring tragedy of Hamlet.

 

(i)Some abnormal condition of mind:

 

The play is genuinely seen as one of the most humanistic stories ever written. Hamlet's portrayal of a mental health condition is the subject of a study. The key aspect of Hamlet's nature is how to justify, how a person can change his behavior and attitude in the sixth part of the clock. When talking to Horatio, HAMLET seems wise, while talking to Claudius and others, he seems to have lost his mental balance, and Polonius feels that talking to Hamlet is a scary thing Seems to be.

 

(ii) The supernatural ghosts and witches:

 

In Shakespeare's time, beliefs about supernatural elements and ghosts were somewhat higher. And even so, literature which cannot cover the present time or even cannot reach the climax of universality is not true literature. Shakespeare knows, and truly understands human nature and here serves the same things.

 

 

 

 

(5)Character and destiny

 

Hamlet is the man of unbounded knowledge, an innocent-hearted innocent scholar. Here, fate doesn’t play significant role in man’s fall. But man’s deed leads to his tragic flaw or tragedy.

 

 

(6)The conflict

 

Inner as well external besides the outward conflict between individuals or groups of individuals, there is also an inner conflict and torments within the soul of the tragic hero.

 

(7)The tragic waste

 

The death of a hero is not an ordinary death; it encompasses the loss of an exceptionally intellectual, honest, intelligent, noble, and virtuous person. In a tragedy, when good is destroyed along with evil, the loss is known as a "tragic waste." Shakespearean tragedy always includes a tragic waste of goodness.

 

As Hamlet says himself to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:

 

"What a piece of work is a man ! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculties! In form, in moving, how to express and admirable! In action, how like an angel! In apprehension, how like a god! The beauty of the world! The Paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?"

 

(8)Catharsis

 

Precisely how to interpret Catharsis- which in Greek signifies "purgation", or "purification" or both- is much disputed. It can be called "the "pleasure of pity and fear."

 

As the basic way to distinguish the tragic from comic or other forms, and he regards the dramatist's aim to produce this effect in the highest degree as the principle that determines the choice and moral qualities of the tragic protagonist and the organization of the tragic plot.

 

(10)No poetic justice

 

Talking of tragedy in the context of Aristotle, the poetic justice must be found at the end of any tragedy. But Shakespeare gives us an idea of the bare reality. How can we justify poetic justice at every stage of our lives! Thus, comic relief and poetic justice are indispensable in any tragedy. Marlow in Dr.Faustus finally accepts surrender but Shakespeare's Hamlet fights to the final breath, yet finally he gets poetic justice or not, and to what extent it can still be called justice is becoming a topic of intense debate.

 

If Hamlet also dies in the end, Claudius also dies and Gertrude doesn't even survive, is it poetic justice to have the entire kingdom fall into the hands of Fortinbras? And if this is true justice, then what is the value of poetic justice?

 

 

(11)Serenity at the end

 

Before discussing about serenity at the end of the play, let's have a brief look upon serenity.

 

Serenity means,  the quality of being peaceful and calm that worried by nothing, freedom from distinguishing or oppressive thoughts or emotions. It can be also called an often imaginary place or state of utter perfection and happiness, just as state of being actual or complete. If we try to find an example from HAMLET, Shakespeare puts a great quote in the mouth of Horatio and Hamlet are:

 

HORATIO

If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will forestall their repair hither and say you are not fit.

 

HAMLET

Not a whit. We defy augury. There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ’tis not to come. If it be not to come, it will be now. If it be not now, yet it will come—the readiness is all. Since no man of aught he leaves knows what isn’t to leave betimes? Let be!

 

 

 

 

 

 

EPILOGUE

 

Thus, through this discussion, one can come to conclude that, Shakespeare provides to people what they wanted. He portrays human nature which is unchangeable and that’s why. Still whenever one talks about tragedy, discussion mustn’t be complete without Shakespeare and of his great tragedy “HAMLET”.