Elements of Tragedy in Hamlet

Hamlet: The Element of a Tragedy

In 350 B.C.E., a great philosopher wrote out what he thought was the definition of a tragedy. As translated by S.H. Butcher, Aristotle wrote; “Tragedy, then, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. . . . Every Tragedy, therefore, must have six parts, which parts determine its quality—namely, Plot, Characters, Thought, Diction, Spectacle, Melody. (http://www.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html)” Later in history, William Shakespeare wrote tragedies that epitomized Aristotle’s outline of a tragedy. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one such tragedy.

The first part, the plot, is the most important of all the pieces, according to Aristotle. Aristotle said that the plot wasn’t nessesarily the story itself, but the way the story was presented, the “arrangement of incidents”. (http://www.cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/poetics.html) The typical explanation of plot is in the form of “Freytag’s Pyramid”. Basically, the pyramid has a beginning, or the incentive; then it goes into the rising action; then on to the climax; then the denouement or falling action; and finally the resolution. The plot in Hamlet is arranged so that the ending is tragic, each person in the play playing a pivotal role in one another’s demise. Hamlet begins with the death of Hamlet’s father and the marriage of Gertrude, his mother to Cladius, his uncle. The plot rises as Hamlet decides that his uncle had killed his father to become king. Hamlet begins to act insane, causing his love, Ophelia to comit suicide. The play finally reaches the climax when Hamlet finally succeeds in killing Claudius, and ends with the death of Hamlet and the restoration of order.

The second most important part of a tragedy is Character. Characters actually play a secondary role to the plot in the “perfect” tragedy. The actions of the characters make them responsible for their fate, not a higher power. There should be a protagonist and a tragic hero. Tragic heroes are also exceptional beings; Hamlet was very intellectual, giving him a brilliant mind and a quick wit. The tragic hero is the ma...

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...ay with words. His use of clever metaphors and puns make Hamlet a well-crafted work.

Aristotle’s fifth point was that of Melody. The Chorus should “be regarded as one of the actors; it should be an integral part of the whole, and share in the action”. In Shakespeare’s works there is often singing in the beginning, or interludes during the performance.

The sixth and least important in Aristotle’s point of view is that of Spectacle, or costumes and props. This is the least important because Aristotle believes that the plot will overcome all the rest. Although Aristotle recognizes the emotional attraction of spectacle, he argues that superior poets rely on the inner structure of the play rather than spectacle to arouse pity and fear; those who rely heavily on spectacle “create a sense, not of the terrible, but only of the monstrous”(http://www.cnr.edu/home/).

Shakespeare followed Aristotle’s guidelines to a perfect tragedy to the letter. Each and every one of the points is represented in Hamlet as well as his other tragedies. Through his rich use of language and plot, Aristotle’s guidelines were revived and will live immortally through Shakepeare’s works.