A tragedy is defined by the downfall of the antagonist. The development of a character trait whose expression leads to dire consequences, known as a tragic flaw, is the technique used in drama to instigate the aforementioned downfall. Because the main plot of Shakespeare's Hamlet revolves around the killing of King Claudius some may consider that Prince Hamlet's tragic flaw is a bloodlust, "I should have fatted all the region kites / With this slave’s offal" (II.II.509-10). Though, it must be noted that there is no thought of killing until the ghost of Hamlet's father reveals Claudius to be his murderer and calls upon Hamlet to avenge his death, "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder." (I.V.25). On the other hand, Hamlet's tragic flaw
…show more content…
This is especially demonstrated when Ophelia meets with Hamlet to return his gifts to her(III.I.92-3). Hamlet chooses a defensive stance claiming that he never gave her any gifts and proceeds to insult her when she insists that he did (III.I.96). He curses her future, "be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny" (III.I.130-31), and demeans her for being a woman, "You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God’s creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance" (III.I.137-38). Alternatively, Ophelia answers his insolence with humility, "O, help him, you sweet heavens!"(III.I.129), "Heavenly powers, restore him!"(III.I.135), "Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!"(III.I.142). The scene ends with a Ophelia's sincere lamentation "Oh, woe is me, / T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!"(III.I.152-53). Shakespeare uses the characters' contrasting tone to accentuate both Hamlets arrogance and Ophelia's humility and guide audience assumptions about right and wrong, setting the expectation for the sudden realization, or epiphany, that Hamlet describes in Act V, "there is a divinity that shapes our ends, / rough-hew them how we will" (V.II.10-11), "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" (V.II.185-86). In other words, Hamlet realizes that through humble acceptance of life's unknowns human being's are free of the misery caused by fear of the
This is especially demonstrated when Ophelia meets with Hamlet to return his gifts to her(III.I.92-3). Hamlet chooses a defensive stance claiming that he never gave her any gifts and proceeds to insult her when she insists that he did (III.I.96). He curses her future, "be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny" (III.I.130-31), and demeans her for being a woman, "You jig and amble, and you lisp, you nickname God’s creatures and make your wantonness your ignorance" (III.I.137-38). Alternatively, Ophelia answers his insolence with humility, "O, help him, you sweet heavens!"(III.I.129), "Heavenly powers, restore him!"(III.I.135), "Oh, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!"(III.I.142). The scene ends with a Ophelia's sincere lamentation "Oh, woe is me, / T' have seen what I have seen, see what I see!"(III.I.152-53). Shakespeare uses the characters' contrasting tone to accentuate both Hamlets arrogance and Ophelia's humility and guide audience assumptions about right and wrong, setting the expectation for the sudden realization, or epiphany, that Hamlet describes in Act V, "there is a divinity that shapes our ends, / rough-hew them how we will" (V.II.10-11), "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" (V.II.185-86). In other words, Hamlet realizes that through humble acceptance of life's unknowns human being's are free of the misery caused by fear of the