Shakespeare:

Tragedy & Tragic Hero

By: Kyle Horak, Sarah Campbell and Subeet Randhawa

What is a Tragic Hero?

- Makes wrong decisions
- Leads to the characters downfall
- Shakespeare uses them similarly in a
variety of his plays.
- Tragic heros choose their outcome
- Shakespeare uses different themes to
influence characters decisions

KH

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero

-

Someone who starts at the top

Someone the audience looks up to
Thought of as popular in the play
Normally have one secret or tragic flaw
His/her fate will be greater than
deserved
- Has admirable qualities
- The protagonist in a tragedy

KH

Examples of Tragic Heroes and their flaws

Macbeth - Known to have a lot of tragic flaw. Mainly when he kills King
Duncan
King Lear - Showed tragic flaw over his arrogance
Othello - Was Tragic due to his main flaw, which was jealousy
Romeo and Juliet - Romeo being a tragic hero due to his flaw of making
poor decisions which led to suffering upon other people
Hamlet - Inability to act, mainly due to his incapability to commit suicide

SR

What is a Tragedy?
- The downfall and death of a major
character
- Sad but believable
- Suspenseful plots
- Insights into human nature
- Powerful poetic dialogue

SC

How does Shakespeare use tragedies in his plays?

- He begins with a noble hero
- The mood of the story is happy and
ends in a state of misery or sadness
- This happens because of fate and/or
because the character is at fault
- Once the character has set on his
path, the outcome is inevitable
- Finally, order is re-established by a
minor character

SC

Shakespeares Tragic plays structure

First structure: Exposition - characters get introduced in the play.
Second structure: Complication - where the main conflict becomes
more evident and important
Third Structure: Crisis - The turning point or the climax where
anything that has happened is already too bad to fix.
Fourth Structure: Resolution - Where the conflict gets even bigger
and dramatic elements become clear.
Fifth Structure: Disclosure - The untying of knots where
everything is revealed and ends in sadness and deep emotions.

SR

Conclusion
Tragic Heroes
- Tragic heroes make wrong decisions which leads them into downfall but later
choose their outcome
- Also someone who people look up to and have admirable qualities
Tragedies in Shakespeare
- Tend to have sad endings yet suspenseful plots and contain powerful dialogue

Works Cited
Work Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 19. Michigan: World Book, 2005. Print.
"Tragedy: The Basics." Tragedy: The Basics. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.
"Romeo and Juliet Acts 4 & 5 Timeline." Timetoast. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.
Sitting in This Room Playing Russian Roulette / Finger on the Trigger to My Dear
Juliet." Genius. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.

SC

Work Cited

SR

William Shakespeare. The Tragedies. Harold Bloom/ Chelsea house publishers, 1985.
Print.
The Essence of Shakespeare. David Chandler/ David Chandler writings, Web.
3bMacbeth The 5-act structure. Tangient LLC, Copyright, 2016.

Works Cited

KH

Swisher, Clarice. Readings on the Tragedies of William Shakespeare. San Diego, CA.: Greenhaven,
1996. Print
Macbeth. Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 20116.
Web. 21 Mar. 2016
St. Rosemary Educational Institution. "Romeo and Juliet: Death Theme." http://schoolworkhelper.net/. St.
Rosemary Educational Institution, Last Update: 2016. Web. Retrieved on: Monday 21st March 2016. http:
//schoolworkhelper.net/romeo-and-juliet-death-theme/.
"Tragic Hero - Examples and Definition of Tragic Hero." Literary Devices. 2015. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.