Hamlet s tragic flaw is not that he is motivated by ambition. However, he is always consumed by his own thoughts, this being his tragic flaw. Get free homework help on william shakespeares hamlet. Hamlet s flaw and his mad personality led to the death of several people, including his mother and the king of denmark. William shakespeares hamlet follows the young prince hamlet home to denmark to attend his fathers funeral. The flaws of the tragic hero hamlet in shakespeares. Finally the paper will evaluate how hamlets indecisiveness is his tragic flaw when it causes his death hamlet. Hamlet as a complex tragic hero hamlet is the center of action in the play. Identify and explain hamlets tragic flaws and how itthey bring about his downfall. Through comparison and contrast, we see hamlets traits, characteristics and flaws. The tragedy in this play is the result of the main characters unrealistic ideals and his inability to overcome his weakness of indecisiveness.
He stands apart from other shakespeares heroes because of his innocence. Hamlet s hesitation as his tragic flaw in hamlet by shakespeare in the play hamlet, hamlet is described as daring, brave, loyal, and intelligent. This point is best displayed in act ii, ii when hamlet states man delights not meii, ii 359. When hamlet finally takes action, it is often rash, careless, and without thought. Hamlet tragic flaw essay example topics, sample papers. Claudius killed hamlets father because he wanted to be the king. Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to kill king claudius while he. Nov, 2015 a tragic flaw is a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character that leads to hisher downfall. When hamlet was given the perfect opportunity to kill claudius while he was praying for forgiveness, hamlet decides to not kill claudius because it is unfair towards his father who has to suffer as a ghost when claudius can go straight towards heaven.
Apr 02, 2020 the paper will describe the weak emotional state of hamlet as the reason for his indecisiveness among other circumstances. Hamlets hesitation as his tragic flaw in hamlet by shakespeare 797 words 4 pages. This study aims to examine shakespearean the most complex yet iconic character hamlets religiosity as the reason of his tragic flaw and. The fact that hamlet s best trait is also his downfall his tragic flaw, in other words makes him a prime candidate for a tragic hero and in fact.
In conclusion, hamlet s tragic flaw is neither external difficulties nor his motivation by ambition. The contention that hamlet s tragic flaw is external difficulties can be disproven in act iii, iii when hamlet has his knife drawn and is only a swift motion away from claudius death. His flaw is that he is overly concerned with death and tragedy. Hamlet s tragic flaw is the fact that he thinks before he acts.
A tragic flaw is a literary device that can be defined as a trait in a character that leads to hisher downfall. Man, in this case, refers to the power structure imposed by society. His flaw is his inability to act which consequently causes his own death. The play deals with his suffering and tragic death. Hamlet was not a bad guy, but more of a tragic hero. Any argument could be well supported or demolished on quotes and actions from the text and ones interpretation of these. When hamlet first encounters his fathers ghost and is told that he was murdered by his brother, claudius, hamlet is enraged. Discuss shakespeares character hamlet as a tragic hero.
Hamlets tragic flaw is outlined by his inability to act, and make final decisions upon his desired goal. Tragic flaw in shakespeares hamlet by indira reddy ssrn. Throughout the play he is only wondering only communicating with himself. And in this case, the tragic flaw is the inaction to kill. Rather, i see him as a semisympathetic character for his humanlike flaws of character, but. Finally the paper will evaluate how hamlet s indecisiveness is his tragic flaw when it causes his death hamlet.
Victor cahn claims that all tragic heroes try to justify their actions in the name of honor x. Perhaps this supposed tragic hero is an ideal hero one without the tragic flaw. I believe that it is a tragedy because of hamlet s tragic flaw. Aristotle explains that hamlets punishment must exceed that of his tragic flaw. Hamlet s hesitation as his tragic flaw in hamlet by shakespeare 797 words 4 pages. Many critics and scholars argue that hamlets tragic flaw is his tendency toward inactionhis inability to act.
A tragic flaw is a character trait that ultimately causes the downfall of the protagonist. By examining his incapability to commit suicide, his inability to come to terms with killing his mother, putting on a play to delay killing claudius and the inability to kill claudius while hes praying, we see that hamlet chooses not to take action. Hamlet is shocked to find his mother already remarried to his uncle claudius, the dead kings. Many critics take a deterministic view of hamlet s plot, arguing that the princes inability to act and tendency toward melancholy reflection is a. Hamlet the young prince, the tragic hero with the tragic flaw, could have saved many lives, including his own, if he would have just acted on impulse instead of thinking so much. Nov 27, 2012 identify and explain hamlets tragic flaws and how itthey bring about his downfall. Suggest you decide which you see as the best course to show hamlet s tragic flaw. It is with no doubt that hamlet is a play consisting of an. His tragic flaw is basically his obsession with revenge, which ultimately consumes him and leads to his downfall ie. Hamlet speaks of his fathers tragic flaw that ultimately led him to his death, but it. In conclusion, hamlets tragic flaw is neither external difficulties nor his motivation by ambition.
This can be seen at the beginning of the play right after hamlet gains knowledge of his fathers murder. He makes a tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Hamlets tragic flaw is that he over thinks his situations or problems. In hamlet, by william shakespeare, hamlet learns the truth behind his fathers death. The word tragic flaw is taken from the greek concept of hamartia used by greek philosopher aristotle in his poetics. The development of hamlets feelings towards revenge plays a key role in the creation of this tragic flaw. Cite specific examples from the text to support your response. Hamlets fatal flaw is a specific trait that forces him to postpone killing the king and it is this trait that drives hamlet mad shakespeare 1. Hamlets father killed fortinbrass father, and hamlet killed laertes father, meaning that hamlet occupies the same role for laertes as claudius does for hamlet.
Hamlet doesnt kill claudius at this point when hes praying because he believes that. Hamlet has all the good traits needed to be a tragic hero. Hamlets fatal flaw was that he had a difficult time performing his strategies. In conclusion hamlet fits the traditional definition of a tragic hero because he is a man of high estate. Hamlets tragic flaw is his indecisiveness and irrationality. Here, shakespeare exposes hamlets flaws as a heroic character. In hamlet, shakespeare uses the tragedies and deaths to make the play a tragedy. Unlike his father, hamlet lets his intelligence rather than his heroism govern him. The fact that hamlets best trait is also his downfall his tragic flaw, in other words makes him a prime candidate for a tragic hero and in fact, makes him one of the most tragic figures in the. Hamlets tragedy is a particular example of a universal predicament. Hamlet fits several into several of the defining traits of a tragic hero in literature, particularly in terms of how he possesses a tragic flaw. The fact that hamlets best trait is also his downfall his tragic flaw, in other words makes him a prime candidate for a tragic hero and in fact, makes him one of the most tragic figures in the works of shakespeare in general.
More specifically, what makes hamlet even more of a tragic hero is that his actions and tragic flaw is not his. Dec 15, 2009 read this english essay and over 89,000 other research documents. Does hamlet fit aristotles six elements of a tragic hero. Hamlet is not like the other tragic heroes of his period. This is a play so dominated by one character that hamlet without the prince is impossible to imagine. Sep 25, 2015 hamlet s tragic flaw is not that he is motivated by ambition. The fact that hamlets best trait is also his downfall his tragic flaw, in other words makes him a prime candidate for a tragic hero and in fact. Hamlet s tragic flaw in the play hamlet 71407 by william shakespeare, a young prince named hamlet is forced to deal with many things. Hamlet s tragic flaw is his inability to consolidate his thoughts and actions. He goes through depression pondering life and death in to be or no to be and insanity which is frequently argued if it is real or acting.
Hamlets tragic flaw is his inability to consolidate his thoughts and actions. Hamlet speaks of his fathers tragic flaw that ultimately led him to his death, but. It is with no doubt that hamlet is a play consisting of an abundance of unfortunate and grievous. Hamlet is a tragic hero because he is a person of high rank who violated a law, and he poses a threat to society and causes. A tragic flaw is a trait that leads to a characters downfall. The tragic flaw has been a part of the formula for the tragedy since the golden age of greece. When he has a chance to kill claudius, and take vengeance for his fathers murder, he hesitates, reckoning that if he kills the man while he is at prayer, claudius would have asked for pardon from the lord and been forgiven of his sins, therefore allowing him to. Unlike greek classical tragic heroes, hamlet is well aware of his fatal flaw. Hamlets tragic flaw is that he cannot act on impulse for things that require quick, decisive behavior, and that he acts on impulse for things that require more contemplation than is given by him. In the opening scenes of the play, the ghost of hamlets dad reveals the truth about his death to his boy. A tragic hero has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail.
Secondly, hamlet fits the traditional definition of a tragic hero because he has a tragic flaw. A tragic flaw is a weakness or limitation of character, resulting in the fall of the tragic hero. Hamlet, therefore, is a shakespearean tragic hero who has. Many critics take a deterministic view of hamlet s plot, arguing that the princes inability to act and tendency toward melancholy reflection is a tragic flaw that. They have been employed in tragic works from the ancient greeks where the tragic flaw tended to be hubris toward the gods to the. Indecisiveness is a strange tragic flaw, though, because in most tragedies the flaw helps explain why the protagonist pursues the wrong thingsthe flaw is more typically an urge or desire rather than a passive trait. In shakespeares tragedy hamlet, hamlets father,the king,was killed by hamlets uncle claudius, the brother of hamlets father. Throughout the events of this play, hamlet, the protagonist, finds himself amidst a quandary. Hamlets tragic flaw would happen to be indecisiveness because even through all the difficulties and challenges, hamlet is a much undecided person that is not completely sure of the right things to do to protect the ones he or to just because that. A tragic hero is defined as the protagonist and driving force of a tragic drama. Join now to read essay hamlets tragic flaw shakespeares hamlet is a play written to make the reader or director think for himself and create what he thinks to be hamlets tragic flaw come alive. In the opening scenes of the play, the ghost of hamlets. In drama, a characters tragic flaw is the character trait that leads directly to his or her downfall in the work.
Hamlets tragic flaw in the play hamlet 71407 by william shakespeare, a young prince named hamlet is forced to deal with many things. Essay describes hamlet s tragic flaw as his inability to consolidate his thoughts and actions in the play hamlet by william shakespeare. Essay about hamlets fatal flaw shakespeares hamlet is an interesting play in many ways. Mar 19, 2009 what is hamlets tragic flaw, or does he have one. He mulls the possibilities endlessly in his mind, delaying his decision, making action nearly impossible. Sep 25, 2015 hamlets tragic flaw would happen to be indecisiveness because even through all the difficulties and challenges, hamlet is a much undecided person that is not completely sure of the right things to do to protect the ones he or to just because that person is dangerous to the people hamlet cares about. Revenge and its affects on emotional stability william shakespeares hamlet is a revenge tragedy primarily made up of characters teeming with emotional and mental instability. Hamlet as the tragic hero hamlet is the best known tragedy in literature today. The contention that hamlets tragic flaw is external difficulties can be disproven in act iii, iii when hamlet has his knife drawn and is only a swift motion away from claudius death. William shakespeares hamlet is a revenge tragedy primarily made up of characters teeming with emotional and mental instability.
Fortinbras showed us hamlets tragic flaw, his indecisiveness and inability to act. Jul 25, 2014 the contention that hamlet s tragic flaw is external difficulties can be disproven in act iii, iii when hamlet has his knife drawn and is only a swift motion away from claudius death. This flaw or weakness in hamlet leads him into a world of chaotic surroundings and madness. Hamlets hesitation as his tragic flaw in hamlet by shakespeare in the play hamlet, hamlet is described as daring, brave, loyal, and intelligent.
Hamlets tragic flaw is his inability to act to avenge his fathers death 1. Often times did hamlet intend on doing things, yet he did not carry out these strategies. Download citation tragic flaw in shakespeares hamlet in spite of the fact that tragedies had been written in english prior to. Kathie lee, tom hanks, sean connery, burt reynolds snl duration. I do not fully sympathize with hamlet, in that i see him with few or no flaws but merely trapped by his circumstances. The tragic fate of the hero is often triggered by a tragic flaw in the heros character.
Read this english essay and over 89,000 other research documents. Hamlet is not a tragic hero according to aristotle because the death of a lying trickster who spent his days manipulating people to believe what ever he wished would out. Shakespeares tragic hero hamlets fatal flaw is his failure to act immediately to kill claudius, his uncle and murderer of his father. I believe that it is a tragedy because of hamlets tragic flaw. Hamlets flaw and his mad personality led to the death of several people, including his mother and. In a sense, hamlets own character traits and his personality are the tragic flaws in hamlet.
Hamlets flaw of irresolution essentially destroyed him, as his failure to act in previous situations led to his own death. In hamlet, his tragic flaw is his indecisiveness because of his serious thinking about whether vengeance is good or bad. Hamlet has a tragic flaw in his personality and behavior. Procrastinating on killing claudius by putting on the mousetrap hamlets delay is caused because of a conflict between action and awareness that makes him consider both sides of the issue. Claudius took this position by killing hamlet s father the ghost speaks true and cemented it by quickly marrying hamlet s mother, which makes you think about her too, doesnt it.
Shakespeares hamlet as a tragic hero article myriad. Or is his flaw that he believes he is pretending to be mad. Hamlets tragic flaw is his inability to avenge his fathers death because he hasnt been able to conquer himself in his internal conflict. Tyler kron is the tragedy caused by his action or inaction. Hamlets tragic flaw is not that he is motivated by ambition. His inability to act is hamlets first fatal flaw and goes hand in hand with his second fatal. Laertes and fortinbras function as hamlets foils in this regard. Dec 06, 2011 the fact that hamlets best trait is also his downfall his tragic flaw, in other words makes him a prime candidate for a tragic hero and in fact, makes him one of the most tragic figures in the works of shakespeare in general. The contention that hamlets tragic flaw is external difficulties can be disproven in act iii, iii when hamlet has his knife drawn and is only a swift. The other characters in the play serve as foils to him. It is the similarities and differences between hamlet and the other minor characters that further our understanding of him. Many brilliant critics have been led astray either by focusing in on one point too intensely or by looking at things too broadly while ignoring the facts that do not back up their thesis.
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