The Tragedy of Hamlet; Prince of Denmark

Elements of Tragedy according to Aristotle

The Tragic Hero

The hero must be of high estate. Their demise must have an impact on society.

Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark, son to the late King Hamlet, nephew, stepson, and heir to King Claudius

Hamlet’s death leaves Denmark without a native born king, as Fortinbras takes the crown (with Hamlet’s blessing)

Hamlet: The Tragic Hero

The Tragic Hero Continued

The tragic hero must suffer and die. Their suffering evokes feelings in the audience of pity and fear which must be purged at the end.

Hamlet suffers from the task he is given. Not only must he avenge his father’s murder, but he must restore Denmark (and the cosmos) to political health. His uncle is ruining Denmark’s reputation internationally and is allowing corruption in the court system. “O cursed spite, that ever I was made to set it right.”

Hamlet is isolated throughout the story. He has no one to share his pain with: his mother remarries shortly after his father’s death, his girlfriend, Ophelia, betrays him, his childhood friends abandon him, even Horatio is incapable of understanding him fully. Finally, even after purging Denmark of the sickness that’s been plaguing it (Claudius et al) he acts as a sacrificial scape goat and dies by Claudius and Laertes’ trickery.

Hamlet and Yorick in the graveyard scene.

The Tragic Hero Continued…

The tragic hero must have a quality that makes them both great and causes their downfall. This is sometimes called the “fatal flaw” or Hamartia.

Hamlet’s hamartia is his tendency to overthink things. His practice of deep contemplation helps him explore the grand questions about life and death, yet it prevents him from succeeding in his mission to avenge his father and kill Claudius.

Elements of Plot in Aristotelian Tragedy

The Perepeteia

Peripeteia is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point.

In Hamlet, the perepeteia occurs in Act III, scene iii when Hamlet sees Claudius praying alone. It is the perfect opportunity to avenge his father and kill Claudius. Hamlet draws his sword, but hesitates thinking Claudius will go to Heaven if he kills him at prayer. This scene marks Hamlet’s point of no return in avenging his father and his hesitation allows Claudius to constantly be one step ahead. This turning point results in his death and the death of Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, his mother, and ultimately himself.

Hamlet hesitating before killing Claudius

The Anagnorisis

The anagnorisis is where the hero changes from a state of ignorance to knowledge where the hero recognizes the nature of things fully. Hamlet’s accepts the uncertainty of the world, and the inevitability of his own death.

This could be when he’s discussing the foiled plot where Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are “hoisted on their own petards” with Horatio. Hamlet realizes that there are forces beyond our control that shape our destiny. “There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew [i.e. plan] them how we will.” It was fate or Providence that allowed him to have the signet ring in his possession, or that made him read the letter from Claudius to the English. Providence can even explain the circumstances surrounding Laertes and Gertrude’s deaths (i.e. that they got their just desserts). Hamlet’s words in Act five show his acceptance of fate, “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.”

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are executed by the English because of Providence (By a stroke of fate, Hamlet happened to have his father’s signet ring with him).

The Catharsis

The audience must be purged of feelings of pity and fear at the end of the play. Things are set right at the end. This is called the catharsis.

The Catharsis continued…

In the preceding image, Fortinbras is calling for Hamlet’s body to be placed upon the stage with honour to acknowledge his tragic heroism. Horatio stands beside Hamlet to tell the world about the justice of his friend’s actions so that people won’t think that he’s an assassin and traitor. Fortinbras becomes the new “spring king” of Denmark: he’s unsullied by the corruption of Claudius’ court.