Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy… - A tragedy is a drama in which a series of actions leads to the downfall of the main character, called the tragic hero. The plot builds to a catastrophe, or a disastrous final outcome, that usually involves the death of the hero and many others.
Tragic Hero - The tragic hero at the center of a tragedy is a person of high rank who accepts his or her downfall with dignity. The tragic hero is a common archetype.
- A tragic flaw is an error in judgment or a weakness in character, such as hubris. The tragic hero recognizes the flaw and its consequences, but only after it is too late. This realization helps to redeem his character.
- Despite the tragic hero’s tragic flaw, there is usually some redeeming quality or qualities that make us sympathize with or root for the tragic hero.
More About the Tragic Hero - The catastrophe must be a result of the tragic hero’s tragic flaw. It is not usually an accident or coincidence.
- The tragic hero is usually a “human” character with which the audience can relate.
- The tragic hero usually encounters some disappointed hope or frustrated ambition.
Dramatic Irony Soliloquy - A speech given by a character alone on stage, used to reveal his or her private thoughts and feelings
Aside - A character’s remark, either to the audience or to another character, that no one else on stage is supposed to hear
Blank Verse & Iambic Pentameter - Blank verse is unrhymed lines of iambic pentameter. Shakespeare’s plays are primarily written in blank verse
- Iambic pentameter is a pattern of rhythm that has five unstressed syllables followed by a stressed syllable in one line of poetry
Rhetorical Devices - A rhetorical device is a use of language for a particular effect.
- Shakespeare uses many rhetorical devices, such as repetition (the use of words and phrases more than once in a short space to emphasize ideas), parallelism (the repetition of grammatical structures to express ideas that are related or of equal importance, and rhetorical questions (a question that expects no answer; used to make the speaker’s rightness seem self-evident).
Stage Directions - Stage directions are written in brackets or are italicized. Be sure to read them!
Dramatic Structure - The structure of the plot is usually as follows:
- Exposition and exciting force (background information and incident that sets the action in motion): Act 1
- Rising Action (complications in main plot and sub plot): Acts 1-2
- Climax (plots come together; turning point that changes the main character’s fate): Act 3
- Falling Action (Conflict unravels; things fall apart; main character wins or loses): Acts 4-5
- Catastrophe (Conflicts are resolved—disastrous final outcome): Act 5
Words to know… - An: if Marry: mild oath or exclamation
- Aught: anything Prithee: please
- Beseech: beg Save: except
- But: only Soft: wait a minute
- Durst: dared Thither: there
- Ere: before Wherefore: why
- Hie: hurry Whither: when
- Hither: here Withal: also
- Mark: notice
Monologue - A long speech given onstage in the presence of others.
Apostrophe - This is a speech given by an actor onstage in which he or she addresses a personification or abstract concept that is not physically present onstage.
Subplot - A smaller plot that is happening at the same time as the main plot; usually involves less important characters.
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