Shakespearean Tragedy and

Characteristics of Shakespearean Tragedy Although the tragedy may have many characters, it is preeminently the story of one person or at the most two. The story leads up to and includes the death of the hero. The story depicts also the troubled part of the hero’s life which precedes and leads up to his death. The hero is a conspicuous person, a person of high degree. His downfall influences/destroys society. The suffering and calamity are exceptional, of a striking kind. They are as a rule unexpected and are a strong contrast to previous happiness or glory. The suffering and calamity extend far beyond the protagonist so as to make the whole scene one of woe. This scene becomes the chief source of the tragic emotions, especially pity.

Other Elements of a Tragedy A tragedy should have a protagonist or protagonists worthy of our interest, concern, or sympathy. An evil or depraved character cannot be a tragic hero. The disaster that befalls the protagonist should be inevitable, either decreed by fate or the clear outcome of the actions engaged in or the choices made by him. Despite the inevitability of his destiny, the protagonist must assert his force and dignity as a person and not take destruction meekly without battle or protest. The protagonist may be a victim, but he must not bow in total acceptance of his destruction.

Other Elements of a Tragedy The cause for which the protagonist fights must be a noble one; the choice he makes when faced with a dilemma must be for a cause that has a measure of good in it. Since he must be defeated, his defeat must be the result of action that is worth; if not worthy in itself, then worthy in terms of the goal he seeks. The world of the tragic play is a turbulent one, in a disarray to play havoc with the life of the protagonist. Though it appears that the death or defeat of the protagonist restores order to this world, it is an illusion since the new order can no longer help the protagonist and is ready for a new protagonist with whom it can play a new game. Disequilibrium of the universe is an essential of tragedy.

Other Characteristics of a Tragic Hero (Aristotle) This character is not completely good or bad. His/her misfortune is brought about by some error or frailty, which is the tragic flaw. The flaw is often hubris: arrogance caused by excessive pride. The hero’s fall must be from a tremendous height. Because of the tragic flaw, the hero is responsible on some level for his or her downfall. The hero comes to recognize his error and accept the consequences. He is not angry; he is humbled and enlightened. The audience, though, feels that the hero’s punishment exceeds his crime. We see that the hero is flawed like us, and fear for ourselves because he failed. The observing of the tragic hero’s downfall and ultimate punishment creates a catharsis: the purging of emotion.

Guy Fawkes Former soldier and devout Catholic Caught in the cellars of Parliament with nearly 1800 pounds of gunpowder on November 5, 1605 If successful, the plot would have not only blown up Parliament and many members of the English aristocracy, but King James I, who would be addressing the general assembly on planned date of detonation.

The Gunpowder Plot Under Protestant James, Catholics were severely persecuted; their faith was deemed a crime. Fawkes and his co-conspirators (including Robert Catesby and Henry Garnet) wanted to rid England of Protestant James, and install his 9 year-old daughter on the throne, making England a Catholic nation again. The plan did not succeed: Fawkes was arrested, tortured into confession, and charged with treason and attempted murder. Fawkes, along with many others, was executed on January 31, 1606. “Remember, remember the Fifth of November The gunpowder, treason, and plot I see no reason the Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot…”

What does this have to do with Macbeth?? Scottish-born James I claimed to trace his linage back to Banquo, a contemporary of the real Macbeth. Having a play set in Scotland would certainly please the Scottish king, especially when it dealt with witches and other things of a dark nature (James was a firm believer in the evils of black magic). It is widely thought that Shakespeare published Macbeth in order to sooth the king in this time of national turmoil. (Some people think Shakespeare’s name was on the list of conspirators and he wrote the play to appease James, but this is unlikely.) Shakespeare also took liberties with the character of Banquo, making him more heroic and noble than history claimed him to be. Henry Garnet had secretly published A Treatise of Equivocation, which was a kind of “guidebook” on how to lie under oath about one’s faith. To equivocate meant to not exactly lie, but not tell the whole truth either. This theme comes up in Shakespeare’s play (and is mentioned directly in the Porter’s speech), as well as issues such as loyalty to one’s king and country. People in England still celebrate Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th, with bonfires and fireworks. Stuffed dummies representing Fawkes are traditionally burnt on this night.

Macbeth Written sometime between 1603-1607 (probably after the Gunpowder plot) Set in approx. 1040 AD in Scotland Macbeth is the Thane (Duke) of Glamis and a captain in King Duncan’s army Slowly, Macbeth’s lust for power overwhelms his sensibilities Theme of "fair is foul, foul is fair" – paradoxes of appearance and reality Blood is mentioned over 100 times in play Conforms to the mold/structure of Renaissance tragedies, which were about real people from history, made to feel like an authentic human being - "psychological truth"