Shakespeare’s World The Philosophies and Literary Devices that Guide Othello and Hamlet

The Nature of Tragedy Classical Greek tragedy  Aristotle defined tragedy as "the imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself." It incorporates "incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish the catharsis of such emotions."  The tragic hero will most effectively evoke both our pity and terror if he is neither thoroughly good nor thoroughly evil but a combination of both. The tragic effect will be stronger if the hero is "better than we are," in that he is of higher than ordinary moral worth. Such a man is shown as experiencing a poignant change in fortune from happiness to misery because of a mistaken act, to which he is led by his hamartia (his "error of judgment") or, as it is often literally translated, his tragic flaw.  One common form of hamartia in Greek tragedies was hubris, that "pride" or overwhelming self-confidence which leads a protagonist to disregard a divine warning or to violate an important law

Shakespearean Tragedy  Written in the late 1500’s the tragedy of Shakespeare and Marlow expresses the Christian ideas; that suffering is conducive to redemption that suffering is conducive to redemption that out of the chaos caused by the existence of evil, some order can be restored once the protagonist has properly paid for his/her own crimes or the crimes associated with his/her mortal state that out of the chaos caused by the existence of evil, some order can be restored once the protagonist has properly paid for his/her own crimes or the crimes associated with his/her mortal state and that by his/her death a state of grace or damnation is established. and that by his/her death a state of grace or damnation is established.  Characteristics of the tragic hero, however, remained relatively unchanged from their classical Greek models.

The Tragic Hero Definition of a Tragic Hero  A tragic hero has the potential for greatness but is doomed to fail. He is trapped in a situation where he cannot win. He possesses some sort of tragic flaw, and this causes his fall from greatness. Even though he is a fallen hero, he still wins a moral victory, and his spirit lives on. TRAGIC HEROES ARE:  Born into nobility  Responsible for their own fate  Endowed with a tragic flaw  Doomed to make a serious error in judgment EVENTUALLY, TRAGIC HEROES  Fall from great heights or high esteem  Realize they have made an irreversible mistake  Face and accept death with honor  Meet a tragic death FOR ALL TRAGIC HEROES  The audience is affected with pity and/or fear

Shakespeare’s World: The Order of Living Beings  God  Angels  King  Other nobles  Middle class  Lower class  Servants  Animals  Reptiles  Plants  Devils

Sin  According to Catholic faith, there are two types of sin. Mortal sin: A serious, grave or mortal sin is the knowing and willful violation of God's law in a serious matter, for example, idolatry, adultery, murder, slander. Mortal sin: A serious, grave or mortal sin is the knowing and willful violation of God's law in a serious matter, for example, idolatry, adultery, murder, slander. Venial sin: Venial sins are slight sins. They do not break our friendship with God, although they injure it. They involve disobedience of the law of God in slight (venial) matters. Venial sin: Venial sins are slight sins. They do not break our friendship with God, although they injure it. They involve disobedience of the law of God in slight (venial) matters.

The Nature of Sin  Both mortal sins and venial sins can be forgiven.  Sins that are not absolved (not forgiven by God) will result in either Purgatory or Hell upon the death of the sinner.  Sins according to the Roman Catholic faith could be forgiven through prayer and penance.

Hell to Pay  Sins can be ranked in order of sinfulness.  Mortal sins would result in damnation: Regicide Regicide Murder without cause Murder without cause Suicide Suicide Adultery Adultery Gossip (slander) that destroys someone’s reputation Gossip (slander) that destroys someone’s reputation

Pay and Go  Venial sins would result in progressively shorter stays in purgatory: Justified killing Justified killing Theft Theft Gluttony Gluttony Envy Envy Gossip about trivial matters Gossip about trivial matters

Character Foil  A foil is a character that contrasts with another character, usually the protagonist, and in doing so, highlights various aspects of the protagonist’s personality.  A foil has some important characteristic(s) in common with the protagonist, and others that sharply contrast.  The purpose of the foil is to throw the protagonist into sharper relief.  Shakespeare coined the term in his play Hamlet. “I’ll be your foil, Laertes, in my ignorance.” (V,ii, 187)

Foils in Othello & Hamlet  In these plays, foils exist for both Othello and Desdemona, in Othello, and Hamlet (primarily) in Hamlet.

Theme in the Bard  To identify important ideas and themes in Shakespeare’s plays; Look for the repetition of words or images throughout the play. Look for the repetition of words or images throughout the play. Examine soliloquys for their subject matter. Examine soliloquys for their subject matter. Determine the most significant contrast created by character foils. Determine the most significant contrast created by character foils. Ask what the tragic hero learns about himself or others just before the catastrophe. Ask what the tragic hero learns about himself or others just before the catastrophe.

Important Vocabulary  Soliloquy  Aside  Act  Scene  Blank verse  Poetic verse  Oxymoron  Crisis  Tragedy  Tragic hero  Tragic flaw  Foil  Exposition  Climax  Denouement  Theme