1. Shakespearean Plays Macbeth Hamlet
Tragedies
Shakespearean Plays
Macbeth
Hamlet

2. Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
Person of Societal Importance
Admirable
Actions involve well-being of others

3. Characteristics Continued
Works to achieve a goal important to him
Makes choices
Has a tragic flaw that will be his downfall

4. Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
Inner and outside forces contribute to downfall

5. Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
Downfall results from fatal errors in judgment/weakness of character
Choices lead to unforeseen, catastrophic chain of events that cannot be stopped

6. Characteristics of the Tragic Hero
Tragic hero recognizes his flaw, but it’s too late
Audience sympathizes with him

7. Bitterness envelopes tragic character
Meets death with courage

8. Terms to Know Antagonist: Whom the protagonist battles Aside
A remark (shorter than a speech) a character makes in an undertone to the audience that is not meant to be heard by the other characters on stage

9. Literary Terms Dramatis Personae Irony Dramatic Irony
All of the characters in the play
Irony
Difference between what we know and what we expect
Dramatic Irony
What appears to be true to one or more of the characters in a play is seen to be false by the audience

10. Literary Terms Situational Irony Verbal Irony
When the reader/character expects one thing to happen, but something else actually happens
Verbal Irony
When a writer says one thing but means another

11. Literary Terms Soliloquy Example: “A Modest Proposal”
Example: Eating an entire bag of Cheeseburger Doritos and telling your mom that you had a light snack.
Soliloquy
A speech that a character makes while alone on stage to reveal his thoughts aloud to the audience

12. Literary Terms Meter Iambic Pentameter
Metrical line of 5 units each of which is made up of two syllables, the first unstressed and the second stressed
Most common form of meter used in English poetry

13. Iambic Pentameter Example u / u / u / How soon hath Time, the sub
tle thief of youth.”
U: represents unstressed (soft syllables)
/: represents stressed (hard syllables)

14. Iambic Pentameter Example u / u / u / I am a pir ate with u / u /
a wood en leg

15. Literary Terms Theme Verse Drama Central idea
A play in which the dialogue almost entirely consists of poetry with a fixed pattern of rhythm or meter