Shakespearean Tragedy

Notes on Tragedy

The Tragic Hero and the Tragic Story

Usually there is only one tragic hero The so-called “Love

Tragedies are exceptions to the rule.

Shakespeare’s tragedies are stories of one person, the “hero”

The Love Tragedies (Romeo and Juliet; Antony and Cleopatra) are exceptions to this pattern.

The tragic story leads up to, and includes, the death of the hero.

The suffering and calamity are exceptional.

They are contrasted with previous happiness and/or glory that took place before.

The hero falls unexpectedly from a high place; thus, the catastrophe will be of monumental proportions.

Only great men qualify as tragic heroes

Peasants do not inspire pity and fear as great men do.

A great man’s fate affects the welfare of a whole nation or empire.

A story of exceptional calamity leading to the death of a man of high estate.

The calamities of tragedy proceed mainly from actions of men.

Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are responsible for the catastrophe of their falls.

In Shakespeare, the hero recognizes his own responsibility for the catastrophe which befalls him too late to prevent his death.

The Abnormal, the Supernatural, Fate/Fortune/Chance

Shakespeare occasionally represents abnormal conditions of the mind: insanity, hallucinations.

Shakespeare introduces the supernatural: ghosts and witches.

Men may start a course of events but can neither calculate nor control it. Example: Desdemona lost her handkerchief at exactly the fatal moment.

Action of the protagonist/tragic hero is often motivated by external and internal conflicts, which lead to complications from which further conflicts arise (snowballing effect), driving the action toward a tragic resolution.

Tragic ConflictExternal Internal

Usually there are two persons, of whom the hero is one—or two parties or group, one of which the hero leads—or the passions, ideas, forces which animate these persons or groups. The conflict between

the group ends with the defeat of the hero.

Shakespeare’s tragic hero, though he pursues his fated way, is torn by an inward struggle.

Includes the action of “spiritual forces”. These spiritual forces

include doubts, desires, scruples, ideas—whatever can shake, possess, animate, and drive a man’s soul.

Common Qualities of the Tragic Hero/Protagonist

They are exceptional beings: fundamental trait.

They contribute to their own destruction by actions they take in which we see a flaw in their character.

They have a fatal gift (fierce, determination, fixed ideas) and when nobility of mind, or genius are joined to it, we realize the full power and the conflict which it engages which stirs not only sympathy and pity, but admiration, terror, and awe.

The flaw often takes the form of obsession. Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are generally

good.

The Tragic Pattern(Summary)

Dealing with a man of high estate: a king, a prince, a general, etc.

Normally, we will hear about the tragic hero from others before he makes an entrance in the play—this is where we are given the first impression of the greatness of the tragic hero through the eyes of others.

Within the first two acts, we will become aware of a driving force within the hero that is almost, obsessive in nature.

As the inner and outer conflicts become more apparent as the hero pursues his course, time becomes more important.

The pace and urgency pick up in the third act. Contributing to and furthering the obsession of

the tragic flaw are supernatural suggestion, and accident or chance.

(Summary continued) As the flaw continue, new conflicts arise

which bring about the death or alienation of all forms of support for the hero, so that by the end, he must face the consequences alone.

What we see during alienation is suffering, sleeplessness, rage, confusion, and violence.

At some point, the hero will realize his error that is bringing about his fall.

Knowing that he alone is to blame is called the Tragic Recognition. Tragic recognition occurs when there is no time to correct the error: it is too late.

Tragic StructureTragedy can be divided into 4 parts.

EXPOSITION—We are made aware of the general setting, persons, character traits, problems, and potential conflicts. We also know who our protagonist or tragic hero is.

DEVELOPMENT—Comprising the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th acts. This consists of the beginning, growth, and nature of the conflict. It unveils the complications arising from the conflicts. The tragic hero begins to alienate his allies, until he is alone.

DEVELOPMENT:FALLING ACTION—Takes place late in the 4th act. Opposing forces begin to resist and to make place for the removal of the tragic hero, and the hero’s power is declining.

TRAGIC RESOLUTION—In the final act, the opposition defeats/destroys the isolated weakened hero and order becomes restored.

Background to Othello

THE THEMES

Othello

Jealousy…

Hypocrisy… Passion…

Prejudice…

Revenge…

TERMS TO KNOW

Important Dramatic Terms

Tragedy—a drama of a solemn and dignified quality that typically depicts the development of a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force, such as fate, circumstance, or society, and reaches a mournful or ruinous conclusion.

Othello – A Shakespearean Tragedy

Othello is a Shakespearean Tragedy It encompasses elements of tragedies

such as: It ends with the death of numerous characters

including the title characterThe protagonist is admirable, but flawed, with

the audience able to understand and sympathise with the character.

The protagonist is capable of both good and evil

Free will is insisted upon – the protagonist must always be able to back out of a situation or to redeem themselves – but always towards their inevitable doom.

Important Dramatic Terms

Tragic flaw—a defect in the protagonist that brings about his or her downfall.

Hubris: derived from the Greek word hybris, means “excessive pride.” In Greek tragedy, hubris is often viewed as the flaw that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero.

Important Dramatic Terms

Tragic hero: the main character of great importance to his state or culture and who is conventionally of noble birth and high social station, the ruler or an important leader in his society.

The moral health of the state is identified with, and dependent on, that of its ruler, and so the tragic hero’s story is also that of his state.

Important Dramatic Terms

Such heroes are mixed characters, neither thoroughly good or thoroughly evil, yet “better” or “greater” than the rest of us in the sense that they are of higher than ordinary moral worth and social significance.

THE SETTING

Setting

Setting (time) · Late sixteenth century, during the wars between Venice and Turkey

Setting (place) · Venice in Act I; the island of Cyprus thereafter

http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcitaly.htm

http://geography.about.com/library/cia/nccyprus.htm

Cyprus is located east of Italy, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is just south of Turkey.

THE CHARACTERS

Types of People in Othello

VenetiansMost are noblemen and women

(Brabantio, Desdemona, Roderigo)Also, there are the nobles’ servants

(Emilia)Some are soldiers (Othello, Cassio,

Iago)Others are part of Venetian

government (the Duke)

Types of People (cont’d)

MoorsBlack nomadic people of the northern shores of Africa, originally the inhabitants of Mauretania

Converted to Islam in the 8th century

Moors (cont’d)

Invaded Spain in 711 and dominated until the 11th century

had great dynasties up until 1492, when the last of their cities was conquered by Spain

virtually exterminated by Spain during the Inquisition (late 1400s-1820)

Moors (cont’d)

Othello is a MoorDiscriminated against because of his

race (black) Othello has been accepted in some ways

because he is a Christian and a military genius

Yet his marriage to Desdemona reflects the prevailing view toward interracial marriage.

Iago Iago is one of Shakespeare’s most sinister villains, often

considered so because of the unique trust Othello puts in him, which he betrays while maintaining his reputation of honesty and dedication.

Shakespeare contrasts Iago with Othello’s nobility and integrity.

Iago is a malcontent – he has a bitter and cyncial view of the world around him.

The name Iago is a shortened version of the Spanish name “Santiago” or “St James”.

Saint James of Spain was also known as “St James the Moor Killer” which seems appropriate within the play.

THE CULTURE OF THE TIME

The Wife’s Status

A typical wife receiving her instruction

The husband, in the accepted role as head of the household, gives moral direction to his wife and children--who sit obediently listening.

Evil Women!The men in “Othello” have differing views of women – from Othello who idolizes his wife (Desdemona) to Iago who sees love as "merely a lust of the blood and a permission of the will“.The attitudes of the audience at the time are likely to have been varied too.

In the Elizabethan times there was a long and well established tradition in the Church of what we would now call misogyny – women were distrusted simply because they were women. At the time it was assumed that women would cheat – it was part of their nature!

The Cuckold

Any man whose wife cheated on him (without his knowledge) was known as a cuckold.The word derives from “cuckoo” – the bird known for laying their eggs in another’s nest.

It was highly undesirable to be considered a cuckold.

All of the community would find out about it and it was considered a public humiliation.

Cuckolds were often described as having horns – a hangover from the days when a cuckold was forced to parade around his town wearing antlers as a sign of his wife’s infidelity.

LET’S TALK ABOUT IT

Jealousy

Jealousy was viewed as something irrational and linked to the deadly sin of envy.

It was viewed as a sudden infection against which there was no prevention or cure.

It was thought of as eroding trust and it dissolved the bonds holding together marriages, families and social frameworks.

Being jealous could let in evil and chaos and it was a state greatly feared by Shakespeare’s audiences.

Task

On the following slide are some lines spoken by, or about, various characters in the play – consider what you think each quotation reveals about the person speaking/being spoken about and what they are like as a character.

1) Iago - describing Othello: “loving his own pride and purposes”

2) Iago - speaking about his relationship with Othello: “I follow him to serve my turn upon him”

3) Iago - speaking about himself: “I am not what I am”.

4) Othello - speaking about himself: “My parts, my title and my perfect soul shall manifest me rightly”

5) Othello - about Iago: “A man he is of honesty and trust”.

Quotations on Deception – Do you agree?

“We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves.

”

“Deception is a cruel act... It often has many players on different stages that corrode the soul.

”

“It's better to get something worthwhile done using

deception than to fail to get something worthwhile done using truth.

”

“Truth lives on in the midst of deception”

Today’s society - TASK

Think about the cultural rules that you live by.

Look at the questions opposite and discuss/make notes.

What rules dictate the behaviour of young men and women in relationships today?

What are the things “nice girls” just don’t do? What are the things “nice boys” just don’t do? What do you think the consequences are of

breaking these rules?

Brief but Naughtyhttp://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQGATTeg1Os

Othello Raphttps://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC-f0drvdmM

Enjoy…