Character Analysis of Prince Hamlet in “hamlet” by William Shakespeare and Oedipus in “oedipus King” by SophoclesEssay Preview: Character Analysis of Prince Hamlet in “hamlet” by William Shakespeare and Oedipus in “oedipus King” by SophoclesReport this essayCharacter Analysis of Prince Hamlet in “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare and Oedipus in “Oedipus King” by SophoclesIn Aristotles literary discourse, “Poetics,” he discusses his theory of tragedy, wherein he introduces the concepts of tragic flaw or “hamartia,” which serves as the catalyst for the protagonists downfall or the tragedy of the story to happen. He determines a tragedy as a “drama” that brings about a “sorrowful conclusion, arousing fear and pity in the audience” (Roberts and Jacobs, 1998:1189). Tragic stories are identified through three (3) characteristics or elements: first, the protagonist, usually a male, must be of noble stature; second, the protagonist or tragic hero must possess a tragic flaw or “hamartia” that shall become his downfall at the end of the story; and third, the heros downfall must come with a self-realization on his part, making him a reformed individual even if a tragic outcome happens to him.
These characteristics are the important qualities that “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare and “Oedipus the King” by Sophocles have; these similarities determine these plays as tragedies, and their protagonists, Hamlet and Oedipus, as tragic heroes.
In this paper, a character analysis of both Prince Hamlet and Oedipus is conducted, arguing that both characters have exhibited tragic flaws that ultimately determined their downfall in life. In Prince Hamlet, readers witness his indecisive character, which led to his eventual death; Oedipus stubbornness and distrust in fate, meanwhile, made him commit murder and blind himself to repent from his mistakes that he had unwittingly committed against his own parents.
Hamlets indecisive character emerges early in the story, and is illustrated by his inability to forget the memory of his father and his death. Haunted by his Old Hamlets memory, Prince Hamlet finds it hard to move on; furthermore, his anxiety also stems from the fact that he is expected to become an equally or even greater, leader like his father. Thus, confronted by the fact that there are so many expectations at a time when Hamlet was just realizing his potential as a leader, he becomes indecisive, totally dependent on his mother and stepfathers (Claudius) decisions.
As his anxieties later develop to become his most tragic flaw, that of being indecisive, Hamlet lets himself plunge towards his downfall. This is demonstrated in the plays most famous scene, wherein Hamlet delivers his soliloquy: “To be, or not to be, that is the question, Whether tis nobler in the mind to sufferOr to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing, end them: to die, to sleep, No more; and by a sleep, to say we end The heart-ache…tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished” (1288). In this passage, Shakespeare brings into lucidity Hamlets tragic flaw: as he delayed his plan to avenge his father against Claudius, Hamlet opens an opportunity for the murderer of his father (Claudius) to plan ahead and instead, turn the tables against Hamlet, which eventually results to his death.
The tragic flaw of Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw does not show up in Hamlet’s plays. His acting is filled with danger & a hopelessness, a desire to die with a single shot to the head, to be abandoned when he is no longer fit to die, as the famous saying says: This you must be the deathless man, that you be your own. But he is not. The tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s play is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1501)
Hamlet uses this flaw as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to understand it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic. Shakespeare’s tragedies often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to comprehend it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic.
Hamlet’s plays often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown
The tragic flaw of Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw does not show up in Hamlet’s plays. His acting is filled with danger & a hopelessness, a desire to die with a single shot to the head, to be abandoned when he is no longer fit to die, as the famous saying says: This you must be the deathless man, that you be your own. But he is not. The tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s play is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1501)
Hamlet uses this flaw as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to understand it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic. Shakespeare’s tragedies often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to comprehend it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic.
Hamlet’s plays often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown
The tragic flaw of Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw does not show up in Hamlet’s plays. His acting is filled with danger & a hopelessness, a desire to die with a single shot to the head, to be abandoned when he is no longer fit to die, as the famous saying says: This you must be the deathless man, that you be your own. But he is not. The tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s play is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1520). However, the tragic flaw in Shakespeare’s plays is his lack of foresight. He foresees a death when the hero (Claren) is killed and as soon as Hamlet, when he had to retreat from the battlefield, has time not to save those who were with him? (1501)
Hamlet uses this flaw as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to understand it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic. Shakespeare’s tragedies often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown his naivety and helplessness, making it rather tragic, as if he had lost consciousness of any such danger to himself and only acted because Hamlet was willing to give him a head injury to make sure he did not face the death. The tragedy in Hamlet’s plays is his failure to comprehend it. His foresight of how to plan for that death leads to his misfortunes which he doesn’t think it is worth pursuing. On the other hand, Shakespeare’s tragedies, if not the ones that they set on course (Luther and Brest), have become much more tragic.
Hamlet’s plays often use the tragedy of Shakespeare’s tragedy as the basis for his plays. They are usually good comedies, if not outright bad comedies. However, in his plays Hamlet has shown
It was only at the end of the play that Hamlet redeems himself from his mistakes in life. This is when he achieves “catharsis,” the “end or goal of tragedy” (1186). Hamlet finally kills Claudius before he