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Romeo And Juliet Tragic Hero - 1306 Words

In Shakespeare’s classic play, Romeo and Juliet, the prologue refers to the title characters as â€Å"star-cross’d lovers† with a â€Å"death-mark’d love†, showing that the two are doomed from the start (Shakespeare 3). Being from two opposing families that are in a never-ending feud, Romeo and Juliet s love is forbidden. However, throughout the novel, the lovers defy their parents and pursue their fast-forming love with the help of supporting characters, such as Friar Lawrence, who are seemingly presented as beneficial characters that help the story progress. However, it can be argued that these †beneficial characters† are actually interfering with their relationship, and are a key factor in contributing to their deaths. Although fate is seemingly†¦show more content†¦Therefore, fate was not a major role in Romeo’s tragic death— rather, it was his flawed character traits that governed his choices. After receiving news of Juliet’s â€Å"death† from Balthasar, Romeo reacts immediately instead of taking a moment to reflect on what happened to her, as shown when he tells Balthasar, â€Å"Is it e’en so? then I defy you, stars! / Thou knowest my lodging. Get me ink and paper / And hire post-horses. I will hence tonight† (5.1.24-26). A few lines later, after Balthasar exits, Romeo says to himself, â€Å"Noting this penury, to myself I said / ‘And if a man did need a poison now / Whose sale is present death in Mantua [†¦],’† immediately deciding that he would poison himself rather than live in a world without Juliet (5.1.49-51). Even Balthasar recognizes Romeo’s impatient nature when he tells him, â€Å"I do beseech you, sir, have patience† (5.1.27). Although Romeo is a flawed character, Juliet loves him unconditionally and is exceptionally loyal to him— a trait that led to her demise. Like Romeo, Juliet has an immediate positive reaction when she first sees Romeo, stating â€Å"My only love, sprung from my only hate! [...] Prodigious birth of love it is to me / That I mustShow MoreRelatedRomeo and Juliet Tragic Hero Essay748 Words   |  3 PagesTragedy of Romeo and Juliet is a play written by William Shakespeare. For a play to be a tragedy there must be a tragic hero. In Shakespeare plays, tragedy is identified as a story that ends unhappily due to the fall of the protagonist, which is the tragic. In this play there are two tragic heroes. Romeo and Juliet are both the tragic heroes. To be a tragic hero they must be from a high estate, have a tragic flaw, and the tragic flaw is the cause of their downfall. A tragic hero must be fromRead MoreThe Tragic Hero in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet Essay761 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a tragic hero.† This is according to Aristotle’s definition, a tragic hero is a character â€Å"who is neither completely good nor completely bad, but also a member of royalty.† Romeo is a tragic hero because he does many good things, but many bad things, as well. For example, he is a Montague and he marries Juliet, who is a Capulet. This is prohibited, so Romeo is bad. However, Romeo does everything he can to keep Juliet happy and risks his lifeRead MoreRomeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare818 Words   |  3 Pagesgiven credit for the popularizing of tragedies, causing a tragic hero to be seen as a reputable character. In Shakespeare’s story â€Å"Romeo and Juliet,† two ill-fated lovers are caught between the bitter hatred of their two families. Knowing their par ents would never approve, Romeo and Juliet struggle to keep their love a secret. Though the story ends in what most people would view as a tragedy, Romeo fails to meet the characteristics of a tragic hero established by Aristotle, who first created the literaryRead MoreConventions of a Shakespeare Tragedy1189 Words   |  5 Pagesare tragic hero with a tragic flaw, anti-hero, tragic fall, fate, and supernatural. A convention is something in Shakespeare that has a certain effect. The tragic hero always has a tragic flaw. A tragic hero cannot be a hero unless he has a tragic flaw. The tragic flaw brings the downfall of the hero. Othello is the tragic hero, because Othello is a character of nobility. He is good at the beginning but at the end he starts to become evil. ‘‘Othello’s downfall is jealousy (Othello’s Tragic Flaw)Read MoreImpulsiveness In Romeo And Juliet719 Words   |  3 PagesIn Shakespeares tragic play Romeo and Juliet the character of Romeo possess traits that exemplify himself as a tragic hero. Through the play, his impatience and impulsiveness pin him as a Tragic hero. Falling in love too fast, reacting without thinking and bringing down other with himself factors that lead to the downfall of Romeo and prove him as a Tragic hero. When we are first introduced to Romeo in this play he is heartbroken over a woman named Rosaline. In act one scene one Benvolio, is askedRead MoreElements that Make a Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Works Essay1117 Words   |  5 PagesElements that Make a Tragic Hero in Shakespeares Works In all of Shakespeares tragedies, the hero must suffer and in some if not most cases, die. What makes a tragic hero? One has to be a man of high estate: a king, a prince or an officer of some high rank. It was common practice for Shakespeare to tell of his tragic hero through the voices of others around his hero. This way we can understand his conflicts, his struggles, and flaws. Usually the heros own actions and obsessions bringRead MoreTragic Hero in Othelo by William Shakespeare996 Words   |  4 Pagesall very much alike. He has written many plays including Othello and Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare was a man who wrote plays that followed the same literary conventions. These conventions included tragic hero, fallacy, irony, and also suspense. A tragic hero is a male figure who is high in society and one who always has a tragic flaw. Most of them are rich and intelligent men. In the story of Othello, Othello is the tragic hero. He was a character of nobility. He was a high in class and had highRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1139 Words   |  5 Pageswith immature and impulsive characteristics. The tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, written by the well-known author William Shakespeare centers on a corrupt society and the romance of two young lovers, each a member of one of the feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. The importance of wealth, status and pride in society causes each of the family’s to disregard and neglect the new love formed by their immature children, Romeo and Juliet. The neglectful decisions created by the familiesRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet987 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is centered around the tragic story of tw o â€Å"star-cross’d lovers†. A tragedy is a dramatic story that chronicles the downfall or death of a tragic hero. Tragedies usually depict the causes of a tragic hero’s downfall, which are most commonly a tragic choice or a tragic flaw. There is often some sort of greater power at play in tragedies, like fate. A key aspect of tragedies is both fate and free will leading to the downfall of a tragic hero. In William Shakespeare’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet Essay1591 Words   |  7 Pagesreaders than others. Romeo and Juliet, the tragic story of two â€Å"star-cross’d lovers† (Shakespeare, 5) who pursue their love for each other despite the feud between their families, is considered by some to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest works; however, the question of whether it is his greatest tragedy remains under dispute. This play is different from other Shakespearean tragedies in that in several ways, it does not fit the traditional characteristics or structure of a tragic work. It can be feasibly

Aristotelian Tragedy Macbeth Free Essays

Aristotelian Tragedy: Macbeth Aristotle is known widely for developing his ideas on tragedy. He recorded these ideas in his Poetics in which he comments on the plot, purpose, and effect that a true tragedy must have. The structure of these tragedies has been an example for many writers including Shakespeare himself. We will write a custom essay sample on Aristotelian Tragedy Macbeth or any similar topic only for you Order Now Many of Shakespeare’s plays follow Aristotelian ideas of tragedy, for instance Macbeth does a decent job in shadowing Aristotle’s model. Aristotle describes one of the most important elements of a tragedy to be a tragic hero. The tragic hero however must present certain qualities such as nobility and virtue. In the play Macbeth, Macbeth is a perfect example of a tragic hero. Macbeth begins the play coming home from battle, he is said to have fought with great courage and King Duncan himself awards him the title of the thane of Cawdor in reward for his bravery. The qualities make Macbeth a tragic hero as he possesses not only a noble title, but also the assets of a great warrior and hero. However, Aristotle emphasizes that if the tragic hero was as perfect as he seems than the audience would not be able to identify with him and this would not be considered a tragedy. Macbeth shows us his humanity very early in the play when he learns that Malcolm, Duncan’s son, will be the heir to the throne of Scotland. In response, Macbeth acknowledges that he himself should be awarded the crown and will not rest until royalty is his. Macbeth is an ambitious character, which is a quality that many humans can identify with. This ambitiousness is known as Macbeth’s tragic flaw. This leads to Aristotle’s next component of a tragedy, the tragic flaw. The hero’s tragic flaw must lead to the downfall of the character; his demise can be caused by no one other than himself. Macbeth’s ambitious personality leads him to become caught up in attaining power for himself. Macbeth’s ruthless behavior causes him to commit murder to Duncan in order to gain kingship. Even after his wish comes true, he continues to sacrifice the lives of others, including his close friend Banquo, to assure that he never loses his throne. However, Macbeth does not go unpunished as he suffers countless dreams and illusions that drive him to insanity. The loss of his wife also brings Macbeth to his final denouement. In the end, Macbeth is killed by Macduff; because of his arrogance he believed he was invincible even after being told his fate. Macbeth reaches his end through the same way he lived his life, through murder and deception. Many argue over the fairness of Macbeth’s life, but the goal of a tragedy in Aristotle’s view point is to strike fear and pity in the audience through harsh punishment upon the hero in extreme ways. Finally, Aristotle claims that in order for a tragedy to be effective, the fear and pity must be released from the audience through catharsis. First the tragic hero must gain some knowledge from his tragic life. Macbeth shows this self-realization in his ‘yellow leaf’ soliloquy when he expresses remorse for his actions. Also, in the end he knows he must fight until the end whether his fate is death. At this point the audience is cleansed of the emotions of the plot and the tragedy is finished. Macbeth is a primary example of a typical Aristotelian tragedy. It follows the structure necessary from the tragic hero, to his downfall and ultimately to the catharsis necessary for an original Greek drama. The aspects of this play are a perfect example of the tragedies of that era. How to cite Aristotelian Tragedy Macbeth, Essay examples