21
THE TRAGIC HERO -- THE TRAGIC PROCESS

† In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

THE TRAGIC HERO -- THE TRAGIC PROCESS

Page 2: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

The Tragic Hero

† In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist:

† A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly.

Page 3: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Progression of the Tragic Process

† Dilemma

† Wrong Choice

† Suffering

† Perception

† Death

† Restoration to Order

Page 4: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

The problem is…

The dilemma is the choice that the protagonist must make, or a problem he or she must face.

Macbeth’s dilemma: whether or not to murder Duncan

Page 5: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

“By the pricking of my thumbs,Something wicked this way comes….”

With his wife’s strong prompting and prophesies from the Weird Sisters fueling his ambition…..

“I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only / Vaulting ambition, which o’erleaps itself / And falls on th’ other—”

[1.6]

…..Macbeth makes the wrong choice

Page 6: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Wrong Choice

The tragic hero has a character flaw or weakness that causes him or her to make

the wrong choice or decision.

Page 7: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Tragic Flaw

Macbeth’s character flaw is hubris — from the Greek hybris – meaning

“excessive pride”

Page 8: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Suffering The tragic hero’s flawed

choice leads to suffering and often death for not only the hero, but also for others.

Immediately after Duncan’s murder, Macbeth suffers: he cannot sleep...has no joy…

“O, full of scorpions is my

mind, dear wife!”

[3.2]

Page 9: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Lady Macbeth dies…Out, out brief candle!

[5.5]

Most of Macbeth’s friends reject him--…that which should accompany old age / As honor, love, obedience, troops of friends, I must not look to have…

[5.3]

Page 10: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and caldron bubble.

The prophecies conjured by the Weird Sisters arouse Macbeth’s ambition and pride:The mind I sway by and the heart I bear / Shall never sag with doubt or fear.

[5.3]

I have almost forgot the taste of fears;… [5.5]

I bear a charméd life which must not yield / To one of woman born.

[5.8]

Page 11: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly
Page 12: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

“Fear not, till Birnam Wood Do Come to Dunsinane!”

As I did stand my watch upon the hill, / I looked toward Birnam, and anon, methought, The wood began to move.

[5.5]

Page 13: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

“No man of woman born shall harm Macbeth.”

Despair thy charm, / And let the angel whom thou still hast served / Tell thee, Macduff was from his mother’s womb / Untimely ripped.

[5.8]

Page 14: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Perception

Perception brings an epiphany—the “Ah ha!” moment—to the tragic hero.

Ah ha!!!

Page 15: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

EpiphanyAnd be these juggling fiends

no more believed, / That palter with us in a double sense; / That keep the word of promise to our ear / And break it to our hope.

…Yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, MacDuff, / And damned be him that first cries, “Hold, enough!”

[5.8]

Page 16: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Death

As Macbeth faces the final battle, he realizes that his ambition did not bring peace, and he sees that he must die to pay the penalty for the chaos he has caused.

Page 17: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Restoration

The crowning of Malcolm represents the Restoration to Order for Scotland:

Hail, King! for so thou art: behold, where stands / Th’ usurper’s cursed head. The time is free.

[5.8]

Page 18: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Fate vs. Free Will

The reader has to wonder what influence the

Weird Sisters and Lady Macbeth had on

Macbeth’s choices. While their influence

was intense, Shakespeare seems to show that Macbeth is ultimately responsible for his wrong choices.

Page 19: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Men at some times are masters of their fates. / The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves.

Cassius, Act I, scene 2Julius Caesar

Page 20: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly

Hubris

…how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge, and how much happier that man who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow.

FrankensteinChapter VI

Page 21: † In Shakespeare’s era, a tragedy always focused on the tragic protagonist: † A person of high stature whose personal flaw causes him to choose wrongly