To what extent is hamlet an Aristotelian tragedy
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Hamlet exhibits many characteristics of an Aristotelian tragedy according to Aristotle's definition. It has a complex plot involving revenge as the main plot and subplots. Hamlet is a believable and conflicted protagonist whose fortunes change. The play is full of thoughtful soliloquies and uses varied and appropriate diction. While it lacks a chorus and songs, it creates spectacle through dramatic scenes. Overall, while not perfectly adhering to Aristotle's model, Hamlet can be considered a tragedy in Aristotle's tradition.
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To what extent is hamlet an Aristotelian tragedy
- 2. To What Extent is Hamlet an Aristotelian Tragedy? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UEQRNNNxD0
- 3. “ Tragedy, is an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude. ” C. 335 B.C.E. 1. Plot 2. Character 3. Thought 4. Diction 5. Song 6. Spectacle.
- 4. TRAGEDY PLOT CHARACTER THOUGHT DICTION SONG SPECTACLE
- 5. PLOT ARISTOTLE’S DEFINITION HAMLET SCENE FOR & DECISION AGAINST
- 6. ARISTOTLE: PLOT First principle - an “Arrangement of incidents” all related. • Cause and effect chain Complete Beginning • Incentive moment • Climax Middle • Triggered by earlier incidents Magnitude • Caused by earlier incidents End • Resolution Simple or complex
- 7. HAMLET: PLOT Main Plot - Revenge. Sub Plots: • Madness • Gertrude & Claudius • Hamlet & Ophelia • Hamlet & Gertrude. • Fortinbras’ Revenge.
- 8. HAMLET SCENE I: ACT V Hamlet meets with the Ghost of his Father alone. The Ghost tells Hamlet how he died, and what he must do.
- 9. THE ARGUMENTS: For: Against: • Beginning • Middle • End • Complete • Magnitude • Complex.
- 10. THE DECISION
- 11. CHARACTER ARISTOTLE’S DEFINITION HAMLET SCENE FOR & DECISION AGAINST
- 12. ARISTOTLE: CHARACTER Personal Cause & Pity or Motivation Effect Fear Protagonist Renowned Change of - Believable & Prosperous Fortune Frailty or Pity 0r Change Error Fear
- 13. HAMLET: CHARACTER • Love & loyalty • Anger • True to his Word • Ability for Revenge • Prince • Educated • Philosopher • Conscience = delay.
- 14. HAMLET: ACT I: SCENE V Soliloquy: Swears to dedicate himself to avenge his Father’s death.
- 15. THE ARGUEMENT FOR: AGAINST: • Personal Motivation • Pity is subjective • Cause and effect • Fear – probably not. • Renowned & Prosperous • Change of Fortune • Frailty or Error.
- 16. THE DECISION
- 17. THOUGHT ARISTOTLE’S HAMLET DEFINITION SCENE DECISION
- 18. ARISTOTLE: THOUGHT • “Third in order is Thought - that is, the faculty of saying what is possible and pertinent in given circumstances.” • “Thought…………………. is found where something is proved to be or not to be, or a general maxim is enunciated.”
- 19. HAMLET: THOUGHT “Oh that this too solid flesh will melt” (1:2) CLAUDIUS “Oh all you host of heaven! Oh 1 earth! ” (1:5) “Oh! What a rogue and peasant slave am I” (2:2) HAMLET HAMLET 7 “To be or not to be” (3:1) SOLILOQUIES “Tis now the very witching time of night” (3:2) “Now might I do it pat” (3:3) OPHILIA 1 “How all occasions do inform against me” (4.4)
- 20. HAMLET ACT III : SCENE I Hamlet contemplates life and death…………….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JD6gOrARk4
- 21. THE DECISION
- 22. DICTION ARISTOTLE’S DEFINITION HAMLET THE SCENE DECISION
- 23. ARISTOLTLE: DICTION • “Every word is either current, or strange, or metaphorical, or ornamental, or newly- coined, or lengthened, or contracted, or altered.” • Metaphor : “For the essence of a riddle is to express true facts under impossible combinations ……. Such is the riddle..…..”
- 24. HAMLET: DICTION • Claudius – politician “We doubt it nothing: heartily farewell” • Ophelia – obedient “I shall obey my lord” • Gertrude - loving: “Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. I pray thee, stay with us” • Osric - kowtowing: “ Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I would impart a thing to you from his majesty” • Hamlet- madness and sanity appropriate.
- 25. SCENE Act V Scene I: The Grave Yard Scene…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_GqWC_uIfs
- 26. THE DECISION
- 27. SONG ARISTOLOTE’S DEFINITION HAMLET THE DECISION
- 28. ARISTOTLE: SONG EPISODE PARODE CHORIC SONG STASIMON QUANTITATIVE PARTS COMMOI PROLOGUE EXODE
- 29. HAMLET: SONG • No Chorus • Of its time? • Action on stage. • Aristotle : “Peculiar to some are songs of actors from the stage and the Commoi”.
- 30. THE DECISION
- 31. SPECTACLE ARISTOTLE HAMLET THE SCENE DECISION
- 32. ARISTOTLE: SPECTACLE • “The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic” • “The production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet.”
- 33. SPECTACLE: HAMLET • The Ghost’s appearances • Reprimanding of his Mother • Killing of Polonius • The play within a play • Contemplation of death • Ophelia's madness • Grave yard and skull • Poisoning of Gertrude • Poisoning of Claudius • Death of Hamlet.
- 34. SCENE Act III Scene IV: The Closet Scene…..
- 35. THE DECISION
- 36. SO, IS HAMLET AN ARISTOTELIAN TRAGEDY? • Shakespeare – versed in history • Inspired by ancient mythology • Pity & Fear - questionable • Song - questionable • Comic elements • Ultimately a tragedy of it’s time.
- 37. FINAL THOUGHT Shakespeare borrowed from many. Today many borrow from him. The Circle of Life so to speak….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZwdByyMujY
Editor's Notes
- We’re going to focus on tragedy I am [NAME NUMBER].
- Today we will explore to what extent does Hamlet fit Aristotle's description OSRIC HAND OUT. Steps plays. stop
- Bomb take you back in time Tragedy as described by Aristotle in Poetics Date: mention he thought Oedipus was perfect tragedy
- Choose one – keep on toes. When all done click arrow to final section this is done by last person clicking.
- The most important, Closer look at plot and see how it relates to hamlet
- Expand what's on this slide
- Main plot revenge of ghosts info – kill Claudius, Madness – pretends to go mad to get truth = complexity, Claudius and Gertrude historical context Ophelia actually goes mad due to rejection and Father’s death, Gertrude infatuated with Claudius, loves her son- closet scene relationship changes. Fortinbras of Norway’s Father had been killed by old King Hamlet- seeks revenge for his father’s death – invades Poland- but promises to leave Denmark alone – ends up getting crown of Denmark. His revenge is final and complete.
- GHOST TELLS STORY. Ben and Mike
- Beginning – cause and effect- Middle = queen on side, claudius atones, decides to kill Hamlet, End- they all die.. Magnitude – UNIVERSAL THEMES – APPLY TO ALL DEATH –LIFE’ SUICIDE big deal killing royalty. Complete – nothing left untied Complex- many plots and motifs – ears, spying
- Our decision based on argument of previous slide
- Second importance support plot
- First four are grouped as to how it pushes plot. Last are his circumstances
- Character soft – to anger– love of Father- do the right thing, released from purgatory – avenge his death – ALL HIS ENERGY ON REVENGE. Ben’s scene
- Motivation- revenge. Cause and effect Father’s death. Renowned and prosperous –prince, well loved ( Claudius feared), uni at Wittenberg, Change of fortune – lost father, lost crown, mother under spell, sent to England to death. Frailty – conscious – delay killing Claudius, killing Polonius ( sent to England)n Pity of fear personally yes – how played – fear again would the audience then have more fear? Also Aristotle said pity OR fear.
- The last 4 are the least important according to Aristotle.
- Although characters show much thought, the ones easily identifiable are the soliloquies
- Hamlet gives thought to life, and contemplates death. You tube link
- Hedging his bets. Current = in use. Strange = foreign (so can be both) newly coined = author made up. Metaphor most important
- Claudius to Voltemond and Cornelius. Ophelia – subservient to her father
- To 1.31. Note the use of language compared to Claudius which we viewed with Rebecca. The way the grave digger muddles his words in an attempt to sound intelligent –newly coining words which he has heard
- These are common to all plays: peculiar to some are the songs of actors from the stage and the Commoi ( actors and chorus).
- Ophelia sings, The Clown sings.
- I find this quite ironic – least artistic – as Oedipus was quite a spectacle. And todays audiences love this part.
- Dependant on how played, but of its time what tackled spectacle.
- Mike and Tanya
- Ben Yes, we think Aristotle would have approved.
- Ben