JULIUS CAESARTragedy

Tragic Hero

Themes

REVIEW Protagonist Antagonist

TRAGEDY

“Tragedy is a form of drama exciting the emotions of pity and fear. Its action should be single and complete, presenting a reversal of fortune, involving persons renowned and of superior attainments.”

- Aristotle

ELEMENTS OF TRAGEDY Catastrophe

Catastrophic conclusionCatastrophe seems inevitableOccurs because of human protagonist’s

limitations Suffering

Protagonist suffers Suffering seems disproportionate to

guilt/blameSuffering is usually redemptive (learning

and/or responsibility)

TRAGIC HERO Qualities

Neither all good nor all evil If somehow superior, tragedy is intensifiedDisastrous end results from mistaken

action, arising from tragic flaw or error in judgment Flaw may be hubris (excessive pride)

Audience pities the tragic hero Suffering > offense Audience feels they could behave similarly

THEME Definition

The central idea or message of a work of literature

A perception about life or human nature shared with the reader

Good themes are universal – they are applicable across time and cultures

Never described by one word (Love is not a theme; what the author says about love is.)

THEME DESCRIPTORS IN JULIUS CAESAR Hunger for power Friendship Ambition Vanity Envy Revenge

Note: These theme descriptors are not themes. You must figure out what point Shakespeare is making about each idea.