WILLIAM SHAKESPEARETHE SHAKESPEAREAN EXPERIENCE

BIOGRAPHY Born in 1564 Died: April 23, 1616 His career was during the times in which

Elizabeth I and James I were in throne. (ruled 1558-1625)

He began his career as an actor, writer, and part owner of the play company, Lord Chamberlain’s Men.

Wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets His plays were performed in The Globe

Theatre

THE THREE MAIN CATEGORIESHis plays consisted of:TragediesComediesHistories

Examples: Tragedies: Macbeth, Hamlet, Romeo and

Juliet Comedies: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and

The Winter’s Tale Histories: King John, Richard II, and Henry V

MACBETH Example of a Tragedy Written in 1606 during James I ruling Shortest and bloodiest of all his plays. Shakespeare paid homage to the King’s

Scottish lineage with Macbeth

ELEMENTS OF A TRAGEDY Element # Juan: The Tragic Hero

There is usually only 1 tragic hero, except in love tragedies.

Only great men are Tragic Heroes Qualities: exceptional beings. destructive do not have to be “good”, but they usually are. live for what seems to be a type of the

mystery of the whole world. Example of Tragic Heroes are: Hamlet and

Macbeth

ELEMENT NUMERO TWO: THE TRAGIC FLAW

An obsessive flaw that leads to the downfall of the tragic hero/heroine.

Examples: Ambition Greed Hunger for power Manipulative Hypocrisy

ELEMENT # 3: THE TRAGIC STORY

The tragic story leads up to, and includes, the unusual and exceptionally disastrous death of the hero.

Shakespeare’s tragic heroes are responsible and the center of their disasters and falls.

ELEMENT # 4: THE ABNORMAL, THE SUPERNATURAL,

FATE/FORTUNE/CHANCE Shakespeare occasionally presents abnormal

conditions of the mind: insanity, hallucinations, etc.

The supernatural: ghosts and witches.

ELEMENT # 5: TRAGIC CONFLICTS

The action of the tragic hero is most often motivated by external and internal conflicts that keeps being added on to. (Snowball effect)

External Conflict There are usually 2 people or 2 groups involved

in conflict. One is always the tragic hero.

Internal Conflict Shakespeare’s tragic hero is at some point torn

by inward struggle. The conception of outer and inner struggle

includes the action of “spiritual forces”.

ELEMENT # 6: THE TRAGIC PATTERN

1. The main character is presented to us as someone of power: a king, a prince, a general.

2. Then the obsessive flaw of the character is presented within the first two acts.

3. Urgencies and conflicts begin to arise.4. Misreading and rationalizations occur.5. Murder, exile, alienation of enemies and

allies are brought on by new conflicts.6. Gradual isolation of the Tragic Hero.

ELEMENT # 7: TRAGIC STRUCTURE IN THE PLAYS

A tragedy represents a conflict which ends in disaster, which can be divided into 7 parts.

1. Exposition: The general atmosphere, time, place, main characters, and opening conditions of the play.

2. Initiating Incident: The event or action that starts the conflict and action of the play.

3. Rising Actions: This is a series of actions involving the hero usually covering more than one act.

4. Climax: distinct change occurs within the character5. Falling Actions: The conflict between the protagonist

and the antagonist becomes the essence of the play.6. Moment of Final Suspense: It is the moment when

things begin to look as if they will go the way of the protagonist again.

7. Catastrophe: This is the complete downfall of the protagonist, either through death or some other devastating circumstance.