...plays is Romeo and Juliet, a drama about two teenagers who tragically fall in love, but are kept apart by their rivaling families. Romeo Montague, one of the main characters, fits the role of a tragic hero. He fits the role of a tragic hero for these three reasons: the making and discovery of his failure; his suffering too much for his mistake; and in the end, dying. Some say that the fact that he committed suicide makes Romeo unfit for the role of a tragic hero. However, Aristotle’s criteria do not specify how a tragic hero should die. Romeo's failure and discovery of his failure fits among the list of tragic hero traits. For example, Romeo avenges his best friend, Mercutio by killing Tybalt. In the script, Romeo says, “Shot from the deadly level of a gun, did murder her, as that name’s cursed hand, murder'd her kinsman”(Act 3, Scene 3, 67). This is important because it shows how terrible Romeo feels about taking Tybalt’s life, and worries about what Juliet will think of him due to his mistake. Romeo frets about what he had done and how it will affect their relationship. He worries that his failure will destroy his chance of a happy, loving...
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...A Tragic Hero(ine) is “a person of noble birth with heroic or potentially heroic qualities.” Shakespeare play “Romeo and Juliet” would be a perfect an example of a Tragic story. The play is about two young star-crossed lovers(Romeo and Juliet) whose passings at last accommodated their family feud. When asked, who is the tragic heroine in Romeo and Juliet, many seem to think it’s Juliet. Juliet is a tragic hero as she had tragic flaws,a noble birth and killed herself for a reason that didn’t exist. One way in which a person can be considered as a tragic hero(ine) is “noble birth.” Juliet was born a noble birth. She was born in the Capulet family. The capulet family are a wealthy and important family in Verona. Her nobleness made her believe that she could do anything at whatever point needed to. This is proved in Act 1,When County Paris guarantees Capulet of his highly status by saying “Of honourable reckoning are you both”. He’s referring to both families, the montague & the capulet, as honorable status....
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...A Shakespearean Tragedy Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare is an all time favorite by many people in the world, it is and timeless classic tragedy for over four hundred years. It contains the six tragic elements, such as a tragic hero with a tragic flaw, external and internal conflicts; last but not least, it contains revenge. These elements are what make “Romeo and Juliet” a true Shakespearean tragedy. A tragic hero with a tragic flaw is a noble figure and a leader whose death or downfall affects the plot of the story. In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is the tragic hero with a tragic flaw. Romeo Montague’s flaw is that he falls in love to swiftly. For example, he’s in love with Rosaline, but she does not love him back. He attends the Capulet’s mask party, and falls in love at first sight of Juliet. Romeo say’s to himself “or I ne’er saw true beauty” (Act 1, scene 5) and wants to marry her immediately. Another flaw that Romeo acquires is that he reacts too quickly. In many of the acts, you will always see him reacting to something so soon. If Romeo was not included in this play, it would take away the universal theme, which is the message that occurs. Moreover, it would take away the suspense; the uncertain events and chance happenings in this classic tragedy. An internal conflict is within a character and him or her. In act 2, scene 2 where Romeo states ”shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?” he is contemplating if he should just listen to Juliet’s thoughts about him...
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...Heroes & Villains in Literature The following essay is going to discuss and analyze heroes and villains in Literature. This essay is going to focus especially on three famous books written by William Shakespeare. The referring books are ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Othello’. In these three different novels, a great variety of stereotypes of heroes and villains can be appreciated. William Shakespeare was born on April 23rd 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. When he was four or five he began his education at the local petty school. He left the local grammar school when he was about fourteen and went to help in his father’s glove-making shop. When he was eighteen, he got married and by the time he was twenty-one, he was the father of three children. [1] At some time during the next seven years, he went to London and found employment in the theatre. When he was twenty-eight, he was already well enough known as an actor and playwright. He mostly lived and worked in London until his mid-forties, when he returned to his family and home in Stratford, where he remained in prosperous circumstances until his death on April 23rd 1616, his fifty-second birthday. [2] In the thirty seven plays that are his chief legacy to the world human nature is displayed in all its astonishing variety. [3] While Shakespeare caused much controversy, he also earned lavish praise and has profoundly impacted the world over in areas of literature, culture, art, theatre, and film and is considered...
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...After watching Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing, I noticed lots of differences and similarities. Some similarities I noticed were that the main characters fall in love with each other and they are too scared to confess it to others. When Claudio and Hero meet, they fall in love with each other, then break apart, then fall in love again. Romeo and Juliet and Much Ado About Nothing are both love stories written by William Shakespeare, but they are portrayed very differently. Romeo and Juliet are constantly struggling with their love and Beatrice and Benedict are tricked into falling in love. Shakespeare’s plays both involve characters falling in love at first sight, manipulation of love, and other extra details. But Romeo and...
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...Themes Although Romeo and Juliet is classified as a tragedy, it more closely resembles Shakespeare's comedies than his other tragedies. The lovers and their battle with authority is reminiscent of As You Like It and The Winter's Tale. "Characteristically, those comedies concern themselves with the inborn, unargued stupidity of older people and the life-affirming gaiety and resourcefulness of young ones. The lovers thread their way through obstacles set up by middle aged vanity and impercipience. Parents are stupid and do not know what it best for their children or themselves . . . [Romeo and Juliet] begins with the materials for a comedy - the stupid parental generation, the instant attraction of the young lovers, the quick surface life of street fights, masked balls and comic servants" (Wain, p. 107). Indeed, one could view Romeo and Juliet as a transitional play in which Shakespeare merges the comedic elements perfected in his earlier work with tragic elements he would later perfect in the great tragedies -- Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and King Lear. This mixture of styles ultimately hurts Romeo and Juliet, exposing the immaturity of the playwright. The heroes of the play must contend with external forces that impede their relationship, but, unlike the great tragic heroes, they are devoid of the inner struggle that makes for great tragedy. The influential Shakespearean scholar, A.C. Bradley, went so far as to neglect the play entirely in his well-known collection of lectures...
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...Shakespearean tragedies? "Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy." (F. Scott Fitzgerald) I also think this quote applies very well to William Shakespeare's works, for he has created such beautiful pieces of literature in the form of tragedies. There are several elements of Shakespearean tragedy. For example, Tragic hero, Tragic(Fatal) flaw, Internal and external conflict, Comic relief, The supernatural, The abnormality, Revenge, and Death etc. I am going to take a look at some of the elements of Shakespearean tragedy used in very famous plays, 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. First of all, a 'Tragic flaw', by definition, is a personality trait that leads to the downfall of the protagonist. Hamlet is well aware of his fatal flaw from the beginning, he constantly questions himself on why he continues to delay the fulfillment of his duty. Hamlet finally acts to kill Claudius only after realizing that he is poisoned. But by putting off, his tragic flaw, leads to multiple death such as Polonius, Ophelia, Gertrude, Laertes, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern and himself, too. Second, Use of 'supernatural' elements is one of common characteristics of the Elizabethan drama. In Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet's father who tells his son to avenge his death is introduced as a supernatural. Supernatural powers contribute to the fate of the protagonist. However, this is not solely responsible for the downfall of the hero, it still lies in the actions of the hero. These actions are the outcome...
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...drama. In tragedies there is often the downfall of a tragic hero whereas in comedies the unexpected rise of the comic protagonist is to be laughed at due to the wit and humor used. Tragedies end in catastrophe as seen in the death of Romeo and Juliet unlike in comedies where the conflicts are to be made fun of, for example in Sure Thing, Bill the comic protagonist, makes every possible mistake when trying to pick up a girl in a café, but somehow still ends up getting the girl after many attempts. Tragedies and comedies are mostly defined by the emotions they evoke in the public...
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...Immaturity: the Real Poison in Romeo and Juliet In William Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, Romeo is a tragic hero with the tragic flaw of immaturity. His immaturity is demonstrated countless times in this love story; he weeps because Rosaline does not return his love, and he hastily kills Tybalt without reflecting on the consequences. If Romeo had properly thought through some of the potential consequences prior to resorting to such extreme measures to see Juliet again, Romeo and Juliet most likely would not have met such a tragic ending. Lastly, the marriage of Romeo to Juliet was impulsive and again lacked forethought. They “fall in love” before even getting to know one another and they fail to think through their situation before getting married without their parents’ consent. There are many examples where Romeo lacks maturity. For example, when he is muddled because Rosaline does not return his affection. Romeo says, “O, teach me how I should forget to think!” (Shakespeare, 1. 1. 217). He is unable to take his mind off Rosaline. A more mature man could do so. Another example occurs when the hopeless romantic is ranting wistfully based only on his experience with Rosaline, “Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn” (Shakespeare, 1. 4. 25-26). Romeo’s negative view of love based on a single experience demonstrates his lack of maturity. Finally, Romeo’s breakdown over Rosaline greatly impacts the plot. “At this...
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...the use of being happy if there is no sadness?” (I, a Night Owl). The play “Romeo and Juliet” was written in 1596 by William Shakespeare. This was during the Elizabethan era. “Romeo and Juliet” is a play about two young people who fall in-love however it ends tragically. It is also about loyalty, family, and friendship. Mercutio and Romeo are two characters in the play that are friends and both accentuate each other's personalities. William Shakespeare uses the positive uplifting Mercutio as a foil of the pessimistic romantic Romeo to highlight him as the tragic hero of the play. People get along better when they have things in common. Romeo and Mercutio have a few similar traits. They both are alike in how they speak so deeply about what they believe to be true. Mercutio and Romeo are both dramatic. They are also loyal to each other. When Tybalt threatens Romeo, Mercutio is angered and stands up for Romeo. Quote Romeo does the same when he avenges Mercutio’s death. Even though they share similarities they do have many differences. These...
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...swoon as they read Romeo and Juliet for the first time. The girls wish for a boy like Romeo to spot them in a crowded room and instantly fall in love, and even though they would never admit it, young men probably wish for the same. Even the students who scoff at Romeo’s flowery language and the dramatic irony secretly wish for the kind of overwhelming passion Romeo and Juliet share. However, the same students tend to overlook the warning Shakespeare has within the first page of the play. In the prologue, Shakespeare writes that Romeo and Juliet tells the tale of two families with such an intense hatred toward each other that it takes a child from each of the families committing suicide for the...
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...In the book The Crucible by Arthur Miller, John Proctor emerges as a tragic hero. A tragic hero is a person who makes a judgement that eventually leads to his or her downfall. Romeo is famous for being a tragic hero in the play, Romeo and Juliet. John Proctor is a tragic hero because he is lustful, hypocritical, and highly respected. John Proctor reveals himself as a tragic hero for being lustful. He had an affair with Abigail. Abigail says, “I know you clutched my back behind your house and sweated like a stallion whenever I come near!” (Miller 21). This means that Proctor could not control himself around Abigail. Because he got caught, he stopped seeing Abigail. If Proctor would have never been caught, who is to say that he would have stopped the affair? John Proctor is a tragic hero for being lustful towards Abigail. John Proctor proves himself as a tragic hero for being hypocritical. He says he is faithful man, but he did not know all Ten Commandments. Elizabeth helped him out with the Commandments and Proctor said, “You see, sir, between the two of us we do know them all” (Miller 64). Proctor can not prove himself as a Christian in a serious situation and never shows up in church. He says he is always working on the farm. It leaves him with a bad name and not a very good impression. John Proctor’s tragic...
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...EDITION OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S ROMEO AND JULIET By ARTHEA J.S. REED, PH.D. S E R I E S W. GEIGER ELLIS, ED.D., E D I T O R S : UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, EMERITUS and ARTHEA J. S. REED, PH.D., UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, RETIRED A Teacher’s Guide to the Signet Classic Edition of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet 2 INTRODUCTION William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an excellent introduction to Shakespearean drama; teenagers can relate to its plot, characters, and themes. The play’s action is easily understood, the character’s motives are clear, and many of the themes are as current today as they were in Shakespeare’s time. Therefore, it can be read on a variety of levels, allowing all students to enjoy it. Less able readers can experience the swash-buckling action and investigate the themes of parent-child conflict, sexuality, friendship, and suicide. Because of the play’s accessibility to teenagers, able readers can view the play from a more literary perspective, examining the themes of hostility ad its effect on the innocent, the use of deception and its consequences, and the effects of faulty decision making. They can study how the characters function within the drama and how Shakespeare uses language to develop plot, characters, and themes. The most able students can develop skills involved in literary criticism by delving into the play’s comic and tragic elements and its classically tragic themes: the role of fate and fortune...
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...Focus on Shakespeare 1. Romeo and Juliet is definitely one of the best and tragic films I have ever seen. Shortly I can say that it is an eternal love story where Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Juliet (Claire Danes) secretly fall in love with each other and go to confession. But their love is forbidden and the story goes over from being a romance to become a tragedy. DiCaprio needs a little time to get into the role, but soon he becomes a mind blowing and charming hero who is willing to sacrifice his life for Juliet. Claire Danes also, has a beautiful and conspicuous dramatic talent. What I liked most about the story was the setting. The director (Luhrmann) takes Shakespeare's history and puts it into a modern society and a modern film form, and he does so in a confident and smart way. The language and dialogue from Shakespeare are retained, while the costumes are an elegant blend of past and present. Luhrmann has in addition replaced the horses and swords with stylish vehicles and firearms. I also really liked the romantic feel throughout the film. One can spot several sequences showing the strong love between the couple. For example their secret marriage at the church. They do not take the bother of what others think, only their burning love counts. In contrast to traditional film style, where first and foremost acting and soundtrack is partially used to create different moods, Luhrmann has effectively implemented several stylistic devices. Editing, cinematography and...
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...wrote tragedies from the beginning of his career. One of his earliest plays was the Roman tragedy Titus Andronicus, which he followed a few years later with Romeo and Juliet. However, his most admired tragedies were written in a seven-year period between 1601 and 1608. These include his four major tragedies Hamlet, Othello, King Lear and Macbeth, along withAntony & Cleopatra, Coriolanus, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar and the lesser-known Timon of Athens and Troilus and Cressida. ------------------------------------------------- Tragedies[edit] Many have linked these plays to Aristotle's precept about tragedy: that the protagonist must be an admirable but flawed character, with the audience able to understand and sympathize with the character. Certainly, all of Shakespeare's tragic protagonists are capable of both good and evil. As one of the most influential Shakespearean critics of the 19th century, A. C. Bradley argues, "the playwright always insists on the operation of the doctrine of free will; the (anti) hero is always able to back out, to redeem himself. But, the author dictates, they must move unheedingly to their doom." Some, including drama historian Brian Arkins in his "Heavy Seneca: his Influence on Shakespeare's Tragedies," have also pointed out their Senecan nature, as differentiated from Aristotle's principles and Greek tragedy. In one of a few exceptions to the rule that Black Roman literature was essentially superficial imitation of Greek works, the Roman Stoic philosopher...
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