How Is Hamlet A Hero

Words: 1288
Pages: 6
Open Document
Heroes, they are the biggest and most important characters in any book, play, movie or television show. Without heroes books and shows would be boring. Heroes have many defining traits and qualities that play a very important role in their character and who they are. Heroes show humility, honesty, bravery, and they are smart and decisive. Heroes give us a person to look up to and to look to when we need a good example of what to do in certain situations. William Shakespeare recognized this and re-wrote the role of the traditional hero. For example, in Hamlet, at the beginning of the play Hamlet was your obvious hero and Claudius was your villain; but, by the end of the play, it looked as if they had switched roles. Shakespeare also did not …show more content…
The most obvious way is Hamlet’s use of language, which coincidentally is his downfall. Many tragic heroes have the same common downfalls, things such as arrogance or self-doubt. Hamlet is very smart and articulate, he has a deep understanding of language and its powers. Examples of Hamlets clever and sharp use of language are commonly found throughout the book. He uses long-winded sentences with very intricate wording to bring home and or exaggerate his points, sometimes he even weaves a web with his words to make the subject to which he is speaking to fall into a trap. He uses language as his choice weapon too, when Hamlet was called to Gertrude’s chambers after the play during act three, he speaks with Polonius before he meets with the Queen. Hamlet makes it clear he wants to have a stern conversation with her and says to Polonius, “I will speak daggers to her but use none.” (III.ii.357) Hamlet recognizes the power in words and uses language as his way to hurt people such as him telling Ophelia to “Get thee to a nunnery” (III.i.119) or him calling Polonius a “fish monger” (II.ii.172). Hamlet’s use of language also plays into his downfall too. Because of his long winded speeches and the “antic disposition” he puts on, he misses key chances to exact his revenge. Hamlet isn’t like your typical tragic hero, he is smart, cunning, and articulate and although he breaks the mold, in the end, his fate is sealed because of …show more content…
Othello is unlike the every day tragic hero because he is smart. Although he lacks emotional intelligence because he trusts too easily, falls in love too easily and can get extremely jealous and over passionate, Othello is very intelligent. When it comes to battle, the Duke of Venice says to him (after he finds out the Ottomans are sailing to Cyprus to attack) “Valiant Othello we must straight employ you / Against the general enemy Ottoman” (I.iii.47-48). He is also intelligent when it comes to being professional and acting rationally. When he is accused by Brabantio of using witchcraft to woo and marry Desdemona, Othello reacts calmly saying “my very noble and approved good masters, / That I have tane away this old man’s daughter, / It is most true; true I have married her; / The very head and front of my offending / Hath this extent, no more. Rude I am in my speech / And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.” (I.iii.77-82) In this case, when accused of evil, Othello reacts calmly and speaks with finesse and in a way that makes the reader and characters within the play feel empathetic towards him. At the beginning of the play, Othello exudes confidence, but, when he lacks confidence towards the middle and end of the plays he becomes insecure and unsure of what to do and is then easily manipulated and thus being one of his major flaws. Othello is a great tragic hero who challenges
Show More

Related Documents: How Is Hamlet A Hero

How Is Hamlet A Tragic Hero

In the play Hamlet many things happen that describe Hamlet as a tragic hero. On the other hand, people also believe that what Hamlet does in the play is unjust and unfounded. Is Hamlet a tragic hero? Is his death a tragic death? I believe that Hamlet is a tragic hero who died a tragic death. A tragic hero is described as one with a noble birth and who has heroic or even potentially heroic traits. The fate of the tragic hero usually is his ultimate demise or great suffering in his future due to a…

Words 997 - Pages 4

Hamlet: Tragic Hero and Hamlet Essay

ENG 202.11 25 February 2015 Hamlet and Oedipus the King According to Aristotle’s characteristics of a typical tragic hero, which are described in his Poetics, the tragic hero is the one that belongs to nobility or high class, does not wholly deserve his or her misfortunate, and partially responsible for his or her own hamartia, which is a tragic flaw that leads to the downfall of a hero. What is more, Aristotle points out that, “The change of fortune [of a tragic hero] should be not from bad to good…

Words 1388 - Pages 6

Hamlet - characterisation Essay examples

Analysis Characterisation of Hamlet Act 1 scene 2 The Melancholic Introduction. Think about the creation of the character. Clothing. Demeanor. Shakespeare has a tragic hero with skill in language. Does he always use this to show his intelligence or does it sometimes show his instability? Think about his dialogue with Gertrude and Claudius at the start. Soliloquy 1. – Frustration. Suicidal Contemplates suicide Frustration at being unable to come to terms with Gertrude's marriage to Claudius…

Words 1722 - Pages 7

Essay on Hamlet: Hamlet and Hamlet’s Feelings

Hamlet is one of many Shakespeare’s classic plays. The typical tragic hero and the character’s problems and how they must solve them. What makes Hamlet different from all of Shakespeare’s other works is that not only is he a tragic hero; but the audience can’t pinpoint if Hamlet is the good or bad guy. Hamlet’s character is unclear to the reader because of his actions conflicting with his personality and because of this dissonance Hamlet, as a play, is what makes it different from any other play…

Words 625 - Pages 3

Analysis Of Hamlet

of characterization and conflict6 within the play as whole. Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s most well known and received stage plays is about the story of a young Danish Prince and his need to find the truth behind his father’s sudden death. Claudius- Hamlet’s uncle marries his mother- the queen, and takes the throne of Denmark for himself. As the play progresses it is found that it was in fact Claudius who murdered the old king Hamlet and thus creating dramatic conflict as the young prince tries…

Words 808 - Pages 4

A Hero SP Essay

The Ultimate Hero An explosion occurs in Boston and everyone is distraught but one. Could it perhaps be a hero, or the fool himself whom set the trap? The common question asked in the modern world today, “What is a hero?” One that has superhuman powers and saves the world or one who is camouflaged with the people of society? Norman Schwarzkopf rightly said, “It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into the battle.” This quote means that anyone…

Words 715 - Pages 3

Play Hamlet Essay

A Tragic Hero Intellectuality is the power to distinguish from feeling, Insanity is the condition of being insane or a derangement of the mind, and Hamartia is a Shakespearean term which is known as fatal flaws. These definitions are three of several significant characteristics that Hamlet presents throughout the play Hamlet. Hamlet really is a tragic hero. On one hand, he has an obvious intellectual ability. However…

Words 1010 - Pages 5

Essay on Hamlet Vs

just for pride – Comparing and Contrasting Hamlet and Achilles Brit Jones 11/1/2011 The characters of Hamlet and Achilles, even though from very different time periods, encompass many of the same themes and characteristics. These two characters have many close comparisons, but upon closer inspection they differ on a grand scale. This is immanently due mainly to the time period and culture that each character was submersed in and how each character was supposed to act and to extenuate…

Words 1104 - Pages 5

Hamlet Critical Notes

Hamlet – Critical Notes Interest in Drama in created through tension between individuals: One of the most important elements of Hamlet that make it an interesting play is Hamlet’s conflict as a hero – whether he should avenge his father, or simply abandon his quest through philosophical moralizing. The demands of Elizabethan society and even our society would be that one should return an eye for an eye, most of our films and drama support this idea of righteous justice towards someone who has…

Words 1545 - Pages 7

Play Hamlet Essay

Has Hamlet Gone Mad Jealousy is like a symptom that makes people feel insecure about their selves. It makes people unconfident about their image. It inspires people to desire the things they don’t have and leave the things they do have. Jealousy also creates a variety of feelings and emotions for example madness, loneliness, anger and possibly even death. Murder, jealousy, revenge and a lot more is taken place in Denmark. I consider Hamlet Jr. a tragic hero because throughout the play, he makes…

Words 1975 - Pages 8