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To What Extent Is Hamlet A Tragic Hero

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To What Extent Is Hamlet A Tragic Hero
Matthew Van Valkenburg Mr. Dabritz College Literature Wednesday, January 21, 2015 Hamlet Essay

A tragic hero is known to be the protagonist of a tragedy that begins high in their society and has a tremendous downfall due to the negative effects of their tragic flaw. A tragic flaw is developed in a character throughout a text due to a quality or character trait that they have that overcomes their normal personality and actions. One tragic flaw that is presented and developed throughout the play Hamlet is the tragic hero’s inability to perform an action when aware of a situation. On the other hand, Hamlet, the protagonist and tragic hero of the revenge tragedy, seems to be very aggressive and does not have a second thought when doing something that he does not know about. Hamlet presents to us the difficulties that he endures when he has a chance to kill the King of Denmark and the new husband of his mother, Claudius. Hamlet explains his feelings to the audience …show more content…
But in our circumstance and course of thought,
‘Tis heavy with him; and I am then revenged,
To take him the purging of his soul, (Shakespeare, Act III Scene III, Lines 76-89)

In this aside to the audience while on stage with the King, Hamlet is claiming that he is going to kill the King while he is down in prayer. Hamlet is explaining the thoughts that are going through his head due to the fact that this man killed his father so that he could marry Hamlet’s mother and become the King to gain the riches and fame. Hamlet is also stating how he would be completely revenged if he was to slain the King for his father. Hamlet’s inability to complete this action of killing the King is shown through this aside because he talks to himself for so long and thinks everything through for enough time that the King and done praying and Hamlet has lost his
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