Part one of term paper
If you were to walk out onto a street and get hit by a car, people might think this is a tragedy, referring to the common usage of the word as meaning anything bad that happens to a person or society. But in the days of Shakespeare, the word tragedy had on more significant meanings; it meant a drama having a disastrous or fatal ending broug ...

Part two of term paper
... are all serious in that they are grave and contemplative. Shakespeare flushes out the sadness that comes from a "tragic flaw" or harmatia within the character which leads to a catastrophe (Yelland 207). Hamlet, overpowered by the evil surrounding him, falls into evil himself (Boyce 653). His tragic flaw, being indecisive and too thoughtful, takes on a serious tone, compelling the audience to react accordingly. Hamlet is just one of the many central characters in Shakespeare's plays who have ...