SHAKESPEARE'S TRAGIC FLAW - A literary Treat

by Abha   Apr 5, 2008


'POETICS' concocted with decent science
When ARISTOTLE the noble treatise design,

Brooded the BARD with ionic pen
Borrowed the flaws from Poetic's den,

Undulating HAMLET stammered the verse
'To be or not to be' became Denmark's curse,

Arrogant LEAR donated British crown
Stormed by sinners, with Kent and his clown,

MACBETH'S foul game the fair ambition abide
The prophetic witches cajoled the Scotland's pride,

OTHELLO'S suspicion awakened death
His jealously fetched, virtuous Venice's wrath

Medical metaphor purgated the tear
Abducted the emotion of PITY and FEAR

The TRAGIC FLAW cathartically connived
Endowed the 'vent' for passionate Mankind.

NOTE: FOR ALL LITERATURE LOVERS
Aristotle in his 'POETICS' [the scientific study of poetry] mentioned about the tragic flaws and Hammartia. The tragedy in life is not the result of any outside evil but due to that one negative trait of the protagonist. Humans need a vent; the tragedy is to arouse the emotions of pity and fear in the way to affect catharsis.
The four major Shakespearean tragic plays are based on four different flaws; Hamlet was inconsistent, King Lear too arrogant, Macbeth highly ambitious and Othello jealous [suspicious].

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Latest Comments

  • 16 years ago

    by C P Sharma

    You have poetically summed up the tragic flws of all the major Shakespearean tragedies. It is superb. Keep it up.

  • 16 years ago

    by Prasad Baadkar

    What a discovery..... Just joking, No doubt Found a writer with the best literature technique... Fabulos and to add Marvellous too

  • 16 years ago

    by vaibhav shah

    The best thing which you have done is to revive all four major plays of Shakespeare from the perspective of Aristotle's Poetics.No doubt whenever we read Poetics, all these plays come automatically before our eyes as examples.What you have done can be summarised in the famous lines of Pope:
    'What oft was thought but never so well expressed'
    All four protagonists meet their tragic end because of Hamartia.
    Hamlet-Noble Indecision and Procrastination
    Macbeth-Excessive Ambition
    Othello- Jealosy and Doubt
    King Lear-False Pride and Error of Judgement
    Besides Medical Metaphor, two more theories have been interpreted:
    Purification theory
    Clarification Theory
    I think I should read all these plays and Poetics once again to enjoy your poem.A really fantastic job.Thanks for telling a lot in few words.Expecting more poems about Literature and Theory from your pen.

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