William Shakespeare s Hamlet And Henrik Ibsen s A Doll...

The concept of tragedy has experienced significant change over the last few centuries. Yet despite human fascination with the concept it appears there is no consensus on what defines true tragedy. The classical notion is that a tragedy tells the tale of a tragic hero, a virtuous character who due to a tragic flaw is fated to an unhappy ending (usually death) that inspires fear and pity within the audience. However, there is the argument that tragedy does not have to follow such regulations. A hero need not be virtuous and divine, their tale does not have to be filled with death, and common person struggling in the world can possess a tragic story. There is some validity to both ideas, yet both focus too much on the idea of what characters and specific situations warrant the title of tragedy and not the idea that matters most of all. By the end of a tragic piece the question is whether or not there is despair or hope. Looking at William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Henrik Ibsenâ₠¬â„¢s A Doll’s House it is clear that both possess certain tragic aspects. The protagonists of both pieces’ experience suffering due to a similar flaw and both plays inspire feelings of pity and fear. Yet the main aspect that separates the two is the defining feeling the audience takes away at the end. While Hamlet ends in despair and unhappiness, A Doll’s House possess a hint of hope for the future. Yet if a tragedy instills a feeling of such possibility, then it misses the defining characteristic of theShow MoreRelatedComparing Nora From A Doll s House And Ophelia From The Tragedy Of Hamlet2915 Words   |  12 PagesA Woman’s Life is Tragic: Comparing Nora from A Doll’s House and Ophelia from The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House are both deemed tragedies, and thus in nature share many similarities. While common knowledge of what characteristics distinguish tragedy from other genres can lead readers and audiences alike to determine that Shakespeare’s Ophelia is a tragic character, it is much more difficult