Shakespeare has not explained his
conception of tragedy anywhere, but a close examination of the various tragic aspects of
human life and, analysis of the causes that bring about the tragedy in his plays will help us to get an idea about his
conception of tragedy.
The heroes of Shakespeare’s tragedies are men of high rank possessing certain outstanding qualities. The suffering and calamities that fall to the lot of the hero are exceptional in character. The cause of tragedy in Shakespeare’s plays is a 'fatal flow' that leads him into his suffering and death. If
Othello is of
over ambitious, Lear is
proud and haughty and
Hamlet is a man of
wavering spirit . These weaknesses are not great in themselves, but they turn out to be fatal under the circumstances in which the heroes are placed.
The abnormal mental cond ition of the hero or heroine, the supernatural agency , and chance are other
elements of Shakespeare’s tragedies. All these elements lead to some fatal error of action of the hero or the heroine which in turn leads to the tragedy.