Shakespearhas 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.