Shakespeare's Tragidy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Shakespeare's Tragidy - Essay Example Finally, they all have to have a tragic flaw, usually something related to their source of pride. These three character traits combined lead the character to his or her downfall through a three-step process. This process begins with the first event, the mistake in judgment or action that will eventually cause his ruin. The second event is when the hero realizes finally where he made his mistake. The final event is the reversal of fortunes the hero experiences as a result of his mistake, experiencing the consequences of his mistake (â€Å"Aristotle†, 1998), which was usually a surprise to the audience but perfectly logical. With this definition in hand, it is easy to see how Shakespeare’s plays, such as Julius Caesar, Hamlet and King Lear fit within this definition. In the play Julius Caesar, the character Marcus Brutus emerges as a tragic hero because he fits all of the above criteria in character and action. When the play opens, Brutus is seen as one of the only senators to be capable of putting the interests of Rome above his own. He tells Cassius, â€Å"What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king ... yet I love him well† (I, ii, ll.85-89). This shows his ability and establishes his noble nature above the other men who are all scheming for their own self-interest. However, he is able to discern some level of deceit in other men because he seems very sure of his own noble opinions; that he is always on the side of correct action because he keeps his eye on what is best for the people. He is easily convinced of his own better judgment by Cassius who also suggests that the best course of action would be to kill Caesar. Brutus demonstrates that this is his motive for action when he says, â€Å"If then t hat friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more† (III,