Text Shakespearean Tragedy Analysis Revenge, …...Text Analysis Workshop 342 unit 2: the english...

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342 unit 2: the english renaissance

Shakespearean TragedyRevenge, intrigue, murder, and insanity—these are just a few of the topics explored in William Shakespeare’s tragedies. Basing his works on the Greek and Roman traditions of drama, Shakespeare created some of the most enduring tragedies, which continue to enthrall audiences to this day.

Renaissance DramaDuring the Middle Ages, English drama focused mainly on religious themes, teaching moral lessons or retelling Bible stories to a populace that by and large could not read. With the Renaissance, however, came a rebirth of interest in the dramas of ancient Greece and Rome. First at England’s universities and then among graduates of those universities, plays imitating classical models became increasingly popular. These plays fell into two main categories: comedies and tragedies.

In Renaissance England, comedy was broadly defined as a dramatic work with a happy ending; many comedies contained humor, but humor was not required. A tragedy, in contrast, was a work in which the main character, or tragic hero, came to an unhappy end. In addition to comedies and tragedies, Shakespeare wrote several plays classified as histories, which present stories about England’s earlier monarchs. Of all Shakespeare’s plays, however, his tragedies are the ones most often cited as his greatest.

The Greek Origins of TragedyIn Western civilization, both comedies and tragedies arose in ancient Greece, where they were performed as part of elaborate outdoor festivals. According to the famous ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, tragedy arouses pity and fear in the audience—pity for the hero and fear for all human beings, who are subject to character flaws and an unknown destiny. Seeing a tragedy unfold produces a catharsis, or cleansing, of these emotions in the audience.

In ancient Greek tragedies, the hero’s tragic flaw is often hubris—excessive pride that leads the tragic hero to challenge the gods. Angered by such hubris, the gods unleash their retribution, or nemesis, on the hero. Ancient Greek tragedies also make use of a chorus, a group of performers who stand outside the action and comment on the events and characters in the play, often hinting at the doom to come and stressing the fatalistic aspect of the hero’s downfall. By Shakespeare’s day, the chorus consisted of only one person—a kind of narrator—or was dispensed with entirely.

Shakespeare’s King Lear

Included in this workshop: RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a drama. RL 5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning. L 3a Apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.

NA_L12PE-u02s20-law.indd 342 11/24/10 11:42:44 AMNA_L12PE-u02s20-law.indd 343 11/24/10 11:42:52 AMdifferentiated instructionfor struggling readersNote Taking For students who may be unfamiliar with Shakespearean tragedy or who need help with note taking, hand out the copy master before discussing this workshop. Explain that students will be learning many terms and concepts relating to Shakespearean tragedy in this workshop. Discuss the boldfaced terms on these pages, in particular, as students record notes on the copy master.

RESOURCE MANAGER—Copy MasterNote Taking p. 66

RL 3 Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a drama. RL 5 Analyze how an author’s choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning. L 3a Apply an understanding of syntax to the study of complex texts when reading.

Renaissance DramaComedies, Tragedies, and Histories Point out that William Shakespeare was such a major literary figure during the English Renaissance that the era sometimes is called “The Age of Shakespeare.” Offer these examples of Shake-spearean plays by category:

Comedies: As You Like It, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the ShrewTragedies: Hamlet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello, Romeo and JulietHistories: Henry V, King John, Richard III

Invite students to share what they know about any of these plays, especially if they have seen any performed on stage or screen.Modern Parallels Ask students to use a Clas-sification Chart to organize lists of familiar movies or novels as comedies, tragedies, or histories. Discuss their choices.

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyClassification Chart p. B17

The Greek Origins of TragedyDramatic Differences Greek tragedies were performed much differently from plays today or during Shakespeare’s time. They were pre-sented in dramatic competitions held in honor of the Greek god Dionysus, and most were set in the past. These plays often were performed only once; and regardless of the number of characters, there were only three actors in addition to the chorus.


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text analysis workshop 343

Close ReadIn this short dialogue, what characteristics of a tragedy do you recognize?

Characteristics of TragedyThe intention of tragedy is to exemplify the idea that human beings are doomed to suffer, fail, or die because of their own flaws, destiny, or fate. As part of this tradition, Shakespeare’s tragedies share the following characteristics with the classic Greek tragedies.

Shakespearean tragedy differs somewhat from classic Greek tragedy in that Shakespeare’s works are not unrelentingly serious. For example, he often eased the intensity of the action by using the device of comic relief—a light, mildly humorous scene following a serious one.

In the following example from Macbeth, Act I, Scene 3, lines 143–147, Macbeth is expressing his thoughts, unheard by Banquo, about the witches’ prophecy that he will be king of Scotland.

Macbeth. [Aside] If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me Without my stir.Banquo. New honors come upon him,Like our strange garments, cleave not to their moldBut with the aid of use. Macbeth. [Aside] Come what come may, Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

the theme • is the central idea conveyed by the work and usually focuses on an

aspect of fate, ambition, loss, defeat, death, loyalty, impulse, or desire. Tragedies, such as Shakespeare’s Macbeth (page 348), may contain several themes.

characteristics of tragedy

the plot

• is the main character who comes to an unhappy or miserable end• is generally a person of importance in society, such as a king or a queen• exhibits extraordinary abilities but also a tragic flaw, a fatal error

in judgment or weakness of character, that leads directly to his or her downfall

• involves a conflict between the hero and a person or force, called the antagonist, which the hero must battle. Inevitably the conflict contributes to the hero’s downfall.

• is built upon a series of causally related events that lead to the catastrophe, or tragic resolution. This final stage of the plot usually involves the death of the hero.

• is resolved when the tragic hero meets his or her doom with courage and dignity, reaffirming the grandeur of the human spirit.

the tragic hero


for english language learnersLanguage: Skill Words Review these literary terms with students:• conflict, “a clash or struggle”• antagonist, “a character who opposes the

protagonist (hero)”• plot, “the series of related events that

happen in a play or other narrative”• resolution, “the part of a play or other

narrative in which problems are settled”

for advanced learners/apResearch Tragic Heroes Have students research and summarize the stories of several ancient Greek tragic heroes (for example, Achilles, Oedipus, and Agamem-non). Have students discuss how these tragic heroes may arouse pity or fear in audiences.

Characteristics of TragedyIdentifying with Tragic Heroes Emphasize that not all tragedies end with the tragic hero’s death; however, the tragic hero’s unhappy end usually involves a loss of some kind. Note, too, that although the tragic hero usually is an important person in society, the tragic flaw is not unique to the rich or powerful. Indeed, on some level, every reader or audience member identifies with the hero’s tragic flaw and therefore responds to the play itself.Set a Purpose Help students understand these main characteristics of tragedy by supplying sentences such as these to complete as they read Macbeth:• Macbeth’s tragic flaw is .• Macbeth is mainly in conflict with

because .• The catastrophe in Macbeth occurs in Act

, when .• The themes of Macbeth include .

Close Read Possible answer: One characteristic of a trag-edy is that Macbeth seems to be a person of importance, for he may become king. Another characteristic is the thematic role of Fate, for Macbeth says that “chance may crown [him].” Fate also may relate to a fatal flaw or error in judgment; that is, Macbeth may believe that he is fated to become king rather than realizing that he does not deserve the throne or that he must earn it.




Shakespeare’s Conventions of DramaThe printed text of Shakespeare’s plays, such as Macbeth, is like that of any drama. The play is divided into acts, which are divided into scenes, often marking a change in setting. The dialogue spoken by the characters is labeled to show who is speaking, and stage directions, written in italics and in parentheses, specify the setting (time and place) and how the characters should behave and speak. In addition, Shakespeare typically used the following literary devices in his dramas.

blank verseLike many plays written before the 20th century, Macbeth is a verse drama, a play in which the dialogue consists almost entirely of poetry with a fixed pattern of rhythm, or meter. Many English verse dramas are written in blank verse, or unrhymed iambic pentameter, a meter in which the normal line contains five stressed syllables, each preceded by an unstressed syllable.

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

soliloquy and asidePlaywrights rely on certain conventions to give the audience more information about the characters. Two such conventions are the soliloquy and the aside.

• A soliloquy is a speech that a character makes while alone on stage, to reveal his or her thoughts to the audience.

• An aside is a remark that a character makes in an undertone to the audience or another character but that others on stage are not supposed to hear. A stage direction clarifies that a remark is an aside; unless otherwise specified, the aside is to the audience. Here is an example from Macbeth.

Macbeth. [Aside] Glamis, and Thane of Cawdor!The greatest is behind.—[To Ross and Angus] Thanks for your pains.[Aside to Banquo] Do you not hope your children shall be kings . . . ?

dramatic ironyIrony is based on a contrast between appearance or expectation and reality. In dramatic irony, what appears true to one or more characters in a play is seen to be false by the audience, which has a more complete picture of the action. In Act One of Macbeth, dramatic irony can be found in Duncan’s words to Lady Macbeth upon his arrival at the Macbeths’ castle.

Conduct me to mine host. We love him highlyAnd shall continue our graces toward him.

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Shakespeare’s Conventions of DramaBlank Verse Read the example aloud to allow students to hear that blank verse is close to the natural rhythms of English. Explain that thoughts expressed in blank verse do not always appear as in the example—a sentence presented in one end-stopped line. Rather, a sentence can stretch across several lines and can begin or end in the middle of a line (enjambment). Shakespeare usually uses blank verse, but sometimes he departs from it into either rhymed verse or prose; in such passages, students should pause to figure out what point he may be making.Soliloquy and Aside Explain that both conventions can reveal characters’ personal-ity traits and hint at future plot events. In Shakespeare’s plays, an aside is indicated by a stage direction, but a soliloquy is not. How-ever, students can use the stage directions to tell whether a character is alone on stage; a soliloquy often will occur after a stage direc-tion that instructs the other characters to exit. In a soliloquy, the character is typically sharing his or her inner monologue with the audience. Often, the tension between the character’s words and the audience’s response reflects or heightens an internal conflict. Demonstrate an aside by asking one student to come to the front of the class. Read the definition of aside to the class while the student pretends not to hear you; then turn and address the student directly. Dramatic Irony To help students understand the concept of dramatic irony, give an example of a real-life situation in which a group is aware of something of which one member is not, such as a surprise party. The person being surprised might think that she is going out to dinner with some friends; however, the friends, as well as everyone waiting at the actual destination, know that she is about to attend a surprise party. Ask students why people enjoy throwing surprise parties. Simi-larly, why might audiences enjoy dramatic irony? Possible answer: People enjoy being in on the secret.

for struggling readersConcept Support Explain to students that Shakespeare’s plays have five acts but that the number of scenes within each act varies. In addition, point out that because students will be reading Macbeth instead of seeing it performed, they should pay close attention to the stage directions and try to visual-ize the characters as they speak and move about on stage. (See Strategies for Reading Drama on the next page.)

for advanced learners/apCreate Blank Verse [paired option] Have pairs work together to write several lines of blank verse. Give them a topic, or allow them to choose their own. Remind stu-dents that although the meter should be a consistent iambic pentameter, there is no rhyme scheme. Have students mark their verses as in the example; then invite pairs to share their lines with the class. Discuss the process of writing blank verse and the chal-lenges that a writer might face.


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Close ReadWhat do these lines of the witches’ dialogue suggest about the conflict that will occur in the play? What might be the result, or resolution, of the conflict?

Duncan is sure of Macbeth’s loyalty and says that he will continue to honor Macbeth with marks of his favor. However, the audience knows that Macbeth is planning to murder Duncan to increase his own power. The audience recognizes the irony of Duncan’s trusting remarks.

foreshadowing Foreshadowing is a writer’s use of hints or clues to suggest what events will occur later in a work. In Act One, Scene 1, the witches’ dialogue opens the play with clues as to what is to come.

First Witch. When shall we three meet again?In thunder, lightning, or in rain? Second Witch. When the hurly-burly’s done, When the battle’s lost and won.Third Witch. That will be ere the set of sun. First Witch. Where the place? Second Witch. Upon the heath. Third Witch. There to meet with Macbeth.

Shakespearean LanguageThe English language in which Shakespeare wrote was quite different from today’s. As you read a Shakespearean play, pay attention to the following.

unfamiliarvocabulary

Shakespeare’s vocabulary included many words no longer in use (like seeling, meaning “blinding”) or words with meanings different from their meanings today (like choppy meaning “chapped”). Shakespeare also coined new words, some of which (like assassination) have become a permanent part of the language.

unusual word order

Shakespeare often puts verbs before subjects, objects before verbs, and other sentence parts in positions that now seem unusual. For instance, Lady Macbeth says, “O, never shall sun that morrow see!” instead of “O, that morrow shall never see the sun!”

In Shakespeare’s day, people still commonly used the pronouns thou, thee, thy, thine, and thyself in place of forms of you. Verb forms that are now outdated were also in use—art for are and cometh for comes, for example.

grammatical forms

shakespearean language

strategies for reading drama

1. Look over the opening cast of characters to familiarize yourself with the characters, their titles, and their relationships.

2. Study the plot summary and stage directions at the beginning of each scene. Try to develop a mental picture of the setting.

3. Pay attention to labels indicating who is speaking and to stage directions.

4. To get a better sense of what the dialogue might sound like, try reading some of it aloud.

Text Analysis Workshop


Foreshadowing Discuss in what ways writers can give hints and clues that foreshadow events. In the example, Shakespeare describes bad weather and uses words like battle to foreshadow a coming problem. Call on volun-teers to explain examples of foreshadowing from stories that they have read or movies that they have seen.

Close Read Possible answer: There will be a conflict that involves Macbeth and that will be set in motion soon. The witches may know what the conflict is; they also may know in what way Macbeth will figure in its resolution.

Shakespearean LanguageShakespearean Language Remind students that their reading in Unit 1 has helped them to become familiar with an older style of English. To give students practice navigating outdated or difficult vocabulary, have them read the witches’ dialogue and the example sentence offered in UNUSUAL WORD ORDER. Ask students to use a Two-Column Chart to record difficult words and their potential meanings.

Outdated/Difficult Word

Meaning

hurly-burly(’s) turmoil(’s)

ere before

heath a tract of wasteland

morrow tomorrow; morning

BEST PRACTICES TOOLKIT—TransparencyTwo-Column Chart p. A25

for struggling readersRewrite Sentences [paired option] Have pairs of students reread the example of BLANK VERSE on page 344 and the final statement in the example for FORE-SHADOWING on page 345. Elicit that both of these sentences display inverted word order. Ask pairs to rewrite both sentences using contemporary English. Possible answer: I have not seen so foul and fair a day; to meet Macbeth there.

for advanced learners/apAnalyze Shakespearean Language Have students read through the first few pages of Macbeth to locate examples of different grammatical forms and structures, unusual word order, and unfamiliar vocabulary. Encourage students to rewrite the sentences with unusual word order and to use context clues to help determine the meanings of unfamiliar words. Students can check their work as you begin to read Macbeth as a class.



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