Literary Elements in The Tragedy of Hamlet

a dramatic work that presents

the downfall of a dignified character who is involved in historically,
morally, or socially significant events.
a great or virtuous character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall,
suffering, or defeat:
-Hubris: excessive pride
-Hamartia: a tragic error of judgment that results in the hero's downfall.
-Peripeteia: the hero's experience of a reversal of fate due to his error in judgment.
...
-Anagnorisis: the moment in the story when the hero realizes the cause of his
downfall.
hero’s downfall occurs because of a character weakness, error in judgment, or
circumstances out of his or her control
events in a tragic plot are set in motion by the character’s moral
weakness, error in judgment, or inability to cope with uncontrollable
circumstances. Succeeding events are linked in a cause-and-effect
relationship that leads to a disastrous conclusion, usually death.
Hundreds of years ago in Denmark, Prince
Hamlet returns home from school to attend
the funeral of his father, King Hamlet. He then
discovers his mother, Gertrude, has married his
dead father’s brother, Claudius.
Shakespeare’s tragedies have complex plot structures. Critics often refer to distinct
stages of a dramatic plot, such as the exposition, where the characters and setting
are introduced, and the rising action, where conflicts arise and suspense builds.
The rising action leads to a climax, or turning point, where the outcome of the
central conflict becomes clear. Events that follow in the falling action result in the
final outcome, or resolution. In Shakespeare’s plays, these stages often blend into
one another, and a play can have more than one climax.
a character whose traits contrast with another character
a struggle between opposing forces. In tragic drama, conflict often has deadly
consequences. The most obvious conflict is external, involving struggles between
the main character and opponents.
a long speech in a play in which a character talks to himself or herself. The
character is alone onstage or unaware of the presence of others. Soliloquies help
develop characters by revealing their motivations and inner conflicts. They can also
express themes and hint at actions to come. Shakespeare uses a variety of
techniques in his soliloquies.
an expression designed to call something to mind without mentioning it explicitly;
an indirect or passing reference.
a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to
which it is not literally applicable for the sake of a comparison.
a figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a
different kind using the words like or as.
the attribution of a personal nature or human characteristics to something
nonhuman, or the representation of an abstract quality in human form.
 Literary Elements in The Tragedy of Hamlet
visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work, especially
with the details coming from one or some of the 5 senses

a statement that seems contradictory, impossible to exist at the same time, but
actually reveals an element of truth
the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words
a story, poem, or picture that can be interpreted to reveal a hidden meaning,
typically a moral or political one.
is a plot device used when a seemingly unsolvable conflict or impossible problem is
solved by the sudden appearance of an unexpected person, object, or
event…usually supernatural
when we expect one thing, but get the opposite outcome instead
Ethos, pathos, logos

the feeling created in the reader. This feeling is the result of both the tone and
atmosphere of the story
a releasing of emotional or other tension resulting from a comic episode
interposed in the midst of serious or tragic elements in a story or drama

Imagery Plot Alliteration

Paradox Conflict Tragic plot

Tragic hero Tragic Drama Allegory

Simile Allusions Situational and Verbal Irony

Tragic Flaw Metaphor Mood

Setting of the play Personification Soliloquy

Rhetorical Devices Deus Ex Machina Comic Relief

Character types: FOIL