Essay on Hamlet and Macbeth Analyzed as Aristotelian...

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Aristotle’s Poetics is considered the guide to a well written tragedy; his methods have been used for centuries. Aristotle defines a tragedy as â€Å"an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of a certain magnitude†¦ in the form of an action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions† (House, 82). The philosopher believes the plot to be the most vital aspect of a tragedy, thus all other parts such as character, diction, and thought stem from the plot. Aristotle affirms, â€Å"the principle of tragedy – the soul, if you like – is the plot, and second to that the characters† (Whalley, 27). William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Macbeth essentially adhere to this†¦show more content†¦His action is premeditated and is aggravated by his human emotions, ambitions and greed. Subsequent to the action, the character is a central element in a tragedy. According to Aristotle, the character â€Å"must be true to life† and â€Å"natural† and is supposed to be a perfect person to whom the audience can still relate (House, 91). Hamlet is a wealthy prince, however he deals with the problems similar to the common man. He is confused, paranoid, and angered about the circumstances surrounding the death of his father. He is also unsure of himself and how he should handle the situation. His inability to act on his father’s extortion has him reluctant to kill King Claudius. Hamlet’s lack of confidence and anxiety is evident at the end of Act 1, Scene 5 when he cries, â€Å"The time is out of joint. O cursed spite, that I was ever born to set it right† (190-191). The audience can relate to this uncertain feeling and they are able to empathize with Hamlet. Aristotle also describes the tragic character as a person â€Å"of a certain kind or quality; that, if part of the horror is seeing a man broken, it must be a strong man† (Whalley, 25). At the onset of the play, Macbeth is returning from suppressing a revolt against King Duncan in an engagement in which he fights with great valor. However once his ambitions take over, his strength is diminished. Macbeth is