œ Analyzing Hamlet as a Tragic Hero �

ülist for Tragic Heroes

(Answer each question based on the character of Hamlet as you complete the rest of the handout)

1. Possesses the potential for greatness	Yes No
2. Seems doomed to fail	Yes No
3. Is trapped in a situation where he/she cannot win	Yes No
4. Makes a tragic error	Yes No
5. Falls from greatness but wins a moral victory	Yes No
6. His/her spirit lives on	Yes No

Hamlet’s Background: - Who is he? - Where does he live? - What is he doing when the play starts?	Specific support from text (include line numbers):
What is Hamlet’s dilemma, or main problem, as the play progresses? - also make note of other/smaller problems either connected to, or separate, from main problem	Specific support from text (include line numbers):
How does Hamlet try to solve this problem/ these problems? - Does he act swiftly and surely, or - Does he hesitate, or wait, before he does anything? - List specific actions and how he performs them:	Specific support from text (include line numbers):
What is Hamlet’s “tragic flaw?” - Is there a problem with his behavior or actions that pervades his character (that he repeats in different situations)?	Specific support from text (include line numbers):
At the end of the play, is Hamlet an admirable character, or not? - Why or why not?	Specific support from text (include line numbers):

� Now, think of a character from a book you have read for your own enjoyment, or a movie you have seen, and determine if the main protagonist is also a tragic hero, using the questions from the first chart above as a guide. Send me your findings, writing no less than a paragraph, and no more than a page.

1. Possesses the potential for greatness	Yes No
2. Seems doomed to fail	Yes No
3. Is trapped in a situation where he/she cannot win	Yes No
4. Makes a tragic error	Yes No
5. Falls from greatness but wins a moral victory	Yes No
6. His/her spirit lives on	Yes No