Elizabethan Tragedy

1. ELIZABETHAN
TRAGEDY
Maria José Perilla
Carolina Ochoa
Valentina Villarreal

2. Context
It describes the type of tragedy that may be applied to
Shakespeare´s writing.
Shakesperean Tragedy: The hero must always
contribute in some way to this downfall and the resulting
tragedy.
The heroes are described as great exceptional people.
People of high degree and of public importance.These
characters are examples of mankind, but most have a
least one tragic flaw, which leads them to their downfall.

3. Time
Started in England
XVIth Century
1558-1603

4. Structure
Act one: outlines the situation, introduces the
main characters and begins the action
(exposition)
Act two: continues the action and introduces
complications (development)
Act three: the crisis or climax, a change of
direction occurs or understanding is precipitated.
Act four: further developments leading to part
five.
Act five: the final crisis of action or revelation
and resolution are explained.

5. Women weren´t allowed to act on stage until long
after the Elizabethan Era, some female parts
were played by boys or men dressed like
women.
Elizabethan tragedy death with heroic themes:
usually centering on a great personality that is
destroyed by his own passion and ambition.
The comedies often satarized the fops and
gallants of society.
Spectacle

6. Action
Shakespeare´s general plan of tragedy is to
show one set of forces advancing, in secret or
open opposition to the other to some decisive
success, and then driven downward to defeat by
the reaction to provoke.
Surpassed the limits of known drama- European
theater and the classical drama of ancient
Greece and Rome, by portraying complex
political, psychological, and historical themes.

7. Space
The scenery that they used for the act was from
the very simple things to very luxurious and old
concisious things.
The new kind of drama was more professional
and commercial performed by employed
actor/writer who travelled the country.
They theatre could change depending of the
seasons.
The most common one, was the round one,
denominated the Globe

8. The rich people where located in the botton part
and the low class people down.
Rich people had the advantage of watch the play
seated while the others had to remain standing
all the time.
The use of animals was a way of entertaining the
audience during the intermission.
In the play they used ropes for the stage.

10. Theatricality
It´s a device whereby a play comments on itself,
drawing attention to the literal circumstances of
its own production.
It is reflected in the presence of the audience or
the fact that the actors are actors.
William Shakespeare´s works reflect
Theatricality.

11. Soliloquy
Device used in drama in which a character expresses
his thoughts and feelings aloud, to himself or herself,
while either alone upon the stage or with the other
actors keeping silence.

12. Characteristics
They confirm what the audience or reader does
know about the character.
Written in blank verse of unparalleled variety,
invention and rhythmic flexibility
Suggestive of the changing moods of the
speakers
They mostly contain imagery for revealing the
character’s struggles or moods

13. HAMLET: To be, or not to be, - that is the question
Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that luck
throws your way, or to fight against all those troubles
by simply putting an end to them once and for all?
Dying, sleeping—that’s all dying is—a sleep that ends
all the heartache and shocks that life on earth gives
us—that’s an achievement to wish for. To die, to
sleep—to sleep, maybe to dream…
Example

14. Blank verse and iambic
pentameters
Balnk verse: literary device defined as an un-
rhyming verse written in iambic pentameter. The
intention of using it is to produce a formal
rhythmical pattern that creates musical effects
and capture the attention of listeners or readers.
Iambic pentameter: the most common meter in
English verse. It consists of a line ten syllables
long that is accented on every second beat. It
means there is an ustressed syllable followed by
a stressed syllable (iam); the line has five of this
“feet”.

15. Example
But, woe is me, you are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former
state,
That I distrust you. Yet, though I
distrust,
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing
must…
(Hamlet by William Shakespeare)

16. Aside
Dramatic device in which a brief comment is
spoken privately, the other characters can’t hear
it and they are most of the time directed to the
audience. It shows the charecter’s other face.
CHARACTERISTICS:
Were not ment simply to reveal the inner feelings
of the character.
Showed some consciousness of the audience, to
whom they were addressed.

17. SHYLOCK:
How like a fawning publican he looks!
I hate him for he is a Christian,
But more for that in low simplicity
He lends out money free and brings down
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our sacred nation, and he rails,
Even there where merchants most do
congregate,
On me, my bargains and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!
BASSANIO:
Shylock, do you hear?
The merchant of Venice Act 1, scene 3

18. Monologue
In theather, it is presented by a single
character, most often to express their mental
thoughts aloud, to the audience. They can be
in a dramatic or non-dramatic media, such as
poetry.

19. They were spontaneous
They revealed the characters thoughts towards
another character or a situation
They made the audience question and analyze the
personality of each character
They could be funny or dramatic
Monologue
Chacteristics

20. Greek VS Elizabethan
Drama
CRITERIA GREEK ELIZABETHAN
Unity and variety There is only one
story told (main plot),
which the audience
recognize.
There is a main plot,
but inside of it, there
are more stories;
sometimes related,
sometimes not.
Characters Great characters:
military generals,
royalty or Gods’s
children.
Few characters with a
chorus.
A huge variety of
characters, including
fairies or even ghosts.
Many people acted in
the same play.

21. CRITERIA GREEK ELIZABETHAN
Subject
Matter
Plays were political or
religious.
Stories or myths that the
audience already knew.
Focussed on the story’s
moral and ethics.
Many sources of
inspiration.
Stories of private
individuals, lovers, kings
and nobles.
Mixed comedy and
tragedy in one play.
Staging Performed at religious
festivals in large
outdoors amphitheaters.
Large stages and
audience.
Frequent use of masks
Performed in contryards
and in more permanent
structures, such as The
Globe.
Smaller stages.
Use of customes and
wigs, not so much masks.

22. Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmAyoJ5vygc