Hamlet as a Tragic Hero The Webster dictionary defines tragedy as, “a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror.†(Webster Dictionary) So a tragic hero is a character who goes through a conflict and suffers catastrophically as a direct result of his choices. You will see throughout this story that the character Hamlet is a clear example of Shakespeare’s tragic hero. Shakespeare wrote the play so Hamlet would be very dynamic, so he shows an array of good and bad characteristics throughout the play. When he is first brought into the story in Act I- Scene 2, you see Hamlet being a nice, sensitive young prince who is grieving the death of his father, who was King. His dad’s death was a surprise to Hamlet and the whole city. He was asleep in his garden and a “snake†poisoned the King.
