This idea, established in section II of Poetics, calls for the "good" characters to be overly good and "bad" characters exceedingly bad. ... This allows the audience to empathize with the character rather than being shocked by the action. ... His fortune changes from the ultimate measure of wealth to the lowest measure of despair. ... Aristotle's reasoning is that direct narration takes away from the character development as well as the plot itself. ... The emotional quest is alien to Homer's characters because of the Greek's lack of true belief in one supreme being, as ev...

• Word Count: 1240
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Bosola's character is next only to that of the Duchess in interest and significance. He is one of the most complicated and complex of the male characters of our dramatist. According to Shelling, " He remains the most consummate character in "The Duchess of Malfi." ... He is an intelligent, sensitive, and "melancholic" man who is said to have a measure of native goodness. ... At his first entrance, however, the most striking thing about him is not his reputedly violent character but his brooding over disparity between merit and reward. ...

• Word Count: 570
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

In the plays, Oedipus and Antigone, by Sophocles, the character Creon best portrays a tragic hero as defined by Aristotle. ... Secondly, having a noble character and dignified stature are key components to a true tragic hero. To be noble in character is to possess outstanding qualities. Creon best demonstrates his noble character when confronted with a fate that is far to unbearable unless he changes his command and admit his wrong doings. ... Most importantly is the measure of tragedy a tragic hero endures through his life. ...

• Word Count: 785
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The tragic flaw dooms the character to a ruinous end. ... Creon causes the corruption of Thebes by trying to measure his powers with the powers of the Gods, for which Teiresias foreshadows a tragic ending. ...

• Word Count: 514
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Orlando approaches Oliver with defiance and a confrontational attitude, arousing the audiences interest at this quarrel, and establishing his character: assertive, honest and bold, a character that every audience will like and take an interest in. ... This scene interests an audience as it has a great variety of tone, character and action. ... He is the test or measure of genuineness, and the audience will know to look out for his opinions and views in the future. ... Another character the audience will want to look out for is the Duke. ... There are many developing plot lines to look out ...

• Word Count: 1259
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Although Macbeth admitted in II, i that his intentions are rather grave, other characters throughout the play seem to notice his violent temperament as well. ... Macbeth is even prepared to take desparate measures "or, in this case, simply bribe Banquo " in order to secure Banquo's help, as evident in Act II, i, 34-35: "If you shall cleave to my consent, when tis,/It shall make honor for you."" ... As the play progresses, a character change is noticeable in both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. ... Macbeth is therefore not a tragedy because Macbeth is a violent, self-centered char...

• Word Count: 1270
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Though not in the first class of Shakespeare's production, it stands next to them, and is perhaps the finest of his historical plays, that is, those in which he made poetry the organ of history, and assumed a certain tone of character and sentiment, in conformity to known facts, instead of trusting to his observations of general nature or to the unlimited indulgence of his own fancy. ... When we examine "Antony and Cleopatra" the background of the play (the translation of Plutarc's work) is easily noticed for the plot of the play also remains close to North's history although ...

• Word Count: 1424
• Approx Pages: 6

The stories reveal a fatal error in judgement and a character flaw, which causes their downfall, suffering and enlightenment. ... A person's character is what an individual is made of and what we judge each and every person by. Lear posses a tragic character flaw of egotism. ... Lear measures his personal wealth in terms of possessions. ... Lines, Circles, schemes, letters, and characters! ...

• Word Count: 1747
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

MACBETH Macbeth is presented as a mature man of definitely established character, successful in certain fields of activity and enjoying an enviable reputation. We must not conclude, there, that all his volitions and actions are predictable; Macbeth's character, like any other man's at a given moment, is what is being made out of potentialities plus environment, and no one, not even Macbeth himself, can know all his inordinate self-love whose actions are discovered to be-and no doubt have been for a long time- determined mainly by an inordinate desire for some temporal or mutable g...

• Word Count: 2254
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate