There are many elements that a play needs to qualify it as a tragedy, Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, includes the elements necessary, making it one of his many tragic plays. In order for a play to be a tragedy it must include all the elements of Shakespearean Tragedy, which are; having a tragic hero/tragic flaw, including internal and external conflict, humorous relief, supernatural incident, revenge motif, and chance happening. A play can still be a tragedy even if it doesn't use any of the Shakespearean Tragedy elements. The play can build itself upon another suitable definition of tragedy, for example Aristotle's. Aristotle defines tragedy to be "an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of certain magnitude; in language embellished with each kind of artistic ornament, the several kinds being found in separate parts of the play; in the form of action, not of narrative; through pity and fear effecting the proper purgation of these emotions." Shakespeare uses Aristotle's methods, which are encompassed all in Hamlet.
Although there are some aspects of poetics that Shakespeare does not follow of Aristotle's, however the elements of Shakespearean Tragedy still affect the audience in the desired manner. Aristotle states that tragedy is "an imitation of an action that is serious, complete, and of certain magnitude." Hamlet's character fits this very well. The whole play centers around his quest to avenge his father's death. This is a serious action which all begins when Hamlet is told to gain revenge on his uncle by the ghost of his father, /"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder,/". Hamlet is able to avenge his father's death by killing his uncle, King Claudius. Shakespeare also follows Aristotle's idea of tragedy being of a certain magnitude. The idealist view on characters in a play is that they are supposed to be the most perfect people, so the audience can relate to them.
