ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -A. C. Bradley saw Shakespearean tragedy characterized by the “tragic flaw, ” the internal imperfection in the hero that brings him down. His downfall becomes his own doing, and he is no longer, as in classical tragedy, the helpless victim of fate.

Detailed explanation-2: -Shakespeare believes in fate element but he considers the man responsible for his prosperity as well as fall or decay. In his tragedies find that he believes in “Character is Destiny” i.e. the character himself is responsible for his doom, which we call tragic flaw or fatal flaw.

Detailed explanation-3: -“Character is destiny, ” is a quote attributed to the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus. This quote implies that destiny, or fate, is not a predetermined outside force, but that one’s future, or destiny, is determined by his own inner character.

Detailed explanation-4: -However, though chance events are there, the over-all feeling we get on seeing Hamlet is that the tragedy is primarily due to character. Character is Destiny. Hamlet by nature is prone to thinking. He analyses his action and sees whether there is justice in it or not.