5 GREAT TRAGEDIES OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

William Shakespeare who is widely known as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's greatest drama has written around 38 plays among which, 12 of them are tragedies. And these tragic plays depict universal themes like different human behaviors, greed, vengeance, lust, etc. Shakespeare's writing style developed independently of the prevailing fashion at the time. Shakespeare used an extremely stylized kind of meter called iambic pentameter, which has ten syllables in each phrase with each unstressed syllable being followed by a stressed syllable. 

Hence, it’s very inevitable to explore these works of the honorable writer. This article suggests the very significant tragedies of William Shakespeare-

1. Hamlet

2. King Lear

3. Julius Caesar

4. Macbeth

5. Othello.

 1. Hamlet

‘Hamlet' is one of the great tragedies of English literature penned by the ‘Bard of Avon’, William Shakespeare. Even though, it is popular as ' Hamlet’, the original title of the play is ‘The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark’ which was written between 1599 and 1602. It is the story of a prince named ‘Hamlet’ who revenged against the killer of his father. The attainments earned by the play, ‘Hamlet’ are innumerable. ‘Hamlet’ was Shakespeare's most popular play during his life span and it is one of his most performed plays that has welcomed various and critical aspects. This play is a beautiful piece that introduces some astounding concepts including betrayal, love, and retaliation. The play is mostly focused on King Hamlet's murder, or better yet, death. Hamlet is centered on ideas of intense vengeance, and psychological issues that are comparable to insanity, and it depicts the political and ethical corruptions of the day.

2. King Lear

 This royal tragic play by Shakespeare was authored in 1605 or 1606 and it has been staged thousands of times around the world. King Lear portrays the story of King Lear who was flattered by his two elder daughters. Thus, he handed over his kingdom and finally had to face their ingratitude which turned the King into a lunatic. This play holds the themes of power, loyalty, mental breakdown, and family relationships. Shakespeare’s depiction of human nature makes the play noteworthy and relevant. Both family dynamics and political power are major themes in King Lear. Lear, who is both a father and a king, sends not just himself and his family but also all of Britain into anarchy and brutality when he cedes his power to the undeserving and evil Goneril and Regan.  Lear gains a fundamental understanding of the significance of permission. He is aware that he cannot unilaterally control the course of their interactions. Instead, when he says, "I will kneel," he respects Cordelia's agency and autonomy by acknowledging that it was her decision to seek his blessing.

 3. Julius Caesar

In a tragedy, Julius Caesar portrays the tale of an upright hero who makes multiple grave judgment errors by misreading people and situations, resulting in his own demise and vicious civil war that destroys his country. Julius Caesar which is a political play is an ideal book for the ones who love history and have fervor for language. The playset in ancient Rome portrays the early death of the cold historical man, Julius Caesar who was killed by Brutus. The ancient English employed in the play might be difficult for modern English users as it was published in the late 16^th century. Even though the readers may not get enough time to become acquainted with Caesar, the other characters like Mark Antony and Brutus complete the overly dramatic play. The moral lesson in this play is to never undersell your abilities. You must have faith in your own abilities if you want to be a leader. Caesar never seemed to be lacking in this.

 4. Macbeth

 The Tragedy of Macbeth is the shortest tragedy of Shakespeare popularly known by its shortened name ‘Macbeth’. This story presents the story of a Scottish general, Macbeth who got a prophecy from three witches that he will become the Scottish ruler. This revelation makes him have a terrible kill with the assistance of his wife. Finally, this cruel deed lead to a civil war and thus tossed Macbeth and his wife into the torment of death and insanity. The deep insights that Shakespeare delivers through this play are remarkable that one should not overindulge in delusions and fantasies that can eventually lead us into our own mishaps. The two primary characters of the play, Macbeth, give the play's central theme—the carnage caused when ambition is unfettered by moral restraints—its most potent expression. Macbeth is a valiant Scottish general who has a strong desire for power and advancement but is not inherently disposed to do evil. Even after King Duncan is killed, Macduff remains a devoted subject. He risks the safety of his family out of love for Scotland in order to gather an army and overthrow Macbeth's despotic tyranny. Macbeth murders his wife and his little children. After a struggle, Macduff beheads Macbeth to finish the job.

 5. Othello

‘Othello, the Moor of Venice, tragedy in five acts’ is the full title of the classic play ‘Othello’ penned by William Shakespeare. Although Othello is typically regarded as the play's protagonist, he doesn't always embody the "hero" during the course of the narrative. His life is much more complicated than that, just like his portrayal of himself. This play that traverses through the themes like racial enmity, passion, jealousy, and betrayal is presented in a simplified plot and well-arranged events. The Moorish general, Othello was misled by the antagonist, Iago that Desdemona, Othello’s wife is in a love affair with his associate, Cassio. This infuriated Othello and slaughtered Desdemona. Later, he got the revelation of the manipulation and betrayal behind it.

 Shakespeare was clever and wise enough to appropriate themes and narratives from many of the plays of the day and improve them with better poetry. Additionally, he handled light and dark, speed changes, and the balance of right and wrong with greater skill and insight into the sentiments and motivations of the characters. These 5 greatest tragedies of William Shakespeare can give you a clear-cut revelation of human nature and the mishaps due to it.