The tradition of literature includes many genres. One of the oldestand most important of these genres is tragedy; one of the foremostElizabethan tragedies in the canon of English literature is Hamlet byWilliam Shakespeare and one of the earliest critics of tragedy isAristotle. One way to measure Shakespeare's work is to appraise it usingthe methods of classical critics and thereby to see how if it would haveretained its meaning. Hamlet is one of the most recognizable and most oftenquoted tragedies in the all of English literature. Aristotle, is concernedwith the proper presentation of tragic plays and poetry. Aristotle definestragedy as: "...a representation of an action that is worth serious attention,complete in itself, and of some amplitude; in language enriched by avariety of artistic devices appropriate to the several parts of theplay; presented in the form of action, not narration; by means of pityand fear bringing about the purgation of such emotion. (Aristotle 38 -9) Shakespeare uses character, plot and setting to create a mood of disgustand a theme of proper revenge, as opposed to fear and pity, hence Aristotlewould have disapproved of Hamlet. It is the above mentioned elements;character, plot and setting, used in a non-Aristotelian way, that makesHamlet work as a one of the English language's most renown tragedies. By proper revenge we refer to the Elizabethan view that revenge mustbe sought in certain cases, for the world to continue properly. This is themain plot of Hamlet. In Poetics, Aristotle defines for us, the element ofplot and shows us how he believes it must be put together. He also believesin various unities which he states are necessary for a proper tragedy.Aristotle believes in what he calls "Unity of plot" (Aristotle 42 - 3).This "Unity" leaves no room for subplots, which are crucial to the theme ofHamlet. Without the subplot of Laertes' revenge and the subplot ofFortinbras' revenge, we are left with a lugubrio...
