Acknowledgements

This thesis could not be finished without the assistance of my teachers in

foreign language Department, my family and friends.
Firstly, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor_
MA. Le Thi Thuy Ha, whose lectures of English literature attracted me so much,
led me to the decision of choosing English comments on each single unit of this
thesis, similarly she gave me her indispensable assistance, excellent suggestions,
expert advice and detailed comments as well as invaluable encouragement.
I own a special debt of gratitude to MA. Tran Ngoc Tuong, who helped
initiate the idea for my thesis, giving me his essential contributions and varied
experience in doing literature research.
I would like to express my truthful thanks to all the teachers of English at
the foreign language Department and the directorial Board for giving the
opportunity to do this thesis.
And finally, I want to thank to my beloved family, my friends who help
and encourage me so much during the process of studying this thesis.

1
 Table of contents
Acknowledgement
Table of contents
Part A: Introduction
1. The rationales of choosing the theme
2. The aims of the study
3. Research questions of the study
4. The objectives of the thesis
5. The methods of the study
6. The scope of the thesis
7. The format of the study
Part B. Development
Chapter 1. Background
1.1. England in the Renaissance
1.1.1. What is Renaissance?
1.1.2. What is meant by "Renaissance"?
1.2. William Shakespeare
1.2.1. Life and work
1.2.1.1. Life
1.2.1.2. Work
1.2.2. Hamlet and Othello
1.2.2.1. Hamlet
1.2.2.1.1. The brief summary of the play
1.2.2.1.2. The source of the play
1.2.2.1.3. The characters in the play
1.2.2.1.4. The setting of the play

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 1.2.2.2. Othello
1.2.2.2.1. The brief summary of the play
1.2.2.2.2. The source of the play
1.2.2.2.3. The characters of the play
1.2.2.3.4. The setting of the play
Chapter 2. The tragic and heroic in society, in literature and in
Shakespeare’s plays
2.1. Definition of the tragic
2.1. Definition of the heroic
Chapter 3. The tragic and heroic in Hamlet and Othello by Shakespeare
3.1. The tragic and heroic in Hamlet
3.1.1. The tragic described in pessimistic and melancholic Hamlet and
miserable and hopeless Ophelia
3.1.2. The heroic reflected in daring and brave Hamlet and chaste, warm-
hearted and sympathetic Ophelia
3.2. The tragic and heroic in Othello
3.2.1 The tragic through loss of belief and down- spirited and tragic
person
3.2.2. The heroic through chivalrous and brave Othello and beautiful,
courage and believable Desdemona
Part C. Conclusion
Reference books
Suggestion for further studies

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 Part A. Introduction
1. The rationales of choosing the thesis
When I was a child, I was very interested in learning Vietnamese
literature, especially when becoming a student, I have a good opportunity to
approach English literature, I feel that this subject is very exciting and it makes
me curious. So the study is a lucky chance for me to know and to discover the
new things in the literature deeply.
Besides, in the process of studying English, I usually have a lot of
difficulties in understanding the English literature. From this, it is the impetus
for my effort to discover this subject.
Moreover, literature is truthful inflection of social life, each period in
history of English literature is always expressed the society and people truthfully
and objectively in difficult aspects of life by writers. I like to study English
history, especially, England in the Renaissance of typical writer- William
Shakespeare. Thanks to his plays, I understand clearly about his Age of social
life.
All the above things are main rationales for choosing my graduation
thesis.
2. The aims of the thesis
The first aim of my study is to understand more clearly about English
literature, especially English literature in the Renaissance.
The second aim is to know more about Shakespeare’s life and his career,
his attitude and his contribution to English Renaissance literature and understand
more about his famous tragedies- “Hamlet” and “Othello”, including the theme
“tragic and heroic” in the plays.

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 And the last aim is not only to widen my knowledge about literary
language but also to improve my English language, too
3. Research questions of the study
- What are the tragic and heroic?
- What characters' features are the tragicand heroic expressed in two plays
"Hamlet" and "Othello"?
- How are the tragic and heroic expressed in each player in these plays?

4. The objectives of the study.

The theme “tragic and heroic” in the plays of Shakespeare will introduce in this
thesis.
- “Tragic and heroic” in society and literature
- “Tragic and heroic” in Othello and in Hamlet
5.The methods of the thesis
- Studying documents dealing with the thesis
- Analysis method “the theme and characters of plays”
- Making the best use of lectures on the course of English literature
- Making the best use of help of the supervisor- MA. Le Thi Thuy Ha.
6 The scope of the thesis
- Studying the Renaissance, England in the Renaissance
- Studying Shakespeare’s life and career
- Studying the theme in Shakespeare’s plays “tragic and heroic” in
Othello and in Hamlet
7. format of the thesis
This thesis graduation consists of three main parts:
Part A. Introduction
There are sections in the introduction such as: the rationales for choosing the
theme, the aims, the scope, methods and format of the study.
Part B: Development
The Development consists of three chapters:

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 Chapter 1: “Background; what is Renaissance?; William Shakespeare”
Chapter 2: “The tragic and heroic in society, literature and in Shakespeare’s
plays; definition of the tragic; definition of the heroic”
Chapter 3: “The tragic and heroic in “Hamlet” and “Othello” by
Shakespeare; The tragic and heroic in “Hamlet”; The tragic and heroic in
“Othello”
Part C. Conclusion
Conference books
Suggestion for further studies

Part B. Development
Chapter 1. Background
1.1. England in the Renaissance
1.1.1. What is Renaissance?
According to NguyÔn Xu©n Th¬m (1997), the Renaissance is the
transitional period from the Middle Ages to the modern contemporary time, a
time which witnessed to use angel’s words “the great progressive turning point
that mankind had to far experienced, the time which called for giants and
produred giants, giants in power of thought, passion and character, in
universarity and learning...”
The Renaissance began in 14th century in Italy then spread to the rest of
Europe, the pregmented feudal society of the Middle Ages, with its agricultural
economy and church dominated intellectual and cultural life, was transformed
into a society increasingly ominated intellectual and cultural political
institutions, with an urban, commercial economy and with lay patronage of
education, music and art. Moreover, in the period, the man was always central
and the freedom of each individual was usually praised, that was essential

6
demand of each person, and was also human rights. They want to confirm their
ability before the Universe.
The Renaissance marked the beginning of capitalism through the
formation of capital holding companies that engaged in expensive and risky
trade with Russian, the Far East, and other remote trading sites. For instance, the
Muscovy Company, the East Indian company and West Indian company all.
From time to time, provided handsome profits for their investors, So London
became an ideal city for everybody throughout England and during the sixteenth
century London approximately doubled its size to 200000 inhabitants, the
Renaissance most of English population resided in rural areas. Cities were
crowded, considered dirty and often dangerous and especially, the greatest
problem was public hygience.
For change in politics, there was also not organized police force as we
conceive it today, England was, of course, a monarchy Elizabeth I come to
throne at the age of 25 on the death of the half-sister, Mary in 1558. Elizabeth
reigned until 1603, when upon her death her cousin, Jame I, who was also king
of Scotland was connected. James ruled until 1625 and was succeeded by his
Charles I. Both Elizabeth and James were relatively good monarchs. Elizabeth
was strong and certainly capable of making hard and difficult decision. However
perhaps she was a woman, she was less functionally arrogant than most of her
contemporary monarchs. Although she was Queen of England, she shared some
of her rules with parliament a body made of men chosen to represent with
various areas of England.
The Renaissance was also marked by numberous advancement in what we
could call technology. The most important, invention of printing, took place in
1455, over one hundred years before Shakespeare was born, and first came to
England in 1475, when William Caxton set up a printing press in Westminster
near Westminter Abbey. The effects of printing were widespread but not as

7
rapid as they might suppose. The percentage of people who could read and write
slowly, grew books became less expensive and more available. This will help
readers approach new books and many people could read and update news more
quickly.
1.1.2. What is meant by “Renaissance”?
According to Nguyen Chi Trung (1998), the term Renaissance, meaning
literally “rebirth” in French refers to the “discovery of the world and of man”
(Michelet). Jokob Burckhardt (a great Swiss historian) expanded on Michelet’s
conception, characterizing the Epoch of Renaissance as nothing less than the
birth of modern humanity and conciousness after a long period of ignorance and
decay. First of all “Renaissance” means not only “the discovery of the world and
the man beings” more than that, it implies “the awakening of men’s mind, the
awakening of individual spirit and secularism”
1.1.2.1. Renaissance means the revival interest in Greek and human
literature.
It is obvious that, in the middle age, people barely read and study Greek
and Rome, and the number of readers of the literature, and the number of readers
of these literatures were scholars and literary men because of unavaibility of
books. However, thanks to printing machine invention, the number of readers of
ancient writers increased greatly and the reading and studying of Greek, Roman
literatures became more interested in the amount of printed books was
widespread.
1.1.2.2. Renaissance in the discovery of the world and the human beings
New inventions and discoveries in science in the Renaissance in the
middle age, men know little about the world. In the Renaissance, however men
greatly discovered for geography and science.
In geographical field, Christopher Columbus discovered America. A
Merigo Vespucci and Vasco de Gama discovered the Phillipines, Magellan

8
traveled around the world and discovered several lands and islands. These great
geographical discoveries opened new horizons and bright prospects for
European people. They longed to discover other continents and people. In
astronomy, Nicholas Copernicus- a Polish studied the scientific writing of
antiquity and observed the universe- He included that the earth resolves around
the sun and the sun is center of the Universe.
In the scientific field, Newton discovered “law of gravity” and Galileo
invented to men’s awareness about their position and effect in society (the
human being in the Renaissance)
The human beings in the Renaissance.
In the Middle Age, men completely lost their values and position. The
church of Rome taught them that men were symbols of evils and sin, that they
were slaves in this temporary world. They lived and waited for their
emancipation from this earthly hopeless life. They lived and prepared
themselves for future life in paradise.
In the Renaissance, in contrast, men were reborn. They began to accept
this world with a much more optimistic attitude. They enjoyed their present life
and realized this earth life was beautiful and interesting that men had the right to
live and enjoy everything on the earth.
1.1.2.3 Renaissance in the awakening’s mind, the awakening of individual
spirit and secularism.
In the Middle-Ages, men depended on “God” and despised materialistic
and sexual desire. The role of individual was improved. And the development of
society depended on human ability. They had to discover the natural Universe.
And their human being ability, new luxurious life, new economic, political and
social life all created new will, eagerness in them. Spiritually, they began to lead
a revolt against the strict, cramped and austere pattern of life in the Middle-
Ages.

9
 In this age, there was also a great change in the outlook, the God –
centered thought of the Middle- Ages seemed to disappear humanism is greatly
praised. Humanists came to look on the world as a good thing in it’s not merely
a place to win salvation. Renaissance men were not more subordinated to God.
Their own strength and ability to achieve it. Men were their own guides to truth
and happiness.
1.2 William Shakespeare
1.2.1 His life.
William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564 in the small town of the
Stratford- Upon- Avon about seventy-five miles from London. He was the
greatest English playwright and poet of England as well as of the mankind. He
was the son of a well –to do merchant.
When a boy, he went to Stratford Grammar School where Latin and
Greek were almost the only subjects, life itself, contact with people and his
acquaintance with the rich English folklore gave him more than the scholartic
methods used at school. In these days, Stratford-Upon-Avon was often visited
by traveling groups of actors. It is quite possible that some performed plays by
actors impressed him.
In 1577 he left the school early when his family got into heavy debts.
Five years later, at age of 18 (he married Anne) left London then he
married Anne Hathaway by whom he had three children, Susan (1583), and the
twins Hamlet and Judith (1583). Hamlet, his only son, died and was buried at
Stratford in 1596.
In 1587, we found Shakespeare in London where he soon becomes
connected with stage, at the time, he wrote many for the company of actors who
played at the theatre. Then the new Globe Theatre was built where
Shakespeare’s plays were staged. These theatres anabled him to become a well-
known and wealthy man.

10
 In 1613, Shakespeare left London and returned to his native town of
Stratford-upon-Avon. Three years later, on April 23, 1616, he died and was
buried there.
Only in five years later in London, Shakespeare was well-known in
literary circles. He wrote 2 long poems, 37 plays and 154 sonnets only within
twenty years. He is regarded as the biggest poet, the playwright of his Age and
of his country. Many writers in his same age praised him as “the honey- tongued
poet” or “Evon river swan”...Ben Johnson, an English well-known playwright
confirmed that Shakespeare belonged not only to his age but also to eternality.
Shakespeare was known as a humanist. He is the great humanist of
England and of the world. The outstanding idea that we can see in all his works
was humanity. He was the enemy of medieval ideas, religious and racial
discrimination. He always believed in his human being’s ability to conquer the
world. In his works, he affirmed the principle of equality, the equal moral value
of people of all clauses and all races. His plays are filled with action, his
characters are believable and his language is thrilling to hear or read. Underlying
all this is Shakespeare’s deep humanity. He was a profound son and student of
people and he understood them. He had a great tolerance, sympathy, and love
for all people. He also praised the value of women in society, he believes in the
capacity of women’s minds to achieve their happiness.
1.2.2. His works
Shakespeare is the author of two long poems, 154 sonnets and 37 plays
consists of 15 comedies, 10 tragedies, 10 histories, These dramatic works are
divided into 4 periods:
1.2.2.1. The first period: 1590- 1594
The first period that lasted from 1590- 1594 was remarked by the
optimism- characteristic in history works is very humanist. It is best reflected in
his brilliant works:

11
 *The comedies:
- The comedy of Errors (1592)
- The Taming of the Shrew (1593)
- The two gentlemen of Verona (1594)
- Love’s labour’s lost (1594)
*History plays:
- King Henry IV (part II) (1590)
- King Henry VI (part II) (1590)
- The tragedy of King Richard (1590)
1.2.2.2. The second period (1594- 1600)
In this period, Shakespeare wrote the large number of history plays, also his
ability was spendidly developed, the main inspiration is still pessimistic. His
chronicles was plays written on the subject from national history Shakespeare’s
chronicle covered a period of more than hundred years of English history.
However, the main subjects of the chronicle are not the lives and fates of the
king but history itself and the development of the country. Like the humanists of
his time, Shakespeare believed a centralized monarchy to be an ideal form of the
state power. He thought it would put to the struggle of the feudal and would
create condition for the progress of the country. One of the great achievements
of Shakespeare was that in his chronicles he showed not only the kings, feudal,
and churchmen, but the lower classes, too.
- The drama: The Merchant of Venice
- The three early tragedies:
Tistus Andronius, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesa
The tragedies show a change in the playwright’s understanding of life,
whose approach to reality becomes more pessimistic.
1.2.2.3. The third period: 1601- 1608

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 The main works written by Shakespeare during the third period are some
great tragedies:
- Hamlet, prince of Denmark (1601)
- Othello, the Moor of Venice (1604)
- King Lear (1605)
- Macbeth (1605)
- Anthony and Cleopatra (1607)
- Cario Lannus (1608)
The tragedies reflect the deep, unsolvable contradictions of life, the
falsehood, injustice, and tyranny existing in society. They show people who
perish in the struggle against evil.
Also in the period, there are some plays which describe, the gulf between real
and ideal, between actual ability and human desire, between human love and
limited life. They are:
- Troilus and Cressida (1602)
- Coriolanus (1608)
- Timon of Athens (1608)
And there are two comedies: all the well that ends well (1602) and Measure
and Measure (1604). They are reflected by dark moods and skeptical attitude
towards accepted morality without offering solution.
In this period, writer’s outlook to life is changed from optimism to
pessimism. The covering of all his mind and heart is full of cloud. During the
period, he wrote great tragedies and bitter comedies which remarked the
maturity of William Shakespeare.
The tragedies, like the chronicles, are also based on real events but there
is a considerable difference between the two genres. The playwright raised great
problem of good and evil. But in the chronicles, they are mostly linked with
political themes- the question of the state and public life of period described. In

13
the tragedies which are central round the life of one man, Shakespeare touched
on cruelty, kindness, love, vanity, and others. That is why his tragedies are of
great interest of every new generation.
1.2.2.4. The forth period: 1609- 1613
This is the period of romantic plays. In the time, Shakespeare wrote both
tragedy and comedy but tragedy is dominant. But only difference from the plays
of previous period is that their ending is happier the playwright still touches
upon important social and moral problems. But now he suggests Utopian
solution to them.
Due to Age, experience of life and writing plays seem to be summed. His
writing style also has a change in the idea as well as in the outlook of art. He
still wrote to criticize the bad habits such as: greed of fame, jealousy... but he
realized that the problems were too difficult to expel. He felt powerless before
the life full of injustice.
In the period, however Shakespeare spent much time writing love stories
and praising on them. He always put his belief in the youth. Some works written
are:
- Cumbeline (1609)
- The winter’s tale (1610)
- The Tempest (1612)
- Perricles (1609)
1.2.2. Hamlet and Othello
1.2.2.1. Hamlet
1.2.2.1.1. The brief summary of the play
Opening the play is the image of ghost which looks like the late king of
Denmark. The first people who see the ghost are sentries at the castle of Elsinore
which is armed in case of attack from Fortinbras, prince of Norway. The sentries
have informed Horatio, a friend of Hamlet, to observe the ghost’s appearance at

14
every night, while Hamlet lived in melancholic state, he surprised at his father’s
death, only one month, his mother remarried with his uncle, Claudius who has
now become the king, Horatio informs Hamlet the ghost about what they see at
the castle.
At Polonius’s house, Laertes advises his sister, Ophelia that she should no
trust Hamlet and be seduced by him. Then Polonius, an adviser to the king says
goodbye to Laertes, advising him to remain a loaf from entanglements with his
fellow man. Polonius also does not allow Ophelia to meet Hamlet. If she meets
him, she has to spy and informs him about Hamlet’s sign of action that whether
Hamlet is mad or not. That night, the ghost appears again, telling Hamlet the
truth, the ghost states that it is the spirit of Hamlet’s father had been murdered
by his uncle, present king while he slept in his orchard, Claudius poured poison
in his ear and ghost urges Hamlet to set things right. It means that he has to
revenge for his father and makes his father’s death explicit but to leave his
mother’s punishment to heaven.
Polonius sends Reynaldon to spy on Laertes in France and orders Ophelia
to observe Hamlet. And then he concludes that Hamlet is mad for love for
Ophelia. The king commisions, Resencrantz and Guildenstern, friends of Hamlet
to find out what is troubling him. Polonius tries to encourage Hamlet to tell what
is bothering him, and Polonius let two friends of Hamlet interview him who
know clearly about their truth purpose. At the time, there will be troop of actors
performing for the Royal assenblage, Hamlet arranges the actors to insert their
playlet aim at seeing the king’s reaction when watching the play. He then regrets
his unability to act upon his plan of revenge.
To prevent Hamlet’s suspicion, the king orders Polonius and Ophelia
observe Hamlet’s action, now Hamlet know who murdered his father but he
mediate what course of action he should take, he does not become suspicious of
most people in the castle, even of Ophelia. He does not believe Ophelia’s love

15
for him and dismisses her to nunnery. The king is worried, so the king sends
Hamlet to England and gets rid of him on the way to England.
Soon the play is presented. Horatio is to observe the king’ reaction to it
when seeing the scene of play, the king rises and rushes away, Hamlet sees the
king at prayer. Polonius informs Hamlet that his mother, the Queen wishes to
meet him at the sitting room. And then Polonius will spy their conversation and
Hamlet’s behavior. But when discovering the Polonius joins her calls, and
Hamlet thinking he is the king, kills him with his sword. Again Hamlet tells his
thought and let his mother know the king’s plan to send him to England to get
rid of him.
When Hamlet knows the king’s plot, on the way to England, Hamlet
exchanges the king’s secret letter. Portinbras passes through Denmark to win
back the little patch of ground belonging to Poland. Hamlet observing this
expose to death and danger “even for an eggshell” is strengthened into bloody
resolution to revenge his father. Ophelia still believes in Hamlet’s love for her
and she loves him until her father death. She has gone mad and sings in
coherently of love and death. The king explained Laertes how his father came to
be killed, and incites Laertes to revenge Hamlet. The king is to prepare a
poisoned drink, which he will offer to Hamlet during the duel. The act ends with
the Queen’s report of Ophelia’s death by drowing.
Before his sister’s death, Laertes protects that more cites should be said,
but the priest refuses because Ophelia’s death was “doubtful”. Laertes, unable to
control his brief, leaps in grave and Hamlet, finally aware of who had died, also
leaps in. in fifth with sword, Hamlet urged to drink, but does not. The Queen
unvittingly drinks the poisoned wine, Laertes wounds Hamlet, the swords are
exchanged in a scuffle and Hamlet wounds Laertes. The Queen dies, Laertes
falls and denounces the king. And then Hamlet kills the king with his own

16
sword. Hamlet orders Horatio to tell his story, recommending that Portinbras be
elected king and suicides himself later.
1.2.2.1.2. The source of the play
Shakespeare’s original source of his play, the tragedy of Hamlet, prince of
Denmark was a play on the same subject attributed to Thomas Kyd and
performed in London. The plot of Hamlet borrowed from folk tale in Northern
Europe, written by Saxon Gramticus, a Denish historian. It is put together a
collection of true stories, legends and fold tales of Northern Europe. The story of
Hamlet or called “Amlethus”. According to Saxon, Amlethus is a legendary
hero from the tenth century who was locked for many years in a brutal struggle
with his enemies. His father, Horwen did married to Gerutha, the daughter of
king of Denmark. But because of jealousy, young brother of the king, furgon
seizes the throne and marries Gerutha, the son of last king, Amlethus at the time,
grows up. He decides to revenge his father’s murder. Before his father’s death
and his mother’s remarriage, he pretends to be mad. But the king is very
suspicious, he orders his close people to observe Amlethus’s action and his
suspicious uncle devises several schemes to entrap him but not succeed. The
king sends Amlethus to England to get rid of by two false friends but he knows
their plan and break down their plot, then he escapes from the death.
In England, he marries the daughter of the king. He then returns to
Denmark and revenge his father. At the big party, Amlethus waits until the
couries and Furgon were drinken, he attacks the party and kills Furgon,
revenging his former father.
1.2.2.1.3. The main characters of the play
Hamlet: The prince of Denmark
The king Hamlet: Father of the prince
Claudius: brother of the dead king
Gertruth: Hamlet’s mother

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Ophelia: the daughter of Polonius, lover of Hamlet
Polonius: the king trusted council
Laertes: son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia
Rosencrantz and Guidenstern: school friends of Hamlet
Portinbras: prince of Norway
Horatio: Hamlet’s close friend
1.2.2.1.4. The setting for the play
The play was written in complex society in 17th century when morality is
not respected and human rights are trampled.
The first thing of the play is the ghost’s appearance at night. It informs
Hamlet about the truth of his father death. The ghost wants Hamlet to revenge
for him and to set things right.
1.2.2. Othello
1.2.2.1. The brief summary of the play
Othello is the great hero in Venice. Thanks to a lot of contribution to their
country. He is always respected by Venitian people. Iago seems angry and
jealous when seeing Desdemona and Othello fall in love. He becomes envious
of their happiness. To satisfy his jealousy, he makes schemes and concludes
with Roderigo to fight against Othello.
Due to Brabanxio’s love for Othello, on time Othello visits him, being
asked to tell his stories about his feat of arm. So, his stories makes Brabanxio’s
daughter Desdemona admired. Finally she falls in love with Othello, who has
heroic and wild feat. Both of them escape to marry each other. But unluckily,
their love is interviewed by a friend of Othello- Iago. He envies their love and
wants to split the romantic happiness. To gain his aim, Iago concludes with
Roderigo, one night, Iago and Roderigo inform Desdemona’s father.
Iago spurs Roderigo to alert her father, Brabanxio to the fact that his
daughter has run off to wed Othello. Brabanxio, on hearing so calls out his men

18
on Othello. Also at the time, the news is said that the Vevice empire is going to
be attacked by Turkish army. So Othello is summoned by the senate on urgent
business to defend their country. Desdemona negates what her father says that.
She loves Othello truthfully.
The following day, Othello is sent to fight off the Turk’s attack on
Cybrus and to take over from Montanoas governor and Desdemona, Lado and
Roderigo follow Iago develops a plan to displace Cassio from his Lieutananty.
His plot is that he lets Roderigo believes that Desdemona is in love which
Cassio. At one evening, Cassio is on watch which Iago surprising, Iago invites
Cassio to drink wine. But because Cassio doesn’t drink well, Cassio is to
drunken, he is then a prime target for Roderigo who provokes him to fight the
drunken Cassio doesn’t control his actions. Othello disgraces him and demotes
him from the position of lieutanant.
Cassio is now once the victim of Lago’s villainy and yet comes to him for
admire. He wants to restore his Iago makes the use of Cassio’s wishes Iago
plans to make him twice the tool of his treachery. He recommends that Cassio
approaches Desdemona, on naive and innocent persistence. Meanwhile, Lago
ships the idea into Othello’s mind that Cassio is courting Desdemona behind his
back- Lago always creates suitable situation for Othello to see and believe his
wife is betroyed .By speaking half –jokingly. He convinces Othello to believe
his words. This idea, born of unspoken inference and delicate direction, grows in
Othello’s mind. He refuses through the final acknowledgement that he is being
cockolded until he is given “Ocular proof”. This is achieved by Lago by
procuring a handkerchief given to Desdemona by Othello. This hankerchief
leaves in Cassio’s room where Cassio finds it and gives it to him mistress to
“copy”. Not long after Othello is given his “proof” when in his company,
Cassio’s mistress returns to Cassio the hankerchief, refusing to copy it. At this

19
point in the name of honour, Othello resolves to kill Desdemona and Lago offers
to avenge him of Cassio.
Meanwhile, Roderigo becomes impatient and threatens Iago that he wants
to approach Desdemona and proclaim his love for her .If his happens ruin
Lago’s plans for his dishonesty, it would become apparent .So he tells Roderigo
that the senate has planned to install Cassio as governor of Cyprus and sends
Othello to Mauritania .Of course ,Othello brings her with him. And Roderigo
also loses her forever to prevent this, he must kill Cassio and that way Othello,
Desdemona will remain in Cyprus.
To kill both Roderigo and Cassio, Iago incites Roderigo to kill cassio
.While they are fighting, it is Roderigo. And not Cassio who is kill. Also kills
Desdemona in what he believes to be act of honour on finding her dead mistress.
Emelia realizes slowly the misapprehension under which Othello labours and
works to explain the truth of Desdemona’s innocence. In attempt to silence her,
Lago stabs Emilia. Before she dies, the full truth of the story is exposed. At that
point, Othello is very sorry and judge as to the Cencure of this hellish William,
Lago.
1.2.2.2. The source of the play.
The play “Othello” is based on the real story about the man named “The
Moor” in Venice written by Italian writer, Xintio.
The hero, the Moor respected by brave, experienced and intelligent
person, the senator’s daughter, Desdemona who is very beautiful, falls in love
with the chap .They escapes and are going to get married to each other secretly
vice-lieutenant, Iago who has ever loved Desdemona. He slanders her and he
says Desdemona is flortatious girl. And the Moor become jealousy and angry,
Iago as well as The Moor make plan with each other to kill her.
They kill her with boxes of sand until she dies. But Lago’s wife realises the truth
and she accuses him after he escapes.

20
 Obviously, the writer, Xinto tells the extraordinarily jealous story, his
wife realizes both villainy and distingusting Moor and Lago.
1.2.2.2 The main characters of the play.
- Othello: The lieutanant
- Brabantio: Desdemona’s father
- Cassio: vice- lieutanant
- Iago: lieutanant
- Roderigo: sick love person
- Emilia: Iago’s wife.
1.2.2.4 The setting of the play
The play was written in 1604 in complex situation of society (the story is
about love couple’s romantic story) where skin and racial discrimination still
exists even can lead people to misery and unhappiness. And the freedom of love
is not respected .The story is about the couple’s romantic love. They become
victims of the crucial society and tragedy of the Ages.
In short, the Renaissance has the great meaning in politic, economy,
social life, especially in England. It brings new atmosphere and outlook about
the Universe to man. The era similarly affirms human ability, value and subject
demand. In the epoch, there was the appearance of the great English writer,
Shakespeare. As can be said, the Renaissance Age has deep effect on his opinion
and writing style. What he says and writes in his works brings deeply social
meaning. He was a great humanist. In his works, he affirmed the principles of
equality, the equal value of people of all classes and races. So Hamlet and
Othello were. They of course, contributed much to his success and fame.

Chapter 2.
The tragic and Heroic in society, literature and in Shakespeare’s plays

21
2.1. Definition of the tragic
Tragedy is one of the oldest forms of drama: The origin of the tragedy is
obscure. It comes from the poetic and religious traditions of ancient Greece. Its
root may be more specialized in the chants and dances called dithyrambs, which
honoured the Greek God dinonysus. (http://nfs. Sparknotes.com/ tragedy in
literature. Html)
Tragedy “goat song” is a form of art basing on the human suffering that
offers its audience pleasure while most cultures have developed form that
provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to specific tradition of drama
that has played a unique and important role historically in the history in Western
civilization. According to Aristotle, a great Greek philosopher, tragedy is an
imitation of an action. He feels puzzled to decide these issues.
As the Uiad noted in the discussion, the word “tragedy” refers primarily
to tragedy drama: a literary composition written the performed by actors in
which a central character called a tragic potagonist or hero suffers some serious
misfortune which is not accidential and therefore meaningless, but is significant
in that the misfortune is logically connected with the hero’s action. Tragedy
stresses the vulnerability of human being whose suffering is brought on by a
combination of human and divine actions, but is generally undeserved with
regard to its hashness. The genre however, is not absolutely pessimistic.
Although many tragedies end in unhappiness for main characters, there are also
tragedies ending in happiness. It makes audience satisfactory. (http://nfs.
Sparknotes.com/ tragedy in literature. Html)
Tragedy is a word expressing different states in someone’s soul. The state
must suffer by something that they can not resolve. They become miserable,
their action of mediation becomes melancholic and skeptical whether they
decide something correctly or not.

22
 In society, tragedy is arousing owe and wonder. They are pity and fear in
everyday tragic description. According to the Exford English dictionary, tragedy
is described as “a sad event, serious action or calmity”. It must not be purely sad
as a person failed in the exam. But a “sad event depends entirely on perspective,
as Schopenhauer wrote, you can tell how difficult a person’s life is by plumbing,
their job etc, then their life is going pretty well, they focus on the mundane
problems because they do not have life threatening problems facing them. If you
can call failing a driving test for the first time a “tragedy”, then you can not have
nay overwhelming problems facing you. (http://nfs. Sparknotes.com/ tragedy in
society. Html)
Tragedy seems to be a misery of spirit. They know what happens but they
do not know how to resolve. They seem to be at standstill before the life issue.
The solution to their problems is too difficult. They fall in melancholic and
miserable state.
In literature, tragedy means an abstract concept, it appears in many
literary works and the issue discussed by scholars when they study in the literary
plays in Renaissance. It can be said tragedy in literature is thoroughly exploited
in their works by writers, especially in plays. It becomes fairly clear that tragedy
in literature is concerned with the fortunes, misfortunes and disasters the befall
people of power or position. For a tragic figure to be effective, they have to have
qualities of excellence that lift them above normal people but in the end not
enough to save them from the self destruction or general destruction that is
brought upon them.
Lack of belief and hope is a crucial, and often overwhelming, element in
most tragedies as the playwright, Anouith erote in Anigone (1744), tragedy is
restful, and the reason in that hope, the foul, deceitful thing, has no part in it.
Tragedy in literature is a protest against the “petty pace” of life, against god,
chance, fate or circumstance against “good thing” happening to good people,

23
they always have to live in horrible state. The evil often uses best chance to
attack them. Their lives may be threatened because bad things still exist every
where.
2.2. Definition of the heroic
Heroic in Greek means mythelogy and folklore, it praises the people with
the beautiful dignity. They fight against evils and sacrifice themselves for noble
ideals. Their deeds are handed down following the time. It was originally a
demigod, the offspring of a mortal and deity, their cult being one of the most
distinctive features of ancient Greek religion. (http://nfs. Sparknotes.com/ heroic
in literature. Html)
Later, heroic refers to not only a male, but also a female, came to refer to
characters that, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of
weakness, display courage and the will for self-sacrifice, that is, heroism for
some greater good, originally of material courage or excellence but extended to
more general moral excellence.
In classical antiquity, hero cults are seen in real life with heroes such as:
Heracles, Perseus, and Achilles, they played an important role in Ancient Greek
religion. Heroes in the myth often are familiar but conflict with the Gods. Thus
Heracle’s name means “the glory of Hera”, even though he was tormented all
his life by Hera, the Queen of the Gods. (http://nfs. Sparknotes.com/ heroic in
literature. Html)
Hero is appeared in myth and legend. He has great strength and courage,
favoured by Gods. In the legend, he often regarded as a half-god and worshiped
after his death.
We can see that hero is strong, great, admired and honest person, he
always embodies his idea and responsibility to the life. He is ready to help
people. Hero has extraordinary will and sacrifices his life to justice without
thinking about himself but he is still warm- hearted.

24
 In society, when we mention the word “hero” immediately thinking of
someone who is strong, intelligent, and daring upon closer examination. Many
difficult qualities than become apparent courage, honesty, bravery, selflessness
and the will to try are a few of the overlooked qualities of a hero. The definition
of heroism changes with the context and time due to different outlook to life.
Heroes of the past are necessary for heroes of present time and vice versa.
A person owns heroic as a hero for saving the life of one or of millions.
Heroes are not only real people, but also they are fantasy figures. They can do
anything simple, unless thing they do is meaningful and good for everyone. For
example, children are interested in legendary and fantasy figures because they
take on task such as: difficult journeys, challenges with dragons, discovering
lost treasure and the world nature through acts of courage and selflessness.
Heroes endure much feeling that can take a risk, often the hero learns valuable
lessons about survival and self-reliance. Not only do heroes teach valuable
lesson they give a child a sense of belonging to a child. Hero is a person who
can change the world with his extraordinary strength and will but there is
nothing preventing them.
As simply heroic is defined that the farmers can become heroes if they
live in the poorest areas of the country, but with their effort high determination
by working hard, they overcome difficulty and challenge in the life as finding a
new suitable method applying on producing agriculture, or inventing some
engines for production to enrich themselves and their country. (http://nfs.
Sparknotes.com/ heroic in society. Html).
The heroic is in a man admired for his achievements and qualities. So
runs the most it is said in open-ended dictionary definition of the hero by the
measurement, a person might be led to believing that our world teems with
heroes. They are always ready to help people regardless difficulty and challenge.
Virtue and duty, good and evil, right and wrong do not essentially enter this

25
contemporary definition. Fame is always respected and is used to define the
heroic without regard to virtue and vice. For example, in the world Almanac’s
Sixth annual polling of high school students, those asked to choose the
individuals in public life they admire most awarded Eddie Murphy the highest
hero as “to hero” (http://nfs. Sparknotes.com/ heroic in society. Html).
Traditionally, according to older definition, heroic stresses courage and
nobility as essential traits of heroism. The traditional hero lived by a code of
hero marked by a sense of the God. According to third definition, a person must
be disposed to value certain things as more important than others, so that he is
willing to take risks and endure hardship for their sake. Courage then is the
victory of will, of self-control over physical hardship when he conflicted with
danger and the possibility of death. Nobility is always more esteemed. His
destiny is decided by his opinion of life whether hero consciously concepts, his
fate is based on the statue of dignity, his responsibility is to protest his
community from enemy. This is lofty spirit of humanity.
In fact, the hero not only performs great deeds but performs them out of
worthy principle renders, his deed even more admirable- the stuff of which
legends or myths are math.
According to another definition, the hero with the great man “the central
figure in any important event or period”, the opinion of hero is as far different as
the Homeric epic and was associated in the mid- nineteeth. He can decide the
fate of country that can make the country glorious or not by different ways. The
nation absolutely depends on his actions before great event. (http://nfs.
Sparknotes.com/ heroic in society. Html).

In literature, he is the central male character in a novel, play, poem, etc.

with whom the reader or audience is supposed to sympathize or is the central
figure in any important role event or period, honoured for outstanding qualities.
It can be said that the hero is a main character, or a patagonist in the literary

26
works. He plays a vital role in the work, and can die in the end of the play
because of lofty idea, he can sacrifice his life for his community, his great deeds,
is well-known everywhere hero always has esteemed character. So hero’s
nobility and admired quality are symbol of people.
“Hero” or “heroic” is sometimes used to simply described a patagonist of
a story or a play, which can conflict with more tan human expectation of
heroism, for example, in William Thackerany’s work, Vanity Fair the hero in
the work can be understood as main character, also known as hero with great
deed, nobility. Added to another example in modern movie, hero is often simply
an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, who despite adds being
stacked against him or her, typically prevail in the end. In some action movies, a
hero may exhibit characteristics such as super human strength and endurance
that sometimes makes him nearly invincible. Hero likes adventurous life and
looks for to fight against evil, but it is more important that hero is a great
strength and courage, favored by Gods, often regarded as half-God and
worshiped after his death with lofty and nobility. We can meet the image in the
legends or folklore such as the heroes: Quaid-E-Azam Granldi, Alikhan and
Mother Therasa. The tragic hero in literature is defined as someone who is
endowed with a tragic fatal flaw that dooms him to make a serious error in
judgment. As a result of this error in judgment, the hero falls from great height
or from high esteem, realizing that he has made an irreversible mistake, then
facing and accepting a tragic death with honour, evincing pity or fear in fear the
audience. The fatal flaw is a crucial element that makes a tragic hero. He can die
for his ideal life for relative, and even for community to set things right as
characters Hamlet, Othello in Shakespeare’s works.
As above author has just presented, there are many different ideas for
definition of the tragic and heroic. It refers to mood and it is more important that
they are described human various states of spirit. To help us understand more
clearly about the issue, the tragic and heroic are fully expressed in Hamlet and
Othello by William Shakespeare.
Chapter 3.

27
 The tragic and heroic in Hamlet and Othello

3.1. The tragic and heroic in Hamlet

3.1.1. The tragic described in pessimistic and melancholic Hamlet and
miserable and hopeless Desdemona
The tragic is vividly described in the features of two characters Hamlet
and Ophelia, especially through pessimistic and melancholic Hamlet and
miserable and hopeless Ophelia.
Pessimistic and melancholic are sad states of spirit. They exist in person’s
body and mind for long time. Opening the play is image of Hamlet filled of
mood. As you know, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark was born in the Royal
family, lives in well- educated and strict family, his life is very flat without
worry or threat from external. And the opening of the play, Hamlet firstly
appears as a student at university of Wittenburg, full of optimistic humanistic
ideas. His belief in man and life make him exclaim:
“What a piece of work is a man
How noble in reason
How infinite in faculty
In form and moving how express and admirable!
In action how life an angel!
In apprehension how life a god!
The beauty of the world! The paragon of animal!”
(Act 2, Sc 2)
From the life opinion, Hamlet- the prince of Denmark lives and enjoys
himself with dream and ambition. He wants to discover himself the secular life
with filled with enthusiastic heart, because he believes in people’s ability and
strength that nothing can be not done and men were their own guides to truth
and happiness. So Hamlet would like to spend all his love for life and people.

28
Hamlet becomes a beloved boy with transparent, natural soul. For him, how
happy the life! Because of his happy family and couple love.
This is the young man with dream and ambition he pursues. He is really
optimistic, the secular life in his eyes is the heaven in the earth. People around
the world are very kind and helpful. For example, his father he always respects
and admires because of his nobility and quality.
But that is past Hamlet and now everything changes. Happiness means to
disappear from the prince’s thought. The good side of life according to him
seems not to exist. Instead, evil is everywhere. The young prince is too surprised
and grieved after knowing the news of his father’s death, he has a shock and
does not believe in his eye, because “he is a man, take him for all in completely”
(Act 2 Sc 1), his beloved father is often very well. He however, leaves his life
suddenly. He turns alone among the pace of indifferent life. His suffering
reaches climax when seeing his mother’s hasty remarriage to his uncle,
Claudius. She becomes different from him, the Queen seems to be cold and
regardless to her son. On the other hand, nobody shares his feeling, so he is
lonelier. In addition, the more he loves his father, the angrier he turns, informing
about the truth of his father death after the ghost is spirit of the last king. He, on
the one hand respects what the ghost said. Seeing his mother’s happiness, he has
pity for his former father. From this contradiction, it makes him miserable and
melancholic. His hesitance and mediation is like a complicated person. We see
that Hamlet is a person with different qualities. At any when he says, he always
reveals different thought that makes audience curious. His conversation with
people around is also full of secret. Because of his love for the family and his
loyalty for his former father, in his eyes, the world has collapsed. So the
audience may see he is always lonely, depressed and insane. Hamlet can not
share his feeling with anyone since it is an extraordinary story. It is proved, at

29
the first time, Hamlet does not want to meet the ghost but due to Horatio’s
encouragement and his odd, he is determined to see the ghost:
“If it assumes my noble father’s person,
I will speak to it, though hell itself should gap and bid me, hold my peace”
(scene II).
Hamlet really has the great love for his father. Supposing that we stay
from home, receiving the news of anyone’s death in our family as father. This
situation is enough to bring disappointment, brief to us, even person with the
strongest will, it is difficult to overcome the misery. A prince much less, the
sentimental person who has great love for father like Hamlet.
All people around in the play, Hamlet is a devoted to the memory of his
beloved father when the former King died, his life has a complete change. Now
he is not the student with dream and ambition. He does not think any thing but
his father death. All people are busy for the Queen’s wedding and forget the
king’s death quickly, especially the Queen, Gerthude. Regardless people’s
advice that he should forget the misery for the happy future and stop wearing
black clothes, he still dressed the head to toes in black. The present king and
Queen hate seeing him look so sad. Hamlet also tries to remind them of his
father death but they want to forget and prepare their new happiness as wedding:
“How is it that clouds still hang on you!
Hamlet: Not so, my lord; I am too much in the sun
King Queen: Good Hamlet, cast thy knighted colour off
And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark
Do not for ever with thy vailed lids,
Seek for thy noble father in the dust
Thow know’s st’ tis common, all lives must
Passing through nature to eternity
(Act 1, Sc 2)

30
 His mother says that his grief seems to be common, Hamlet replies:
“Seems, madam? Nay it is, I know not “seem”
‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother
Nor customary suits of solemn black”
(Act 1, Sc 2)
Hamlet shows the grief is usual, his actions are honest and not pretend to
be mad. He is completely saddened by is beloved father death. She says the
word “seem” pushes him to disappointment and rage. Even his uncle ignores
Hamlet’s grief and advises him to give up the suffering for better life:
“This must be so! We pray you throw to earth
This unprevailng woe and thing if us
As of a father, for let the world take note
You are the most immediate to our throne;
And with no less nobility of love
Than that which dearest father bears his son,
Do I impart toward you…”
(Act 1, Sc 2)
But all their advice is meaningless to him, it makes him more determined
to revenge for his noble, beloved father.
As I have mentioned Hamlet is a complex character with full of conflict
between him and outer evil, conflict between in his soul. Conflict between him
and the outer evil begins with people around the castle. Firstly with his mother
whose husband has died within a month, getting married to her brother- in- law
who killed his brother that is the whole “out of joint” Denish society where he is
living. It is worth that when her husband died, she has to be the most miserable,
taking care of and comfort his son. In contrast, she looks for happiness. In his
mind, Queen has ever been a gentle woman and brought the primary joys, but
now she is strange and cold to him. She forgets all her husband’s great love for

31
her. She marries the person, Claudius who murdered her husband. She betrayed
him:
“Must I remember! Why she would hang on him
As if increase of appetite had grown.
By what it feel on; yet within a month”
(Act 1, Sc 2)
Hamlet feels embittered and grieved when seeing is mother’s hasty
wedding to his brother- in- law, Hamlet could not but look down on her:
“Frailty, the name is woman” (Act 1, Sc 2).
He becomes suspicious that his mother is the part of the murder to his
father death.
“A bloody dead- almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother” (Act 3, Sc 4)
The biggest conflict is between Hamlet and Claudius. Claudius killed his
father and also leads his mother to the sin. He can not concept him as father
because he hates Claudius and looks down on his words “A little more than kin,
and less than kind” (Act 1, Sc 2)
As can be said, the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius is the fight
between good and evil, morality and non- morality, between humanity and anti-
humanity forces. The discord between them is not an individualistic one, it is
historical and social significance. And Claudius is representative for social evil
force. Hamlet is for justice, good, noble humanity and courage.
Beside it is a conflict in his soul. He is also aware that the fight to “set the
world right” to liberate the man from “confines, wards, dungeons. Evil is very
strong, powerful in the society. It is not only Claudius but many. Hamlet is
alone, the fight may be a failure, so he thinks a lot of its consequence. His
mediation and hesitation is fully reflected in soliloquy “To be or not to be”.

32
 He can not believe the hard truth and can not decide himself. So Hamlet
fights against evil himself. His mad pretend seem to be suitable. Is father sudden
death and his mother hasty wedding urges him to revenge. To carry the plan, he
has to sacrifice his private affair. He encourages people around that he is mad.
His indifference to Ophelia is the clearest evidence when he says to Polonius:
Polonius: Do you know me, my lord?
Hamlet: Excellent well; you are a fis monger
Polonius: not I, my lord
Hamlet: Then I would you were so honest a man.
Polonius: Honest, my lord?
Hamlet: Ay sir, to be honest as this world goes, being a good
Kissing rarrion… have you a daughter?
Polonius: I have, my lord.
Hamlet: Let her not walk I’th’ sun. conception is ablessing,
but not as your daughter may conceive- friend look to’t
(Act 2, Sc 2)
This is the purpose behind his joy. Hamlet wants to inform Polonius that
giving up his love for Ophelia is true. So Polonius realizes that “Though this be
madness, yet there is method in’t” and thinks that his madness is for love. Then
he says to the Queen and King that:
“Your noble son is mad
Mad call I it, for, to define true madness
What is’t but to be nothing else but mad”
(Act 2, Sc 2)
He is also fear that his decision may be wrong if the ghost’s story is not
true. And then his thought about revenge has gradually been set up. Perhaps
revenge is not only simply for his beloved father but also finds justice out for
everybody.

33
 “I pray you all,
If you have ?Hithrto canceal’d this sight,
Let it bed tenable in your silence still;
And what someve`r else shall hap tonight,
Give it an understanding but no tongue
I will require your loves. So fare you well
Upon the flatform ‘twixt eleven and twelve...”
(Act 1, Sc2)
According to the ghost, his father was not killed by serpent sting but by
Claudius, uncle who poisoned him in his sleep. Hamlet is instinctively aware of
duty as a son to revenge his father death and purify the atmosphere:
“The time is out of joint, O cursed spite
That ever I was born to set it right”
Only within one month, his mother has become a different person
shocked and embittered by what has befallen on him, he can not but look down
on the Queen. This is described in the below poem sentence:
“O, god! Beast that wants discourse of reason could have moured longer.”
(Act 2, Sc 2)
Hamlet is really disappointed due to his mother’s nonsense marriage,
regardless morality:
“Thrift, thrift, Horatio. The funeral bak’s meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage table
Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven
Or ever I had seen that day, Horatio.”
(Act 1, Sc2)
Moreover, he is not only skeptical about his father death but also about
woman’s unfaith when seeing his mother’s marriage. And he is bitterly ridicule.
“Frailty, thy name is women!”

34
 (Act 1, Sc 2)
This is not a frailty because the marriage between his mother and uncle is
unusual, it is said to be an immorality; both of them however, live happily
together. They neglect everything happening, no regard of his son’s feeling and
sentiment. In addition, they also advise him to leave present misery and
melancholy behind, enjoys himself:
“Queen: Thou know’st tis common: all that lives must die, passing
through nature to eternity
Hamlet: Ay, madam, it is common if it be,
Queen: Why seems it so particular with thee?
Hamlet: Seems, madam? May, it is. I know not “seems” tis not
alone my inky cloak, good mother.”
(Act 1, Sc 2)
If the Queen thinks, her marriage to Claudius is common, Hamlet
considers it as an extraordinary thing. He can not accept such truth because
behind its appearance, that is false.
From his private misery, Hamlet thinks about the life. His sadness is more
increasing, seeing that is misery of his age “there is never a villain dwelling in
all Denmark” and it becomes a horrible prison since nothing is more valuable
than independence once we are not free all things are nonsense. From his
awareness, Hamlet seems to be prisoner in Denmark, he thinks of Denish
people, understanding their misery and loss of freedom. So he means living in
harmony with people, with his fellow.
His melancholy is still continuous, Hamlet expresses his great
disappointment:
“What piece of work in a man
How noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, inform how like an
angel, in apprehension how like a god

35
 The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals and yet, to me, what is.
This quintessence of dust? Man delights not me nor women neither, though by
your smiling you seem to say so”
(Act 2, Sc 2)
He suffers when realizing degeneration of people to find the truth of his
father death, one only way is that he must secretly investigate himself. To
achieve this, he has to pretend to be mad and is never suspected by anybody,
including Ophelia who has loves by all his heart. Hamlet’s love for Ophelia
most vividly expressed in the line he sends her:
“Doubt thou the stars are fires;
Doubt the sun doth more;
Doubt truth to be a liar
But never doubt I love”
(Nguyen Xuan Thom, 1997, p. 43)
Although he loves Ophelia truthfully, he still has to leave his dear love for
all the plan of revenge. He sacrifices himself, even honest love with Ophelia. He
is miserable since in Ophelia’s thought, he betrays her. On the other hand,
according to his interview, women are unfaithful. They are no worth respecting.
After seeing his mother’s remarriage, different attitude, he turns to loss belief in
woman. He is suspicious of everybody, he has no any choice but revenge for his
father. He uses rude words as “nunnery” to Ophelia, it aims at to help Ophelia
forget their love memory. I still believe that the bottom of his heart, Hamlet
loves Ophelia though he becomes suspicious of all women’s loyalty. During the
fight, he shows how much he spends his love for Ophelia when he says:
“I loved Ophelia, forty thousand brothers
Could not, with all their quality of love
Make me my sum…”
(Act 4, Sc 1)

36
 Hamlet is a thinker than a doer, he always thinks about the revenge and its
consequence and fights himself. This is a reasonable thought since he is aware
of duty as a son. But later, this determination to revenge troubles him to his
point that he is easily unable to decide any course of action. It is said Hamlet is
indecisive as he does not want to revenge a murder to another murder. His
mediations become melancholic and skeptical as in the central soliloquy of the
tragedy “to be or not to be”
“To be or not to be, that is the question
Whether’ tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows against a sea of troubles”
(Act 3, Sc 1)
This is a fight against evil and himself with fear and pity alone. And may
be Hamlet’s tragedy is due to his own characteristic. He is an intelligent, aware
student and a symbol of misery of spirit. The misery still goes on and covers all
his body and soul. His intelligence and sensitivity force him to think about a
solution to the problem. Moreover, Hamlet is also aware of his ability before the
actual life, he falls into melancholy and pessimism because human being’s
ability is limited while it is very difficult to fight and kill evil.
Hamlet’s tragedy comes from a reason that he knows everything, he
wants to eliminate the evil forces and liberate man from confines, wards,
dungerons. In other of his mission, his pretended madness is the best way for
Hamlet to find down the truth and a solution to eliminate:
“Hamlet: What is news?
Rosenerantz: Non, my lord, but the world grown honest
Hamlet: Then doomsday is near; but”
Hamlet’s delay to kill Claudius has a lot of reasons. According to some
analysis and critics say that the delay is due to religious bonds, it prevents
Hamlet from killing Claudius. Moreover, he is too intellectual to kill his uncle.

37
But in fact, we know that Hamlet’s delay is mainly due to psychological,
religious, and social influences. Firstly He always thinks before doing anything,
he dives deeply in the current of thought, and he becomes indecisive and
insolvable. His standstill before the life drives him melancholic and grieved. He
is too intellectual to decide any thing. Secondly, put the play in the situation of
his age, it is a disaster if he kills the king, what kind of effect would it have on
his mother? Moreover, England at that time most people are Christian, so the
murder is an unforgivable sin. Hamlet know all thing but does not how to
resolve.
The misery and hopelessness are expressed through the Ophelia’s
character. Beside Hamlet is full of skeptical and melancholic before misery of
himself and human beings, we also see the image of Ophelia with misery and
hopelessness about love and her beloved people’s deaths. The girl, who loves
Denish prince with true emotion but not is responded. She lives in busy days,
having to take care of her love, spy him. This does not make her sad and tired,
because she has a generous heart. It is more important that she believes in her
love for Hamlet and vice versa:
“My honoured lord, you known right well you did, and with them words of so
sweet breath composed as made these things richer. Their perfume lost, take
these again for to the noble mind, rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind.
These my lord reaction sometimes...”
(Act 3, Sc 1)
Hamlet’s thought reacts sometimes angry with her. She still keeps calm
with cooperative attitude until her father death. Love for him seems to be lost,
giving way to disappointment and misery. Similarly Hamlet insults her with cold
words that he can not trust, women who are unfaithful, “I say we will have no
more marriage”. Hamlet’s coldness harms her feeling but she still hides her
emotion till her father death, she understands the truth and outburst of emotion is

38
natural. She can not help receiving the shock, as the person who kills her
beloved father she loves very much. It is too difficult to accept the truth, her
heart means bursting into pieces. It is the time when Ophelia’s suffering
approaches the top, Hamlet’s rejection of love, her father dead happening at the
same time makes her absolutely hopeless, now she lives for nothing, it is more
miserable when she loses belief in life, in love, since her beloved father leaves
her for heaven and the man who she loves with much hope betrays her.
Shakespeare creates the character who with beauty of soul but is really
unhappy. Her end of life lemantables as many female characters of Shakespeare,
living for everyone, and so does Ophelia.
“Tomorrow is saint valentine’s day
All I am maid at your window
To be your valentine
Then up he rose, and his clothes
And dupped the chamber door
Let in the maid that out a maid
Never departed more”
(Act, Sc 5)
She is too sad, her singing is for lover, for dead father. The dead is the
best solution that releases her from misery and sadness in secular life. So the
situation of the end is usually seen in Shakespeare’s plays. His choice of fates’
features is suitable, since their tragedy is depend on his Age and characteristics.
But Ophelia dies, it does not mean she does not love Hamlet. In contrast, she
loves him more passionately. This is reason why when she dies, her body is
filled with violets, the violet is the emblem of virgnity, humility and fidelity. She
and Hamlet are linked by the flower motif: she is the “rose of may”, he is “rose
of fashion”, and for both the rose on the “forehead of an innocent love” is
blistered. Ophelia’s death is tragic, her absolute belief in love is respectful. The

39
emblem about love is beautiful and noble. Ophelia becomes more beautiful
thanks to her chasteness, tragedy and noble love.
When mentioning Shakespeare’s success, the first thing is thought to be
his wonderful talent for discovery and prediction. He knows that how to choose
suitable words to show what he wants to say. In the play Hamlet, his success is
expressing characteristic tragedy. To exploit the internal world of character, to
dominate its feature, he often uses dialogues, in addition to using the method of
dedoublement.
3.1.2. The heroic reflected in daring and brave Hamlet and chaste, warm-
hearted and sympathetic Ophelia
In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare besides the tragic, also praises heroic
which brings the play filled of writer’s humanity. It is clearly reflected by the
features of Hamlet and Ophelia. Firstly, it is daring and brave Hamlet.
As above mentioned, Hamlet is actually miserable, he feels alone and
melancholic, not finding the suitable way to escape from the mood. He seems to
be indecisive to revenge. The prince’s powerlessness does not mean that Hamlet
is a weak-hearted person and forgets his duty to revenge for his beloved father.
In fact, he is fighting and looking for a good chance to dismiss bad thing. The
prince feels tired and sometimes wants to suicide:
“Excitements of my reason and my blood...,
And let all sleep, while to my share I see...
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth...”
(Act 4, Sc 4)
Hamlet however, is not defended. In contrast, he still stands to fight
against bad thing. Although sometimes he means to be feeble, indecisive, his
thought of suicide is proved for his feebility but then he is against the sense. He
is very difficult to self-criticize. This is a distinctive feature that Shakespeare
created in literature. That person finds out his weak point to self-criticize and

40
make him more perfect. Only in the Renaissance, there are discoveries of the
world and human being’s ability and Shakespeare built such dominated
characters, it is Hamlet. Thus he learns about what man is expressing his opinion
of human:
“What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason! How infinite in faculty!
Inform and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel! In
apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world! The paragon of animal!
What making man more beautiful and different from other animal, becoming
“the paragon of animal.”
(Act 4, Sc 4)
According to Hamlet it is spirit, reason “sure he that made us with such
large discourse. Looking before and after, give us not. That capability and god
like reason. To fust in us usus’d. Now whether it be.”
(Act 4, Sc 4)
“To be or not to be, that is the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to
suffer things and arrow of outrageous fortune. Or to take arms against a sea of
troubles. Any by opposing end them? To die; to sleep. No more, and by a sleep
to say we end. The heartaches and the thousands natural shocks. That flesh is
heir to, tis a consumation. Devoutly to be wished. To die; to sleep, per chances
to dream ay there’s the rub.”
(Act3, Sc 1)
“ To be or not to be, that is the question” or “to live or not live” does not
mean “die” what does “ not to be, or not to live” mean? It means that “live” does
not deserve the meaning of existence, not deserve the word called man. The
living seems to be dead. His body may exist, but his soul is dead. And Hamlet
also says “the slings and arrows of outrageons fortune or take arms against a sea
of troubles... and by opposing end them? To die; to sleep”
(Act 2, Sc 1).

41
 To Hamlet, there are two ways to exist: one is to give up, two is to fight.
After that he confirms:
“If he good and market of his times
Be but to sleep and fee? A beast, no more”
(Act 2, Sc 1).
Hamlet has to fight against misery, evil and must fight to make his society
in order and Denmark “set things right”, so the end of action forth, he is
determined “My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (Act 4, Sc 4).
Then Hamlet raises his sword to kill Claudius who not only kills his father
but also leads his mother to crime, and immorality and turns Denmark in “the
most horrible prison”. The prince is greater when he is on behalf of both himself
and man to perish bad thing as “revenge” for his beloved father.
“Bear Hamlet like a solder to the stage,
For he was likely, had he been put on
To have proved most Royal, and for his passage”
(Act 5, Sc 2)
Hamlet gets a brave solder, even he dies... although he dies, his soul and
fame still live forever with time, in people’ hearts.
Besides, Hamlet who has a very emotional soul, a daring, brave
patagonist with a violent temper, is a very emotional young man who struggle to
cope with the death of his beloved father, his heroic is also shown on a lot of
aspects. The audience knows that Hamlet gives up Ophelia’s nice love for him,
although he loves her truthfully, it means he sacrifices private affairs to do
something greater than the feeling. That is revenge for his father to set thing
right. In contrast, his relatives advise him to live for the present and give sadness
up. The king tells Hamlet the death part of the natural order of things and he
should get over it, even his mother:
“Good Hamlet, cast thy righted colour off,

42
 And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark
... Thou know’s t tis common, all that lives must die passing
through nature to eternity.” (Act 1, Sc 2).
The death is natural order, and his father death is not suspicious, it is
common. But he can not concept the “common”, it is his mother’s hasty
remarriage to his uncle only within a month after his father death. His suspect is
reasonable the truth is nearly clear after meeting the ghost with his fearless
attitude. Although the others fear the ghost, Hamlet does not:
“Hamlet: It will not speak. Then I will follow it
Horatio: Do not, my lord
Hamlet: Why, what should be the year” (Act 1, Sc4).
His determination for the truth helps him overcome the fear and his heroic
is also portrayed when he arranges for the plays to perform a slightly version of
“the Murder of Gonzago” of knowing whether or not the king guilty is. Hamlet
dares do and take responsibility for his action, though he can be killed by his
enemy. The king’s reaction is proved that he is guilty when he goes into the
room for prayers and his fear seen on his face. His father death is coded by
Hamlet.
The tragedy in Hamlet is due to his death. The dead makes the audience
emotional and pitiful, but can not avoid because the dead is indispensable. The
indispensability causes tragedy of the play. The cause of death is ruled by
history of his age and his characteristic. In the Renaissance Age, Hamlet’s idea
of fighting for human’s freedom seems to be little, even can not be accepted.
The era is a transitional period between feudal and capitalism where it contains a
lot of injustice, labor exploitation, social contradiction and it, there contains full
of blood and tear.
Furthermore, his tragedy is due to his characteristic. Hamlet is the symbol
of misery of soul. He is an intelligent and sensitive person and of course when

43
seeing the injustice, he can not agree and live with them. His characteristic
forces him to fight for justice, for noble humanity but while ability to eliminate
them is too weak, human’s ability is limited before unlimited Universe.
Secondly, it is chaste, warm- hearted and sympathetic Ophelia. Ophelia,
Polonius’s daughter who is very beautiful, honest and warm- hearted. She is a
symbol of beautiful, faithful women and very kind to everybody, his lover,
Hamlet. She loves him by her truthful emotion.
Moreover, she is also a gentle girl, living in well-educated family, her
awareness of life is rather advanced. She loves him not for fame or treasure but
for love. Her love is proved to be true when Hamlet meet troubles and gives up
Ophelia’s love though they love each other very happily:
“Doubt thou the stars are fines
Doubt that sun doth move
Doubt truth to be liar
But ever doubt I love.”
(Nguyen Xuan Thom, 1997, p.43)
It is thought nothing doubts their love. However, their love meets trouble
after Hamlet’s father death. His behavior to Ophelia is absolutely different from
what Hamlet expressed in the past. Ophelia feels surprised but then she keeps
calm and stands him to help and comfort him overcome the present issue, even
crude to her.
“Get thee to nunnery, why would st thou be a breeder of sunners? I am myself
indifferent honest, but yet I would accuse me of such things, that it was better
my mother had not borne me.”
In contrast, she does not feel bored and disappointed. Ophelia now
believes that Hamlet has really lost his mind.
“ Ophelia, O! what a noble mind is here overthrone
The scholar’s countier’s scholar’s eye, tongue, sword;

44
 The glass of fashion and the mould of form
The observ’d all observes, quite, quite dow” (Act 3, Sc 1)
Her chasteness in love is admired and respected. She does not completely
suspect that there is a change in Hamlet’s love, believing that he is mad for love.
These days, she stands by him, sympathizing his suffering. It must be a patient,
generous person. Suffering from Hamlet’s crude words to her, even when
Polonius “looses” her to spy Hamlet, but to her, it is an honorable attempt to
assist in the cure of Hamlet’s illness of which he believes she was the cause “her
virtue will bring him to his wanted away again”. Her access to Hamlet is
opportunity for to take care of him. Although her father, Polonius, brother,
Laertes prevents her from visiting him that it is not good for her, they say
Hamlet’s love is unchaste. To get Hamlet over it, she tries to return his gifts in
hope they will arose recovery of awareness, the past memories of both and recall
him to the normality since loss of memory is considered to be a sign of madness.
So, Ophelia’s action of care for Hamlet comes from warm-hearted and truthful
love. It shows her noble humanity, quality. She is no worth receiving Hamlet’s
crucial behavior. What Hamlet’s miserable truth she can know if he does not
share his trouble with her both of them is beloved.
Besides, Ophelia also is dutiful to her father, always obeys her father. The
side is love for father, brother. Another one is for Hamlet, she still obeys to help
Polonius spy Hamlet but it does not mean she betrays her darling. She gains
harmony in level of feeling thanks to her warm heart, sympathy to everyone.
And of course, she commits herself to the side of Hamlet’s enemies by chance.
However, chasteness, sympathy gradually gives way to sadness misery after her
beloved father death.
Shakespeare, well-known playwright in England and in the world wrote
lots of pieceworks, his characters are symbolic though they are good and bad. So
are his Hamlet and Ophelia. They are nice love couple, loving and can not live

45
without each other, both however, are victims of injustice. Their deaths are filled
accusation, it calls for the strength of fighting for lives.
When mentioning Shakespeare’s success, the first thing is thought to be
his wonderful talent for discovery and prediction. He knows that how to choose
suitable words to show what he wants to say. In the play Hamlet, his success is
expressing characteristic tragedy. To exploit the internal world of character, to
dominate its feature, he often uses dialogues, in addition to using the method of
dedoublement.
The character Hamlet has two sides in his soul: active side and
melancholic and skeptical one. The more determined one side is, the more
melancholic and skeptical another one is.
Moreover, great contribution to the play’s success is language. Hamlet is
written by poem and prose. Shakespeare regards individualization of language.
Each his character has specific language. What is more, his use of words is rich
in image. It creates strong sense for the audience for example, Denmark is
regarded “the most horrible prison”, Polonius called “rat”. Language in
dialogues is rather profound and sharp-witted, especially in conversation among
Hamlet, the king and the Queen:
“Hamlet: Ay madam, it is common
Queen: Why seems it so particular with thee?
Hamlet: Seems madam? Nay it is; I know “seems” tis not alone my
inky cloak, good mother...”
In short, Hamlet is the interesting, successful play of Shakespeare. Its
humanity is highly evaluated where Shakespeare discovers human’s ability. The
theme of the tragic and heroic seems to be covered during the play. It makes the
work more successful and well-known. “Lecmantov, a famous Russian poet of
the 19th century has praised: if Shakespeare is great, that is in Hamlet, if he is
unique Shakespeare, who has an enormous influence on people and rules of the

46
fate, who nobody can imitate, that is in Hamlet”. ( NguyÔn Tó Anh, 2004,
Hamlet, and “To be or not to be”, p.21?).
3.2. The tragic and heroic in Othello
Besides the play Hamlet, we meet the men with enough features about
noble human value. They are courage, advanced, daring to pass over prejudice
of horrible racial discrimination at his age. Shakespeare gave the severe issue
that history was facing up to. Othello and Desdemona are representatives for the
noble beauty. It is brightly reflected in the players’ features in Othello.
3.2.1. The tragic through loss of belief and down- spirit and tragic person
The tragic is also fully expressed in characteristics of each fate of the
play. If in the play Hamlet, the readers know people with misery of themselves,
and their powerlessness before evils. They discover themselves by mind and
ability. And in the Othello, the audience learns more about people suffering
from bias of racial discrimination, from breakdown of belief. Their tragedy
about loss of belief is defined by their features.
The play Othello was written in 1604. The age of injustice and misery that
Shakespeare still mentions in his works, and Othello is an example. At the
period of time he is rather pessimistic because of different causes, so it has
direct effect on his outlook toward present life in his works.
Othello, patagonist that Shakespeare spent his strength and mind building.
It can be said that Othello is one of the most tragic characters in literature
history. He is purely chivalrous and gentle, in spite of high status, he is simple
and popular to everyone. What is more, he always believes people and in life. So
he trusts Iago, and thinks Iago is honest and believable. He considers Iago a
council in his feeling. With his wisdom, Iago holds Othello’s trust. Generally he
makes plot to damage their happiness. Thus he is dexterous to deceive all
people, especially Othello. The chap occupies his soul, turning him follow what
he said. Iago turns chivalrous, honest Othello into a different person. As a result,

47
Othello can not control his thought and feeling. He seems to lose his temper to
think over all things and becomes suspicious of most people. Desdemona is also
a victim of his jealousy. By Iago’s half joking words and hints, his jealousy and
resentment are stronger. The chap incites Roderigo to harm Othello:
“Call up her father, rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, proclaim him
in the streets; incense her kinsmen, and though he in a pertile climate dwell,
plague him with flies though that his joy be joy. Yet throw such changes of
vexation don’t. As it may lose some colour”
(Act 1, Sc 1)
However, his jealousy is not his characteristic but Iago, he is envious of
Othello, of Emilia, his wife. Othello is in fact noble. He loves Desdemona
deeply and believes that she is also faithful to him. But due to being insulted,
often inferior about skin colour, age, diplomatic awkward, he becomes
suspicious and angry. Although Iago’s artful, wise words are always thrown in
Othello’s mind, he still fights against his suspect until seeing “the evidence”-
handkerchief of Desdemona that he gives her as souvenir. The jealousy- “blue
coloured eye” invades his soul and mind. There is a remarkable detail in the play
when Othello points on his head that he is harmed, it is usually said the jealousy
damages a heart, since the heart contains the feeling. So Othello does not suffer
from envy but from mind. The suffering of mind is greater, more horrible than
one of heart.
The loss of belief changes him blind to think over all things. In his
thought, everything is deceitful. Its appearance deceives its inside substance,
Desdemona is for instance, he loves her by his soul that he has ever thought she
is symbol of beauty, nevertheless she betrays him. At the end of the play, he
kills her by his hands, not for his jealousy but his belief:
“Yet, she must die, else she’ll betray more men
Put out the light, and then put out the light

48
 If I quench thee, thou flaming minister,
I can again thy former light restore,
Should I repent me: but once put out thy light,
Thou cunning’s pattern of excelling nature,
I know noy where is that prome thean heart”
(Act 5, Sc 2)
To Othello, betray of belief is the most miserable, so “punishment” for
betray is the most severe. But even “punishing” Desdemona, he is more and
more miserable and regretful at the bottom of his heart:
“Kissing her
Ah balmy breath, that dost almost persuade
Justice to break her sword! One more, one more
Be thus when thou art dead, and I will kill thee,
And love thee after, one more, and this be last:
So sweet was ne’er so fatal. I must sweep
But they are cruel tear: this sorrow’s heavenly
It strokes where it doth love”
(Act 5, Sc 2)
When realizing his pitiful mistake, Othello cries again. The misery bursts
into the sound. It is really difficult to overcome the tragedy: his cry contains
endless suffering, hopeless repentance and regret. He is angry with himself, his
hash life but his suspect disappears, in stead of this, his belief turns him back.
For Othello, all things are made clear so he is ready to receive punishment by
self- punishing. Desdemona- “heaven” whom he has slipped out of his hand and
now he is determined to keep her by him forever on heaven:
“I am not valian neither,
But ever puny whipster gets my sword
But why should honor outlive honesty

49
 Let it go all”
(Act 5, Sc 2)
Knowing the truth, his wife is faithful, chaste and innocent, she becomes
beautiful angel in his heart, so he volunteers to live with her permamently by his
suicide.
Desdemona is Shakespeare’s mavellous creation, together with Juliet,
Ophelia, Miranda. Her beauty of soul makes the life full of flower and meaning.
Opening the play, we easily see honesty, chasteness, harmony between two
souls make their love more passionate and help them overcome hard obstacles
which are religious, racial discrimination. Although both of them have to die,
but they still live in peoples’ hearts. Othello is the symbol of the most noble
man, also one of the most miserable in literature from past till now.
Beside we also see the image of down-spirited and tragic person as
Desdemona. As we mention above, most of main patagonists of Shakespeare die
at the end of the play. Each patagonist has various states of affair and tragedy.
They usually fight alone for noble idea, so Desdemona does. She falls in
beautiful love with Othello and fights for her love. Although her father who is
strict to his daughter and unfriendly with colored skin men, is submited before
the young’s love, she leaves rich life behind for adventurous one with Othello.
We still hope they will live each other in happiness, but it is absolutely
different when there is an interfere of Iago. Both of them become victims of
Iago’s villianty yet still give Iago for advice.
Desdemona is miserable while seeing Othello becomes cold to her, she
afflatuses that there will be something happening, the song she sings is an
example:
“Desdemona: (singing) the poor soul sat sighing by a sycanmore tree, sing all a
green willow. Her hand on her bosom, her head on her knee, sing willow,

50
willow, willow: the fresh streams run by her, and murmir’d her moans; sing
willow, willow, willow. Her salt tear fell from her, and soften’d the stones”
(Act 4, Sc 4)
She is afraid it is difficult to control his mind. He is angry with himself,
people around, especially his wife when slapping the face of her. She is too
surprised because Othello has never been crucial to everyone and her:
“I can’t tell. Those that do teach young, Babes. Do it with gentle means and easy
tasks: he might have child me so; for, in good faith, I am a child to chiding”
(Act 4, Sc2).
She can not also understand the reason for why Othello has such behavior
change. And of course, it is worth that she needs to be explained by him. In
contrast, he thinks she pretends to be faithful and chaste. Othello’s anger and
jealousy seem to make her frightened when seeing in his eyes:
“Desdemona: and yet year you, for you are fatal then when your eyes roll so:
why I fear I know not, since guiltiness I know not, but yet I feel”
(Act 5, Sc 2).
Her save for help is meaningless. Her explain for him is not enough
evident due to appearance of handkerchief that it leads to Othello’s outburst of
jealousy. When being going to be killed, she realizes all things are too late. It is
impossible to awake Othello from suspect, his love for her becomes storm of
punishment. She seems powerless before Othello, more exactly hash life.
Happiness can not smile with both Desdemona and Othello any longer. She is
killed by her husband whom she loves and admires by the chaste heart. Her
death is too innocent.
The tragedy brings about jealousy not for Othello but Iago. In the final
scene, Desdemona does not also explain anything unlike the character,
Desdemona of the writer, Xintio, when she tells the lieutant’s wife her fate is a
caution for Italian girls that they should not marry men different from skin color,

51
religion. Perhaps, her biggest mistake is too chaste, does not realize Othello’
change in his attitude and when his attitude is visible, expressing in his
crudeness to her, she only resigns herself to her fate, not resent. However before
the death welcomes to her, she begs her husband for restoring Caxio’s post. Her
dead though can not avoid, it is enough powerful to make Othello, the audience
emotional.
Put the play in awfully racial discrimination at that period of his Age, we
are clearly aware of Shakespeare’s valianty. He not only condemns the evil but
also praises the harmony of different racial people. The play Othello is the most
beautiful song as it makes contribution to eliminate the bad things attacking
people.
The play however, ends in tragedy. The end is so hard to avoid because
the characteristics of Othello, Desdemona and Iago rule such the end. The
situation of history can not accept the idea that they enjoy their happy marriage.
And Iago is punished although the playwright does not mention the punishment.
Othello is also one of the most successful plays of Shakespeare. He used
to write by lyrical poem, prose, rhyme poem and free verse. Usually Othello
expresses his words by free poem and only prose when he is strongly emotional.
In contrast, Iago “honest Iago” often shows his words by prose when expressing
true emotion or pretending “feeling” and “honesty”, the lyrical poem is
expressed intended situation for example, two song that Iago sings create crazy
atmosphere, it is suitable for the context where Caxio is drunken, or the song
“willow tree” that Desdemona sings shows sad atmosphere as if it predicts a
break of misery.
Also, rhyme poem is expressed formal words, for instance, Mr Duke of
Venice advises the senate, Brabanxio when he is angry with his daughter’s
escape, or by serious language in conversation between Brabanxio and Othello.

52
 Shakespeare’s penmanship in Othello is different from his late works.
Here, words of the play are not much inclined to classical metaphor. The
characters are expressed their feeling by natural, pure words, but full of drama.
For example, Othello in the scene, he suffers from suspect, jealousy in madness
when seeing handkerchief of Desdemona from Cassio, in the scene, Desdemona
is going to be killed. The writer’s given words sum up his experience and
stylized so they are succinct, extraordinary but comprehensible and original.
3.2.2. The heroic through chivalrous and brave Othello and beautiful,
courage and believable Desdemona
The other thing we like to mention in the thesis is heroic. If the play ends
in tragedy, learners only sympathize miserable fates and if the playwright
mentions both tragic and heroic in his work, the play becomes more perfect
because audience live in different emotions, those are sympathy and admire for
the fates and resentment for social bias that trampling on persons in the age. The
heroic is exploited through chivalrous and brave Othello and beautiful, courage,
believable Desdemona.
Othello is a hero with a lot of deeds for his country, Venice, he is
respected and admired by Venitian people, even Desdemona’s father loves him
for his noble quality.
He is the man called “The Moor”. Only the name is enough for us to
doubt whether he is good or not. However difference from his appearance, he is
very kind and manly. People love him when contacting him at the sight. And
Brabanxio’s daughter is no exception. He loves him through the stories he tells
and listens passionately and admires his deeds. His courage and wild past covers
and invades all her heart. He always keeps calm at any situation, even speaking
to her father, the senate. Her father becomes very angry, knowing the news his
beloved daughter escapes from him for call of love, but Othello still is placid,
not lose temper and says he thinks and what his true love for Desdemona!:

53
 “Brabanxio: O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow’d my damn’d
as thou art; thou has enchanted her;
For I will me to me all things of sense
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy
So opposist to marriage that shinned
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the stooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight.”
(Act 1, Sc2)
Before Brabanxio’s anger, he is not fear or ashamed. On contrary, he is
ready to say what he thinks with gentle and decisive voice:
“Hold your hands,
Both you of my inclining, and the rest
Were it my cue to fight, I should have known it without a
promter, where you that I go
To answer this your charge?”
(Act 1, Sc 2)
He is not afraid of Desdemona’s father because he is responsible for what
he does:
“Most potent, grave, and reverend signors,
My very noble and approved good masters,
That I have ta’en away this old man’s daughter,
It is most true; true, I have married her,
The very head and in front of my offending
Hath this extent, no more. Rude am I in my speech”
(Act 1, Sc 3)

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 Also, Othello is frank and noble. So he trusts Iago without suspect and
does not regard Roderigo’s insult. That is the person whose love is the most
passionate in Shakespeare’ works. His love for Desdemona is a perfect thing. He
loves her as if he can die of happiness when seeing her:
“O, my fair warrior!
Come, let us to the castle
News; friend; our wars are done, the Turks are drown’d
How does my old acquaintance of this isle?
Honey, you will be well desired in Cyprus;
Have found great love amongst them, O my sweet
I pattle out of fashion and I dote...
Does challenge much respect. Come, Desdemona”
(Act2, Sc 1)
In fact, when the life is in disorder, for him, Desdemona is the girl whom
he loves the best, because she is a fairy in the earth. The beauty makes all
people’s hearts warmer and more peaceful, though he is well-known lieutant, he
is not too proud. In contrast, he is very friendly with all people around.
Besides, Othello is very brave. His bravery is shown in loving the senate’s
daughter. He loves her not only her beauty but also her characteristic and
manner:
“A maiden never bold;
Of spirit so still and quiet, her emotion
Blush’s d at herself; and she, inspite of nature,
Of year, of country, credit, everything,
To fall in love what she fear’s to look on!”
(Act 1, Sc 3)
Desdemona’s love for him comes from her sympathy, but not at the first
sight, luxurious emotion for a while, the sincerity in love turns them stronger.

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Loving her is his happiness, but marrying her is a big issue. So Othello and
Desdemona escape from her father and it turns him very angry:
“It is too true an evil: gone she is; and what’s to come of my despised time, is
nought but bitterness. Now, Roderigo, where did st thou see her? O unhappy
girl! With the Moor, say’st thou? Who would be a father? How didst thou know
was she? O she deceives me past thought! What said she to you? Get more
tapers: raise all kindred- are they married, think you?”
(Act 1, Sc 1)
Let us come back from the Renaissance Ages and the time before, racial
discrimination is severe. White man is considered to be masters of “dark man”.
They rule and impose these people. “dark men” are slaves. Although they can be
improved as high-position in society, discrimination of skin colour and religion
is too difficult to bridge a gap. Of course, Othello is also a victim of the
discrimination, sometimes he feels worried and inferior to everyone due to his
origin, awkward in behavior. So when knowing Desdemona loves him with
great sympathy, he is very happy and is ready to welcome to her feeling. He
overcomes himself, his inferiority, racial discrimination with her toward
happiness. His bravery passing away the barrier looks like his deed:
“Her father loved, me oft invited me,
Still question’d me the story of my life,
From year to year, the battles, sieges, fortunes
That I have passed
I run it through, even from my boyish days,
To the very moment that he bade me tell it;
Where in I spake of most disasters chances,
Of moving accidents by flood and field,
Of hair- breadth scages I’ the imminent deadly breach”
(Act 1, Sc 3)

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 He not only conquers her heart but also her father. She admires Othello’s
deed and considers him as the hero of his age. But he can not accept the
marriage between Othello and Desdemona due to too big distinguish of racial.
Nothing however, can prevent their strength of love.
Furthermore, his bravery is also expressed in his occupation when
informing that there will be Turks attacking Venice, he is not reluctant and ready
to go to the front:
“The tyrant custom, most grave senators
Hath made the flinty and steel couch of war
My thrice- driven bed of down: I do angry
A natural and prompt a lacity
Find in hardness, and do undertake
These present wars against the Ottomites”
(Act 1, Sc 3)
Othello indeed, is a hero not only in the battle but also in daily life. He is
ready to follow his country’s call and his heart’s one, though it may be very
hard, even he can sacrifice all his life for noble idea for everybody. Factually,
Othello is a symbol of chivalry and bravery.
Besides Othello with chivalry and bravery, Desdemona is also considered
as the beautiful, courage, believable girl in life.
Desdemona, the girl in Venice, was born in family. She is also beautiful,
different from other rich girls with gentle, kind feature, she conquers Othello’s
heart. By his sensitivity, he quickly realizes her feeling for him, and gradually
they fall in love. She loves Othello not for his appearance, or soft voice but his
characteristic. The stories that he tells, she listens to passionately, admiring his
action of bravery, wildness.
Loving Othello is Desdemona’s courage. When loving Othello, it means
that she accepts all things related to him. We know he is colored skin, so

57
marrying the person as Desdemona, white woman is a big trouble. Racial,
religious discrimination is endless in many centuries, especially in Renaissance
Ages, but by her bravery, she overcomes the barrier. Let us listen to the words
she says:
“My noble father,
I do perceive here a divided duty
To you I am bound for life and education;
My life and education both do learn me
How to respect you; you are the lord of duty
I am hither to your daughter: but here’s my husband.
And so much duty as my mother show’d
To you, preferring you before her father,
So much I challenge that I may profess
Due to the Moor my lord...”
(Act 1, Sc3)
She also is gentle and intelligent when watching her father’s anger, she
explains by her knowledge about the morality to prove that she loves Othello
that is right. Moreover, she is very grateful to her father, she neither wants to
harm her beloved father, nor wants to leave her lover “My noble father, I do
perceive here a divided duty, to you I am bound for life and education; my life
and education both do learn me, how to respect you; you are thee lord of duty”.
The hashness of the society and racial discrimination force her not to have any
choice but leave father for the call of heart. Loving Othello and living with him
is her dream. As a result, she agrees to escape from her noble father. The love is
the strength for her to overcome the discrimination. They do not feel afraid of
following difficulty because their feeling comes from very natural human
morality and sincerity. Her action of escape brings us to think of Mss Kieu in
Kieu story by the great poet, Nguyen Du. She also is very advanced when

58
passing the barrier of feudal to look for her happiness. Desdemona is on behalf
of some girls in many last centuries for freedom of love and marriage, too.
Furthermore, she is believable woman in life
“That I did love the Moor to live with him
My downright violence and storm of furtunes
May trumpet to the world. My heart’s subdued
Even to the very quality of my lord:
I saw Othello’s visage in his mind
And to his honor and his valiant parts
Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate”
(Act1, Sc 3)
The above things mentioned are enough to show that their love is noble
and really great. Similarly she is no fear when loving Othello because she finds
it safe to stay with him. And he is the ideal man who will bring happiness to her.
What is more, she also know to fight for her belief when Cassio disgraced and
demoted from the position of lieutenant. She does not forget his gratitude for
helping Desdemona and Othello escape. He is the person who puts in order their
happiness. She is ready to help Cassio restore his post without considering as
she believes in his honesty and Othello is clear-sighted to change his mind to
find equality for Cassio until Othello realizes her handkerchief from Cassio. His
jealousy becomes windy and stormy. At the time, she leaves the life behind for
heaven.
Othello and Desdemona are noble persons. They are representatives for
advanced, honest generation. They pass over and break down the prejudice of
racial, religious discrimination to come and live together in happiness. Although
the happiness is short, it is very sweat. Their love exists forever following the
time.

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 In short, Hamlet and Othello are tragedies. The plot covered over the
works is the writer’s deep humanity. Shakespeare built beautiful images in
literature history with noble dignity. Hamlet, Ophelia, Othello and Desdemona
of Shakespeare all are the dead. But his deaths are for justice of life. They
sacrifice for noble ideal because at their age, it is difficult to agree with the idea.
Similarly, these deaths are full of accusation. It is a great thirst for society of
equality and humanity.
Two the plays are tragedies but they are mentioned different issues in his
age. The play Hamlet tells about tragedy of Denmark prince who faces up with
pitiful issue of his family. These are his father’s sudden death and his mother’s
hash remarriage with his uncle. He becomes suspicious and wants to stand up to
fight himself against the evils to make the world right.
Hamlet gets skeptical, melancholic and suspicious with all people,
especially woman. This is a fight in his soul to brighten his subject. He is
miserable with suffer of himself and of human being although he know what
happens he does not know to solve it. Ophelia is also a miserable fate different
from Hamlet, she suffers because of loss of belief in love. She seems pessimistic
about everything and her death proves her powerlessness before life.
In contrast, Shakespeare mentions larger issue of society such as racial,
religious discrimination. Othello is different from Hamlet. Enemy of Othello
expresses clearly envious attitude to Othello. Othello is the most tragic character
in literature history. He suffers not only from is lover’s death but loss of belief.
The jealousy also exists in the play but his envy is not due to his
substance. He is noble. He loves Desdemona deeply and because he is always
affected by an inferior complex about his skin color, age, awkwardness of
diplomacy. According to Othello, betray of belief is the greatest misery and he
kills Desdemona is a forceful evidence for the opinion. All Othello’s tragedy is
exposed when we see honest, noble people are trampled by evils.

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 Put the play into the age of horrible racial, religious discrimination, we
are completely aware of writer’s courage. He not only condemns the evil and
praises the harmony among people. Othello and Desdemona are symbol
characters. They break down the prejudice. Othello is the most beautiful song
because it cleans up all ignobility that evils rule people.
The plays Hamlet and Othello are fine songs for value of people and thirst
for equality. They deserve to be the most beautiful stars in the most horrible
Middle- Age of human

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 PART C. Conclusion
1. Recapitulation
Shakespeare (1564- 1610) wrote the tragedies of Hamlet (1601) and
Othello (1604) when he was at the top of maturity, after having much experience
of life, through these plays, he wants to draw a colorful image of his time, to
some extent, criticizing the society in which he is living, it causes tragic fates
although England at that time of the Renaissance had glorious, powerful
advance of economy and politics, deserved to be called “Marry England”, beside
the achievement in the society, there were also many problems that people faced
up to such internal contradictions, disillusion, racial discrimination, injustice. It
puts man in limited choice. That is hypocrisy in the human relations in society
with sin and injustice that human rights and belief are trampled on there.
Society’s appearance deceives its inside substances. Evil seems to overwhelm
the good. Most people nearly lose minimum protest and equality rarely exists
there. The Renaissance is the period of mind development in which people are
right to express their ideas much more. They can also give various issues of
society. It maybe be a praise on the achievement which people gain on the other
hand they criticize its bad sides. Hamlet and Othello are such the plays. As can
be seen, the play Hamlet tells about people’s tragedy before the life and from the
misery, they discover the beauty of their soul. The prince Hamlet is example,
thanks to his present suffer, he can find out the misery inside is soul and “to be
or not to be” is an evidence for the fight in himself. That is a war between the
life and the death, between existence and not existence. They remain parallel
senses in one person. Ophelia is also nice creation of Shakespeare. She gives
audience sweat emotion of love. She conquers prince Hamlet’s heart and
audience’s ones due to her loyalty in love and soft manners. Hamlet and Ophelia
are honest, advanced characters in the thought but unhappy fates. Beside his
Othello mentions hot issue at his time, it is racial, religious discrimination. This

62
is the first time in the literacy history, the person dares to praise dark people in
his plays. Othello and Desdemona are such symbol characters. They are very
courage, daring to break down prejudice against racial, religious discrimination
to come and live together.
Shakespeare exposes ally between new and former authority, between feudalism
and bourgeoisie. The ally makes his Hamlet so sad that he says that “the most
horrible Denmark prison”. It pushes people to the top of misery what humanity
promises to bring happiness to man, is now trampled on by bad authority
without pity. The tragedy that he reflects is a standstill and breakdown of the
Renaissance humanity before destroy of anti- humanity, but Shakespeare does
not mean to spread pessimism, failure. He believes man who turns toward truth,
charity, and beauty of people and its ability, lucid mind and conscience. Hamlet
and Ophelia, Othello and Desdemona of Shakespeare all are victims of in an
injustice but their deaths are full of accusation, calling the fighting for life.
Shakespeare deserves to be a greatest writer of England, of the world as
well as the great humanist of mankind although he has died for long time, his
works always remember and remain by the time and following generations.
Due to limitation of and the requirement of graduation thesis together
with limitation in background and knowledge about English literature, the study
does not go far and deeper in the other sides of these works.
Therefore, only exploit about the theme only limit around small area.
However, the author also wants to exploit the theme more clearly to help student
understand the Renaissance tragedies.
2. Suggestion for further studies
Being a novice researcher, we regard this study as a starting point. If we
have another opportunity, we would like to go further with the same topic such
as: “Beauty of women in Hamlet and Othello; “Humanity in Hamlet and Othello

63
by William Shakespeare”, etc. By exploiting deeper literary works and
language, we hope to find more profound and attractive thesis.

Reference books

1. Coles Editorial Board. (1998) Hamlet notes. Coles publishing company

2. L. Cotes. N. Nikifor O Va. O. Soudlen KoVa. English literature
3. Luu Duc TRung, (2002) Chan dung cac nha van the gioi. Education
publisher
4. Nguyen Chi Trung, (1998) English literature education publisher
5. Nguyen Kim loan, (1998) History of English literature, education
publisher
6. Nguyen xuan Thom, (1997) History of English and American literature,
Ha Noi.
7. Rome Gill. (1998) Hamlet by Shakespeare. Exford university press
8. T. Walter The tragedy of Hamlet by Shakespeare. Heinemann
9. Tran Anh Kim- Phuc Vinh Trong, (2006) Translation Othello by
Shhakespeare, Hai Phong publisher
Some websites:
(1) Source: http: nfs: sparknotes.com/ tragedy in literature.html
(2) Source: http: nfs: sparknotes.com/ tragedy in society.html
(3) Source: http: nfs: sparknotes.com/ heroic in literature.html
(4) Source: http: nfs: sparknotes.com/ heroic in society.htm
(5) Quoted Nguyen Xuan Thom, 1997, p. 43
(6) Quoted Nguyen Tu Anh, 2004, p. 21

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