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Aristotle's Poetics To Hamlet

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Name: Iqra Mumtaz Major: English Literature
Classical and Modern Criticism
Q: Apply Aristotle’s Poetics to Hamlet.
The tragedy of “Hamlet” by Shakespeare revolves around revenge which develops into a bud with the appearance of Hamlet’s father’s ghost, and then spreads like a weed, with its thorns throughout the drama, poisoning everyone with the want of vengeance, until the entire garden gets poisoned by its presence. Hamlet is a play which is diverse since it has a few unconventional characteristics since it did not follow “Aristotle’s rules of writing a tragedy that strictly, and sometimes, not at all.
According to “Aristotle’s Poetics” by Aristotle, the plot is when there is a direct plunge towards misfortune, or reversal of fortune. There are no chances of changes in its story. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” does not fall into this category. It has a Complex plot. A complex plot has “Anagnorisis” in it which is “discovery” or sudden changes in the plot. Hamlet has a complex plot as it is not a sudden process of reversal of fortune, but has discoveries, and changes in the plot. While Hamlet has a great fortune and is led towards his doom, Fortinbras gets a great fortune in the end. The element of discovery is also present and is evident right from the start with the appearance of the King of Denmark’s ghost. With his appearance, the thirst for revenge is injected into the play, which would otherwise not

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