Shakespeare tragedies

 How language creates reality in Shakespeare’s tragedies

            We can observe in Shakespeare’s tragedies not only man speaking, but trying to create a language that can denote him truly. The language speaks of the complexities of human experience. Shakespeare has command of language. Words have the power to create a sense of reality. Language is regarded as the living principle of the play. To understand the play we need to appreciate the language. Shakespeare creates characters talking really. Through the imagery of language, he produces a script for actors. His tragedies revolved around a single word or concept around which the entire plot revolves, for example, Hamlet is a revenge tragedy and the central concept is prince Hamlet’s procrastination. Through the language of procrastination and indecisiveness, Shakespeare depicts the reality of human nature. He is unable to take revenge due to procrastination, but remembrances of his father’s wish to avenge him make Hamlet make more attempts. Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, “To be, or not to be” shows a lack of self-knowledge.

        Othello is a domestic tragedy. It shows domesticity which has far-reaching implications. It raises the issue of racism especially the racism in the black community. Shakespeare explores jealousy and prejudice. He places virtue with black, and evil with white. In doing so he places goodness on outsiders and offense on the Christian community for example the hypocrisy of the Lago. The words of Lago spur Othello into action because Othello’s understanding of reality shifted by it which lead to the death of Desdemona. Shakespeare has depicted the social norms of society, for example, honesty is one of the most important and prominent norms which makes a person graceful.

              King Lear is also a domestic tragedy that revolves around family matters. King Lear’s misjudgment of his daughters causes the tragedy. It depicts the reality of human nature which is the greed for power, for example, Regan and Goneril's craving for power and authority makes them so wicked that they abandoned their father. On the other hand, Cordelia tells the truth, and due to this, she suffers. Once King Lear handed down his authority to his daughters then he became helpless. Snap judgment has terrible consequences. If King Lear did not misjudge his daughters then the tragedy can be avoided.

              In Macbeth, Shakespeare brings an audience to recognize the power of language to create their version of reality. The central concept of the play is the ambition for power. Macbeth's ambition for power is his tragic flaw which becomes the cause of his downfall. Macbeth's ambition makes him so cruel that he murdered the thrown. It is the reality of human nature that the bad deeds make us feel guilty so does Macbeth. Macbeth regrets what he has done. He felt guilty about his crimes which drives him mad. Lady Macbeth feels restless and she did not get sleep. She is guilty as she said, “What is done, cannot be undone”. Both Macbeths fail to see how their ambition makes them cross moral boundaries and will lead to their downfall.