HAMLET

internal conflict A conflict in which the opposing force is the character himself.
politic Shrewd; doing what is best for oneself
a tragedy ends with the death or destruction of the hero
final disaster is neither contrived nor accidental but is the inevitable result of previous events
tragic flaw a personal error or character flaw. (Elizabethan theory of tragedy )
purpose of tragedy not to depress the audience but to arouse the emotions of pity and fear
catharsis a relieving or cleansing of these emotions.
exposition provides background information and introduces setting and characters.
rising action builds suspense as the hero encounters conflicts and gains control over his opponent
climax the turning point of the play; the hero loses (or will soon lose) his control to the opposing force.
falling action portrays various stages in the hero’s downfall (usually shorter than the rising action).
catastrophe (sometimes called denouement) is the conclusion that presents the final disaster.
• The exciting force is the incident that starts the conflict, or struggle, between two opposing interests.
tragic force the event that closely follows the climax and starts the falling action.
comic relief a technique to provide a brief emotional relaxation as well as to heighten the plot’s seriousness.
puns are humorous
interpretation determining what the writer says
analysis examining techniques and devices to determine how he says it
evaluation determining the worth of his saying it
critical essay is a five-step process 1. Know the text thoroughly.2. Select and limit the topic to a manageable size.3. Find supporting evidence in the text.4. Organize thoughts in outline form.5. Write the first draft and revise as necessary.