Who suffers the most out of Shakespeare's great tragic protagonists? Who is the most tragic character of them all? Lear? Othello? Hamlet? Or even Macbeth? Or someone else?

What do you think and why?

-- Patrick Von Doomsday (the_right_hand_of_doom@msn.com), August 25, 2003

Answers

As cliche as it seems - i would have to say that Hamlet suffers more than the others. well - Hamlet amd Macbeth. Here is my reason: Othello and Lear play into the games and schemes of others while Hamlet in a way creates his own destiny with what he had. Hamlet knows the truth - that his father was murdered by Cladius and that is with whom his mother is shacking up. It is with that knowledge that he must seem mad, hide his real feelings, banish his love, and watch as people die (or accidentily die).

Macbeth plays into fate by trying to avoid it and by being tempted by it - very Edipus (sorry about the spelling - it's late)

replys?

-- Christina Little (sweeps9@yahoo.com), September 01, 2003.

i think Brutus would be a great answer. i see brutus as a very reasonable and honorable man and he loves caesar so much-that is if he really do! i dont see him a person who would plan such a scheme in killing the prospected king. he never thought of the consequences that he may be facing in the future and he even isn't sure of what he was doing. such an honorable and wise man being fooled by his fellow senators. he could have made his own decision but his he did not. later, his mind is so corrupted with pride already that led to his downfall. i think nothing can equall that as a tragic protagonist.

-- andrey alcomendras (mr_boinky19@yahoo.com), December 16, 2003.