CLASSICAL INHERITANCE AND HUMANIST INNOVATION IN SHAKESPEARE’S TRAGEDIES ZULFIQAR MUGHAL

Abstract

This paper examines Shakespeare’s engagement with the fundamental elements of classical tragic drama and the influence of Renaissance humanism on his plays. Although Shakespeare draws heavily on traditional Senecan tragic conventions—particularly the concept of scelus, denoting crime and moral corruption—his originality lies in his departure from the rigid structures of classical tragedy. The study analyzes key tragic elements such as the nature of the tragic hero, the role of the supernatural, humanist thought, the treatment of fate, and the cosmic order, with specific reference to Hamlet, King Lear, Julius Caesar, Othello, and Macbeth. The findings identify four major transformative features that define Shakespearean tragedy. First, Shakespeare reshapes the nature of the protagonist, shifting from the fate-driven, mythical hero of classical tragedy to a psychologically complex, humanist figure whose actions emerge from internal conflicts and emotional turmoil. Second, the downfall of the tragic hero is depicted as the result of an interaction between personal moral choices and external circumstances rather than destiny alone. Third, supernatural elements are presented not merely as external forces but as reflections of the characters’ unstable mental states, unresolved guilt, and accumulated trauma. Finally, Shakespeare departs from the Senecan tradition of the triumph of evil by ultimately portraying the downfall of immoral forces, thereby reinforcing a moral framework within his tragedies.