SDCA Asia-Pacific Multidisciplinary Research Journal Volume 2 (2020) 38 Selected Shakespearean Tragic Plays: Error of Judgment of the Characters and Its Implication to Teaching Literature Angeli T. Esponilla ■ French John Charl Guevarra ■ Cynic Jazmin Tenedero Abstract Tis study focused on the error of judgment of the characters in select- ed Shakespeare’s major plays: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Othello, Antony and Cleopatra. It analyzed the tragic faw found in the events, theme, setting, and characterization. Te error of judgment of the characters as the cause of their downfall are identifed by the use of the literary device Hamartia as outlined by Aristotle in his Poetics. Tis presented its implications in teaching literature. Tis is a quali- tative descriptive- analytical anchored by textual analysis. It utilized analytical description in the concept of errors found in Shakespeare’s tragic plays. Te plays of Shakespeare are indisputably the greatest tra- gedian in the feld of writing because of his overreaching protagonists which also are tragic heroes. It stipulates some faws which led to their destruction. It was determined that the protagonists in the plays show some faws in the events, how the plays change from happiness to mis- ery because of errors; setting, the time and place in which the action of the tragedy occurred; theme, which represents the kind of tragedy and lastly the characterization, by pointing out the qualities and their deeds. Keywords: Shakespearean play. Tragedy. Flaws. Literature. Error. Angeli T. Esponilla Senior High School Instructor, Northern Samar Colleges, Catarman, Northern Samar French John Charl Guevarra Supervisor, Concentrix Philippines Cynic Jazmin Tenedero* Instructor, Technological University of the Philippines, Manila cynicjazmintenedero@gmail.com *Corresponding author Introduction Literature is an art. It has a creative value on diferent levels includ- ing the traits of every individual, either positive or negative which can result to a faw or an error. Discussing tragedy is a tricky business. It deals with issues that are signifcant and far-reaching. Tat is why most of the theme of tragedies deal with someone’s death. Stating tragedy would not be tragedy if it were not manifest misery. Moreover, tragedy cannot be conceived without enumerating the char- acters who are the main subject of the issue. Te one who experiences all kinds of occurrence and control conspicuous events in some way. Te act which is applicable to their personalities, the credibility or oth- erwise to the situations and other stations of life. Te tragic characters then will be defned according to good and horrible deeds. As a result, an error occurs where a character either does it consciously or does it out of ignorance or mediates it. Te researchers examined some of the major tragic plays written by William Shakespeare. Tese major plays are the Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, King Lear, Othello, Antony, and Cleopatra. In particular, this work of art deals briefy with the error of judgment which inevitably led to the tragic downfall of the characters particularly the protago- nist in each play. Te researchers examined frst the tragic faw found in the plays of Shakespeare in accordance with events, setting, theme, and characterization. Hence, this can lead to the main aim of the study of fnding out errors of judgement among the characters in the plays involved. In addition, since the tragic plays of Shakespeare are also part of litera- ture, emphasis is on the implications of the study’s fndings to teaching literature. Tis will refect on additional learning, where every tragic story as being encountered by the people. Te traits of the characters that infuence the actions either positive or negative may cause errors which may lead to tragic downfall. Even honour does not have the strength to overcome reason in order to guide men’s action towards tragic ends. Even their expertise in not being wounded by experiences, ofen result in death. Every individual has to face barriers with very serious decision; and rationality makes the individual learn from mis- takes. Tis study can widen the perspectives of the future educators in an- alysing the plays of William Shakespeare. By letting them fgure out and defne the means of tragic faw as refected in the tragic charac- ter which result to their downfall; and make them more sensitive and extra-careful by focusing on one point too intensely to such genre as tragedy. As literature enthusiasts and education practitioners, it will also be a great contribution to their body of knowledge. By letting them show awareness in literary context within the notions of tragedy; to be familiar on the tragic plays of Shakespeare since it is also part of literature, especially the sequence of events where the tragedy occurs, emphasizing how the plays becomes tragic, and more importantly the main characters who experience this occurrence.