In Shakespeare's tragedies, the protagonist has a flaw that results in his or her downfall. There are both internal and external struggles. They often have a bit of the supernatural element. Often there are characters that have the work of lightening the mood, but the general tone of the piece is sort of serious. There are 10 Shakespearean plays generally known as tragedy. They are as follows:
Antony and Cleopatra
Characters in the Play:
Antony:
A fierce and feared soldier. He rules the Roman Empire along with Octavius Caesar and Lepidus. At the beginning of the play, Antony has neglected his duties as a ruler. He carries on a highly visible romance with Cleopatra. His loyalty is split between the Western and Eastern worlds. He feels the necessity to reaffirm respect. It has made him a celebrated Roman hero. He's also head over heels in love with Cleopatra.
Cleopatra:
The beautiful queen of Egypt and Antony’s lover. A highly attractive woman who once seduced Caesar. Cleopatra delights into the thought that she has caught Antony. In matters of love, Cleopatra favors high drama. Her emotions are as volatile as they're theatrical, and, no matter whether her audience is her handmaid or the emperor of Rome. She always offers top-notch performance.
Octavius Caesar:
The nephew and adopted son of Caesar. Ambitious and very pragmatic, Octavius lacks Antony’s military might as a general.
Enobarbus:
Enobarbus is Antony’s most loyal supporter. He abandons Antony only appears to be completely finished.
Marcus Aemilius Lepidus:
The third member of the triumvirate and therefore the weakest, both politically and personally.
Pompey:
The son of an excellent general who was one among Julius Caesar’s partners in power. Pompey is young and fashionable to the Roman people. He possesses enough military might face as a legitimate threat to the triumvirs. He fancies himself honorable for refusing to permit his men to kill Caesar. Antony and Lepidus once are his guests.
Octavia:
Octavius Caesar’s sister. Octavia marries Antony so as to cement an alliance between the 2 triumvirs. She is a victim of Antony’s deception.
Charmian and Iras:
Cleopatra’s faithful attendants.
The Soothsayer:
An Egyptian fortune-teller. He follows Antony to Rome and predicts that his fortune will always pale as compared to Caesar’s.
Dolabella:
One of Octavius Caesar’s men. Dolabella is appointed to protect the captive Cleopatra.
Agrippa:
One of Octavius Caesar’s officers. Agrippa leads the retreat from Antony’s powerful forces.
Camidius:
A general in Antony’s army. After the battle, Camidius surrenders and defects to Caesar’s side.
Ventidius:
A Roman soldier under Antony’s command. Ventidius leads the legions to victory against the dominion of Parthia. Although a competent fighter, he decides to not push his troops further into battle.
Scarus:
A brave young soldier serving under Antony. Scarus is wounded in the battle against Caesar’s army.
Proculeius:
Proculeius is one of Caesar’s soldiers. He proves himself untrustworthy.
Diomedes:
He is Cleopatra’s servant. She appoints Diomedes to bring back Antony the message. the message is that she has not committed suicide but remains alive.
Eros:
Eros is an attendant serving Antony. Eros loves his master. So, he refuses Antony’s order to kill him.
Menas:
An ambitious young soldier under Pompey. At the time of the banquet, Menas asks for permission to kill Caesar, Antony, and Lepidus. which might end in the control of the planet falling into his master’s hands.
Seleucus:
He is Cleopatra’s treasurer. He betrays his master.
Clown:
He is an Egyptian person. He brings a basket of figs containing poisonous snakes to Cleopatra.
Decretas:
He is one of Antony’s soldiers.
Characters in Coriolanus:
Volumnia:
A Roman noblewoman and the mother of Coriolanus. She is dedicated to her son and delights in his military exploits.
Caius Martius:
A Roman general, he's given the name "Coriolanus" after he leads the Roman armies to victory against the Volscian city of Coriolis. Brave, fearsome in battle, and very honorable.
Menenius:
A Roman nobleman, or patrician, and a lover to Coriolanus. He has a reputation as an excellent wit, which he uses adeptly to avoid conflict.
Sicinius:
A Roman tribune, an ingenious politician, and Brutus' ally in the struggle against Coriolanus.
Brutus:
One of the tribunes elected by the people, or plebeians, of Rome to function as their representative in the government. A clever politician, He works to stay him out of power.
Cominius:
He is a patrician of Rome and a former consul. He is a lover of Coriolanus, and he's one of the generals who leads the Roman army against the Volscians.
Tullus Aufidius:
A general of the Volscians, Rome's enemy.
Titus Lartius:
He is an old Roman nobleman. He is appointed, alongside Cominius, as a general against the Volscians.
Valeria:
He is a Roman noblewoman. she has a close friendship with Virgilia and Volumnia.
Virgilia:
He is a Roman noblewoman and Coriolanus's loyal wife.
Young Martius:
He is Coriolanus and Virgilia's son
Characters in Hamlet:
Hamlet:
The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and therefore the protagonist of the play. Hamlet is the son of Queen Gertrude and therefore the late King Hamlet, and the nephew of this king, Claudius. Hamlet is bitter, melancholy, and cynical. He is filled with hatred for his uncle’s scheming and disgust for his mother’s sexuality with Claudias.
Gertrude:
She is the Queen of Denmark. She is Hamlet’s mother. Recently, She has married Claudius. Gertrude loves Hamlet very much. She is a shallow, weak woman.
Claudius:
The King of Denmark, Hamlet’s uncle, and therefore the play’s antagonist. He is the villain of the play. Claudius is not only an ambitious politician but also driven by his sexual appetites. He is also driven by his lust for power. At the same time, he shows his love for Gertrude.
Horatio:
He is Hamlet’s close friend. He studied with prince Hamlet at the university in Wittenberg. Horatio is helpful and loyal to Hamlet throughout the play. After Hamlet’s death, Horatio remains alive to inform Hamlet’s story.
Polonius:
The Lord Chamberlain of Claudius’s court. Polonius is the father of Ophelia and Laertes.
Laertes:
He is Polonius’s son and Ophelia’s brother. He is a young man. He spends much of the play in France.
Ophelia:
She is Polonius’s daughter. She is a beautiful young woman with whom Hamlet has a love affair. Ophelia is not only a sweet but also an innocent young girl. She obeys her father and her brother, Laertes. Dependent on men to inform her the way to behave, she gives in to Polonius’s schemes to spy on Hamlet.
Fortinbras:
He is the young Prince of Norway. His father was killed by Hamlet’s father for his fault. Now Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to take revenge on his father’s honor.
The Ghost:
The specter of Hamlet’s recently deceased father. The ghost informs Hamlet to avenge him.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:
They are two slightly bumbling courtiers. They are former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg. Claudius and Gertrude summoned them to discover the cause of Hamlet’s strange behavior.
Marcellus and Bernardo:
They are the officers. At first, they see the ghost walking the ramparts of Elsinore. They summon Horatio to witness it.
Osric:
He is a foolish courtier. He summons Hamlet to his duel with Laertes who is Ophelia's brother.
Francisco:
He is a soldier and guardsman at Elsinore.
Reynaldo:
He is Polonius’s servant. Polonius sent him to France to check up on and spy on Laertes.
Characters in Julius Caesar:
Julius Caesar:
He is a superb Roman general and senator. He has lately returned to Rome in triumph after a successful army campaign.
Antony:
He is a close friend of Caesar. Antony claims allegiance to Brutus and the conspirators after Caesar’s loss of life to save his very own life.
Octavius:
He is no longer only Caesar’s adopted son however additionally an appointed successor. Octavius returns after Caesar’s loss of life from abroad.
Brutus:
He is a supporter of the republic, a government guided through the votes of senators. Brutus loves Roman general and senator Caesar as a friend.
Cassius:
He is a proficient general. Cassius does not like the reality that Caesar has become godlike in the eyes of the Romans.
Calpurnia:
She is Caesar’s wife. Calpurnia invests remarkable authority in omens and portents.
Casca:
Casca is a public figure. He antagonistic Caesar’s rise to power.
Portia:
He is Brutus’s spouse who is the daughter of a noble Roman. He took sides in opposition to Caesar.
Cicero:
He is also a Roman senator who is renowned for his oratorical skill. Senator Cicero speaks at Caesar’s triumphal parade. His death used to be at the order of Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus.
Flavius:
He is a tribune. He is a respectable elected with the aid of the people to protect their rights.
Lepidus:
Lepidus is a member of Antony and Octavius’s coalition. His position is third in this coalition. Octavius trusts his loyalty though Antony has a low opinion of Lepidus.
Murellus:
He condemns and blames the plebeians for their fickleness in cheering Caesar. Murellus and Flavius are punished for putting off the decorations from Caesar’s statues throughout Caesar’s triumphal parade.
Decius:
A member of the conspiracy. Decius leads Caesar properly into the fingers of the conspirators.
Character list of King Lear:
King Lear:
King Lear is the king of Britain. Lear is the protagonist of the tragedy ' King Lear'. His willingness to agree with empty flattery leads to the deaths of many people.
Cordelia:
Cordelia is Lear's youngest daughter. She absolutely loves her father. She refused to flatter him. This leads her to a tragic death.
Regan:
She is Lear's 2nd daughter. Regan joins forces with Goneril to ruin their father. Regan in the beginning seems less harsh than her elder sister. Lastly, she proves to be as blood-thirsty as Goneril.
Goneril:
She is Lear's eldest daughter. After professing her deep love for her father, she betrays him and plots to kill his mother.
Fool:
He is a loyal member of the king's court. The Fool assumes the function of protector to Lear when Cordelia is banished.
Earl of Gloucester:
Earl of Gloucester is Lear's cohort and loyal friend. Gloucester is a silly historical man. His lack of ability to see the fact in his youngest son's phrases is parallel to Lear.
Earl of Kent / Caius:
He is Lear's loyal friend and supporter. Although banished, Kent disguises himself as Ctort to remain close to his king.
Edgar / Poor Tom:
He is Gloucester's older son. Edgar is Gloucester's only reputable heir. He ought to flee and conceal from his father, disguised as Poor Tom when he comes beneath suspicion.
Edmund:
He is Gloucester's younger, illegitimate, son. He is an opportunist whose ambitions lead him to structure a union with Goneril and Regan.
Duke:
Duke of Albany is Goneril's husband. Albany grows in stature throughout the play. Eventually, he finds the energy to resist his wife's efforts to have Lear killed.
Duke of Cornwall:
Duke of Cornwall is Regan's brutal husband. Cornwall is vicious and savage as he tries to dispose of Lear and Gloucester.
Oswald:
Oswald is Goneril's steward. Oswald is a willing confederate to Goneril's plotting and proves a foil to Kent's devotion to Lear.
King of France:
King of France Marries Cordelia. France is honorable and willing to help Cordelia's efforts to rescue her father.
Duke of Burgundy:
Duke of Burgundy is a Suitor for Cordelia. Burgundy rejects Cordelia when he knows that she will bring him no wealth as dowry.
Curran:
He is Gloucester's servant.
Servants to Cornwall:
He is Cornwall's retainers, who assault him in defense of Gloucester.
Old Man:
He is the tenant of Gloucester.
Doctor:
He is an attendant to Cordelia.
To Know More:
Shakespeare’s Tragedies with Short Description of Characters (Part-2)
