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Literature & Language
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Tragic Heroes: A Comparison Between Hamlet and R.P. Mcmurphy

Coursework Instructions:

For our final paper, choose ONE of the following paper prompts and write a 5-6 pages paper (including your bibliography), following MLA formatting style: 1-inch margins, 5-6 pages, double-spaced, 12pt. font. See MLA format guide here : https://style(dot)mla(dot)org/
Paper prompt #1:
To adapt a play into a movie (or television series), screenwriters and directors invariably go through a selection process. This often means eliminating characters, entire storylines, etc. For this paper, choose one play and its adaptation from the 10 pairs we have examined this quarter and reflect on a few elements (storyline, characters, etc.) of the play that were eliminated from the filmed adaptation. How did eliminating these elements affect the storytelling in the film? How did it change your comprehension of the story or the message it conveyed? What was lost? What was gained? Do you agree with the selection that the screenwriter and director made? If you were to direct your own adaptation, would you make the same choice?

Paper Prompt #2
Pick two protagonists we have studied this quarter (one example could be Antigone and Hamlet) and write a paper that compares and contrasts them as characters in both their play and film adaptation. What makes them relatable (or not) as main characters? What are their flaws and their qualities? What is their moral dilemma? What drives them to embark on their specific stories? What do they have in common and what makes them different? In discussing these two protagonists, make sure to address them as they are represented in the play AND in the filmed adaptation (for example, Antigone in both the play and the film and Hamlet in both the play and the film).
Some helpful tips:
Our group discussions during office hours were meant to help you practice the kind of analysis I hope to see in your final papers. Many of you have already begun to move from general statements (“I liked it”, “I did not like it”) to more specific and supported claims (“I liked how the director made this specific choice about this character in the film, which struck me as different from the play for this and this reason…”).
All this to say be SPECIFIC! Support your claims by using examples from the plays and films. Refer to a specific scene, cite lines of dialogue. Broad generalizations or vague universalizing assessments do not make a strong argument.
Your intro paragraph should have a thesis statement. See examples here : https://revelle(dot)ucsd(dot)edu/_files/humanities/writing-resources/thesisstatements.pdf The thesis statement is a road map for your reader. You announce what you are going to discuss and then tell your reader how you plan to do that. Then you spend the rest of the paper doing just that.
Don’t forget a conclusion!
Your paper must have a bibliography. List all your sources (films, plays, lectures, and any other sources you might want to use) and consult the MLA formatting guide to list them properly.
Please use the resources at the UCSD Writing Hub. The folks there are AMAZING! You can schedule a consultation if you have difficulties with your paper or you want more guidance. https://writinghub(dot)ucsd(dot)edu/
PLAGIARISM: it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with what counts as plagiarism. I take this seriously and so does the university. All instances of academic dishonesty (plagiarism, having someone else write the paper for you, improperly citing, etc.) will be reported and will result in failing the final paper. https://academicintegrity(dot)ucsd(dot)edu/.

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Tragic Heroes: A Comparison Between Hamlet and R.P. Mcmurphy
A tragic hero is a character in a work of fiction where the protagonist commits a mistake which eventually leads to defeat. A tragic hero possesses a higher social status or a higher point in their life than the average person but goes to an unfortunate low one as the storyline progresses. Their social status suffers a downfall from a tragic flaw in personality (Wilson, 92). In modern literature, a tragic hero must have the sympathy of the audience, and some tragic flaw in their character ruins their best efforts or intentions. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey and The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare are noble plays whose protagonists are can be considered tragic heroes. R.P. McMurphy and Hamlet from Ken Kesey's and Shakespeare's plays, respectively, are protagonists whose seemingly desirable character traits turned out to be their tragic flaws, and eventually led to their downfall as tragic heroes. The essay compares and contrasts the character traits of both McMurphy and Hamlet, to find out the issues that make them tragic heroes to their respective audience.
Tragic heroes are often presented as better positioned or privileged to carry out a particularly good deed than others. In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet (protagonist) is undoubtedly noble and has been since birth. He goes from a high point in his life to an unfortunate one at another. He hesitated to avenge his father's death and take action against Claudius (antagonist). When the ghost of King Hamlet appears, Hamlet accepts the task of having revenge as commanded by the soul of his father. The protagonist in the other play, McMurphy, is depicted as an individual who desires to achieve dominance over others has been incomparable. He always acts and behaves to remain a "champion" in all situations, regardless of its consequences. As a result, he is motivated to challenge the antagonist (Nurse Ratchet) in her leadership in a mental hospital. He had initially faked a mental illness to evade a prison environment, but he found himself a captive in the hospital (14). Although McMurphy is not mad, Nurse Ratched believes that he is and treats him like any mentally deranged patient.
In both plays, the protagonists disguise their true mental status to achieve certain objectives. For example, Hamlet in Shakespeare's play is portrayed as having trouble executing his uncle as it was required of him and pretended to have gone insane. He sets up a play to delay killing Claudius. When Hamlet had the perfected opportunity to kill his uncle, he lets it pass by. He feigned insanity on several occasions for his reasons. In Act III Scene 4, Hamlet says that "I essentially am not in madness, / But mad in craft." In this case, he fakes to be mentally disturbed to hide his true agendas from others, including King Claudius, Polonius, and those close to the king. Hamlet used similar tactics on Ophelia to portray that his love for her had driven him to craziness. He had to maintain the theatrics to conceal his real cause of action against King Claudius until he realized his hopes of vengeance. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, McMurphy faked insanit...
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