Shakespeare's Tragedies Have Happy Endings?

Years ago, when I was studying Shakespeare in college, I was astounded when the professor, said that Shakespeare’s tragedies all had happy endings! Well, a least positive endings.

Tragedies are all about an individual who despite their strengths and virtues have a fatal flaw or make a grave mistake that leads to their downfall. We sympathize, maybe even cry. Where is the happy ending in that? Do you walk away from the theater feeling lighter, entertained? Maybe you feel better seeing that someone else’s life went to absolute shit and is so much worse than yours?

Here’s how Shakespeare crafted his “satisfying” endings. At the end of his tragedies, some character comes on stage and says, “I’ve got this.” (Well, he says it in iambic pentameter in Elizabethan English.) Here are some examples:

	Macbeth After we watch MacBeth die as a result of his unbridled ambition, Malcolm declares peace and goes to Scone to be crowned king. We should be glad that order has been restored and the monarchy continues.
	Romeo and Juliet After Romeo and Juliet both die, Romeo because of his rashness and inability to think rationally which leads him to make impulsive decisions that have disastrous consequences. And Juliet because of her impulsiveness and willingness to do anything to be with Romeo. They are young. Juliet is thirteen; Romeo, we assume, is fifteen or sixteen. They were young teenagers–an age not known for making good decisions. We feel sorrow for these kids, even though they behaved like idiots. Still, we should take heart that after their deaths, The families agree to end their feud, and the Prince points out that those at fault, the parents and the prince himself, are punished. I feel much more sorrow over this story as a parent, than I did as a student. Ending a feud and knowing that the other adults involved are punished by sorrow wouldn’t begin to make me okay with the death of my child. I certainly didn’t walk away from the theater feeling satisfied.
	Hamlet Hamlet is an idealistic, sensitive, and moral person who is unable to cope with the shock of his family’s destruction and his new understanding of his uncle, mother, and the world. His constant awareness and doubt delay him from acting, which leads to his doom and the deaths of other characters. Even though we are frustrated with him, we can’t help but sympathize. When he dies, along with nearly every other character, we should be relieved that Fortinbras come in at the end and takes charge.
	KingLear In King Lear, we are supposed to be glad that these Albany, Edgar and Kent restore order and salvage the kingdom.

Macbeth

After we watch MacBeth die as a result of his unbridled ambition, Malcolm declares peace and goes to Scone to be crowned king. We should be glad that order has been restored and the monarchy continues.

Romeo and Juliet

After Romeo and Juliet both die, Romeo because of his rashness and inability to think rationally which leads him to make impulsive decisions that have disastrous consequences. And Juliet because of her impulsiveness and willingness to do anything to be with Romeo. They are young. Juliet is thirteen; Romeo, we assume, is fifteen or sixteen. They were young teenagers–an age not known for making good decisions. We feel sorrow for these kids, even though they behaved like idiots. Still, we should take heart that after their deaths, The families agree to end their feud, and the Prince points out that those at fault, the parents and the prince himself, are punished.

I feel much more sorrow over this story as a parent, than I did as a student. Ending a feud and knowing that the other adults involved are punished by sorrow wouldn’t begin to make me okay with the death of my child. I certainly didn’t walk away from the theater feeling satisfied.

Hamlet

Hamlet is an idealistic, sensitive, and moral person who is unable to cope with the shock of his family’s destruction and his new understanding of his uncle, mother, and the world. His constant awareness and doubt delay him from acting, which leads to his doom and the deaths of other characters. Even though we are frustrated with him, we can’t help but sympathize. When he dies, along with nearly every other character, we should be relieved that Fortinbras come in at the end and takes charge.

KingLear

In King Lear, we are supposed to be glad that these Albany, Edgar and Kent restore order and salvage the kingdom.

The tragedy is what happens to the protagonist because of their flaws, not what happens to the kingdom. The monarchy continues. How could it not, being ordained by God? Of course, in the US we no longer have a monarchy ordained by the Almighty, but there is definitely some relief to be felt that life as we know it will continue.

Does knowing this make you enjoy sad endings? If you’d rather end a book smiling and entertained, try these: