1. Dark and Melancholy Tone: The overall mood is often sad and full of despair.
2. Supernatural Elements: Supernatural elements such as ghosts, curses, and divine retribution are common.
3. Characters from the Upper Class: The main characters are often royalty or nobility.
4. Fatal Flaws: The protagonist's fall is usually caused by a fatal character flaw, known as a "hamartia."
5. Revenge: Revenge is a central theme, often intertwined with the supernatural elements.
Jacobean tragedies, named after King James I's reign, differ from Elizabethan tragedies in the following aspects:
1. Gritty Realism: There's a shift towards more realistic and violent portrayals of human nature and events.
2. Corruption and Corruption: The plays often explore themes of corruption and political intrigue.
3. Lower Class Characters: The focus widens to include characters from all social classes, not just the upper class.
4. Complexity and Ambiguity: Jacobean tragedies present more complex moral dilemmas and characters, and leave more room for ambiguity and interpretation.
5. Social and Political Commentary: These plays frequently incorporate social and political commentary on the contemporary world.