For my Hamlet character comparison essay I chose to do Hamlet and Polonius. Polonius is Ophelia's father and Hamlet portrays an image of love toward Ophelia. In this essay I am going to explain the differences of Hamlet and Polonius and in case you’ve never read this book there is a downfall in this story leading to many deaths. I’m sure you’re wondering who killed who… continue reading to find out!
Hamlet is the main character in this story. The town of Denmark drives him mad and leads to many downfalls. Hamlet is focused on his revenge on the killer of his father to even realize he’s gone mad. He is a very impulsive character which means he doesn’t think before doing and this flaw could lead to many bad decisions. For instance whenever Hamlet escaped from England and came back to Denmark and figured out Ophelia was dead, he immediately acted to attack Laertes, shall I not forget to mention Laertes was in Ophelia’s grave whenever this happened. As Hamlet says in act 5 scene 1 to Laertes “Who is this Who makes such a show of his grief? This is I, Hamlet the Dane”.... (Hamlet leaps into the grave. They fight.) is the perfect example of his impulsiveness. Hamlet also says in this act “For, though I am not angry and foolish I have something dangerous in me, Which if you are wise, you will fear.” and I believe this portrays Hamlet to express a cocky trait.
Polonius on the other hand has a few different quality traits compared to Hamlet. As I mentioned in the first paragraph
The play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, looks at the issue of madness and how it effects the characters of the play. Madness can be looked at from very different perspectives, such as strong and uncontrollable emotions, a person’s desires, and also a persons mental stability. Throughout the play, the audience is questioning the sanity of the main character, Hamlet, as he goes on his quest for revenge. The people around him also show signs of madness, such as Ophelia and Claudius, but in different forms. Existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzche says, “There is always some madness in love. But there is also some reason in madness.” What Nietzche is saying is that when you are in love with someone or something, there is always a little
Polonius is one of the most corrupt characters of the play. However, we can see that his corruption is in his nature and not caused only by the murder of King Hamlet. In his speech to his son, Leartes (I.iii), he opposes the virtue of being close-mouthed and discrete. Polonius later instructs his servant Renyaldo to spy on Laetes in Paris. This is very hypocritical of him as he is doing exactly what he condemned earlier. He also meddles into the relationship of Ophelia and Hamlet, without taking into account their feelings, and is only willing to satisfy his own goals. He does not want to offend the king or make it seem like he is pushing his daughter to marry Hamlet. Hamlet views Ophelia as someone pure, cares deeply about her and does not take into consideration their difference in stature. Unfortunately, Polonius manages to corrupt their innocent relationship. After Polonius spies on Hamlet, to prove his insanity to the king, Hamlet suspects Ophelia of being involved in the spying and plotting that has been occurring. He tells her that “God has given [her] one face, and [she] make [herself] another”(III.i.144-145). He tells her that she is an inconsistent and fickle
Polonius played a vital role in Hamlet even though he was not one of the main characters. He continued to reinforce the theme of corruption and displayed the social and ethical collapse of Denmark. His deceitful actions show the reader that he is one of dishonesty and chicanery. In the play, Polonius was portrayed as someone who is a deceiver and pretender that betrays people he is supposed to be devoted to; and who only cares about things that will benefit him. These characteristics of Polonius are seen through his interactions with Ophelia, Hamlet, Laertes, Reynaldo and the King.
In Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, the audience finds a docile, manipulated, scolded, victimized young lady named Ophelia. Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet. Plays have foils to help the audience better understand the more important characters in the play. The character of Ophelia is necessary so that the audience will give Hamlet a chance to get over his madness and follow his heart.
‘The pangs of despised love” (3.1.72). Though Ophelia’s father, Polonius, in The Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, orders her to stay away from Prince Hamlet, that does not stop her from loving him. The love that both Prince Hamlet and Ophelia share appears to be very strong, but sensitive at the same time. The mistake that Ophelia makes not only breaks Prince Hamlet’s heart and love, but it also makes her go crazy trying to redeem that lost love.
Madness, the state of being mentally ill, exuberating extreme behavior, or a state of a frenzied mind. A definition which is a recurring major theme in Hamlet. By comparing and contrasting Hamlet to Ophelia, readers can see the different state of mind between the two characters.
In Arthur Miller’s, Death of A Salesman, Willy Loman is a tragic hero who inflicts his fallacious moral code upon himself and his family because of his own anguished character. In Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, Polonius has been a father just like Willy Loman. He is the King’s chief counselor and goes to elaborate heights to obtain what he wants. Willy Loman’s obdurate disinclination drove him to lose his job, estranged from his family, and finally lead to the end of his life. Polonius is a father who will go to all extremes necessary to preserve or enhance his reputation. Both of these men are different when it comes to time, place, and circumstance, but they share many of the same qualities.
Queen Gertrude and Ophelia, the main female characters in Shakespeare’s dramatic tragedy Hamlet, have a variety of personal qualities and experiences in common. This essay, with the help of literary critics, will explore this commonality.
Issues of power are foremost in Polonius' mind. He immediately seeks the King in order to legitimate his accusations concerning Hamlet. By doing this, not only does Polonius gain power over Hamlet, but also with the King himself. Polonius tries to control the way Hamlet is seen around the court so as to rise in stature himself. Through his manipulation of Ophelia, Polonius becomes a character not as much concerned with familial ties as one whose concern rests within the world of court intrigue and position.
Have you been in love? Love does not have any shape, It does not look at social classes, skin color, even if your parents do not like you to be with her o him, but sometimes those are small obstacles that do not allow us to be with the person we love. A clear example, can be Ophelia and Hamlet on the play called Hamlet written by William Shakespeare. This pair of characters were in love with each other, but, Polonius, Ophelia's father, was against this relationship because he thinks Hamlet is playing around with her. As many relationships, everybody has parallel and contrast things. Even though compared to Hamlet, Ophelia has someone who supports her after her father's death , Hamlet and Ophelia loss of a parental figure and both of them
The Shakespearean tragedy Hamlet features two female characters in main roles, Ophelia and Gertrude. They are similar in a surprising number of ways. This essay proposes to elucidate the reader on their likeness or similarity.
Hamlet faces challenges throughout the play that try his inner strengths and test his ability to handle the situation. He is torn between wanting to seek justice, and avenge his father’s death. Hamlet is also caught up in an intricate web of lies and deceit, he is considered mad by most characters when in all actuality it is just playing off of the actions of others to benefit himself. He puts on different acts trying to hide the truth, which makes him seem sincerely mad to the people around him. The truth of the matter is that Hamlet can’t decide whether or not his convictions are accurate. This dilemma ultimately leads to not only the deaths of the main characters, but the downfall of the kingdom.
Michael Pennington in “Ophelia: Madness Her Only Safe Haven,” elucidates the character of Ophelia in Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet:
The legendary drama, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare is a play illustrating the theme of virtue vs. villainy. The 17th century tragedy is plagued with treachery and deceit as it opens with the news of a foul murder in the kingdom of Denmark. Prince Hamlet, by word of his late father's ghost, is informed that his uncle Claudius is to blame for his father's sudden demise. Prince Hamlet's mission is to uncover the secrets surrounding the murder and to avenge his father's death. Thus, the insidious web of disease and corruption is formed. The relationship between disease leading to the greater corruption of Denmark plays a significant role in the lives of the principle players.
As with many plays, actors in Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, are at liberty to alter the portrayal of their characters. Because of this, the significance and subtleties of various characters can be lost in varying adaptations of the play. This holds true for the character Polonius, who is often incorrectly portrayed as a oblivious and foolish yet caring father. Rather, Shakespeare implicitly and explicitly establishes Polonius as a character in full control of his wits. Polonius’ interaction with other characters throughout the play highlights his cunning, wit, and selfishness.