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Conception Of Insanity In Shakespeare's Hamlet

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Throughout William Shakespeare's play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Herman Koch's novel The Dinner the conception of insanity is explored through techniques of character, setting, time, and structure; the central theme of insanity is expressed through the physical form of prominent protagonists. The way in which supporting characters interact with the protagonists varies with the different environments they advance from. Both Shakespeare and Koch show the manifestation of insanity through the setting the protagonists are placed in. To further reinforce the theme by creating contrasts from the protagonists, Shakespeare uses supporting characters whereas Koch presents antagonists. A central technique used in both texts is the manipulation …show more content…

In The Dinner a key symbol is cell phones and the characters use of them. Cell phones are used as an aspect that makes the situation worse. The key times that the family truly argue is over the phone and Paul discovered the madness of his Michel and the murder that he undertook by watching it on his cell phone. Serge use of his cell phone causes for great annoyance from Paul, a significant argument between the two comes from the call that Serge gets from the Prime Minister to which throws Paul into a jealous rage. Another key symbol shown by Koch is the meals of the dinner. When the dishes are presented to Paul he only comments of what it wrong with it. This relates to Paul untasteful attitude to aspects of life that are meant to be enjoyed. This negative attitude towards the meals directly link to the key motivator to his madness. Paul recounts the dish as to what it doesn’t have by using such descriptions such as ‘(a) minuscule bunch of fruit’, ‘inches of empty plate’, and ‘its pig feed’. Shakespeare uses Hamlet’s change of outfits to emphasis a change in attitude and personality. In Act I Hamlet wears all black to which his mother notices is because of his mourning, it also symbolises Hamlet change in character. From the point of his Father’s death, Hamlet slowly spirals into madness. The second costume change is when he plays a ‘antic’ or madman and acts as a man who is crazy to the rest of the court. The final major costume change is the final scene to which Hamlet is dressed in jousting gear. This is the scene where his madness is somewhat revealed as overcome as he speaks and acts clearly to carry out his last undertaking of revenge. Another symbol is the skull of King Yorick in the rank gardens. By seeing the skull Hamlet contemplates the meaning of life and death, and that even a King is reduced ‘to dust’. The skull sends Hamlet into further thought as to how he should take his

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