The death of King Hamlet effected many individuals lives to the point where great changes were made. Especially in regards to his son, Hamlet, who took the death – murder- of his father personally in both mental and emotional ways. By doing so, Hamlet portrays and experiences the death and loss of his father by acting out in manners in which magnify his isolation and alienated actions. These would include excluding and distancing himself, turning on those closest, and taking on measures one would never do so when thinking rationally or clearly.
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, and there’s no question as to why. With heartbreak, murder, revenge, duels and secret plans, this play is filled with action and suspense. Hamlet’s tragic tale after his father’s death is one of great sacrifice and madness. The play is so complex that every character’s archetype could be discussed and argued endlessly, especially that of Hamlet. He faces a terrible tragedy (his father’s death) and has to evade multiple plans for his own murder while he tries to keep the promises that he has made, eventually doing so which causes a tremendous amount of death and destruction. Hamlet fits the archetypal description of a tragic hero and overall proves this through his actions, inaction, and thoughts
Hamlet determines he must get at the truth and comes up with a plan to do so. He enlists the help of a troupe to put on a play that depicts the way he believes his father was murdered. At this time, Hamlet contemplates the hardships of life and whether death is easier than life. “ To grunt and sweate under this weary life, When that he may his full Quietus make, With a bare bodkin, who would this indure, But for a hope of something after death?” As Hamlet believed, Claudius reacts to the play by showing guilt. He leaves the room unable to breathe and Hamlet resolves to kill him. His mental health deteriorates as he finds himself feeling like a coward, unable or unwilling to avenge his father’s death. As his inner struggle rages, he begins to yell at his mother and ultimately kills Polonius who he had no intentions on doing so. Hamlet is sent away but is able to make his way back where his uncle has set him up for a duel that he cannot win. Hamlet directly and indirectly causes six deaths including that of his mother and uncle. He is killed as well, but
With Hamlet’s tragic flaw being his inability to act, he is plagued throughout the play by his immense intelligence and philosophical nature, which causes him to overanalyze each situation, rendering him unable to carry out any action in response. This is evident in the play by the frequent delay of acting out his father’s revenge due to the uncertainty of the evidence pertaining to his uncle’s crime. Hamlet’s inability to act creates a discourse between hamlet and his consciousness, generating an abundance of stress, which causes him to become increasingly frustrated as the play progresses. This frustration leads to him at moments in the play to behave in a rash and impulsive way or acting in an inappropriate manner, contradicting his methodical and reserved disposition. It is the consequences of these “inappropriate” actions that resurfaces at the plays end, to haunt the character, as Hamlet’s inability to act while using his renowned logic and intelligence ultimately leads to his eventual demise at the plays conclusion, due to his inability to act both “effectively” and “appropriately” in critical situations.
Drama is used in books and movies to reveal a character’s true being through action and speech. There is a common saying which, paraphrased, goes “always trust someone when they are angry, that’s when the truth comes out.” And that is what Arthur Miller did in his 1952 play “The Crucible”. He uses the intense emotions if his characters to reveal how each of them feel about each other, which causes outrage in the town. It is drama causing drama. One character, john Proctor, is a good example if this because of his different actions in the play which cause controversy and reveal different parts of everyone.
Dramatic irony is when the audience or reader knows the words and actions of the characters in a work of literature, but certain characters in the story do not know them. The reader or audience has a greater knowledge of many of the characters themselves. Shakespeare employs dramatic irony in many of his tragedies; so that the audience is engaged, and so they are able to witness characters errors in their action, predict the fate of the characters, and experience feelings of tragedy and grief. As a tragedy, Hamlet deals with the problems that arise as a result of Hamlet's attempt to avenge his father's death. Throughout the play Hamlet is on the search of his self, while his actions are shaping who he really is. As he is attempting to
In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet, a studious young man and Prince of Denmark, struggles to face the death of his father and the task to kill his father’s murderer, Claudius. He was once known as a charming, smart young man before his father’s death. However, Hamlet experiences depression and anger at the world, causing him to look outwardly on society but failing to look inwardly on himself. The death of his father and the task for vengeance leads him to question whether or not he should follow through in killing Claudius. He becomes a man of thought rather than a man of action. In addition, the delay of King Claudius’ murder leads the readers to believe that he wishes not to kill him; he
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is laden with tragedy from the start, and this adversity is reflected in the title character. Being informed of his father’s murder and the appalling circumstances surrounding the crime, Hamlet is given the emotionally taxing task of avenging his death. It is clear that having to complete this grim undertaking takes its toll on Hamlet emotionally. Beginning as a seemingly contemplative and sensitive character, we observe Hamlet grow increasingly depressed and deranged as the play wears on. Hamlet is so determined to make his father proud that he allows the job on hand to completely consume him. We realize that Hamlet has a tendency to mull and ponder excessively, which causes the notorious delays of action
Shakespeare's drama Hamlet has become a central piece of literature of Western culture. It is the story of a prince named Hamlet, who lost his father. Soon after that he has to confront multiple obstacles and devises a series of situations to defend the new king's royalty. Furthermore, he had to prove that King Claudius, who was the prince's uncle, had killed Hamlet's father. This story has remained among the most popular and the most controversial plays around the world. It generates controversy for all the doubts that this play leaves with the readers. One of the most questioning situations in the play is the delay of Hamlet in avenging Claudius' for his father's death. As a reader this
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark has been performed thousands of times since it was “written in 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603” (Britannica.com). It’s popularity stems from its themes that translate across time. These themes, are seen to be relatable even to this day with the ever growing audience. Readers and viewers are able to find similarities between the current state and or even relate to one of the characters or events taking place over the course of Shakespeare’s five act masterpiece. Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark remains a viable text for contemporary readers in that it functions as a mirror.
When looking at Hamlet, one could say that William Shakespeare put the play together as a very cathartic tragedy. The emotional result of dealing with so many deaths brings on a plethora of emotions which are not usually felt in a typical play. Hamlet begins not with the normal prosperity and good fortune as do most tragedies, but with a more stifling and depressing sort of mood (Tekany 115). However, something else could be said about this play as well. The play centers on Hamlet and his existential characteristics, such as angst, isolation and his confrontations with nothingness. The exhibition of these characteristics proves Hamlet to be an existential character.
William Shakespeare’s Hamlet concerns a young boy, Hamlet, who's father, the king of Denmark, has been killed by his power-thirsty uncle who has now taken over the throne. Hamlet struggles with the idea of revenge throughout the entire play, knowing he must kill his uncle to avenge his father, while simultaneously failing to take action with every opportunity that presents itself. Throughout Hamlet’s soliloquy, “To Be or Not To Be”, Shakespeare avoids personal pronouns, while also using generalized diction and ambiguous, philosophical language in order to further his dismissal of his own situation, showing, rather, his contemplation of life and death as a whole. The beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy is perhaps the most famous line throughout
The constant confusion in which he finds himself unable to make any important decisions in his life. In other words, Hamlet lacks a great amount of personal judgment. The death of his father seems to have demolished the confidence that a future king, like Hamlet, should have. For instance, Hamlet constantly hesitates on whether he should take his father’s revenge or not. Throughout the play, he gets several chances to kill Claudius, but every time he gets an opportunity to fulfill his revenge, Hamlet is uncertain about his decision and ultimately fails to take action. This is clearly shown in act three scene3, when Hamlet goes to kill his uncle while he is praying. Claudius was alone in a room, unarmed, and Hamlet had an advantage to finally take his revenge. However instead of attacking Claudius he says to himself, ‘‘now might I do it pat, now he is praying; And now I'll don't. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged'', (Act 3, Scene 3, lines 70-75). This shows that Hamlet changes his mind at the very last minute. He tries to find an excuse by convincing himself that this is actually not the right moment to kill Claudius because he might be in a state of grace and go to heaven, since Hamlet’s father died poisoned and asleep: "he took my father grossly, full of bread; With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; And how his audit stands who knows save heaven?'' (Act 3, Scene
Hamlet is continuously mentioning his mother’s new marriage in demeaning terms and through various puns including mentioning how he is “too much in the sun” (Act I Scene II Line 69) a pun on how he is a son to his father and mother and now to his uncle. He also is baffled that his mother “within a month… married with my uncle” (Act I Scene II Line 149, 155) however this was all of his thought process and he is not taking any action against anyone other than through his words. However when he debates taking his own life, he weighs the options and decides if the threat of the unknown “makes us rather bear those ills we have” (Act III Scene I Line 89) which shows the possibility of acting on his thoughts but in this moment he will not. He begins to act when he decides to write the play to break Claudius; he even remarks that he wants to catch Claudius’s “occulted guilt” (Act III Scene II Line 85) through the play’s underlying meaning. When Hamlet walks in and
Often, pieces of literature have been analyzed and made into a motion picture in the hopes of further developing the themes presented in the work. Though the Shakespearian play, Hamlet, has been interpreted and converted into a film numerous times by different directors, Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation particularly captured the essence of Hamlet and helped the audience truly understand the events that transpired in Act Three Scene Two of Hamlet. It is in this act, Hamlet plan to reveal King Claudius’ treachery is played out. Hamlet exposes the king through adding an extra sixteen lines to the play which depicts him killing Hamlet’s father. With the directions Hamlet gave to the actors, Hamlet is able to make the audience recognize the king’s