Diction And Imagery In Shakespeare's Hamlet

One of the best known pieces of literature throughout the world, Hamlet is also granted a position of excellence as a work of art. One of the elements which makes this play one of such prestige is the manner in which the story unfolds. Throughout time, Shakespeare has been renowned for writing excellent superlative opening scenes for his plays. By reviewing Act 1, Scene 1 of Hamlet, the reader is able to establish a clear understanding of events to come. This scene effectively sets a strong mood for the events to come, gives important background information, and introduces the main characters. With the use of this information, it is simple to see how Shakespeare manages to create stories with such everlasting appeal.

As humanity strives to live, humans use language as an indicator to communicate their thoughts and needs. Language conveys more than words depending on the way it is delivered and why it was said. Although the same line can be said by two different people, people use their body language, diction, symbols, or images to get their message disclosed to their audience. Within William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main characters go through a whirlpool of conflicts in his mind. His mentality has been going through a controversy between action and contemplation since his father’s murder. He debates whether he should kill himself or not and whether he kills Claudius or not. As he suffers through this dispute between acting and reflecting, he symbolizes and illustrates his emotions. Shakespeare has characterized Hamlet to be a man who struggles through the deliberation of action and contemplation; however, illustrates his thoughts and feelings rather than just telling a story.

    William Shakespeare found that imagery was a useful tool to give his works greater impact and hidden meaning. In Hamlet, Shakespeare used imagery to present ideas about the atmosphere, Hamlet's character, and the major theme of the play. He used imagery of decay to give the reader a feel of the changing atmosphere. He used imagery of disease to hint how some of the different characters perceived Hamlet as he put on his "antic disposition". And finally, he used imagery of poison to emphasize the main theme of the play; everybody receives rightful retribution in the end.

The first example of how Shakespeare uses descriptions and imagery in his play was showing how Hamlet expresses himself over his mother's remarriage. Hamlet states "Thing rank and gross in nature" with that it is obvious he finds it disgusted that his mother was about to remarry to her dead husband's brother. Hamlet also said that " she would hang on him as if increase of appetite grown", making it somehow seem as if he saw his mother as an aminal feeding off of attention, love, power and just desperate for a companion. if he did not opinionate his thought on this remarriage enough he verbally expressed to his mother, "you have my father much offended" which basically tells her that when she married her uncle it was offensive on his deceased father.

       Hamlet is organized around various pairs of opposing forces. One of these forces is the difference between that what seems and that which actually is, in other words, appearance versus reality. What is, and what merely appears to be? We can discern two principal angles from which this question is approached in Hamlet. First, we have the angle of inward and outward emotions, and the profound distinction that is drawn between them. In other words, the tranquil face that we all show to the world is never the same as the turmoil of our souls. In Hamlet, Shakespeare explores this both explicitly, through the device of the play within the play, and implicitly, through the ways in which he uses

What character traits of Hamlet are revealed through Shakespeare's use of descriptive imagery in this soliloquy?

Shakespeare uses figurative language throughout the scene in order to draw strong emotions and imagery in the reader’s mind. This scene helps develop the characters of the King, Queen, and Polonius and their overall role going into the rest of the play. We are also introduced to two friends of Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who reveal certain characteristics of Hamlet. This scene also introduces the players who perform in Elsinore.

Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, begins with the appearance of a ghost, an apparition, possibly a hallucination. Thus, from the beginning, Shakespeare presents the air of uncertainty, of the unnatural, which drives the action of the play and develops in the protagonist as a struggle to clarify what only seems to be absolute and what is actually reality. Hamlet's mind, therefore, becomes the central force of the play, choosing the direction of the conflict by his decisions regarding his revenge and defining the outcome.

By using this imagery it gives the audience a clear picture of what Hamlet is thinking in this time; should he kill himself or not?

The stylistic device, imagery, is a structural technique used to create a visual image in the reader’s mind and increase their anticipation for a situation, used as a strong base to help readers hint at forthcoming events. In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare creates an image of situations shaping how readers look at a situation, to impact what they further expect, and foreshadow forthcoming plot. Hamlet Senior’s ghost informs Hamlet about his death, and Hamlet’s love for his father causes him to reflect upon himself in a place dark and dense with trees. This soliloquy displays Hamlet’s anger and hunger for vengeance, foreshadowing that Hamlet may take revenge of his father’s death in the future.

In Hamlet, imagery of disease, poison and decay, are used by Shakespeare for a purpose. The descriptions of disease, poison, and decay help us understand the bitter relationships that exist in the play and Hamlet’s own cynicism. We see Hamlet’s pessimism in his soliloquy when he contemplates suicide. The resentful relationship that exists between Claudius and Hamlet is heightened with the use of imagery when Claudius asks about Polonius. Imagery enhances Claudius’ abhorrence of Hamlet. Shakespeare uses imagery in this play to deepen our understanding of the emotions experienced.

Poison, disease and decay are constantly reoccurring themes of imagery used within “Hamlet”. Shakespeare uses this technique to create an atmosphere that resounds throughout the course of the play. This therefore has an impact upon how the reader views the play as they are constantly under the influence of imagery. An example of this technique can be seen in Hamlet's first

Throughout Shakespeare's play Hamlet, the main character; Hamlet displays his contemplative side and his sexual deviancy wrapped up in his enigmatic character that makes for a thought provoking play with many interesting twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes. Hamlet’s creative character allows for the viewer and the characters in the play alike to search deeper into the meaning of Hamlet’s words hoping find something more about Hamlet than meets the eye. As for Hamlet’s sexual deviancy, his dirty jokes and interest in his mother’s sex life are just another loop Shakespeare employs to get the reader engrossed and slightly disgusted in the story. Hamlet’s philosophical and contemplative side involves the reader in Hamlet's quest

“To be, or not to be? That is the question,” These words are spoken by Hamlet in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. This quote is well known around the world and is interpreted differently, with so much meaning behind a small soliloquy. Throughout the play, Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the literary device to involve the audience on what is occurring but also to convey more meaning and understanding. Shakespeare uses symbolism describe complex ideas, that help develop the plot of the play. Another literary device he uses is imagery, he uses imagery throughout the play to give a more accurate representation of the corrupt Denmark and the events taking place within. Lastly, he uses allegory, the allegories are used to hide the moral all throughout the play. In “Hamlet” the play, William Shakespeare, uses different literary devices to further the understanding of his writings, through symbolism using objects to convey the meaning behind it, imagery using descriptive words to help give a more vivid picture to the audience, and allegory to hide morals/messages behind other things.

Hamlet's character represents people in all circumstances. He questions everything, and has experienced love, hate, betrayal, depression, grief, and anger. He is sometimes