Hamlet Ambiguity Quotes

Hamlet then talks about how a man looks back on his past and learns from it. This is where a man gets his wisdom from, “Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on the event, a thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom” (4.4.41-43). Hamlet know that he has to avenge the death of his father but he is too cowardly to do it “and ever three parts coward, I do not know why yet I live to say ‘this thing’s to do;’ Sith I have caused and will and strength and means to do’t” (4.4.44-47). Hamlet realizes that he must take actions into his own hands and kill Claudius because he has everything in his power to do the deed.

This quotation displays how Hamlet used his rationality in making the decision to either kill Claudius or not. Hamlet thought carefully about what would happen if Claudius died. If Claudius died, he would go to heaven while Hamlet's father would still be in between. That would not be revenging his father death, that would only make Claudius go to

Hamlet is however racked with indecision, and spends most of this scene subtly ridiculing Claudius anyway, though Hamlet is not yet sure of his guilt. For example, after the play has served its purpose and Claudius rises, calling for light, Hamlet makes a joke that the King is “frightened by false fire” (272), implying that the King is scared this may happen to him. The reader can envision the mocking tone from Hamlet’s verbal irony as he rejoices in finally proving the King’s guilt, at least to himself. Hamlet actually employs the same stylistic irony earlier, during a short exchange with Polonius, relating it back to his father’s murder. Polonius says, “I did enact Julius Caesar: I was killed i' the / Capitol; Brutus killed me” (105-6). To which Hamlet replies, “It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf / there” (107-8). This is symbolic of what Hamlet knows about his father’s death in that he relates Caesar’s innocent “calf-like” death to his father’s murder. This, along with pieces of his conversation with Ophelia, seem to be pieces in which he is talking to himself, so zealous about his plan with the play, that he is merely speaking aloud in riddles about what has been bothering him. He mentions to Ophelia, “how cheerfully my / mother looks, and my father

As the play progresses and the characters develop, the question of ‘who’s there’ in the sense of who is this person really, are they kind or cruel, innocent of guilty? The most obvious choice for the question of character is in Claudius. Is he the kind king he makes himself out to be or a murderous manipulator. The initial question of his character is during the wedding of Gertrude and he, where he states, “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage,” (I. II. 12). He essentially is pronouncing King Hamlet’s funeral as joyous and his own wedding as mournful. The question that now presents itself to the audience is whether this is a simple mix-up on Claudius’s part or a verbal projection of his inner thoughts and feelings towards both occasions. The uncertainty of Claudius’s stance on the matters is later enlightened upon and pursued by Hamlet after his conversation between him and the ghost of King Hamlet. The old king recalls the true story of his death – demise by poison at the hand of Claudius in an effort to claim the throne. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown.” (I. V. 38-39). The validity of this statement is put into inquiry by Hamlet, leading to his use of a court play by a traveling actor’s troop as a platform to perform a reenactment of the King Hamlet’s death in order to see the reaction of Claudius. “The play’s

“There’s another. Why may not that be the/ skull of a lawyer? “ (5.1-100-101). He ponders between the physical characteristics and personalities of human life. He essentially thinks who he will be after he dies. After death, one essentially becomes nothing but dust, like the biblical saying, “from ashes to ashes, and dust to dust”. “To what base uses we may return, Horatio!” (5.1.209). Hamlet is often wondering about death, speaking about it, and thinking of the gory images of death. Thinking of it in such a matter, he appears sick. He refers to dead bodies being put in to everyday items.

In act 1 scene 2 of “Hamlet” the character Hamlet speaks his first soliloquy which reveals his innermost thoughts and feelings to the audience. In this soliloquy Hamlet’s unstable state of mind is evident as well as his feelings of despair about his father’s death and his disgust of his mother’s remarriage to his uncle Claudius. Hamlet’s hatred for his uncle is shown through harsh comparisons between Claudius and his late father. This soliloquy takes place after Claudius has begun his reign as king and has addressed the court for the first time but before Hamlet hears about the apparition that Horatio and the guards have seen. Hamlet’s character and personality are shown in this soliloquy through the use of classical imagery, diction and

What is important to know is that Hamlet and Laertes, throughout the text do not have a friendly relationship and the admiration for Laertes by Hamlet is nothing but an irony and sarcasm. As an audience to the play, one know that Laertes has been brainwashed into believing that Hamlet is his enemy, even when that is not the case at all; the enemy of the Danes throughout the text is the King, Claudius. He is responsible for numerous deaths and agony in the country because he is responsible for killing fathers to Laertes and Hamlet. Despite this, Claudius still manages to create a wall between Hamlet and Laertes, even though the audience expects them to

I Hamlet's second soliloquy, we face a determined Hamlet who is craving revenge for his father. “Ay, thou poor ghost, while memory holds a seat/ In this distracted globe. Remember thee!” Hamlet feels sorry for his father who was unable to repent of his sins and is therefore condemned to a time in purgatory. He promises his father that in spite of his mental state (he is distracted, confused and shocked) he will avenge his death. He holds him in the highest regards because he sees his father as a role model. “Yea, from the table of my memory/ I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records,”. He’ll erase all prior Knowledge and experience and leave only his father’s “commandment”. He will engrave it in the front of his mind to show his

King Claudius expresses, “Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Moreover that we much did long to see you, the need we have to use you did provoke our hasty sending.” (2.2.1-4) He addresses them in what is seemingly a sincere manner, proclaiming the supposed yearning he has had. However, these so-called sincere actions towards Hamlet’s childhood friends are just to convince them to take on the role of spying on Hamlet’s actions and reporting them back to Gertrude and Claudius. He continues to mask his true motives by saying, “To draw him on to pleasures and to gather...you may glean..to us unknown, afflicts him thus that, opened, lies within our remedy.” (2.2.15-19) King Claudius’ choice of words convey an inkling to the audience that he cares for Hamlet because of how he expresses his need to find out Hamlet’s condition, and fix it. This also presents Gertrude with the idea that Claudius has Hamlet’s best interests at heart. This, in King Claudius’ favor, solidifies his honorable, yet selfless stature with his contriving

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern interrogate Hamlet about Polonius. Hamlet dosent answer their questions and says that they cant be trusted because they are working for the king and tells them that the body is somewhere where t isn’t just to mess with them. This scene shows how Hamlet dosent trust any of his former friends anymore due to paranoia and is now starting to get his revenge.

In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, doubt is one of the most important themes. In fact, the whole play is based on the story of a ghost who claims to be Hamlet’s father, and nobody can be sure if what he says is the truth. In this essay, I am going to focus on the theme of doubt throughout the play. I will first speak about the opening scene, and then I will talk about the ghost, which is a supernatural element used by Shakespeare to create doubt in the play. I will also analyse the passage in which Hamlet declares his love to Ophelia. Finally, I will briefly discuss Hamlet’s sanity.

This, in turn, exploits Hamlet’s similar flaw of ego and furthers the conflict, but what’s more, it illustrates Claudius’ sheer audacity and lack of repentance. He continues to try to cover up the sin and appease Hamlet into complacency rather than confess and ask for forgiveness. In a mark of pure arrogance, Claudius tells Hamlet to “throw to earth / This unprevailing woe and think of us / As of a father”, conceitedly requesting that Hamlet merely forget the murder and replace his father with the murderer himself (I, ii, 110-112). Similarly, instead of directly confronting Hamlet about his mental condition, the king more or less hires Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on the prince, again cementing his smug mindset. The king does not believe he can be caught or, rather, that Hamlet is competent enough to figure out his plan and foil him. Claudius, too, thinks only of himself after Hamlet’s inadvertent killing of Polonius, pondering “how shall this bloody deed be answered? / It will be laid to us” instead of considering the ramifications of the murder with respect to Hamlet (4.1.17-18). The other two paper-thin traps the king hatches only reinforce his failure to see beyond the apparent; his attempt to deport Hamlet to England and have him killed reeks of treachery and, luckily, Hamlet realizes the king’s subterfuge, crushing the plot and flipping it back on him. Claudius remains steadfast in his efforts to remove Hamlet, going so far as to set up a

In the excerpt taken from Hamlet, Shakespeare uses a hostile tone to depict the relationship between Hamlet and the people he is speaking to. The author uses figurative syntax, descriptive detail, and vexed diction to show the sanity of Hamlet based on the relationships with those he interacts with. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are trying to uncover Hamlet’s mental state thinking that Hamlet has no idea but Hamlet is always one step ahead of those in the house.

But, is not willing to make a sacrifice since he does not want anyone else ruling Denmark besides himself. Not only that, but Claudius did not think about the impact that King Hamlet's death would have on Hamlet, Gertrude, and Denmark as a whole. Hamlet struggled significantly with his father's death and this was something that didn’t concern Claudius since he was not concerned about Hamlet’s well-being nor did he think about Hamlet while murdering his father. Also, Claudius never thought twice about how King Hamlet’s death would impact Denmark as a whole since he was a great ruler and his absence might cause the country to “crumble”. The only thing Claudius was concerned and blinded with was ruling the throne and not the fact that he would make an unfitting ruler and what would be best for the country since all he wants to do is control everyone. Furthermore, in the soliloquy, it is present that Claudius has a sense of guilt for murdering his

Claudius is introduced as a coward when it is revealed that he murdered King Hamlet with poison. When the Ghost, the ghost of King Hamlet, tells Hamlet about how he was killed, the Ghost says, “Now, Hamlet, hear: / 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, / A serpent stung me. / So the whole ear of Denmark / Is