Human Condition In Hamlet

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.

Gertrude married Claudius in order to maintain her position as Queen. Women move up in the world or maintain their positions by marrying certain men because marriage is the “right” conduct. Yet, it makes them dependent on the men in society which enforces the patriarchal society. Gertrude fills the role of the “good” girl by obeying her husband and letting him control her life. Claudius manipulates her for his own benefits of status.

Texts reflect their context and paradigms but transcendental texts that explore aspects of humanity can resonate through time and remain relevant and accessible to audiences. William Shakespeare’s introspective play, Hamlet, explores the complexity of the human condition by reflecting ideologies such as justice, loyalty and morality. Although these deeply human ideas ensure the plays resonance, they are somewhat secondary to the depths of Hamlet’s human struggle. These thematic concerns reflect how flaws in the values of society descend into corruption. Through an exploration of the characterization, Shakespeare invites a re-evaluation of the values that shape human nature. The textual integrity of Hamlet makes it of distinctive

“To be or not to be, that is the question” (Act III, Scene 1). The famous line from Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, shows just how confusing the human condition is through the questioning and contemplating of life or death. There is much proven about the human condition through the play’s characters’ emotionality, morality, and conflict. As seen through Hamlet, many people’s emotions are either misinterpreted or confused. People can send the wrong feelings to someone else, especially young men to women, like Hamlet to Ophelia.

Furthermore, “Hamlet” portrays how the upset of order causes the gradual deterioration of a family. The causes of this familial disorder are King Hamlet’s murder, Gertrude’s brief mourning of her deceased husband and Claudius and Gertrude’s “o’erhasty marriage” (II.ii.57). Hamlet mourns the death of his father in a “conventional Elizabethan form”, whereas, Claudius and Gertrude celebrate their marriage (Kirsch). King Hamlet, the patriarch and the figure head of the family, is murdered creating an unstable family. Hamlet disapproves of how his mother was so quick to mourn the death of his father, and feels that her grief is marred by her sudden marriage to

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Gertrude possesses great sophistication, serving as more than an easily manipulated and simple woman. Throughout Hamlet, the queen speaks less than other individuals such as Hamlet and Claudius. In addition, Hamlet’s interpretation of her marriage to Claudius and the ghost’s accusations portray her in a negative and simplistic light, explaining her actions as adultery through weakness. Consequently, Gertrude might easily appear vulnerable and dependent on others, as described by Hamlet and the ghost. However, such an interpretation fails to correctly analyze the meaning and value of Gertrude’s actions and the intelligence she demonstrates.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is inherently concerned with an individual’s quest to find justice, even when faced with the world being immoral. In the play, Hamlet who is arguably the most enigmatic character in English literature, is driven to reflect on human nature, agonise over his purpose in the world and grieve the corruption he sees, primarily through the use of sexual, moral and physical views. Ideas about physical decay and corruption of the body also constantly recur in much of the imagery in Hamlet, allowing for the responder to create the play in their own perception, thus making a connection with the book. Through Hamlet embarking on a journey to find justice to avenge his father’s death, he pursues this by making certain, that

William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet is perhaps one of his most intriguing and scandalous pieces of work. One character who is liable for much of this excitement and outrage is Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude. To some readers and critics, Gertrude is conceived as an erratic, superficial and sensual woman. Others discern the Queen as an earnest, intellectual and sagacious woman whose tragic fault is her yearning for sexual satisfaction. Throughout the text, there are several legitimate arguments for both sides, but in the end, Hamlet seems to sum up the Queen’s true persona with the words “Frailty, thy name is woman”. Evidence of Gertrude’s true nature can be found in many instances through out the play such

All the problems and drama that is happening in the state of Denmark such as, death, incest, secrets, and when hamlet returns to his home country to attend his father's funeral. Hamlet is the prince of Denmark and his father who was the king was murdered by his brother and uncle to Hamlet. And when the Commander of Norway’s army says that “There is something rotten in the state of Denmark”, he’s saying that nothing is well when any kingdoms king is killed and when the king's son is acting crazy. All is wrong in Denmark, by that is meant there are too many lies, deceitfulness, and everyone is sceptical towards each other which is terrible to be happening during their

When the ghost talks privately to Hamlet, the prince learns not only about the murder of his father, but also about the unfaithfulness and adultery of his mother. Gertrude was seduced by “that incestuous, that adulterate beast, / With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts” – Claudius himself – prior to his brother’s passing. “So lust, though to a radiant angel link'd, / Will sate itself in a celestial bed,/And prey on garbage.” This revelation shows Gertrude’s complex temperament and motivation and renders her much more rounded in the dramatist’s development of her (Abrams 33). The ghost asks the protagonist to

During that time the society was patriarchal. In that patriarchal society the women are characterized in a one dimensional process. According to the society’s view the woman cannot live without a man and they always need one man in their lives. Gertrude’s remarriage to Claudius exemplifies this fact also. The concept of remarriage has an another problematic issue in that time, especially for the older woman.

Throughout, Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (Hamlet), he exposes how relationships between characters influences their fates. Through this representation of connections, it highlights how the human nature has the power to create links which may strengthen one’s own power or provide protection from others. Shakespeare not only highlights the positive attributes of maintaining relationships but also exposes their negative impacts.

William Shakespeare pessimistically argues in his tragic play, Hamlet, that humans’ evil predisposition towards disingenuity leads to the degeneration of the individual due to the severance of relationships and the demise of self-respect. According to Shakespeare, human nature is such that humans misdirect, scheme against, or outright lie to others to further self-serving ends that ultimately do more harm than good. Throughout the play, Shakespeare employs contrasts and metaphors to demonstrate how dishonesty destroys trust and results in the demise of vital human connections with both family and friends. When individuals use deception to satisfy selfish desires, Shakespeare argues that this results in the death of an individual’s peace of mind. He uses personification of the soul and condemning diction to depict how duplicitous practices result in oppressive guilt.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a celebrated revenge tragedy which challenges conventions of Renaissance Humanist era values and ideas. The unquenchable thirst of revenge is the underlining factor which coerces the play, exploring the undeniable fantasy of vengeance. However, this challenging convention cannot be redeemed by Hamlet due to strict Elizabethan religious beliefs. Additionally, the theme of verisimilitude dictates the difference between reality and appearance depicting the difficulty in comprehending the truth. Discovering their identity and moral conscience with a variety of competing societal expectations.

Central to the plot and the themes developed in Shakespeare's Hamlet, are the varying elements of corruption which occur during the play. This is echoed in Marcellus' famous comment of 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark,' when Hamlet is beckoned away by the Ghost (1.4.90). As the play continues and the story enfolds, it becomes apparent that there truly is 'something rotten in the state of Denmark,' and rather that it is not just one 'something,' but many things.