Human Nature In Shakespeare's Hamlet

In the late 1400’s Giovanni Pico Della Mirandola lead society into a new era of humanism emphasizing individualism, which Fiero defines as, “The affirmation of the unique self-fashioning potential of the human being”(385). In “Oration on the Dignity of Man,” Pico begins his essay by displaying the Renaissance view of individualism by referencing man as, “The intermediary between creatures, that he is the familiar of the gods above him as he is lord of the being beneath him; that by the acuteness of his senses”(12-14). As the writing

The speech of Hamlet “O that this too sullied flesh would melt, … But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” (1.2.129-159) is where we can see Hamlet’s sadness towards his mother, Gertrude and his uncle Claudius and feels disappointed about their decision of getting married. Hamlet is seen to be too upset after his father’s death. It’s not even a month has passed and he gets to hear another news about his mother Gertrude and uncle, Claudius getting married. In the beginning of Act 1 Scene 2, King Claudius gives a speech to his courtiers, telling them about his recent marriage to Gertrude, mother of Hamlet and his brother’s widow. Claudius says that he mourns his brother but has chosen to balance Denmark’s mourning with delight of his marriage. He also mentions in his speech that young Fortinbras has written to him, rashly demanding the surrender of the lands King Hamlet won from Fortinbras’s father, and dispatches Cornelius and Voltimand with a message for the King of Norway, Fortinbras’s elderly uncle.

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

Re-Writing the Creation Story: How Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s Oration on the Dignity of Man Influenced the Renaissance and Man’s Perception of Himself

William Shakespeare is widely acclaimed for his authorization of many plays most notably his tragedy Hamlet. Each year High school students are exposed to the world of Shakespeare, however this is not just in the classroom it actually takes place in multiple media outlets, which portrays the tragedy in many ways, whether it be a simple line drawn from the play or even the entire plot being based off of the grand tragedy. Certainly this is contributed to the role that the human condition plays within the play and largely everyday life. Clear connections can be simply copied and pasted and hold true in any circumstance when comparing the human condition and Hamlet. Hamlet represents growth as he struggles with the decision to follow his heavenly

It is often heard: Nobody is Perfect. This phrase is often used as a rationalization of foolish human mistakes that could have been prevented.  However, this statement has a much more profound significance. It contains an important lesson that guides or rather should guide people through life.  By admitting that nobody is perfect, the individual demonstrates a deeper understanding of the human nature and inner self. This knowledge is essential to the individual's creation of healthy relationships with one's surrounding.  For as Robert A. Johnson asserts in his book, He, "perfection or a good score is not required; but consciousness is"(76).  In William Shakespeare's

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

“It is the nature of people to love, then destroy, then love again that which they value the most.” –Unknown. Countless authors have tried to display love as human nature, but no author does this better than the famous playwright, William Shakespeare. In both Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare exhibits how love can control a person. To understand how love controls a person, one must understand that human nature is the sum of qualities and traits shared by all humans. All humans have exhibit love in one way or another, which explains how human nature relates to the controlling aspect of love. In Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, conflicts between loyalty to family and friends, lack of trustworthiness towards others,

1. Anagnorisis is a term that was coined by Aristotle to describe the moment in which a tragic hero realizes an important fact or insight. For example, a truth about himself, human nature, or his situation. Aristotle stated that anagnorisis in a tragedy goes hand-in-hand with peripetia. Peripertia is the turnaround from fortune and wealth.

1. How much time has passed between Act I and Act II. How do you know?

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.

“To, be or not to be,” is one of William Shakespeare’s most notable inquiries regarding interiority in the tragedy Hamlet (3.1.55). By orchestrating chaos, Shakespeare creates an environment in which the male characters; Hamlet and Claudius, are free to contemplate and express their respective natures. However, when it comes to Gertrude; Hamlet’s mother and initial instigator of Hamlet’s conflict, there is no interior examination. There is only vilification at the recognition of Gertrude’s sexuality, and the interior disruption that results from Gertrude’s decision to lay with Claudius. This interior disruption of Hamlet is so severe that Hamlet is unable to cope, desires death, and eventually lashes out at Gertrude and her womanhood.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet, demonstrates human nature to be gluttonous, self-involved and merciless. Claudius is determined by his greed to commit murder. Polonius is always watching out for himself, without a care of the expense of anyone that gets in his way. Hamlet ponders only of retaliation from the second he finds out about Claudius murdered his father. Human nature has been several things throughout time, but it has also changed throughout the years. People can be immoral and cruel, but they can also show great empathy and kindness.

The new evaluation of the individual’s worth and the new conception of the individual’s relation to nature, which were to become the central motifs of the Renaissance, can be seen graphically in the paintings of artists like Piero della Francesca, Donatello, and Michelangelo. The individuals in their portraits and sculptures were the center of attention and were portrayed realistically, thereby glorifying man. More specifically, Michelangelo’s statue of David portrays man’s power and beauty (David, Spielvogel, 324). Linguists and philosophers also expressed this idolization of man. Pico della Mirandola, author of the “Oration on the Dignity of Man,” wrote that God addressed man saying, “‘Though shalt have the power to degenerate into the lower forms of life, which are brutish. Thou shalt have the power, out of thy soul’s judgment, to be reborn into the higher forms, which are divine’” (Mirandola, 411). Therefore, man’s understanding of his potential as an individual led to an increased emphasis on humanism in all aspects of Renaissance society.

“To be, or not to be: That is the question”(3.1.58). This is probably the most famous quote in all of Shakespearean literature and was uttered by the main character, Hamlet, of the play “Hamlet” written by Shakespeare. It demonstrates his instability and suicidal thoughts. Throughout the play he comes off as a very unpredictable and complex character. He makes many rash decisions, but at the same time often takes a lot of time to contemplate many of his choices. Through Hamlet’s language and voice, we can examine what type of character Shakespeare created. Hamlet acts differently towards people in contrast to his actual thoughts, which are projected through his soliloquies. Due to the insanity