Metaphors In Hamlet

William Shakespeare uses a multitude of major well-hidden symbols in his famous play, Hamlet. One of the first symbols to be uncovered early in the play is Hamlets father returning as an apparition. His father’s ghost reveals the plot of the play to the reader by telling Hamlet that Claudius, his uncle murdered him in cold blood and Hamlet must avenge him ultimately symbolizing death. Another a major yet well-hidden symbol within the play is the flowers that Ophelia hands out to her brother Laertes, the royal King Claudius and Queen Gertrude. Each type of flower handed out hint major clues about the characters that received flowers, which make them an extremely important symbol. The skull of Yorick is also a major symbol that hides vital

Iterative use of vivid and detailed imagery in a piece of literature is often a way of expressing a theme or concept in a literary work. This is the case in William Shakespeare"'"s Hamlet, a revenge tragedy that continually depicts the vibrant metaphors of manifesting corruption and festering disease in order to auger the impending calamities in the state of Denmark. Throughout Shakespeare"'"s play, there are successive images of deterioration, decay and death. These images are skilfully accomplished through the use of metaphors of rotting and dead gardens. Shakespeare wonderfully creates these metaphors that add great dimension to the play of Hamlet.

Medea, an ancient Greek tragedy was written by Euripides during the classical era. This play focuses on Medea and how she plots the revenge against her unfaithful husband. Jason has left Medea and their children to go marry the princess of Corinth, Glauce. This was Medea’s motivation to kill Glauce and her own children. Similarly, in Hamlet, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare during the post classical era is about Hamlet and his revenge for his father on Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, that took his father’s life, throne, and wife. Hamlet was motivated to take revenge after seeing the ghost which was his father in Act I Scene V. In both plays, the theme of revenge is present and is represented through the main characters. Medea and Hamlet are both characters who seek revenge on those who betray them to prove their control over their lives and to preserve their honor, which leads to death and suffering. In addition, both characters went mad in order to fulfil their plotted revenge. Also, while Medea successfully took revenge against her husband and lived, Hamlet received the ultimate price of death after his revenge.

When the audience first meets Hamlet he is grief-stricken and upset with his mother for her hasty remarriage to his uncle. Directly preceding Hamlet’s first soliloquy he is firmly scolded by his mother and uncle for mourning his father and is denied permission to return to the University of Wittenberg. In his soliloquy, Hamlet says, “O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt,/Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,” (1.2.133-134.) Hamlet is expressing his desire to die, but is unwilling to kill himself because he does not want to be sent to Hell. In this statement, the audience is able to see that Hamlet is deeply depressed and ready for death. Also in the first soliloquy, Hamlet says, “O, most wicked speed, to post/With such dexterity to incestuous sheets,” (1.2.161-162.) Hamlet makes this statement in order to reflect his anger with his mother for marrying her brother-in-law, a marriage he deems incestuous, within a month of his father’s death. This statement shows that Hamlet’s depression is not only caused by his father’s death, but also by his mother’s apparent betrayal of his father. Hamlet’s first soliloquy shows him to be very depressed and establishes a strong base for his character to develop.

Hamlet shows numerous symptoms and people wonder “why he’s acting so dazed and confused” (Shakespeare 135), but do not take initiative to get him treatment. Hamlet criticizes himself as a “low-life” (Shakespeare 129), a “lily-livered man…, and an uncourageous rascal” (Shakespeare 131), similar to Craig. Another parallel is that Hamlet sees “no future ahead for [himself]” (Shakespeare 179) and is fixated on “dying” (Shakespeare 139). Everyone around him just thinks he is insane; consequently, this “treatable disorder… goes unrecognized” ("Depression in Young People" 3), because the people in his life have failed decipher his symptoms of clinical depression. When Hamlet’s “depression [is] left untreated, [it] can be dangerous, even fatal” ("Morbidity" 1), which is shown to be true as he spirals into a further state of lunacy, leading to his death. Though Hamlet ‘lived’ 400 years ago, he had suicidal ideation, erratic behavior, self-hatred, anxiety, and a skewed reality just like present-day

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.

Hamlet also compares himself to the demi god Hercules in Act 1 scene 2: "My father's brother- but no more like my father/ Than I to Hercules" (I, ii, 152-153). This mythological allusion is important because Hamlet is comparing himself to Hercules who is known as a strong warrior and earned a place on Mount Olympus with the gods. Hamlet is saying that his uncle is very much different than his father, like Hamlet is very much different than Hercules. Hercules is seen as a "superhero" of Greek mythology, which is a great difference of Hamlet because Hamlet is in no way seen as a "superhero" or someone to look up to. Hamlet

Shakespeare uses metaphor and tone to stress the development of mental illness in the character Hamlet throughout “Hamlet”. Mental illness is defined as a condition that affect mood, thinking, or behavior; furthermore, Hamlet presents himself as a character affected by mental illness. Hamlet, in his first lines, describes his pain and suffering, simulating signs of depression, a form of mental illness. Early in his introduction, Hamlet describes his feelings regarding the death of his father King Hamlet, and sudden marriage of his mother Gertrude to his uncle Claudius. Gertrude asks Hamlet to stop his mourning, and Hamlet responds by saying “I know not seems tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black nor windy suspiration of forced breath” (I, ii, 76-79). Shakespeare uses words like “black” and “inky cloak”, to develop a dark and solemn tone; furthermore, this tone allows the character of Hamlet to develop a dark and depressed attitude which reflects his internal depression. Shakespeare also uses metaphors to develop the idea of Hamlet’s depression. Hamlet conveys multiple symptoms of depression, like thoughts of suicide. Hamlet often debates about his death and what the effects his death would bring. Hamlet also debates life after death and questions religion. Hamlet describes death as “ this too too sallied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into dew” (I, ii, 129-130). Shakespeare compares flesh melting to the resolving of dew; this comparison reflects Hamlet’s thoughts on death. Hamlet believes that after death, life fades away into nothingness. Hamlet’s constant thoughts of death and life after

The rhetorical power from this satire stems from the juxtaposition of the nobility of man, exemplified through the quotation from Hamlet and the horrific situation taking place in the image, an ISIS soldier casually pausing for a photo-op as he prepares to execute an unarmed man. Using this comparison to evoke all three of the appeals in the reader, the combination is an acidic attack that strips the dignity (not that there was any to begin with) from ISIS and further ridicules the organization. The first way this technique is implemented is in the physical construction of the piece. The text is written in a precise, formal font, fitting of such an elegant quote, while the picture on the other hand is drawn in a haphazardly, messy manner,

Shakespeare’s use of literary devices supports the development of central ideas throughout the play Hamlet, literary devices such as foil, metaphor and repetition. The use of these literary devices further develops the central ideas of action vs. inaction and revenge.

Hamlet mentions “[he] [doesn’t] value [his] life one bit”(Crowther 55) after he loses his father and his life has become “tired stale and pointless.” (Crowther 27) The symptoms of his sadness are becoming more apparent and his mother must step in to tell him to “stop wearing black clothes, and be friendly to the king” (Crowther 23); in the end adding to common symptoms, such as “persistent sadness, withdrawal… and, at times, aggressive behaviors.” (Evans) There are numerous symptoms that coincide with depression and Hamlet portrays them

Allusions can be found in nearly every work of literature and art due to the influence they have in creating a universal understanding. Biblical and mythological references are the most common allusions because they are regarded as primary sources for the basis of human reason. William Shakespeare alludes to both religion and mythology in Hamlet in order to emphasize the importance and failure of religion and to reveal the nature and psychological complexes of characters.

As Hamlet instructs the actors he tells them, “I would whip a guy for making a tyrant sound too tyrannical” (sparksnotes). The actors are to perform the play Mousetrap so that Hamlet can tell if Claudius is responsible for the death of King Hamlet.

Hamlet is asking himself if it would be easier to endure a never-ending sleep, or to suffer; he asks who would tolerate the whips and scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong against us, the disrespect of proud men, the pain of rejected love, the proudness of authorities, and the advantage that the worst people take of the best when one could just release himself with a blade? Hamlet wonders who would carry this load, sweating and grunting under the burden of life if one did not have to dread of the after life. By Hamlet's in-depth thoughts of suicide, it is apparent that Hamlet is depressed and does not enjoy his life. "Repetition of words such as calamity, scorns, oppressor, despised, dread and weary emphasize the mental trauma he is portraying ("Passage analysis of Hamlet")." "Hamlet's speech contains obsessive concerns with suicide and death. His representation of himself as mentally unstable is an attempt to accomplish his super-objective of avoiding

One loses many opportunities every time they hesitate to act. Whether it be unintentional or not, it all depends on the subject in question. In William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark, the character Hamlet shows qualities that are evident in his soliloquies. Since the beginning, Hamlet is unable to control his emotions towards Gertrude and Ophelia. He tends to overthink, generating doubt around life and death. Though impossible and inconvenient at times, Hamlet strives for an idealistic approach, such as justification for killing Claudius. Hamlet’s complex personality and unpredictable nature delay the commitment he makes to avenge his father.