Use Of Literary Devices In Hamlet

The English Play writer, William Shakespeare had written many well-known pieces of work including Hamlet. Hamlet is known to be one of his most popular works. Hamlet was written in the late 16th Century about the Prince of Denmark. The original title of the work was The Tragedy of Hamlet, now it is referred to as just Hamlet. In Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the mental state of his characters to prove that not all characters in books have to be one dimensional. Shakespeare’s writing shows that humans are complex, and can have different mental states. Characters throughout the story such as, Hamlet, Gertrude, and Ophelia show their not so stable mental state. First we will analyze Hamlet and talk about Ernest Jones’ Psycho-analytic study of Hamlet. Then we will talk about Ophelia and how the events that happened leading up to her death or suicide played a role into her mental state. Finally we will analyze Gertrude, the Queen’s role in Hamlet, and how she is a mentally weak woman and relies on the men in her life.

There are hundreds of literary devices that are constantly used in books, magazines, articles, etc. Now within books, there are endless ways to insert as many devices as the author pleases. The most common literary devices used in Hamlet are: metaphors, similes, and anaphoras. These literary devices are used to emphasize emotions, help its’ audience interpret, and correlate events that happen in Hamlet.

Language Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Shakespeare used a variety of language techniques throughout Hamlet,

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

During the early 1600s, a time of unrest and uncertainty spread through most of the world specifically in Europe as it began to see a gradual insurgency of leadership as new monarchs rose to great power as the existent ones faded. The legitimacy to how some new rulers gained their prestigious power came into question as tales of treason especially within families spread rapidly. William Shakespeare, having grown up near this time period was influenced by his surroundings and similar works such as histoires Tragiques, that inspired his work Hamlet. Although there are various views and opinions surrounding Hamlet as a whole, it is a great tragedy which centers itself on one’s own uncertainty and depicts seeking revenge as a major theme. These main topics are further discussed in the works or Kiernan Ryan and the British Library in “Hamlet and Revenge”, as well as “Hamlet in Purgatory” by Stephen Greenblatt. The main character, Hamlet however is both the protagonist and the tragic hero as the story unfolds. Hamlet is torn between his own conscience as expresses in his ongoing soliloquies and in doing what he believes is right opposed to seeking revenge, which leads him to being indecisive on his actions taken due to influence caused by those around him.

The direct quotation is used to compare the slight differences that Olivier’s version of Hamlet (1948) had. It is used to illustrate the points that were different.

A foil is a minor character that helps the audience better understand a major character. A foil may exist as a comparison character, with similarities between the two, as well as differences that bring to light an important contrast between the foil and the main character. A foil may also just be someone for the main character to talk to, so we can know and understand their thoughts and feelings. Foils help us understand the obvious as well as the arcane. In the classic tragedy Hamlet, we see William Shakespeare employ foils to illustrate both examples. They become important literary tools that help the reader rationalize the concurrent theme of the play -

Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, has stood the test of time and gained the reputation as one of the most well-known works of literature. In this specific play Shakespeare uses many literary techniques to stress certain aspects of the play. One of the striking uses of foils can be seen within the play; Fortinbras is a foil to Hamlet. By comparing and contrasting Fortinbras and Hamlet, Shakespeare accentuates certain characteristics of Hamlet.

Foil characters can teach the reader more about the novels protagonists than the protagonists themselves. Both the play Hamlet and novel Such A Long Journey demonstrate that foil characters are vital to our interpretation of and to gain a full understanding of the characters Hamlet and Gustad Noble. William Shakespeare and Rohinton Mistry use a variety of images, symbols and diction to describe Hamlet and Gustad’s emotions and ultimately give the reader a better understanding of these protagonists. In both the play and novel, the death of foil characters, the betrayal of foil characters and friendships or interactions between foil characters and Gustad Noble and Hamlet, give insight to the many character traits of Gustad and Hamlet.

"Her whole character is that of simple unselfish affection" (Bradley). In comparing the characters in the play Hamlet, Ophelia’s purity and delicate beauty make her comparable to a flower. Ophelia signifies the nature and righteousness of the Elizabethan Era, with her willow trees and flowers visible, and epitome of a goddess. Throughout most of the play, Shakespeare uses Ophelia to enable other characters in reaching their goals. Elizabethan society created impossible expectations for women, considered to be the weaker sex, exploited, and in need of protection. With no exception to this expectation, Ophelia is mistreated, scorned and ultimately shamed by the men in her life. Ophelia is the most innocent victim of Hamlet’s revenge in Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”.

The effectiveness of imagery and tone greatly involve word choice. Altering the chosen language effectively changes the reader’s intended response. In lines 64 to 66, Hamlet compares his father and Claudius to understand his mother’s logic behind how she could possibly want to switch from his desirable leader of a father to his less appealing brother. Hamlet compares Claudius to a ‘mildewed ear’ suggesting that he is a fungus that only corrupts the others around it. The imagery conveyed in the original work varies greatly with the translated No Fear Shakespeare version. This verb usage is much more confrontational to the father due to the strongly acting upon the ’neighboring ear of corn.’ The original text uses the verb ‘blasting’ which has

In what way do the techniques used in a prescribed text develop ideas and influence your response as a reader? The revenge tragedy, “Hamlet”, by William Shakespeare is a tale of murder, secrets and lies where a son is called upon by the ghost of his father to avenge his death. Shakespeare uses a range of techniques in order to influence the reader’s understanding of “Hamlet’s” main themes and ideas. The most effective techniques used within the play are the soliloquies that give depth of both character and story, the powerful displays of imagery used within the play, and the dual understanding that emphasizes the connection between king and country. Through these techniques Shakespeare

During the last years of Queen Elizabeth, “The Tragedy of Hamlet” was written by William Shakespeare. The father of Hamlet appeared outside of the Elsinore Castle on what seemed to a very cold night for the season that they were in. His appearance was referred to as of a warning that was leading to the killing in ancient Rome of Caesar. The presence provided Horatio and his company a suggestion that something threatening or evil had previously taken place and the would have been an offset to nature in Denmark. There was a transfer of power post the death

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.

Often, pieces of literature have been analyzed and made into a motion picture in the hopes of further developing the themes presented in the work. Though the Shakespearian play, Hamlet, has been interpreted and converted into a film numerous times by different directors, Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation particularly captured the essence of Hamlet and helped the audience truly understand the events that transpired in Act Three Scene Two of Hamlet. It is in this act, Hamlet plan to reveal King Claudius’ treachery is played out. Hamlet exposes the king through adding an extra sixteen lines to the play which depicts him killing Hamlet’s father. With the directions Hamlet gave to the actors, Hamlet is able to make the audience recognize the king’s