William Shakespeare 's Hamlet - The Role Of Actors And Acting And The Way

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is a timeless play which continues to remain relevant across all generations due to its presentation of ideas that are fundamental to humanity. The play highlights aspects that relate to the society of not only Elizabethan England but also that of our modern society. Hamlet, as a character, considers ideas from outside his time and is somewhat relatable to modern day man. By drawing from ideas of archetypes and the human psyche, it reveals that Hamlet relates deeply to the elements of humanity.

Through acts 1 and 2, the audience sees virtually no personality in King Claudius.  Only in act 3, scene 1, are we shown that maybe the King has something on his mind when he responds to a conversation between Polonius and Ophelia.  Polonius tells his daughter that it is okay to pretend and the King responds in an aside saying, "How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!" (49).  I feel as though Shakespeare is working up the audience's suspicion of the King for when he is confronted by the performance of the players.

Hamlet’s sanity has made many people question him. “Hamlet certainly displays a high degree of mania and instability throughout much of the play, but his “madness” is perhaps too purposeful and pointed

Hamlet is a suspenseful play that introduces the topic of tragedy. Throughout the play, Hamlet displays anger, uncertainty, and obsession with death. Although Hamlet is unaware of it, these emotions cause the mishaps that occur throughout the play. These emotions combined with his unawareness are the leading basis for the tragic hero’s flaws. These flaws lead Hamlet not to be a bad man, but a regular form of imperfection that comes along with being human.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a work of immense depth in character development, most notably the personal, moral and psychological battles

In the Shakespearean world of Hamlet, acting and putting on a mask are even more dangerous weapons that swords and poisons, for it is the one that acts that is able to be a foil to those. There are numerous instances of acting in the play, each one of them being detrimental to Hamlet’s revenge plot, for Hamlet uses the powers of acting to their utmost capacities.

Insanity, a theme explored by multiple authors in countless classic selections, has instilled itself as one of the darkest and interesting themes in the literary world. In Shakespeare’s legendary Hamlet, the audience questions the sanity of Hamlet and Ophelia constantly, as well as that of the other characters. As the story progresses, this becomes more and more relevant, bringing the reader to consider the causes and effects of the characters’ mental states on the resolution of the literary work.

With Hamlet’s tragic flaw being his inability to act, he is plagued throughout the play by his immense intelligence and philosophical nature, which causes him to overanalyze each situation, rendering him unable to carry out any action in response. This is evident in the play by the frequent delay of acting out his father’s revenge due to the uncertainty of the evidence pertaining to his uncle’s crime. Hamlet’s inability to act creates a discourse between hamlet and his consciousness, generating an abundance of stress, which causes him to become increasingly frustrated as the play progresses. This frustration leads to him at moments in the play to behave in a rash and impulsive way or acting in an inappropriate manner, contradicting his methodical and reserved disposition. It is the consequences of these “inappropriate” actions that resurfaces at the plays end, to haunt the character, as Hamlet’s inability to act while using his renowned logic and intelligence ultimately leads to his eventual demise at the plays conclusion, due to his inability to act both “effectively” and “appropriately” in critical situations.

Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays. In it, a young, Danish prince struggles with the death of his father and the betrayal of his mother. This struggle is so profound; it shakes its main character Hamlet to the core and brings him to the brink of sanity. Shakespeare uses madness to convey important information throughout the play especially through Hamlet and his love interest, Ophelia. Hamlet does not always appear to be mad, in fact throughout the play his sanity is questioned by the reader and other characters. Whether real or faked, Hamlet and Ophelia’s madness reveal to us more about their characters, opinions and secrets than their regular discourse.

Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, begins with the appearance of a ghost, an apparition, possibly a hallucination. Thus, from the beginning, Shakespeare presents the air of uncertainty, of the unnatural, which drives the action of the play and develops in the protagonist as a struggle to clarify what only seems to be absolute and what is actually reality. Hamlet's mind, therefore, becomes the central force of the play, choosing the direction of the conflict by his decisions regarding his revenge and defining the outcome.

Many would perceive madness and corruption to play the most influential role in Hamlet. However, it could be argued that the central theme in the tragedy is Shakespeare's presentation of actors and acting and the way it acts as a framework on which madness and corruption are built. Shakespeare manifests the theme of actors and acting in the disassembly of his characters, the façades that the individuals assume and the presentation of the `play within a play'. This intertwined pretence allows certain characters to manipulate the actions and thoughts of others. For this reason, it could be perceived that Shakespeare views the `Elsinorean' tragedy as

   The legendary drama, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare is a play illustrating the theme of virtue vs. villainy. The 17th century tragedy is plagued with treachery and deceit as it opens with the news of a foul murder in the kingdom of Denmark. Prince Hamlet, by word of his late father's ghost, is informed that his uncle Claudius is to blame for his father's sudden demise. Prince Hamlet's mission is to uncover the secrets surrounding the murder and to avenge his father's death. Thus, the insidious web of disease and corruption is formed. The relationship between disease leading to the greater corruption of Denmark plays a significant role in the lives of the principle players.

Shakespeare’s use of illusion shows that illusion is in fact the most dangerous thing. Its benefits are outweighed by the never-ending list of dangers that the illusionist, victim, and innocent bystanders suffer from. Although both Claudius and Hamlet can fool others convincingly, it became apparent that their illusions can just as easily backfire onto themselves. Claudius lost control of his ambitions and exposed himself through his passion for what he’s gained, while Hamlet’s personal drive for revenge led himself to similarly deceive the masses, eventually succumbing to his own deceptions. Ultimately, both characters lose everything because of the dangerous game they played, all the while causing the deaths of innocent individuals whose involvement had good intent. From a theatrical point of view, Shakespeare’s utilization of illusion is what makes Hamlet such a brilliant play. The constant allusion to possible resolutions and the dramatic irony that it creates gives the audience the unfortunate opportunity to feel sympathetic for an entire cast of characters. Yet, Hamlet’s most important quality is in its ability to demonstrate for all the disastrous effects of illusion and why it is truly the “most dangerous

Hamlet, a play by William Shakespeare, is as much a mystery as a tale about depression, madness and sanity. Shakespeare reveals how the scourge of corruption and decay rapidly spread; and the emotional consequences that follow. Insanity, madness and depression are as intolerable as corruption and deceit; and just as intertwined. The play makes one ponder if it is possible to be sane in an insane world full of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption? By examining the themes of melancholy, madness and sanity in Hamlet, Shakespeare details his character’s descent from depression to madness. Additionally, Hamlet’s psychological state can be

Well written plays are commonly identified by their effectiveness in relating to the audience. William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a highly effective entertainment piece of the Elizabethan era. Through the character of Hamlet, Shakespeare is able to reflect many of the essential elements of life in Elizabethan England in this play. For example, in Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 4 Scene 4, he speaks of Prince Fortinbras and his army, providing insight regarding the value of life on both ends of the social hierarchy during the time period. Furthermore, Hamlet’s descriptions also portray the significant influence of religion in Elizabethan society. Lastly, Hamlet’s soliloquy largely focuses on the importance of honour; which is a very fundamental part of society in the Elizabethan era. Through this soliloquy Shakespeare targets the Elizabethan crowd by including relevant features of life that the audience can easily connect with such as social hierarchy, influence of religion and the importance of honour.