...full life is the same idea that William Shakespeare portrays in his tragedy Hamlet. The main character recognizes this truth too late while his best friend, and arguably the noblest character, grasp it just in time. These realizations convey the theme that it’s nobler to live than die. For example, after much internal debate throughout the play, Hamlet finally concludes that he wanted to live in the end. To start his debate, he ponders, “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (Shakespeare 63). Hamlet is wondering if he should live or not. Then, by the resolution of the play, Hamlet uttered, “Had I but time-as this fell sergeant, Death,/ Is strict in his arrest” (Shakespeare 126). This statement reveals that Hamlet doesn’t want to die now; he wants to live to tell his story. Part of the tragedy occurs in the fact that Hamlet realized too late that it is more noble to live than to die....
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...In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the war between Norway and Poland becomes a turning point for the main character: Hamlet. There are many instances in Act IV, Scene IV, that provide insight into the characters for the audience. At the end of this scene after Hamlet speaks to Fortinbras and the Captain of the army, Hamlet makes a speech about how these events have affected how he now perceives this dilemma. Hamlet is affected by the coming war because he realizes that the actions of others are more honourable than his own, and this causes him to change his way of thinking to help the audience to understand his role more clearly. Firstly, after speaking with Fortinbras and the Captain, Hamlet observed that they were going to war for something without worth to them. Hamlet asks about the troops and what they are fighting for, the Captain says: “Truly to speak, and with no addition, We go to gain a little patch of ground That hath in it no profit but the name. To pay five ducats, five, I would not farm it. Nor will it yield to Norway or the Pole A ranker rate, should it be sold in fee” (Shakespeare 4.4.16-21). Winning this war would give them a worthless piece of land, but they are fighting anyways. Hamlet concludes that the troops are fighting for honour. He realizes that the troops do not want to gain anything physical from this war, but also do not want to lose the title of honour. If the troops were not to fight, then they would be called weak and cowards, and a man’s honour in Elizabethan...
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...Hamlet Hamlet is a classic example of a tragedy as Hamlet suffers while trying to avenge his fathers death and eventually dies at the end while attempting to do so. Hamlet feels empty without resolution to his father’s death and since there is no justice system that is going to reveal the truth about his father’s death, he must take it into his own hands. Hamlet delays killing Claudius for a long time after the ghost appears. Hamlet delays his revenge of his fathers death not because he is a coward but because his psychological feelings and need for a perfect revenge cause him to delay in order to wait for the perfect moment to kill Claudius. When the ghost first appears to Hamlet he tells him that it was his brother who slipped poison in his ear while he was sleeping in the orchard and clearly asks him to get revenge for his untimely murder. The ghost speaks to Hamlet about his father and says, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murderer';(1.5. 31). Although Hamlet has little doubt that the ghost is not his father’s, he must still prove to himself that Claudius is in fact the murderer before he attempts to kill him. Hamlet decides to have the players act out what the ghost has told him and see Claudius’ reaction. When the play “The Mouse Trap'; is performed, Claudius is shocked by the play and storms out, which is the reaction of guilt that Hamlet had...
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...Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the ghost of the late King Hamlet has influenced his son to become obsessed with the idea of death. When young Hamlet is informed of the ghost’s sighting, he is anxious and curious to find out who this ghost is and what news it has to deliver. After the ghost reveals himself as Hamlet’s deceased father, Hamlet’s curiosity increases. The ghost divulges to Hamlet that his brother, Claudius, poisoned him to take his life as well as his throne, which infuriates young Hamlet. After this shocking revelation, Hamlet becomes obsessed with thoughts of death and avenging his father’s murder, which contributes to his insanity. When Hamlet speaks to his father’s ghost, his father insists that Hamlet avenge his death by killing Claudius. The ghost explains to his son that King Claudius has corrupted the nation of Denmark, has robbed him of his own life, and therefore, achieving revenge is crucial. After conversing with the ghost, Hamlet vows to seek vengeance on Claudius. This “seeking” of vengeance very quickly turns into an obsession. Hamlet’s every thought seems to revolve around his plot to kill Claudius, causing friends and family to express concern over his strange behaviors. Rumors begin to travel around Denmark that Hamlet has “gone mad,” while Hamlet claims to only be feigning his insanity. Hamlet’s soliloquy where he contemplates suicide is one example of his obsession with death. Amidst the stresses of planning Claudius’ murder, Hamlet even considers...
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...self-satisfaction, gratitude, and dignity. They lack the solicitude for human kindness and the thought of others. The more the audience analyzes the characters, the more they see the true ambition and reasoning for their evil deeds. During Shakespeare’s time, it wasn’t unusual for men to seek such power. For instance, Taming of the Shrew is a play that focuses on the desire for marriage; but the emotions of young couples were not the main consideration in courtship (McDonald 267). Katherina actions portray her as the shrew, but the audience knows her ultimate desire was to receive genuine love from a man. Richard III makes it abundantly clear that he desires to take over the English thrown and do whatever it takes to grasp it. Additionally, Hamlet seeks revenge and is motivated to do so by his supernatural spirit of his father (Sobran 45). The need for wealth, power, ambition, and greed lead many of Shakespeare’s characters to satisfy their own self gratitude over the basic ideas of human kindness. London, during the sixteenth century, was a time of extreme corruption. Gender roles were unequal, marriage was spurious, and seeking wealth or power of some sort became every man’s objective. The usual occupation for a woman during Shakespeare’s time was marriage and motherhood (McDonald 253). Although England was ruled by the strong-willed Elizabeth I, woman’s rights were significantly contrasting compared to men. Women having a career and an education were taboo. As for men, finding...
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...1712-8056 Canadian Academy of Oriental and Occidental Culture Http://www.cscanada.org Http://www.cscanada.net E-mail: css@cscanada.org; caooc@hotmail.com Vol.5 No.5 2009 10/31/2009 Hamlet’s Femininity L A F É MINIT É D E HAMLET GUO De-yan1 Abstract: The charm of Hamlet over the centuries largely lies in Shakespeare’s subtle treatment of Hamlet, and many critics have interpreted Hamlet’s tragedy as a result of his indecisive character, his obsession with philosophical thinking or his Oedipus Complex. This essay holds that Hamlet’s struggle with his femininity also contributes to his tragedy. Hamlet does exhibit some masculine traits such as courage, rationality and aggressiveness, but at the same time he is agonized to find that he is as weak, emotional, passive and dependent as a woman. In whatever cases he is placed either as a prince, a son or a lover, he is more identified with women than with men. Such a discovery tortures him and produces in him some sense of self-negation and self-hatred. Because of his deep-rooted patriarchal concept of gender identity, Hamlet cannot make a compromise with the feminine traits in him, and it somewhat prevents him from taking a masculine action to avenge his father. Key words: Hamlet; Femininity; Masculinity; Tragedy; Self-Hatred Résumé: Depuis des sicècles, le charme d’Hamlet se trouve largement dans un traitement subtil de Shakespeare de ce personnage et de nombreuses critiques ont interprété la tragédie d'Hamlet...
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...Hamlet To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them. To die, to sleep— No more—and by a sleep to say we end The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to! ’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep;— To sleep—perchance to dream:—ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause: there’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life; For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th’ oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th’ unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? who would these fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death,— The undiscovered country, from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will, And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought; And enterprises of great pitch and moment, With this regard, their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. —Soft you now, The fair Ophelia! —Nymph...
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...Hamlet Aristotle once wrote, “You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honour”. William Shakespeare wrote the play, Hamlet, as a revenge tragedy to entertain the Elizabethan audience. In act IV scene IV, Hamlet questions his courage and lack of ability to make a decision to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet compares himself to a military leader who demonstrates great bravery while questioning what defines honour. Shakespeare strategically utilizes his characters flaw to create deception, greed and ultimate revenge within the play. Therefore, Hamlet’s final soliloquy causes the Elizabethan audience to connect to the emotions the play evokes while simultaneously engaging them. To begin with, Hamlet’s final soliloquy allows the audience to elicit feelings of empathy over the personal conflict and struggle Hamlet is facing over avenging his father’s death. Firstly, Hamlet is overcome with grief and sadness at the loss of his father and recent marriage of his mother, which causes him to question his inability to act out his revenge. Hamlet states, “How stand I then, that have a father killed, a mother stained, excitements of my reason and my blood, and let all sleep” (IV.IV.55-59). This conflict of conscience would cause the audience to sympathize with Hamlet as he mourns the unimaginable loss of his precious family and the realization that the world he knows will never be the same again. Additionally...
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...Hamlet Essay Nicole Schinke Truth is seen differently through different people, for example in Hamlet people appear as one way, where in reality they really aren't like that (Claudius), as well as others in the play who just hide behind a mask. They differentiate between what is a lie/ fake and what is the truth. Some people think that the truth hurts so they try and avoid it. Other people may think that the truth can set you free. The pursuit of truth is a challenging and satisfying affair. In this play, Hamlet is more looking for the pursuit of truth rather than revenge. He’s been looking for his father’s killer. He wants to know who killed his father just so he can act upon it and get revenge. He ends up finding out that the killer was his uncle who ended up marrying his mother. Truth can cause so much curiosity that can really make or break some people in life. Claudius is a big liar and coward in Hamlet, he is a master of deception. He shows that he is grieving and sad about his dead brother but in reality he is very dark and is the killer. We know since the beginning of the play that Hamlet does not like his uncle being married to his mother which is another reason to get rid of the king. The ghost of Sir Hamlet gives him a plan that seems like a great idea. “ The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wear his crown” (1.5 39-40) This was still at the point where he didn't know the truth that Claudius did kill his father so he waited and didn't jump to the idea...
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...Home > Why Hamlet Delays His Revenge Why Hamlet Delays His Revenge (Excerpt from Quintessence of Dust: The Mystical Meaning of Hamlet) Kenneth Chan ... Hamlet is finally alone, and the stage is set for the soliloquy that gave rise to one of the most persistent mysteries in literature: Why does Hamlet delay his revenge? Hamlet Ay, so, God buy you. Now I am alone. Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his whole conceit1 That from her working all his visage wanned, Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing! For Hecuba! What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have? He would drown the stage with tears, And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appal the free,2 Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled3 rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams,4 unpregnant5 of my cause, And can say nothing--no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me a villain, breaks my pate across, Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face, Tweaks me by the nose, gives me the lie i'th'throat As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Ha, 'swounds, I should take...
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...1510152025303540 | How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge! What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more. Sure, He that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me: Witness this army of such mass and charge Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death and danger dare, Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great Is not to stir without great argument, But greatly to find quarrel in a straw When honour's at the stake. How stand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep, while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men, That, for a fantasy and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain? O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody...
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...Hamlet is a play that reflects its time. Discuss with reference to the ideas explored in the play. Although there are elements of the Elizabethan context, many of the ideas explored have universal appeal, allowing Hamlet to remain timeless. The themes of the nature of humanity, meaning of existence and fear have known to exist, but not be questioned in Shakespeare’s time. In contrast, the exploration of the Chain of Being, divine right of Kings and patriarchal dominance is reflective of the context. Therefore, by combining aspects associated with its time, and some beyond – Hamlet continues to cross boundless eras. Hamlet explores ideas of chaos creating tragedy creating confusion, and obscuring reality. This disorder stems from a Renaissance Humanist perspective due to a break in the Chain of Being. In disturbing this natural order, chaos is manifested in the lives of all characters, with particular effect on the internal workings of Hamlet. His inaction in avenging the King’s “most foul and unnatural murder” is justified by the disarray present in the metaphorical “ear of Denmark”. Although I excuse Hamlet’s “pigeon-livered” actions, his inability to restore the Chain of Being fosters the chaos, perpetuating a vicious cycle. Such notions are reflective of Hamlet’s time. Furthermore, close investigation of Hamlet’s frame of mind suggests good reasons for his procrastination. During the third soliloquy, Hamlet uses tangible imagery to personify murder in “murder, though...
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...Shakespeare's play Hamlet , Hamlet vows to seek revenge for his fathers death however, he procrastinates throughout the play and doesn't seek revenge until the end. Hamlet is stopped in seeking revenge by a number of factors throughout the play. Through the attitudes of the characters, Hamlets high education and Analysis paralysis When his father's ghost came to him and told him to avenge his murder, Hamlet was eager to take immediate action. However before seeking revenge he needs to know if the ghost is telling the truth about his murder. Hamlet feels that if the ghost isn't telling the truth and he acts, he too will become a murderer. In order to determine if Claudius is truly guilty, Hamlet produces a play in which the plot...
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...Cause and Effect Essay – Elizabethan Target Audience “Always mystify, torture, mislead, and surprise the audience as much as possible (Roff).” Hamlet is a dramatic production written by William Shakespeare. “The play, set in the Kingdom of Denmark, recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering the old King Hamlet, Claudius's own brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and marrying Gertrude, the King Hamlet's widow and mother of Prince Hamlet ("Hamlet”).” Shakespeare’s main objective was to impress his Elizabethan audience because entertainment through theater was extremely important to everyone in the era ("Elizabethan Theater"). Shakespeare successfully captivated an Elizabethan audience with this production (“Hamlet”). This essay will explain how an Elizabethan audience was targeted by Hamlet’s final monologue (act 4, lines 32-66). This speech effectively targeted and engaged an Elizabethan audience because its format, mentions of revenge and exciting nature caused the audience to sympathise with Hamlet’s decisions and feelings, and become enthusiastic and involved in the play. The format of this speech is a key factor which explains why the Elizabethan audience is effectively targeted. This speech is written and delivered in the form of a soliloquy. This means that it is an “uninterrupted speech delivered by a single character to the audience but not to other characters” (Jaber Al-Ogaili 48). Soliloquies are a...
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...are the foundations for the most engaging moments in Hamlet. Consider YOUR understanding of Hamlet and how this statement affirms or challenges YOUR response to the play. The most engaging moments within Hamlet have been founded by the inevitable tensions encountered between the individual and society. Hamlet explores the tragic consequences of attempting to unite the two opposing forces of personal morality and societal corruption. The deception and political corruption within Denmark has detrimental effects upon an individual’s sense of self. Due to the corruption of the society around him, Hamlet’s values of integrity, loyalty, trust and honesty are destabilised, thus showing the vulnerability of the human character. Hamlet is a universal play as it transcends through both time and context with Hamlet resinating with modern audiences due to Hamlet’s confusion, he faces a struggle when asserting his morality against the disease and deceit inherent in Denmark. Shakespeare’s exploration of Hamlet’s consciousness of his own mortality and questions of his identity haunting him throughout the play lead to his inevitable death at the closing of the play. Hamlet’s loss of identity is due to his mother’s incestuous relationship with Claudius and also by the death of his father, a man he saw as an idol, with his distress and grief being demonstrated through his actions and the response of characters towards his actions. Hamlet explains to Claudius and Gertrude “together with all...
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