...Men and Vengeance… and Women “ Hamlet is one of the most dangerous things ever set down on paper. All the big, unknowable questions like what it is to be a human being; the difference between sanity and insanity; the meaning of life and death; what’s real and not real. All these subjects can literally drive you mad.” Michael Sheen One of the most celebrated Shakespearean plays, Hamlet , follows the tragic downfall of a young Prince Hamlet as he plummets into depression and apparent insanity after the death of his father. Consequently, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, inherits the throne and marries the widowed Queen Gertrude. When Hamlet has the opportunity to converse with his dead father’s spirit, Hamlet learns that his father was murdered by his brother, Claudius; hearing this, Hamlet devotes himself to requiting retribution on his uncle. In many of Shakespeare’s plays, it is a common theme that the quest for revenge drives one to insanity. Not only does Hamlet follow this trend, it introduces that men in Hamlet are the ones to seek vengeance upon others while bringing women down along with them, supporting Shakespeare’s usual portrayal of women as scapegoats. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, it is generally the male characters that tend to take action and seek revenge upon others, due to the cultural sexism during Shakespeare’s time of writing. In many of his plays, Shakespeare usually has men in focus, most likely because of the ...
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...Hamlet Thesis Paper Shakespeare’s play Hamlet features a variety of complex characters including the intricate protagonist Hamlet and his self-proclaimed love Ophelia. At the beginning of Shakespeare’s play Ophelia is at the peak of her happiness in life seeing as that she has found her true love, Hamlet, and feels love and respect for her father and brother. She progressively becomes a victim of oppression from the men surrounding and controlling her life leading to her insanity and ultimately suicidal death. The origin of Ophelia’s madness is found through examination of her relationships with these men. Her father Polonius appears to be the sole parental figure in the play since there was no mention of a mother and there appears to be a close relationship between her and her brother and father. Ophelia relies heavily on her father and goes to him for advice and does whatever he asks of her. It was common for women to do as a man told her even if they did not agree to what they were being ordered to do, it is also understood that no one took into account the affects this type of society had on women. In this extreme case the affect is shown in Ophelia’s death. Ophelia’s fairytale ended before it even started when the suspicion that Polonius had previously requested Ophelia to fornicate with the King of Denmark in order to earn his new astute stature of being his advisor was brought to attention by a literature professor at the University of Michigan. In an argument, Hamlet...
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...The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Set in the Kingdom of Denmark, the play dramatizes the revenge Prince Hamlet exacts on his uncle Claudius for murdering King Hamlet, Claudius's brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and taking as his wife Gertrude, the old king's widow and Prince Hamlet's mother. The play vividly portrays both true and feigned madness – from overwhelming grief to seething rage – and explores themes of treachery, revenge, incest, and moral corruption. Hamlet is Shakespeare's longest play and among the most powerful and influential tragedies in the English language, with a story capable of "seemingly endless retelling and adaptation by others." The play was one of Shakespeare's most popular works during his lifetime It has inspired writers from Goethe and Dickens to Joyce and Murdoch, and has been described as "the world's most filmed story after Cinderella". Shakespeare based Hamlet on the legend of Amleth, preserved by 13th-century chronicler Saxo Grammaticus in his Gesta Danorum as subsequently retold by 16th-century scholar François de Belleforest. He may also have drawn on or perhaps written an earlier Elizabethan play known today as the Ur-Hamlet. He almost certainly created the title role for Richard Burbage, the leading tragedian of Shakespeare's time. In the 400 years since, the role has been performed by highly acclaimed actors and actresses from each successive age. Three...
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...Throughout history of English literature, William Shakespeare’s characters have been some of the most complex and famous characters in literature. They are played over and over again in community theaters, and their archetypes are used repeatedly in modern film and books. In Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Hamlet is arguably displayed as one of the most dramatic character ever created. From the moment we meet the prince we are captivated by his elegant, yet intense personality. The play opens up with frightened guards forced to stand watch in the cold, dark night. They are frightened because they believe they have seen an apparition, or ghost of some sort. Prince Hamlet has just arrived home from school because his father has pasted away. To make matters worse for Prince Hamlet, his mother, Queen Gertrude, has married his uncle, Claudius, the newly appointed king, very soon after his father’s death. When Hamlet joins the guards and his good friend Horatio, they too see the ghost. They’ll all soon realize the spirit is the image of the late King Hamlet, dressed in his armor, ready to fight. From our very first encounter with Hamlet, he is consumed by grief and obsessed by death. Although he is dressed in black to signify his mourning, his emotions run deeper than his appearance. In Act 1, Scene 2, he says to his mother: ‘Tis not alone my inky cloak, good-mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black ... Together with all forms, moods, shows of grief That can denote...
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...Shakespeare the Sexist: A View into the Misogynistic Opinions of Shakespeare, and His Interpretation of Women You’re a woman? Well good for you, because that means you hold no value in this play. In the tragedy Hamlet, written by Shakespeare, there is a clear difference between the roles of women and men in the play. Many of these differences stand in stark contrast to what normal expectations of a female role are. Viewing the play through a feminist perspective, many of the elements regarding women contain evidence of misogynistic behavior. Shakespeare has taken no precautions in revealing the depth of his sexist views on females in the tragedy Hamlet. Through the insinuation that women are supportive characters, Shakespeare shows how...
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...Professor Wolfard 11 Jan 2015 Hamlet’s Hidden Love In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there is quite a bit of controversy as to whether Hamlet truly loved Ophelia or not. Although there is much evidence arguing that Hamlet never loved her and that he was just using her, there is even more evidence refuting that argument. By the way he acts when he is alone with Ophelia, he shows that his feelings for her are genuinely true. Hamlet shows throughout the play that he is really in love with Ophelia. The first piece of evidence that shows Hamlet really did love Ophelia is when he tells her, “I did love you.” Hamlet confesses that he loved her, but then goes on to say that he never loved her. This could be due to the fact that Hamlet knows his conversation with Ophelia is being overheard. There is evidence to prove this when Hamlet immediately asks Ophelia where her father is after they are done talking. When Ophelia tells him that Polonius is at home, Hamlet replies with, “Let the doors be shut upon him that he may play the fool nowhere but in his own house.” This implies that Hamlet knows Polonius is watching him. Another point in the story that validates Hamlet’s love for Ophelia is when Hamlet tells Ophelia to go to a nunnery. At first, it seems as though Hamlet is mocking her, but it is possible that Ophelia is pregnant with Hamlet’s child because immediately after he tells her, “Get thee to a nunnery”, Hamlet starts talking about breeding and how it would be bad to bring a...
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...Blame Game Some of William Shakespeare’s best work climaxes with gruesome bloodshed and tragedy. Unlike much of the entertainment we seek today, Shakespeare’s plays revolve as much around the flaws of its protagonists as it does their journey in seeking justice. In Hamlet, a heartbroken Danish prince embarks on a journey in avenging his farther who was murdered by his uncle. Claudius, Hamlet’s greedy uncle, is the root cause of much agony in Elsinore but can the audience really hold him solely responsible for the tragedies which befell the other characters? The answer is that Claudius’ treachery was the catalyst of all disorder in the play but, Polonius and Hamlet himself are also to blame. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Polonius’ tendency to overthink and meddle in others’ business leads to the death of several characters. Whether your intentions are good and your heart is in the right place is besides the fact that you are at fault for any and all trouble you cause. When Polonius says, “Ay, springes to catch woodcocks. I do know, when the blood burns, how prodigal the soul lends the tongue vows” (1.3.115-17), he tells his daughter Ophelia that Hamlet does not really love her but is deceiving her as a means of seduction. As a result, he orders her to quit making herself available for him. This sniveling behaviour ends up setting a new tone for the rest of the play. Once Hamlet secretly puts up an act of insanity in his pursuit to kill Claudius, Polonius offers advice to...
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...The female characters in William Shakespeare's Hamlet appear to be fragile collateral figures that are mistreated by men, causing great misfortune. However, there is more to these female roles than what meets the eye. Ophelia is one of the characters that had an impact on the action of the story. Even though Shakespeare's intention for Hamlet was not meant to be a woman-based play, the female roles are more significant than what the readers believe. Through closer investigation, the true purpose of these females such as Ophelia unfolds, and it becomes evident that these women were more significant to driving the action of the play, than they were at first glance. In Hamlet, the role of Ophelia is presented as a very submissive, but gentle, loyal, proper and loving young woman. Ophelia is meant to be...
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...Poor Ophelia! Shakespeare’s Ophelia was a benevolent and innocent young girl, who dutifully obeyed her father, Polonius. Ophelia did as she is told, even if in her heart she felt strongly against what she was being asked to do. It was obvious that she was behaving like well mannered, aristocratic, young ladies of the time were expected to behave. Obedience and compliance were desirable traits, and Ophelia assumed that and here love and devotion to Hamlet would secure a happily ever after. But, unfortunately, her exceptional obedience would be her downfall. Ophelia is found betraying her one true love, Hamlet, by merely obeying her father, Polonius, and king Claudius, who believe that Hamlet has gone mad. Polonius seemed to bear a grudge against Hamlet, which should have been a signal to Ophelia that something was amiss. But being the good daughter, she did as she was told when Polonius instructed Ophelia not to ever speak to Hamlet again. When Hamlet comes running into her room looking like he has just seen a ghost, which in fact he has, and she does not say a word to him. She just looks at him like he is crazy and watches him go out the door without saying a word. Hamlet feels betrayed by his love for her and lack of response to his distress. She obeyed her father and did not speak to him, even when he looked like he had gone through something very terrible. Ophelia agreed to Polonius’s schemes to spy on Hamlet, even when it went against her feelings for Hamlet. The...
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...One of the most unique things about the play Hamlet (with Hamlet playing the main character) is the way relationships between the main and lesser characters have not changed from Shakespeare's time period in which he wrote this play to the modern dilemmas of today. The character Hamlet relates through individualism of self to others in the play and Shakespeare uses this confusion of self and nature thus assuring many types of readers who can relate to his Hamlet characterization. Hamlet portrays himself with all his human flaws, but it is this humanity that makes him distinctive from everyone else in the story. In addition, all of Hamlet's waking hours are preoccupied with his own thoughts thus adding more intensity to his feelings and perceptions about where he sees imperfections, worry and tension as well as confusion, but without a doubt it is these human qualities which makes his situation so impossible for him to resolve easily. Another tragic role of the play is its irony. The irony allows the storyline to show humor as well as the cause and effects of each action taken. There is usually little reason for a tragedy to be funny so Shakespeare has used this type of humor to add more irony to the already tragic events of the play. Pause for thought is in the types of conflict that play a major part in the play and the relationships between Hamlet and the two people who have been closest to him; being Ophelia and the ghost. Hamlet cannot share his strong feelings and emotions...
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...2012 Deceit in Hamlet Deceit is generally applied in politics and peoples everyday life to achieve power and success. The theme of deceit is generally repeated in William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Hamlets delay in killing Claudius, and Hamlets possible death is a straight-forward result of deceit in the court. Hamlet attempts to deceive everyone into believing that he is gone insane. He believes that he can kill Claudius without getting into any kind of trouble, and take revenge for his father's death. Claudius and Polonius decide to find the reason behind Hamlet's madness. They both make a plan to spy on Hamlet to see why he is acting the way he is. Through spying on Hamlet, Claudius figures out that he is dangerous, and a threat to him. Hamlets deceiving also directs to the death of Polonius and his daughter Ophelia. As well as generating Laertes to take revenge on Hamlet for producing the death of his family. After multiple attempts to murder Hamlet fail, Claudius and Laertes decide to team up. They both try to murder Hamlet and get rid of him once and for all. Each of these plans directly or indirectly leads to Hamlet's deceit and his death. Hamlets desire for revenge causes his insanity. Hamlet speaks to the ghost of his father, he figures out that Claudius murdered him to achieve that throne of Denmark. At this point, Hamlet is very frustrated and disappointed. Hamlet then makes a plan to get revenge by finishing Claudius. To complete this act, Hamlet must act inane...
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...and Origin of Hamlet Although I enjoyed reading many of the texts throughout the semester during this course, my favorite reading was Hamlet. Only the first part of the book was assigned to read, but I was very interested to hear about the end of the book. I decided that this would be a good opportunity to read the rest of the book and use it for my final paper in the class. Not only did I get to finish the book, I also learned much about the author William Shakespeare and the country of England. I hope to make it clear of my understanding of the text, author, and country in this final paper. Hamlet has not only taught me the importance of family and struggle with fate, but has also given me a better understanding of whom and where the novel originated. The text begins in Denmark where a ghost walks the embankments of Elsinore Castle. The ghost is first discovered by some guards, then by Horatio. Horatio is a close friend and former classmate of Hamlet. The ghost resembles the recently deceased King Hamlet, Hamlet’s father. King Hamlet’s brother, Claudius has inherited the throne and married the king’s widow, Queen Gertrude. Gertrude is Hamlet’s mother. When Horatio and the guards bring Prince Hamlet to see the ghost, it speaks to him. The ghost threateningly states that it is his father’s spirit, and that he was murdered by Claudius. He orders Hamlet to seek revenge on the man who seized his throne and married his wife, and then disappears. Prince Hamlet decides to devote...
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...1102 June 10, 2012 The Gravedigger Scene in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet The gravedigger scene in act V scene I in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet cleverly highlights upon the major themes throughout the play. The following analysis of this scene will reveal how Shakespeare tied religion, mortality, love, and revenge into one critical scene that also revealed the plays only notable symbolic symbol, Yorik’s skull. In the beginning of act V scene I there are two clowns that are gravediggers digging the grave of Hamlets beloved Ophelia and discuss the manner of her death which was thought to be suicide. The gravediggers conversation about Ophelia furthers the theme of religion by questioning the moral legitimacy of suicide and points out that Ophelia is only receiving a Christian burial because she was a noble. The first clown states: Why, there thou sayest; and the more Pity that real folk should have countenance in this World to drown or hang themselves more than their even Christian… (V.I. 28-31) Thus tying the theme of religion and inequality of the social classes into this scene. Next Hamlet enters the scene with his friend Horatio and continues his fascination with death by questioning the gravedigger about the grave he is digging. The theme of mortality is questioned by Hamlet throughout this scene and he realizes that everyone including himself will await the same fate. In this realization Hamlet says to Horatio: Why, e’en so, and now my Lady Worm’s...
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...Death (An analysis of the theme of death in the fifth act of Hamlet) Death, no one likes to hear the word, but none of us can escape it. The death of someone or even ourselves is all a part of the life that we live. It is impossible to avoid death when the time has come. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet¬ there is much death throughout the play. The play itself starts out with the knowing of the death of the King, Hamlet’s father. Throughout the play more and more characters die in their own way. In act five of Hamlet death appears in three different ways: through suicide, through accidents, and through revenge. Initially, the first way death appears in act five is suicide. In the beginning of the fifth act the two grave-diggers are digging the grave of the once love of Hamlet, Ophelia. They are talking whether or not she is being buried in the right place or not. “Is she to be buried in...
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...The Tragic Flaws of Hamlet and The Great Gatsby In Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby and Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the main characters both go through tragic flaws. Their love does not end up the way they want but they keep on trying to make it perfect. Hamlet and Gatsby both have a job they want to do but cannot pursue that goal because they have men that are standing in their way. They also have secrets that they keep from their fellow friends and family and no one knows the actual reason for their misbehavior. Hamlet and Gatsby both suffer tragedies as they try to live their perfect, dream life. Hamlet and Jay Gatsby are both in love with the women that means everything to them. Hamlets love for Ophelia is so insane that her father Polonius thinks that he is mad and lovesick. While Polonius and Claudius spy on Hamlet and see what the real problem is, they see Hamlet being violent with Ophelia after she tries to return his gifts. “The origin and commencement of his grief sprung from neglected love” (3.1.179-180). Polonius still believes that the reason behind Hamlets behavior is still crazy and caused by his love for Ophelia. Hamlet never really admits that he is in love with Ophelia until he sees her being buried at her funeral. “I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum” (5.1.263-265). Hamlet goes into deep sorrow when he sees Ophelia is dead and says that his love for Ophelia is greater than the love of forty...
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