... Ophelia was climbing a tree branch and her weight caused the branch to snap, sending her into the river. Like this terrible accident, she was given a father who controlled her every move. He is like the river, soaking, “her garmets, heavy with their drink, pulld (ing) the poor wretch from her melodious lay to muddy death” (Hamlet IV.7.166-183). As the river engulfed her body and pressed her down to the bottom, her father and Hamlet were filling her with madness to the point of breaking. Her father dressed her in the court garmets that weighed her down and forced her to be apart of the court. She was never meant to be apart of the court and...
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...'Death' , 'Revenge' , 'Unhappy endings' come to my mind When I think about the word 'tragedy'. What is tragedy? Tragedy is a form of drama based on human suffering that invokes in its audience an accompanying catharsis or pleasure in the viewing.(Banham 1998, p. 1118.) Then what are Shakespearean tragedies? "Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy." (F. Scott Fitzgerald) I also think this quote applies very well to William Shakespeare's works, for he has created such beautiful pieces of literature in the form of tragedies. There are several elements of Shakespearean tragedy. For example, Tragic hero, Tragic(Fatal) flaw, Internal and external conflict, Comic relief, The supernatural, The abnormality, Revenge, and Death etc. I am going to take a look at some of the elements of Shakespearean tragedy used in very famous plays, 'Hamlet' and 'Romeo and Juliet'. First of all, a 'Tragic flaw', by definition, is a personality trait that leads to the downfall of the protagonist. Hamlet is well aware of his fatal flaw from the beginning, he constantly questions himself on why he continues to delay the fulfillment of his duty. Hamlet finally acts to kill Claudius only after realizing that he is poisoned. But by putting off, his tragic flaw, leads to multiple death such as Polonius, Ophelia, Gertrude, Laertes, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern and himself, too. Second, Use of 'supernatural' elements is one of common characteristics of the Elizabethan drama. In Hamlet, the ghost of...
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...Hamlet is thought to be one of William Shakespeare's most honored works and is a piece of art in its form that has been studied in depth by many scholars since its time. The storyline of Hamlet follows a vein of madness that begins with Claudius' murdering King Hamlet and ending with the tragic killing of almost every main character. Many reasons have been proposed for the ultimate tragedy, which occurs at the conclusion of the play. Indeed Hamlet is mad, but the other characters' madness also helped in contributing to his own. It is or is it not true that Hamlet was faking his insanity? Highly doubtful that Hamlet was faking the whole thing. The meaning for insanity on Dictionary.com is “a permanent disorder of the mind.” Hamlet didnt have a permanent disorder of the mind he knew what he was doing and even planned the majority of the events that happened. Most of the time anyway. Having your father die is bad enough, but to have your mother marry your uncle, within a few weeks of your father’s death? Then to see the ghost of your dead father. That would drive anyone a little insane, but maybe not to the extent that everyone thought Hamlet was acting. Hamlet is torn between acting sane and letting everyone else see him as insane. Throughout the story Hamlet pretends to be insane and even dies acting out this front of insanity. At first it seems as though Hamlet is just acting, but then it appears that he does truly indeed go insane. Even after he has gathered evidence against...
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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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...Hamlet: a Noble Prince Who Suffers From a Corrupt Environment “Hamlet is a noble prince who suffers from a corrupt world that is not suitable to his sensitive moral nature.” Though some may view Prince Hamlet, a fictional protagonist in the tragic play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, as a “madman,” he is simply misunderstood by the harsh society of Denmark. Mourning the loss of his recently deceased father, King Hamlet, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius, inherits the throne and even marries Queen Gertrude after just one short month. Through chaotic and twisted disastrous events, Hamlet must abide by a civilization that evidently has neither structure nor principles. After Prince Hamlet suffers from the death of his father, the rest of Denmark is delighted by the celebration of a new marriage. Claudius, the actual brother of King Hamlet, weds with his widow, Queen Gertrude. Claudius remarks that he wants to bring a new light into Denmark after the city was struck with King Hamlet’s death. The rest of the town is thrilled by the news, excluding Hamlet. How could the city of Denmark recover from their grief after just one month? Eventually, Hamlet’s trustworthy watchmen tell Hamlet that they have been seeing a ghost-like figure that represents the deceased King Hamlet. When the ghost visits yet again, he signals to speak with Hamlet privately. Hamlet quickly learns that Claudius is responsible for his father’s death as Claudius plotted a treacherous scheme to rule over Denmark...
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...How Much Do Lady Macbeth and Ophelia Have in Common? Although obvious polar opposites, Lady Macbeth and Ophelia are connected, their descent into insanity and eventual demise are their one liking variable. Lady Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famously frightening and powerful female characters. At the start of the play, she is a loving wife to her husband but at the same time very ambitious, as shown by her immediate determination for Macbeth to be king. This outcome will benefit her and her husband equally. She immediately concludes that "the fastest way" for Macbeth to become king is by murdering King Duncan. Furthermore, Lady Macbeth knows her husband well. She thinks he may be too kind in order to murder King Duncan. At first Macbeth agrees but later wavers in his decision, but Lady Macbeth assures him that being king is what he really wants and that this is the best for both of them. So, in response to Macbeth's uncertainty, Lady Macbeth manipulates him by questioning his manhood and his love for her. She is successful because regardless of his own conscience, Macbeth carries out their plan of murder, by himself. The almost superhuman strength Lady Macbeth gains for the occasion and her cunning ability are shown through her meticulous attention to detail regarding the murder. However, though Lady Macbeth seems strong in her initial pursuits, she proves her weakness when she is unable to commit the act herself or deal with the consequences of her actions. Lady Macbeth's...
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...are several similarities between William Shakespeare's Hamlet and Walt Disney's The Lion King, due to The Lion King being adapted from Hamlet. Many of the similarities occurred between the storylines of the two works and the main characters within the works. However, the storyline was not exactly, mostly differing in the order in which events occurred and the development and portrayal of some of the characters. The storyline of Hamlet and The Lion King are nearly identical. Both King Hamlet and Mufasa were killed by their brothers, who were jealous of their title and wished to be king of their respective empires. After disposing of the king, both claimed the throne through a rather unorthodox method. After the murders. the son of the king, Hamlet, in Hamlet, and Simba, in The Lion King, were both convinced by their uncles to leave their homes for a period of time. When the finally return home after some time had passed, they pushed their uncles into a confrontation, which resulted in the two uncles deaths. However, there are several discrepancies within how specific events occurred in The Lion King. For example one being, how Claudius and Scar killed their brothers, and how they both claimed the throne. Also when the ghosts of Mufasa and Hamlet returned from the grave to bring messages to their...
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...ENG 4U Ms. Straus May 23, 2015 Hamlet Quotation Test Quotation 1: “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 godlike reason To fust in us unus’d.” (Hamlet: IV, iv, 3238) Literal Level: This quotation is from Act IV, Scene IV, when Hamlet observes Fortinbras leading the army through Denmark towards Poland. Hamlet learns that the Norwegians are going to war with the Polish over a small, worthless patch of land. In this soliloquy, Hamlet ponders how these men are willing to risk their lives for such a small cause, when he is still so hesitant to act on his revenge on Claudius for his father's murder. 1. This passage helps to develop Hamlet’s character and the plot of the play because it is in this scene that Hamlet realizes that he must act on his revenge plan or else he is just going to be a purposeless “beast”. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles with whether or not to exact revenge on Claudius because he is not certain of all of the facts. When Hamlet sees how willing the soldiers are to fight over such a small piece of land, he realizes that without action Hamlet is not taking advantage of the gift of life that God has given him. Hamlet realizes that humans have “capability and godlike reason” and that ...
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...Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern talk about Hamlet and his lunacy. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell the King and Queen that they have tried to find out the reason for Hamlet’s madness, but he avoids their questions. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern tell the King and Queen about the actors that have arrived at the court and will be giving a performance. After Rosencrantz and Guildenstern leave, Claudius tells Gertrude that he has arranged for Hamlet to run into Ophelia, and Polonius and the King will hide and spy on their conversation to see if Hamlet is truly going crazy because he is in love. Gertrude tells Ophelia that she hopes that Hamlet’s madness is due to his love for her. Polonius tells Ophelia to read from a prayer book while waiting for Hamlet, which makes Claudius feels guilty as he remembers his own sin that he disguises with kind words. Then, Hamlet arrives speaking his famous to be or not to be speech. He is contemplating suicide, but he decides against it because he is worried that the environment after death will be even worse than the one he is living in right now. Ophelia then tells Hamlet that she has some of his mementos that she needs to return, which Hamlet denies ever giving her. Hamlet then goes into a dialogue with Ophelia that focuses on women and marriage. He is telling Ophelia to go to a nunnery because he does not believe in women or marriage anymore. Hamlet says that women use their beauty and power to fool their husbands. Hamlet also tells Ophelia that if she does...
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...Hamlet Journal (1) Act 1, Scene 5, line 32 Ghost: I find thee apt, And duller shouldst thou be than the fat weed That roots itself in ease on Lethe wharf, Wouldst thou not stir in this. Now, Hamlet, hear. 'Tis given out that, sleeping in my orchard, A serpent stung me. So the whole ear of Denmark Is by a forgèd process of my death Rankly abused. But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown. (2) Paraphrase: a. The ghost is glad that Hamlet is so excited about revenging the father’s death. The ghost explained how his death was meant to look and that his death was a lie. Then the ghost informed Hamlet who was responsible for his death. Hamlet’s uncle is the one who murdered his father. (3) My comments b. I think that this is the start of the book; before this the book was just getting you use to the characters. When the ghost appears to Hamlet he is eager to get revenge for his father’s death. But when the ghost tells Hamlet that his uncle is the one who kills him; I feel like when this is revealed it took the story to a new level. First your father just died, your mom married your uncle and now all of a sudden a ghost appears to tell you that his death was a lie. On top of it being a lie, the person who did it was your uncle. I think this is going to make Hamlet lose control over him. He will either go into a deep depression or he is going to be so angry and not be able to control himself...
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...Whether death is a constant presence in Hamlet or not – one thing is for certain – death, or whatever it is supposed to represent permeates the play right from the opening scene, where the ghost of Hamlet’s father introduces the idea of death and its consequences. The ghost represents a disruption to the accepted social order – a theme also reflected in the volatile socio-political state of Denmark and Hamlet’s own indecision. This disorder has of course been triggered by the "unnatural death" of Denmark's figurehead, the King, and is soon followed by a whole range of murder, suicide, revenge and accidental deaths. Hamlet is above all a story of individuality – and the search for it. This is why Yorick’s skull is so pivotal to the whole story. Previously, Hamlet has been appalled and revolted by the moral corruption of the living. Seeing Yorick's skull (someone Hamlet clearly loved and respected ‘I knew him, Horatio’ ‘fellow of infinite jest’ ‘how abhorred in my imagination it is! my gorge rises’) propels Hamlet's realisation that death eliminates the differences between people. His questioning of ‘Where be your gibes now? Your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment’ are a manifestation of his realisation. This, once hilarious, loving person is a conglomeration of bones. It is also difficult to not notice the sudden shift in age as important. When the play begins, Hamlet is a university student, and therefore presumable 18 to 25. By the time Hamlet makes it to the...
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...Revenge causes the characters in Hamlet to act blindly through anger and emotion, rather than through reason. It is based on the Old Testament principle of an eye for an eye; this action is not always the best means to an end. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet were all looking to avenge the deaths of their fathers. They all acted on emotion driven by the want for revenge for their father's deaths, and this led to the downfall of two, and the rise to power of one. Since the heads of the three major families were each murdered, the eldest sons of these families felt that they needed to take some kind of action to avenge their father's deaths; this need to bring honor to their respective families was ultimately the demise of Laertes and Hamlet. To set the background we will start with Hamlet himself. Hamlet is the prince and heir to the Danish throne, under the King, his father, also Hamlet. His father has recently enjoyed a wildly successful military campaign against the King of Norway and actually killed King Fortinbras in a one on one battle to the death. By doing this, he is made a clear target of Prince Fortinbras, the son and soon-to-be-king of Norway. Also looking at his recent successes is his brother Claudius, who allegedly plots to kill the elder Hamlet in order to steal wife and Kingdom. Once the deed is done, Hamlet is visited by a ghost who explains the plot of Claudius. In order to divert attention, Hamlet begins to act as though he was mad. An idea that he comes up...
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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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...FEBRUARY 3, 2014 COMMENTS OFF ON COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY ON HAMLET AND DEATH OF A SALESMAN Compare and Contrast Essay on Hamlet and Death of a Salesman Different characters in fictional work serve to develop the plot in different ways. this happens often, be it strengthening the protagonist, or working towards weakening and destroying the protagonist. This is no exception in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, and in “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller. The female characters in the two works choose to hide or deny the truth, and this does not work out well for them, or for the protagonists in the end. Linda chooses not to confront her husband, although she knows that he has plans to commit suicide. Gertrude chooses not to accept her wrongdoing by marrying Claudius, and she does not accept the consequences of her action. The female characters treat the protagonists in different ways, and this contributes to the development of the protagonists. The different personalities of the female characters in the stories enhance the characters of the protagonists in different ways. By denying reality, the female characters contribute to the downfall of the protagonists. Linda is the main character in Miller’s work. She is a loving and loyal wife to her husband. She chooses to reprimand and rebuke her sons for not caring more about their father, although she knows that her husband is not well. Linda knows of her husband’s intention to commit suicide. She reveals this to her sons when...
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...Psychoanalysis of Hamlet’s Subconscious Psychoanalytic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamlet In the first half of the 20th century, when psychoanalysis was at the height of its influence, its concepts were applied to Hamlet, notably by Sigmund Freud, Ernest Jones, and Jacques Lacan, and these studies influenced theatrical productions. Freud suggested that an unconscious oedipal conflict caused Hamlet's hesitations. (Artist: Eugène Delacroix 1844). In his The Interpretation of Dreams (1900), Freud's analysis starts from the premise that "the play is built up on Hamlet's hesitations over fulfilling the task of revenge that is assigned to him; but its text offers no reasons or motives for these hesitations".[83] After reviewing various literary theories, Freud concludes that Hamlet has an "Oedipal desire for his mother and the subsequent guilt [is] preventing him from murdering the man [Claudius] who has done what he unconsciously wanted to do".[84] Confronted with his repressed desires, Hamlet realises that "he himself is literally no better than the sinner whom he is to punish".[83] Freud suggests that Hamlet's apparent "distaste for sexuality"—articulated in his "nunnery" conversation with Ophelia—accords with this interpretation.[85][86] John Barrymore's long-running 1922 performance in New York was characterized as "revolutionary in its use of Freudian psychology; in keeping with the post World War I rebellion against everything...
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