Hamlet is an interesting play with many themes like revenge, death, and many more. The theme that is chosen is acting and have been seen through many parts of the play. It is like a person who is nice to you, but gossip behind your back. This is what you call a “Two Faced” person or a “Snake” in modern term. In the play, “Hamlet”, it implies that acting emphasizes that people are not always what they seem to be. Throughout the play, Hamlet acts if he is going “mad”, Claudius acts that he’s “king-material”, and Laertes acts “sincere” towards hamlet.
Ever since the start of the play, Hamlet is going mad to be seen as “crazy”. He is talking with Horatio and Marcellus about his experience with his ghost figure father. The ghost comes out telling them to swear of his appearance, a secret. Hamlet then states that he will put on an “antic disposition” after he has sworn (Act 1, Scene 5, pg 67, line 191–192). This means that he will start acting odd or strange. This is start of Hamlet’s strange acts across the play. Afterwards, his next strange act is when he is talking to polonius “For if the sun breeds maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion-Have you a daughter?” (Act 2, Scene 2, pg 95, line 197–199). He compares himself as the sun who can breed maggots with a dead dog, and compares the dead dog as ophelia. By breed maggots, he means to be able to produce life with ophelia. As Polonius hears and sees many strange things Hamlet is saying, he states aside that “Though
Topic 2. As the son of a murdered noble, Hamlet is obligated to avenge the death of his father. It was the many losses faced by Hamlet in his life filled with extreme tragedies that forced him to avenge his father’s death from Claudius”.“In ‘Hamlet’, a play by William Shakespeare; the protagonist, Hamlet throughout the play is perceived to be mad however Hamlet’s insanity was more than an act. Hamlet's father's ghost sent him on a mission to kill Claudius to avenge his death, he tried to go but he kept hesitating back and forth. It was not that he was unfaithful, and he did not want to do it, but he was not done thinking it out. Every time he was about to do the deed
Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia suddenly becomes complicated, after Hamlet’s encounter with the Ghost. It all starts when Hamlet first appears in Ophelia’s chamber pale and dishevelled, after receiving news from the Ghost that King Claudius had poured poison into his ear, and it was Hamlet’s duty to avenge the death of his father. Hamlet’s condition frightens Ophelia, as she runs off to tell Polonius about the encounter;” My lord, as I was sewing in my closet/ Lord Hamlet, with his doublet all unbraced/… speak of horrors—he comes before me” (2.1 87-94). Hamlet may express that he does not love Ophelia anymore, but his ill treatment towards her comes at the price of testing her loyalties towards him or her father Polonius, who is the eyes and ears of Claudius. As Ophelia runs off to Polonius, it is clear to Hamlet that he cannot trust Ophelia with such a deadly task at his hands. Behind all this phony madness, it breaks Hamlet’s heart to jeopardize his relationship with Ophelia for his own motivations, but it is an intricate decision he has to make. This is again evident in Act 3, scene 1, when Hamlet instructs Ophelia; “To a nunnery, go, and/ Quickly too. Farewell” (3.1 151-152). The only reason Hamlet would utter such bitter words to Ophelia, is because he trusts Ophelia will be kept safer there than anywhere near the kingdom. In doing so, Hamlet proves that he still cares for Ophelia and what they had, but he cannot manage their relationship at the same time getting revenge, because he’s too caught up in pursuing his own motives. Eventually, as Ophelia goes mad and dies,
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, commonly known simply as Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare (approx. 1599-1602), is a renowned revenge-tragedy play set within the ever decaying state of Denmark. Shakespeare, throughout the entirety of the play, conveys that fear, of one kind or another, acts as a powerful motivator upon each character. Hamlet, in response to the loss of his father, became obsessed with all aspects of death. This obsession causing a deep fear of uncertainty, resulting in compound ethical contemplations hindering Hamlet’s capacity for action. Fear is conveyed by Shakespeare as being Claudius’ main motivation for living in a state of extreme self-preservation, this stemming greatly from his fear of being exposed. Fear motivates Gertrude into making somewhat false promises with Hamlet and deceiving Claudius. Through these various scenarios, Shakespeare conveys that fear acts as a powerful motivator upon both Hamlet, Claudius, and Gertrude.
Medea, an ancient Greek tragedy was written by Euripides during the classical era. This play focuses on Medea and how she plots the revenge against her unfaithful husband. Jason has left Medea and their children to go marry the princess of Corinth, Glauce. This was Medea’s motivation to kill Glauce and her own children. Similarly, in Hamlet, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare during the post classical era is about Hamlet and his revenge for his father on Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, that took his father’s life, throne, and wife. Hamlet was motivated to take revenge after seeing the ghost which was his father in Act I Scene V. In both plays, the theme of revenge is present and is represented through the main characters. Medea and Hamlet are both characters who seek revenge on those who betray them to prove their control over their lives and to preserve their honor, which leads to death and suffering. In addition, both characters went mad in order to fulfil their plotted revenge. Also, while Medea successfully took revenge against her husband and lived, Hamlet received the ultimate price of death after his revenge.
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.
In the play Hamlet there are many themes that were brought to our attention; Madness, Revenge, Mortality, Religion, Incest, Family, and Death. In this essay we will be discussing two of these themes that we found intriguing, the two themes are Death, and Revenge.
In the play Hamlet, Hamlet and Laertes are characterized as foils, or opposites, of one another. Hamlet is the protagonist of the play, and the play centers around his every move. Meanwhile, Laertes is absent for much of the play and spends the majority of his time in France. In fact, he actually does not return until late in the play due to the death of his father, Polonius. Additionally, they are different in their ways of revenge. Hamlet constantly prolongs his revenge due to various arising circumstances. On the other hand, Laertes is quick to seek revenge, and this is exhibited through his response to the death of his father. The last difference is the mental sanity of the two characters. Throughout the play, Hamlet is driven into madness over the death of his father, while Laertes is always at least somewhat rational in his thoughts and actions. In thesis, Hamlet and Laertes differ in the following ways: stage presence, methods of revenge, and mental sanity.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is one of the most universally known plays of all time. Primarily, it is known for its strong themes, and its revolutionary storyline, containing subjects never frequently, or openly discussed before in plays of this kind, such as our conscience, spirit, and inner strength.
The afterlife plays a critical role, in key decisions made throughout the play Hamlet. This can be prominently seen in the character Hamlet, and the influence his dead father, has on him. As well as the influence that death itself holds over Hamlet, through ideas of suicide and the effect it will have over him, whether he will go to purgatory or heaven. Hamlet also suffers from a fear of the unknown, focused on by Shakespeare, through the themes of death, and what happens when we die. Through these ideas and themes found under the idea of death, Shakespeare creates a masterpiece in which death is both feared and adored, and the concept of the unknown has been ever present.
Shakespeare’s play Hamlet presents two reoccurring themes that shed light on fear and mortality. Events in the play include murder, eavesdropping, and revenge, which all link to fear as the driving force of the play. Fearful emotions function as a key point to propel the plot to the climax in the play. All the characters at one point in the play produce decisions bases on fear. Madness in the form of insanity is also a question throughout the plot, which forms questions about life and death. Questions about whether life is worth living, and could death be a better choice. Questions are also asked about why fear is such a powerful emotion, and the affects fear has on people is also questions.
Hamlet Motifs Motifs are shown throughout stories themes and ordinary life today. In the play written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, it tell a story about a young man who has to make choices in his life. These choice he makes leads to the flow of the book in which the themes of tragedy, role of woman, and revenge comes into play. People must make decisions in their own worlds that affect everyone who is involved. To take action or not to take action is truly a thought in many moments throughout generations.
Hamlet, a sociopathic narcissist uses vengeance, a retribution of an action done toward him. He uses the death of his father as justification for his actions. In his mind he believes he can use revenge to gain power and control. By using vengeance, he is convincing everyone in his surroundings of his power. In Shakespeare's play, “Hamlet”, a theme of power occurs often. Hamlet’s compulsion revolves around the death of his father. As a protagonist, Hamlet is also a hero. His actions toward his control, are both moral and immoral implications involved through demanding revenge.
Within the Shakespearean tragic drama Hamlet there are a number of themes. Literary critics find it difficult to agree on the ranking of the themes. This essay will present the themes as they are illustrated in the play – and let the reader prioritize them.
A forest fire starts and gradually grows uncontrollably. It consumes everything in its path. Revenge is similar to this devastation. Revenge is an act based on anger with no reasoning, and it’s not over until the act is completed. William Shakespeare, in Hamlet, built his play on this idea of an eye for an eye, which is revenge. Hamlet and Laertes are both out to avenge their fathers’ deaths. They go about it differently, but their motivation is the same. Shakespeare uses the characters Hamlet and Laertes, in their acts of revenge, show how the theme is developed throughout the play.
Death can be defined as; the permanent and irreversible cessation of the vital functions that result in the end of one’s life. Death itself can have many different causes such as disease, old age or even something as gruesome as murder. In the Elizabethan era, it seems as though murder was commonly used to solve problems as in several of William Shakespeare's plays, characters are killed so that more dominant characters can obtain what they truly desire. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet death is a prominent theme that is explored in depth throughout the play. Within the play, there are many examples of death; such as the suicide of Ophelia, the unnecessary murder of numerous characters and even Hamlet’s untimely death itself.