To Be or Not To Be: A Tragedy Hamlet is a tragedy which primarily focuses on Hamlet’s feelings on his father’s death and his attempt to avenge the death. Part of this tragedy involves Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia, who gains attention only because of her tragic circumstances. One can imagine Hamlet’s story without Ophelia, but Ophelia has no story without Hamlet, which demonstrates the powerlessness of women in the play. In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,’ Ophelia’s life seems tragic, but for her death to truly be tragic, she had to realize her powerlessness without the men in her life. Ophelia does not have many options as a woman in a patriarchal society, and Helena Bonham Carter’s juxtaposition of Ophelia’s childlike nature with the…
So far as readers we know by this time alot has happen to Hamlet, his father died. And his uncle took over as king and he married the Queen. A ghost of the dead king has told Hamlet that Cladius, Hamlet's uncle killed his father, and he is having relationship problems with his girlfriend, Ophelia. In his first soliloquey we know that he does not like the marriage between his uncle and mother, he is still grieving over the death of his father and we also get this feeling that Hamlet does not like his unlce, Cladius. In his second soliloquey we get this understanding about why he is acting crazy,and his feeling toward's his current s ituation.…
The speech “To be or not to be”, it’s Hamlet’s most important soliloquy found in act III scene I. It is a hard job to reenact it and be able to illustrate each emotion and metaphor but it is not impossible. Zeffirelli’s and Gibson’s version of the to be or not to be soliloquy was the best because it perfectly captured Hamlet’s feeling and the true meaning of his words using effective setting, tone and body language. The setting of the speech plays an important role in Zeffirelli’s version.…
In every person there is a flaw of some sort, due to the fact that no one is perfect. All humans have at least one flaw in their life that they struggle with. In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the young prince possesses a flaw of his own. He struggled with this flaw that led him to a tragedy in his life. How much struggled with procrastination, and that led him to many problems that he could have resolved much differently.…
The soliloquy of act 2 scene 2 is focused on inner struggles with revenge. Earlier in this scene, Hamlet asks the actors to recite the story of Priam. While viewing this play hamlet realized the flaw in all that he has been doing, or hasn’t been doing, to act revenge on Claudius. Claudius killed Hamlet's father and stole the crown and hamlet is the only one who knows so he hatches a plan. He has made a few attempts of Claudius' life but failed.…
This entire soliloquy displays Hamlet’s inner conflict: he wonders if it is nobler to endure troubles or better to take action to end them. He knows killing Claudius would solve his problems, but he would rather bear his burdens than act. Neither option is acceptable to Hamlet’s conscience, and either way, Hamlet knows he will be responsible for his choice, so he prolongs making a decision at all. Sartre, however, argues, “I can always choose, but I must know that if I do not choose, that is still a choice” (Sartre). Another example of this concept in existentialist literature is Daru’s hesitation in Albert Camus’ short story “The Guest.”…
“To be or not to be—that is the question”, this is arguably William Shakespeare’s most famous and well known soliloquy of all time. Even audiences unfamiliar with Shakespeare’s work have heard these words before. This serious and emotional scene depicts all of Hamlet’s thoughts and feelings towards life and death. Over the years there have been many actors who have tried to illustrate Shakespeare’s most emotional soliloquy of all time; some more successful than others. I believe that Kenneth Branagh’s rendition of “To be or not to be” is the best version of this soliloquy due to the effective usage of props and vocal dynamics.…
Act 1 Scene 2 is a key moment that includes Hamlet’s first soliloquy, during which the audience start to understand the complexity of Hamlet and his personal state of melancholia. Shakespeare’s use of syntax, fanatic language and striking imagery develops the tension within Hamlet’s relationship with Gertrude, while feeding the reoccurring theme of misogyny. Shakespeare uses intense juxtapositions and the theme of corruption to strengthen the characterisation of Claudius, through the eyes of Hamlet. The use of a wide range of language and analytical techniques help to strengthen the passage as a whole. This passage is crucial in the characterisation of Hamlet.…
1. Gertrude and Claudius spend much of Act I Scene 2 (I.2) chastising Hamlet. Discuss why they are distraught with him and why he is acting this way in this scene. Use examples for illustration.…
The “To be or not to be” soliloquy characterizes the speaker, Hamlet, through the use of literary devices, as an obsessive, depressed, almost chaotic man who slowly dips into the depths of madness because of his father’s death, his mother’s incestuous marriage and the torment of whether to act, showing how the actions of others influence and mold a person. In the preceding scene, Hamlet's apparent madness was the topic of discussion, with Polonius surmising that his madness is a result of his unrequited love for Ophelia. Hamlet enters the room where Ophelia waits, apparently alone, so that Polonius and Claudius can observe her interactions with Hamlet who then proceeds to deliver the famous soliloquy. The first line, in which he ponders the question…
Transparancy To Say less or to say more Barker being a student of History brings forth the crucial problem of revelation of Shakespeare in Hamlet and also knows the revealing face of murkiness of the story in Elizabethan culture. He uses powerful imagery of mirror throughout the play, mirror which is made of glass questions the truth in Elsinore. This mirror reflects the image that can not be seen It allows to see without being seen. Here Hamlet affirms the impotence of words : “ I’m saying less”. (scene 7)…
Questions 1. Why do you take from this quote where Hamlet says “To be or not to be –that is the question:/ Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/ And, by opposing, end them. ”(3.1.64-68).…
Shakespeare’s “To Be or Not to Be” soliloquy in Hamlet is possibly the most quoted passage of any of his works and even those who have never read the text of the play have likely at some point in their lives heard the famous words “to be or not to be”. While many are familiar with this opening line it is only when one is familiar of the context in which it is spoken that they realize its true meaning which may come as a shock. These lines are spoken in the context of the protagonist contemplating suicide. Shakespeare likely wrote Hamlet’s soliloquy using inclusive language and philosophical concepts when discussing suicide because during the Elizabethan Era when the play was written, suicide was considered a mortal sin and the audience may have viewed Hamlet as a…
The meaning of the “to be or not to be” speech in Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been given numerous interpretations, each of which are textually, historically, or otherwise based. In general, while Hamlet’s famous “to be or not to be” soliloquy questions the righteousness of life over death in moral terms, much of the speech’s emphasis is on the subject of death—even if in the end he is determined to live and see his revenge through. Before engaging in the soliloquy itself, however, it is important to consider Hamlet’s lines that occur before the passage in question. In the first act of the play, Hamlet (full character analysis of Hamlet here)curses God for making suicide an immoral option. He states, “that this too solid flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew! /…
Many scholars research Shakespeare’s plays to learn about him, his lifestyle, and the customs of that era. Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare in about 1599, is read and studied by nearly every student. Even though countless scholars have researched it, the play ultimately leaves them puzzled. Each person that has studied Hamlet has come up with a unique opinion and conclusion of the play. Although Graham Bradshaw and William Empson both have different views on the way Hamlet was written and the famous “Hamlet Problem”, William Empson has a more valid argument on the new play.…