The Elizabethan era was a time of great change. This resulted in an environment of speculation and uncertainty. It is during this time that Hamlet, Shakespeare‘s most famous play was being performed. This essay will argue that the ambiguity of the Shakespeare’s Hamlet was designed, at least in part as a reflection of the uncertainty of the Elizabethan world, for as Bloom stated “the text was not created in a vacuum”(7). This essay will begin with a brief explanation of how plays can be used as a tool for social and political commentary.…
Moral ambiguity; defined as the lack of certainty about whether something is right or wrong, plays a significant role in many pieces of literature. Taking form in an assortment of roles, a morally ambiguous character is difficult to categorize as either good or evil, as they exhibit strong characteristics of both. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, he explores the idea of revenge as well as the question it presents through the characterization of Hamlet as both a hero and antagonist. Hamlet’s contrasting actions, questioning of motives, and ideologies of revenge present a great case for his morally ambiguous persona. Possibly the most famous line in all of literature, “to be or not to be” outlines morally ambiguity to the utmost extent, asking whether…
Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most honoured and well known pieces of literature that has been studied by many. There is a depth to Hamlet which has caused so many different ways to view and argue the characters and the overthinking in which the book revolves around. The storyline of Hamlet follows a vein of over thinking that begins with the betrayal of his Uncle Claudius when he secretly murders Hamlet’s father – the King of Denmark- then marries Hamlet’s mother and becomes king himself. As Hamlet mourns the tragic death, he finds himself in front of his father’s ghost whom is speaking to him about his murder and how Claudius- his own brother; killed him. This is when Hamlet begins to see madness around him and reflects it in himself.…
1. In what way or ways does Hamlet, in the course of the play, let the audience know his attitude to Polonius? Throughout Hamlet’s interaction with Polonius, audience can observe the lack of respect Hamlet carries towards him. Hamlet subtly expresses his anger with word choices that contain double meaning.…
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.…
When Hamlet drops his guard and voices the thoughts that have been plaguing him and keeping him from taking any sort of action towards the goal he promised he would achieve, it brings the audience back to seeing him in a sympathetic light. While it is not necessary to have a sympathetic protagonist to tell a good story, as the anti-hero trope is quite popular, it is beneficial and it seems Shakespeare takes continuous steps back in this directions when his protagonists stray from the audience’s favor. The broad philosophical approach of this passage is still celebrated today because as in Elizabethan times, many of us are still confronted with “the pangs of despised love”, “th’ oppressor’s wrong”, and “the law’s delay”, even if we have never experienced the situation of our uncle murdering our father then promptly marrying our mother, and our father’s ghost coming back to tell us to get revenge. Every reader can identify with at least one of the reasons Hamlet gives for why people choose to “bear the whips and scorns of…
Everyone sees the play Hamlet as this great tragedy and a quest for revenge, and it is one, but it’s also filled with so much deception. The characters lie to each other, they spy and create plans to find out information. Their use of hidden yet obvious deception just goes to show how rotton human beings can be with each other and how easily they can turn on one another to further themselves to get what they want. It eventually shows that by using all your energy towards a plan of revenge, can cause self deception. In this story, Shakespeare uses certain structures to reveal that by using deceit one may actually be able to get to the truth.…
Shakespeare in Hamlet act V scene 2 reveals many aspects of the human nature, along with the divinity which shapes the path of our journey. Thus, Hamlet believes that things are meant to happen will be going to happen and no one can avoid it. Men create problems and make harmful plans for others, but there is a divine power which curves your path different than other’s plan, yet bad experiences created by others can make a tremendous mental impact on the person. In Act V scene 2, the beginning of the fighting Hamlet asked Laertes for his pardon.…
Only thing certain is uncertainty. All individuals have a natural propensity to aspirate the sense of security by acquiring certainty. However, uncertainty always exist because it is impossible to foresee the future incidents. Uncertainty becomes rampant when individuals face with irregular and perplexing situation. Often people torn to make a decision because of not knowing the right course of action.…
"That it should come to this!" (I. i. 137). This well-known quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, expresses Hamlets conundrum, in which Hamlet’s world starts to fall apart. It’s also the beginning seeds for Hamlet’s hatred of King Claudius (his uncle). Hamlet’s deep seeded hatred towards King Claudius derives from Claudius marrying his mother.…
Of the many plays that Shakespeare composed all through his playwriting vocation, Hamlet is the most interesting play that he composed. While the plot creates, topics like misdirection, choice, and reprisal get to be clear in the characters ' thought processes. Many inquiries can be raised, for example, Did Hamlet cherish Ophelia? Was Hamlet genuinely insane? Be that as it may, these inquiries become an integral factor later in the story advancement.…
This journey contains aspects including the hero’s call to adventure, crossing the threshold, and multiple trials. These factors, among others, are evident in William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Hamlet. Hamlet, the (Tragic) Hero, tries to avenge his father’s death, but his tragic flaw inhibits his endeavors. Thus, Hamlet is most accurately analyzed from an Archetypal lens revolving around the protagonist, Hamlet.…
Megalomaniacs display desperation for power through acts of manipulation. Manipulation allows cynical people who are so driven by their own desires to succeed. Throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet, three characters use manipulation to achieve their individual ambitions thus creating conflict within the royal family. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark and son of the deceased king, uses manipulation to gain revenge against Claudius; Claudius, the new King of Denmark and brother of the deceased king, uses manipulation to gain the throne and remain in power; Polonius, advisor to Claudius and father to Ophelia and Laertes, uses manipulation for power and knowledge. Shakespeare highlights the difference between manipulation for self desires and for seeking…
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.…
Hamlet cannot reconcile himself to the stern realities of life. The dramatist has exposed the tragic weakness in the character of Hamlet at the beginning of the play. Hamlet fails to adjust his lofty ideals to existing realities of his environment, and thinks of committing suicide. Hamlet’s tragedy is the tragedy of…