Osric's Use Of Dramatic Irony In Hamlet

A man may fish with the worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.
This quotation is said by Hamlet when he is speaking to Claudius about where Polonius’ body has been discarded. Preceding this scene, Hamlet frightened his mother, which caused her to believe that she was going to be murdered. Hamlet heard a cry for help behind a tapestry that he believed to be from Claudius, so he stabbed his sword through the material and killed the body on the other side. Hamlet discovered that it was Polonius who had been murdered, so he went to hide the body under the stairs. Hamlet was then bombarded with questions about the whereabouts of Polonius’ body. This specific quotation discusses how even a King will one day become worm’s food and then be used as scraps to catch fish.
This passage helps develop character, plot, conflict and theme. Hamlet’s power and determination are intensified in the passage because this is the first encounter that Hamlet and Claudius have had since Hamlet successful investigation. Hamlet’s description of Claudius’ grave and his dying flesh imply that Claudius’ murder is no longer a secret. Hamlet uses a threatening tone in the passage, which allows Claudius to understand that Hamlet will be avenging his father’s death. Because the …show more content…
This literary device develops the theme of uncertainty, which causes the audience to hope that Hamlet refuses the offer. The passage also targets an Elizabethan audience because it discusses the popular pastime of fencing. All upper class individuals were taught to fence at a young age; therefore, the bet references the Elizabethan social hierarchy and explains why both Hamlet and Laertes are trained in the sport. The quotation includes fencing terms, such as hits, and fencing scoring, which an Elizabethan audience would