Derek Mahon

Hamlet Essay Throughout Shakespeare's play Hamlet, Hamlet is shown performing a balancing act between a mind of insanity and a mind of sanity. By the end of the play readers are left wondering whether Hamlet had lost the bit of sanity he had earlier in the play, but although Hamlet continues to play the role of a man gone insane out of vengeance his purpose for his insanity remains the only thing keeping what’s left of his mind intact. During many interactions with other characters Hamlet is…

To lack good judgement is one of the major themes Shakespeare explores in his masterpiece King Lear, a tragedy concerning the aftermath of the abdication of King Lear. The plot carries a character development; a descend into madness as a result of an act of folly. This paper further examines the origin of Lear’s madness, how the madness is externalised and finally puts the play and theme into historical context. The cause of Lear’s madness can be pinpointed to several places, depending on your…

Hanna Roan Mrs. Kelly AP Literature Period 2 2 December 2014 Hamlet Essay In the tragic play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, honesty and deception is a prevalent theme throughout. The consequences of deception are revealed in many instances throughout the play including characters such as Claudius, Polonius, and Hamlet himself. Claudius is one of the most deceptive characters throughout the entire play. His most important example of deception would be when he lied to everyone about the…

Philosophers have continually debated over what defines an individual being, and what this means for the world in terms of ethics. I am going to discuss two basic categories of theories on personal identity – a reductionist view through the eyes of Derek Parfit, and a non-reductionist one, namely, the self-interest theory based on the assumption of a Cartesian Pure Ego. Theories of identity similar to the Cartesian pure ego have been an underlying assumption in many belief systems. Many…

A Revealing Hamlet By looking at Hamlet in William Shakespeare's most powerful work of literature "The Tragedy of Hamlet" in the 16th century, one can see the effect his fathers death left on him, causing his madness and insanity that transformed him into a monster, and a complete impulsive, rash being. After his encounter with his fathers ghost, Hamlet isolates himself, and goes beyond his limits to avenge his death. He is filled with disgust and enmity towards his uncle Claudius when…

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is embodiment an indecisive, emotionally impulsive, and philosophical/contemplative man, however he remains a most dignified character throughout the play for his grounded morals. Following the Greek philosopher’s poetic view, the Aristotelian tragic hero, Hamlet begins with much pain from the recent death of his father, the late king, and the swift remarriage of his mother, to none other than his uncle. The joint emotions of grief, sorrow and even betrayal in such…

Have you ever read The Tell Tale Heart and the Landlady and asked are those stories that different? That is what this essay will explain. I will be comparing and contrasting two stories, The Tell Tale Heart and The Landlady. I chose these stories because they interest me the most. The Tell Tale heart follows a character who is an insane butler. While The Landlady is about a lady who tricks people. In case you don’t know what a compare and contrast essay is , it is when you take two items and…

“There are no small parts, only small actors,” as once stated by Constantin Stanislawski, illustrates that not every character has to have an abundance of stage time in order to play a substantial role. In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet , King Hamlet’s Ghost, although only present in a modest number of scenes, proves to be a significant presence among several of the leading roles. Trapped in purgatory, the ghost is unable to repent his sins, therefore seeking revenge for his murder…

Introduction Topic: A comparison of the element of Hamartia in “Agamemnon”, “Hamlet” and “ The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. Thesis Statement: The protagonists in “Agamemnon”, “Hamlet” and in “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” are subjected to their downfalls as a result of hamartia (tragic errors or simple mistakes) committed by them due to their error in judgement or possessing a fundamental flaw in their characters. Mapping Scheme (Your Main Points): • Hamlet struggles with his…

The art of deception: Hamlet’s insanity The art of deception is a theme that is ever-present within William Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet. Hamlet develops a persona that is perceived to be suffering from insanity, to deceive Claudius and the kingdom, confirm the ghost’s words, and discern the loyalty of those around him. Thus, the recurring antic disposition is merely an act that Hamlet carries out in order to deceive those around him. Firstly, when one is under constant scrutiny from the…