Derek Parfit

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…

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts the indecisive and seemingly suicidal character of Hamlet who has chosen to act insane. Hamlet has previously been told that his uncle Claudius was the one who killed his father and is urged by his father’s ghost to seek revenge. Hamlet, however, is not completely convinced and plans to act mad to lower suspicion of himself, so he can investigate the truth of the matter. Shakespeare uses literary devices such as imagery, word choice,…

The play Hamlet is about a Prince emotionally affected by the loss of his father, who’s killer is his uncle/step dad who married his mother and is now the king of Denmark. As many events happen throughout the play, such as death, marriage, murder, etc., these actions do not compare to the suspense, climax, and excitement that Shakespeare created by using internal conflict within the character’s head. The shortest scene in the play can also be the most important scene. Hamlet, before meeting the…

Preterm delivery is a terrible problem that plagues the United States, as well as many other countries worldwide. Preterm delivery of infants remains one of the most intractable problems that contributes to perinatal morbidity and mortality (Slattery & Morrison, 2002). This issue contributes to a large amount of cost towards the health industry. The definition of preterm delivery is, “…those [deliveries] that occur at less than 37 weeks’ gestational age; however, the low-gestational…

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the playwright tells the fictional story of a tragic hero who is called upon by his father’s ghost to avenge his death. By using a variety of literary and rhetorical devices and displaying a pessimistic attitude towards his situation, Hamlet is able to effectively convey his thoughts and emotions to his audience. Hamlet’s use of antithesis, metaphors, and negative language throughout his soliloquy, allows him to send the message to his audience that he is deeply…

Throughout Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, multiple characters descend into a state of madness. Many hindrances and traumatic experiences cause Hamlet to reach this state of unbalanced psyche. This inner turmoil drives Hamlet to action and lets him make sense of his emotions. No longer caring to maintain the social norms, Hamlet is able to follow his true desires and enact them. Therefore, he becomes progressively outspoken as the story continues. Emily Dickinson stated “Much madness is divinest…

Hamlet’s Hesitation Analysis Hamlet is a character that seems to be a victim of circumstances. The unexpected death of his father leaves him depressed, not forgetting the wedding between his mother Gertrude and his uncle Claudius that took place just three months after the funeral. His father’s ghost appears to him and asks him to take revenge on Claudius for murdering him. Though he gets convinced to take revenge at the beginning, he later becomes hesitant to do so. He drags his feet until he…

Distrust and Mistrust During the play of hamlet there was multiple times when distrust and mistrust was shown and all of these in which I believe were from the theme good versus evil. In the story of Hamlet people were always in conflict with one another and this caused them to mistrust them so then they would do things to find out what people were relying doing so they’d spy on them. In the story the downfall of mistrust and distrust would either put the person in a worser position…

Redemption, is the action, regaining or gaining possession of something in exchange for payment, or clearing debt. In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, redemption is a common focus for the protagonist Hamlet, followed by Old King Fortinbras’ son, Fortinbras, and Laertes. These ambitious men embark on a quest for truth and redemption because of the loss of their father’s. In spite of the fluctuations in their quest, their journey for truth and redemption is successful because Fortinbras, Laertes…

Have you ever drifted away from your own sanity in hopes of getting revenge? Does the thought of violence or chaos cross your mind when it seems like the world is out to get you? In one of William Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, Hamlet, acts of violence seem to follow each and every character in the play. In the beginning, Hamlet was thrown into a whirlwind of change and endless emotions. With his father just being murdered by his uncle Claudius and Polonius banning the relationship between…