Polonius

The defining aspect of Shakespeare’s Hamlet (1602) is the human struggle for a cohesive sense of identity in a world of relentless pressure and immorality. Hamlet charts its protagonist’s ontological search for meaning as Renaissance humanism and Christian Providence generate conflicting values. Hamlet’s loyalty to his father compels him to take decisive vengeance, but it is deeply entwined with a personal complexity that remains unresolved as Hamlet confronts its moral implications. His…

The Ghost in Hamlet Hamlet (2009) is a movie directed by Gregory Doran and the main actors are David Tennan in the role of Hamlet and Patrick Steward in the role of Claudius and of the Ghost. This movie is a brilliant representation of the original play written by Shakespeare, in which modern elements are included (surveillance cameras, fireworks, modern clothes). The action takes place mostly in the castle of Elsinore. After the death of king Hamlet, his ghost makes its appearance at night…

In William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, there are many different instances of the main character, Hamlet, acting out in a harsh manner against his mother, Gertrude. The reason Hamlet is extremely livid at his mother is because she unexpectedly and unfaithfully married Hamlet’s uncle. What she did not realize is that Gertrude’s husband is the killer of Hamlet’s father. Even though Hamlet loves his mother, his animosity towards her for not staying loyal to Hamlet’s father, has not decreased…

Aidan Harju Mrs. Murphy Class code 24 April 2016 Title The poem “King Claudius” by C.P Cavafy depicts the story of Hamlet as a tragic tale of a King who was unjustly murdered by his own nephew. He summarized the tale through the eyes of an outsider, saying that this was a “very sad story of that unfortunate king killed by his nephew because of some fanciful suspicions.” (Cavafy 4-7). Though some of his accusations are understandable from the point of view of an outsider,with the information…

Action versus inaction are represented in Hamlet and Laertes that demonstrates the conflict between the two opposing forces. This theme shows how two characters have a similar goal – to punish the murderer of their father. However, they achieve them in different ways due to the type of characters they are. First of all, Hamlet wants vengeance for his father’s death. He knew who the killer was, however, he kept overthinking his actions and continued to change his plans. Thus, it took him the…

Prince Hal in Henry IV Part 1 is a character that flip flops from being funny to serious throughout the play. At the intro of the play he is goofing around with Falstaff and planning a fake heist with Poins. Their plan is simple, they will pretend to not show to a robbery with Falstaff and three others, but then rob them after they had just robed their victims. This is a perfect example of how Hal is portrayed as a comic character is some parts of the play. However, immediately after he makes…

Any story as old and well known as Hamlet is bound to receive criticism and be interpreted in many different ways. I believe that while the story focuses on Hamlet avenging his father, the pressures and troubles that King Claudius faces are not properly displayed to the audience. Claudius is described to the audience as a tyrant who kills his brother for power, an evil man, and I believe that while Claudius is evil, he has received more than enough punishment for his actions. Shortly after he…

In the play Hamlet by Shakespeare, there are multiple central ideas that are developed throughout it. Action vs Inaction and revenge are two examples of central ideas expressed in the play. Earlier in the play, revenge was developed by showing Hamlet’s desire for revenge of the death of his father. He knew Claudius was the one responsible and he planned to avenge the death of King Hamlet by killing Claudius. Hamlet plans to kill Claudius while Claudius is praying one time, however, he knew that…

I disagree with G. Wilson Knight’s claim that Claudius was not a plausible villain. First, I disagree with Knight’s claim that: “Like Stavrogin, he [Hamlet] is feared by those around him. They are always trying in vain to find out what is wrong with him. They cannot understand him.” The character, Horatio, serves as an effective counter to Knight’s claim. Horatio faithfully remains by Hamlet’s side throughout the play; Horatio is with Hamlet before the play in Act 3, Horatio is with Hamlet in…

William Shakespeare foiled two main characters throughout ‘Hamlet.’ By doing so, he chose polar opposites to fight for the attention of Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Hamlet, a young, strong, and intelligent prince who attempts to prove his father, was murdered. Hamlet, who sees his father as a ghost, realizes the cold, hard truth about his murdered father. However, Claudius deceives the young Hamlet, murders his father, and proceeds to marry his mother. Both characters struggle for the love and…