Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Hamlet explores humanities complex processes and the condition of which we live. In this play, the concept of revenge is studied cohesively with the ability of humans to make judgments over their actions and human’s curiosity toward seeking answers. Shakespeare, having written this play in the 17th century, creates the protagonist Hamlet as a forward thinking character with a philosophical quality and moral understanding regarding his ability to reason. These traits conflict against the crude revenge task at hand in the play. Through Hamlet’s complexity, Shakespeare makes direct opinions about the human condition and what it is to be human.…
To completely understand how someone is, the reasoning behind their person, you have to take into account the people around them. In William Shakespeare’s play “The Tragedy of Hamlet”, Ophelia and Laertes represent different aspects of prince Hamlets traits that further the understanding of his behaviour, thoughts, and over-all character.…
<center><b>Assignment 1: Explication from Hamlet (1.3.111-137) ("My lord, he hath importuned me with love" [end of scene].</b></center>…
From an audience-response perspective, Shakespeare intentionally leaves parts of the play vague. Ophelia’s unclear cause for death, Claudius’ supposed guilt, and Hamlet’s true desire for revenge and just some of the cases where Shakespeare leaves the specifics vague as to allow the audience to formulate their own interpretations. There are small hints regarding the truth behind Shakespeare’s intentions, such as when Gertrude claims that Ophelia’s death was an accident, while providing small details that make the audience ponder whether or not Gertrude witnessed Ophelia’s death and if her death was an accident as Gertrude claims. This leaves the audience questioning the validity of Gertrude’s claims and what really happened to Ophelia. Claudius proclaims his guilt for his brother’s murder; however he is hesitant to recant what he has done for fear of losing his possessions and power. Does Claudius actually feel guilty about murdering his brother since he had not repented for his murder? Hamlet seemingly has a desire to get vengeance for his father, yet he doesn’t act in the name of this revenge quest. It makes the audience question if Hamlet’s true goal is actually vengeance. If it is, why doesn’t he act on it? These questions Shakespeare intentionally leaves open for the audience to make their own interpretations. Through this unique writing style Shakespeare uses, he is allowing for the audience to formulate different, unique ideas regarding the…
As C.G Jung once said, “The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.” In Willam Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist Hamlet and antagonist Claudius struggle with basic of notions of right and wrong bringing their morality into question. The murder of an innocent, the abuse of the women closest to them and, the quest to murder one another are simply the indications of how both characters are morally weak.…
A#1 Question 15: The ghost explains to Hamlet about the way he died. That he was asleep in his orchard, and that his uncle came up to him while he was sleeping and poisoned him, “with juice of a cursed hebenon in a vial” (Shakespeare 1824). He had poured the poison it in his ear and it moved quickly through the body. He tells him how his body was then covered in a rash. His own brother took his life and everything that went with it.…
1. No, Gertrude does not tell Claudius the entire truth about what happened between her and Hamlet. She tells him that Hamlet killed Polonius and that Hamlet is going insane. Hamlet advised her to tell Claudius that he is crazy and not tell him that she knows that he is faking it.…
Hamlet decides to get more information / prove what the ghost was saying before doing…
In the light of your critical study, does this statement resonate with your own interpretation of Hamlet?…
In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the characters of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Claudius contrast the imperfections of Hamlet through their own success due to their starvation for power, making Hamlet appear vulnerable. Success is accomplished through Fortinbras strong willed assertiveness, Laertes loyalty towards his sister, and Claudius’s ignorance of moral law.…
A comparison is something that could be defined as examining two or more things and finding differences or similarities attached to them. In the world today, many people compare different things when they choose to purchase something, or they are talking about other people. In the world of literature, many things can be compared whether it be settings, symbols, or even characters; there is always something that is able to be made into one. Hamlet by William Shakespeare is about a prince names Hamlet, on his quest to avenge his fathers untimely death, as per his uncle, Claudius. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is about a boy named Harry, and his quest to avenge his parents' deaths, and save the world in which he lives. For both characters, Harry and Hamlet, there can be many similarities found between the two. By delving deep into the two characters, one can find major similarities in their circumstances, motivations, and settings that they are found in.…
1. What happens when Francisco and Bernardo meet at the beginning of 1.1? Where are we, and when? Why is there confusion over which one is supposed to challenge the other by asking "Who's there"? Why is Horatio with Bernardo and Marcellus? Who is he?…
On the discussion board post your answer to the questions: "What is Hamlet 'about'?" and "What are its enduring themes and messages?”. Your response does not have to be governed by the Values and Worldviews (Dialectic) approach taken through this unit. Substantiate your own ideas with evidence from the play. Don't research. Build on or refute with reason the responses of two others.…
Throughout literature, one role that has, and will always be, controversial yet crucial to the human condition is the idea of truth and falsehood, an idea that is brilliantly portrayed in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, where the protagonist Hamlet encounters this double standard. Hamlet is known as a truly universal character because he represents something more than a depressed prince in Denmark. Hamlet has every imperfection that nearly all people cannot confront themselves when they look in the mirror. Shakespeare uses Hamlet as the reflection of the audience in order to authenticate the actuality of their errors and to understand…
Morality plays a major role in the decisions we make in our daily lives. Often times, emotion alters our ability to make coherent choices. In the play "Hamlet", by William Shakespeare, Hamlet encounters difficulty in making decisions as he deals with his nemesis, Claudius. In Act III Hamlet proves to be a cautious and contemplative person through his delay in avenging his father's death.…