Any critical evaluation of the play “Hamlet” must be chiefly concerned with the character of Hamlet. Unlike Shakespeare’s other tragedies, “Hamlet” is singular in purpose and scope-it is the story of one man’s personal and moral collapse under the weight of his own (and other’s) decisions, intentions and machinations. The play is not complicated with subplots and extraneous secondary characters, but is wholly focused on the man himself. This dedication to a singular dramatic intention paradoxically makes for “Hamlet” to be, subjectively, Shakespeare most confusing play. It is problematic in its protagonists’ inscrutability, his missing motives, his contradictory actions, and his utter implacability to settle into one stable character. Almost everything he does further contradicts him as an individual in the world of the play and as a dramatic character. For this reason my critical evaluation of the play is that it is artistically self defeating due to its own subversions of character and dramatic convention, and this should render it unfulfilling and disappointing as a dramatic performance. Paradoxically, the plays confusion renders it all the more infuriatingly readable-it is both alienating and enticing, a work which defeats itself in its own realisation and at the same time is only worthwhile and meaningful in this artistic enigma-the individual components should not work, yet it does strike a powerful emotional and dramatic resonance in its completion. Many aspects of “Hamlet” as a text are easily criticised-it is certainly a work with a large amount of problems. However, in a rather subversive and mysterious manner the play is a wonderful work of literature.…
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet himself is a difficult character to figure out. With his elegant intensity and reckless but cautious attitude, he is able to keep his readers entertained as the play progresses. Through his irrational decisions, emotional madness and admirable qualities, Hamlet becomes a character with whom readers will continuously empathize. Our first impression of Hamlet sets the tone for the entire play. We are brought to one of the beginning scenes where Hamlet is…
Hamlet’s attempt to get his uncle to claim his father’s murder is supposedly done for truth and redemption. However, Hamlet’s feigned “madness” (Hamlet, Act III, Scene III) makes it possible to believe that he may have alternative motives. For Hamlet, these motives may be out of resent which means it is possible he may have wanted his mother’s “husband’s brother” (Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV) to be hurt for selfish reasons- anger and hate for marrying his mother soon after his brother’s death. This allowed him to make finding the truth his tool rather than making it necessary for restoration of himself emotionally and his father’s image. Stoppard, a playwright, needed a tragedy made up of characters that supposedly search for justice in order to illuminate an understanding of truth in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. Specifically, Stoppard consciously uses Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, in order to unmask truth as an illusion.…
Hamlet, Prince of Denmark has remained the most perplexing, as well as the most popular, of William Shakespeare’s tragedies. Whether considered as literature, philosophy, or drama, its artistic stature is universally admitted. To explain the reasons for its excellence in a few words, however, is a daunting task. Apart from the matchless artistry of its language, the play’s appeal rests in large measure on the character of Hamlet himself. Called upon to avenge his father’s murder, he is compelled to face problems of duty, morality, and ethics that have been human concerns through the ages. The play has tantalized critics with what has become known as the Hamlet mystery, that of Hamlet’s complex behavior, most notably his indecision and his reluctance to act.…
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…
Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet is shot with bright lighting in the 19th-century palace ballroom. Through costuming and lighting, Branagh’s Hamlet immerses the audience. Yet, David Tennant delivers his soliloquy in a dimly lit throne room. The dim lights and simple costuming allow the audience to maintain attention on Hamlet’s internal debate. In both scenes, the costuming, lighting, and camera angles draw in the viewer. Yet, Tennant's Hamlet is able to go a step further and captures the idea that Hamlet is truly debating with himself.…
The primary function of the first soliloquy is to reveal to the audience Hamlet's profound melancholia and the reasons for his despair. Hamlet explains, with an outpouring of disgust, anger, sorrow, and grief that everything in his world is either futile or contemptible.…
1.The change of mood that occurs In scene one is mainly because of Polonius. This is shown in the beginning of the act when Polonius is hiring a spy to find out how his son is behaving. In the beginning of the scene it is quite funny and suspicious since Polonius acts like he trusts his son, but in actual fact he’s so concerned that he hired someone to look after him. The change of mood occurs when Ophelia runs into the room and explains to Polonius what had just happened with Hamlet ( II,i,ll 85-112). This changes Polonius’s mood and concern about his son towards his daughter Ophelia and how he was the reason for Hamlet’s insanity, Polonius shows that he is very concerned and feels that he is to blame for what is going on.…
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, William Shakespeare’s longest, and perhaps most notable, play explores several important aspects of the human condition. Hamlet’s battle between his emotions and logic, as well as his fatal flaws and what he considers to be morally good and looming evil, encased in a story of murder and betrayal enlightens audiences to contemplate the true meaning of being human. Ultimately, through Hamlet’s questioning of humanity and what it means to be alive and human, Shakespeare prompts the conversation in his audience.…
Write a review of Hamlet based on a viewing, whereby you ponder the question of the text's enduring relevance. A news feature based on the play where having seen the play, you analyse why the play remains relevant to modern audiences. In itself becomes a text of textual integrity. How do people value it? Discuss some aspects that you would argue to allow the text to view it as something engaging and valuable. Hamlet Through Time Hamlet. Not just your typical revenge tragedy, but something deeper, and more than able to rival the likes of 'Desperate Housewives', despite it's age. What the audience gets with the play, Hamlet, is a storyline that is complex and intricate, a plot that is interwoven with tales of love, betrayal, murder and action, or in Hamlet's case, inaction. Regardless of the play's familiarity, Hamlet continues to be a text with an interminable amount of relevance to today's society, largely due to it's examination of the human experience. However, there is another thing that manages to keep the audience in their seats, and that is the romance between the main character, Hamlet, and the fragile, Ophelia. The story of Hamlet takes place in Denmark, which is in a state of unrest following the suspicious death of old King Hamlet, and his brother, Claudius' rise to the throne, largely due to the help of Polonius, his advisor. It starts with the appearance of the ghost of old King Hamlet on the battlements of his castle. His son, young Hamlet, who comes home to find his mother recently married to the new king, Claudius, is told of this spectral phenomenon. Hamlet then encounters the ghost too, and it confirms his partial suspicion that his uncle Claudius had a hand in the old king's death. Hamlet then goes about seeking revenge, and despite having the opportunity to kill his uncle while he is praying, he refrains, reasoning that Claudius should suffer the same fate that was dealt his father, an afterlife of wandering the earth and purgatory. Throughout…
Many of the plays written by Shakespeare in his time were performed to influence his audience and provoke thought and debate the social, cultural and economic events that were taking place at that time. Shakespeare’s Hamlet, in particular, was a reflection of the events happening during the Elizabethan era. In this essay, the focus is mainly on Act IV scene IV and the speech of Hamlet and the essay focuses on answering the question of the effect Hamlet had on the audience in the Elizabethan era, specifically culturally, socially, and economically. It is the purpose of this essay to demonstrate that due to the religious turmoil of the Elizabethan era, Hamlet’s reference to God in Act IV was significant to show that people of this era had the same god, whether Catholic or Protestant. Furthermore, due to the culture at the time of studying humours, the melancholic character and psychology of Hamlet would have been of great interest to the audience. Lastly, being under the constant threat of war from the neighbouring countries of Spain and France, the audience would have related to the message of war in the play.…
Although many different positions could be taken on writing an essay for this Shakespearian play, the author took it upon himself to write about Hamlet's grief. His grief is obvious from the beginning of the play and he continues to grieve althroughout the play. Within his twenty-one-page essay, I chose this line to represent that I agree with his outlook on the play. " his focus is on his grief and the profound impact in which the ghost has upon it. (Hamlet pg.18 paragraph 3)…
Shakespeare's play Hamlet has endured for it’s classic speeches that are still quoted today and warns how a distorted perspective can create negative emotions. Emotions and experiences that readers can relate to.…
William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet follows the life of Hamlet, the rightful heir to the throne of Denmark. Throughout the play Hamlet has to deal with the death of his father and remarriage of his mother, the betrayal and spying on by his closest friends and family, and his antic disposition, causing him to be increasingly isolated as the play continues. These three things affect Hamlet deeply and he avoids everyone in his attempt to isolate himself and make his plans on how to fix that which was made wrong from the beginning. Hamlet’s isolation all begins with a death and a sudden marriage within the family.…
William Shakespeare is famous for his artfully skilled plays relating to a big audience size. Out of his many famous ones, Hamlet is by far the most intriguing and fascinating. The protagonist, Hamlet, is stuck in a dilemma about avenging for his father’s death by murdering the guilty one. Out of the many famous soliloquies of Hamlet, one of them focuses on the literal deed of avenging the death of a loved one. The audience in the Elizabethan era viewing the play would have supported Hamlet’s loyalty to seek revenge due to the cultural, social and political views during that time period.…