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Characterization of Hamlet by Shakespeare
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In the passage from Act 1, Scene 2 through the use of language and dramatic effect Shakespeare explores and expands the character of Hamlet, also enforcing themes such as gender and desire. Prior, to this passage Hamlet had just been introduced with Claudius and Gertrude reminding him about his principal duty to the state. This is Hamlet’s first soliloquy out of six, it acts as an indicator of his character, and establishes the inner turmoil which develops as the play progresses. The soliloquy can be divided into three major thematic parts: suicide/death, betrayal/corruption, and duty. The soliloquy dramatically opens with “O”, the use of exclamative immediately sets the tone of torment within Hamlet. As he wishes the “too too solid flesh …show more content…
Hamlet refers to his father as a “Hyperion” and Claudius as a “satyr”, the use of comparative language illustrates the stark difference between Claudius and Old Hamlet. “Hyperion” is the Greek God of Sun which is symbolic as the sun is seen as the source of all good implying Old Hamlet was the source of harmony in the “garden”. A “satyr” is a human with goat like features known for its lust. Within Christianity over sexual desire is seen as a sin, Claudius through his lust for Gertrude has caused corruption in the “unweeded garden”. The allusion is further extended as Hamlet implies Gertrude should have been like “Niobe all tears”. The use of the Greek myth of “Niobe” in which she mourns of her children’s death until turning to stone is symbolic of a mother 's grief which according to Hamlet, Gertrude should have emulated. He wants her to be a martyr like character who dedicates her life to her husband’s death instead of having “inscetuous” and self-satisfying affairs. Lastly, Hamlet’s own comparison to his lack of attributes similar to “Hercules”, it is a total juxtaposition to his current unwilling and passive character. “Hercules” has connotations of revenge and heroism, the use of dramatic irony as Hamlet has not been informed about the “foul murder”, but foreshadows his later acts of …show more content…
Hamlet use of hyperbolic and comparative language: “excellent a king”, “Hyperion” and “father’s brother but no more like” all create an idealistic and god-like imagery of Old Hamlet illustrated by his son. Hamlet is emotions are overrun by sorrow tinting his view of his father showing the amicable relationship between parent and child which acts as a catalyst for the revenge tragedy. However, Hamlets other duty concludes the soliloquy with him stating “but break my heart for I must hold my tongue”. The metaphor and hyperbole illustrates Hamlet 's frustration to stay silent because of his princely duties which tie him to political
In Act IV, scene III of The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Juliet is forced to make a decision; take a sleeping potion gifted to her by Friar Laurence and risk possibly being stuck in the Capulet family tomb, or marry Paris. To her, marrying Paris is not an option and so she drinks the vile. Although, before consuming the Friar’s remedy, Juliet expresses her worries in her soliloquy. To do this, Shakespeare manipulates imagery and the rhetorical device of questioning to reveal his main character’s deepest and darkest fears.
Shakespeare’s use of this literary device lets the audience question how Hamlet may go about in his whole ordeal. He is perplexed as to why he has not inflicted revenge on his uncle Claudius yet. He does not see an explicit intention to avenge his father that he should become a rogue and murder the new king. His overall perception of himself is that he is a pusillanimous coward. He would drown the stage with tears Hyperbole
Much of the dramatic action of Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet is within the head of the main character, Hamlet. His wordplay represents the amazing, contradictory, unsettled, mocking, nature of his mind, as it is torn by disappointment and positive love, as Hamlet seeks both acceptance and punishment, action and stillness, and wishes for consummation and annihilation. He can be abruptly silent or vicious; he is capable of wild laughter and tears, and also polite badinage.
William Shakespeare's Hamlet Act Two, Scene Two. The second soliloquy is divided into three parts. Hamlet’s feelings of cowardice and worthlessness for not. fulfilling his own promise after witnessing a scene from the A player that is filled with passion and emotions.
“But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?/ It is the east, and Juliet is the sun/ Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon/ Who is already sick and pale with grief/ That thou her maid art far more fair than she/ Be not her maid since she is envious/ Her vestal livery is but sick and green/ And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off!/ It is my lady. Oh, it is my love/ Oh, that she knew she were!” (Shakespeare II ii 2-11).
With thus said, Shakespeare uses his extradorinary diction to contrast from his recent "father" figure Claudius, to his real deceased father. Consequently, considering both of Hamlet's words and phrases, words such as "wicked tongue", "hypocrite", and "false", are used to symbolize and represent Gertrude and her sensibility. Although Hamlet loves Gertude dearly, a great amount of remorse and sorrow that has retained within the body for the pas...
The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Hamlet was a man that looked up to his father throughout his life, during and after his father's death. The younger Hamlet tried to follow in his father's footsteps, but as much as they were alike, they were very much different. The man named Hamlet had a son named Hamlet and after everything was over, that is one of the few things that they had in common. King Hamlet and Hamlet compare in that they are both upset by the Queen’s marriage, they both hate Claudius, they are both brave, and they are both dead by the end of the play. They contrast in that while Hamlet’s father was king, Hamlet will never have the kingship, Hamlet does not leave a legacy and they die differently.
The soliloquy comes as something of a surprise after the conclusion of Act II, which displayed Hamlet as rational and determined, intent upon carrying out a positive action that, he was sure, would resolve all doubts relating to Claudius. Now he seems to have reverted back to the mood of the first soliloquy--the mood of the Prince who would welcome death, crushed as he initially was by his mother’s marriage to her brother-in-law. Our tragic hero is suffering from grief and this soliloquy is one of those violent mood swings typical of the depressed individual. With this in mind, his intellectual skepticism and honesty with himself, is commendable. Let us examine the beginning of his philosophical inquiries.
Hamlet’s first soliloquy takes place in Act 1 scene 2. In his first soliloquy Hamlet lets out all of his inner feelings revealing his true self for the first time. Hamlet’s true self is full of distaste, anger, revenge, and is very much different from the artificial persona that he pretends to be anytime else. Overall, Hamlet’s first soliloquy serves to highlight and reveal Hamlet’s melancholy as well as his reasons for feeling such anguish. This revelation in Hamlet’s persona lays the groundwork for establishing the many themes in the play--suicide, revenge, incest, madness, corruption, and mortality.
Always in Shakespeare reading we learn many different themes. The play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare is a classic published in 1603. The story goes through Hamlet’s everyday thoughts of life, love, people and other ideologies. Hamlet story teaches us throughout the story that he hates King Claudius with a ceaseless passion because he poisoned his brother in order to marry the queen and take the crown. Hamlet is the prince and his mother’s marriage to Claudius causes him to have a deep rooted hatred towards women which pushes him to hate sex. As a result, we see how deeply Hamlet values inner truth and his hatred for deceit. After learning Hamlet’s philosophy of life we see that he would not fit in modern American society. Therefore, Hamlet
This famous soliloquy offers a dark and deep contemplation of the nature of life and death. Hamlet’s contemplative, philosophical, and angry tones demonstrate the emotions all people feel throughout their lifetimes.
In William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” there are four major soliloquies that reflect the character of Hamlet.
Soliloquies are one of the most important techniques used within Hamlet. Soliloquies give the audience a deeper insight into the emotions and mental state of the character. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to allow the audience to feel the depth of emotion in Hamlets character. In Hamlets perhaps most famous soliloquy he cries out, to be or not to be, that is the question/Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, /Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, /And by opposing end them (Act III, I, 56). This quote furthermore reveals a part of the story that would be otherwise hidden to the reader, for example, his state of mind and also his desire to commit suicide in order to escape the pain of his life. The readers response, in result, is altered as it is made clear that Hamlet is obviously struggling to come to ter...
Shakespeare uses a variety of metaphors and descriptive words to describe Hamlet’s emotional state. Hamlet is saying here that he wishes that his flesh would melt away and dissolve. He goes on to say that he wishes that God had not made suicide wrong. Terms like weary, stale, and fl...
As the play’s tragic hero, Hamlet exhibits a combination of good and bad traits. A complex character, he displays a variety of characteristics throughout the play’s development. When he is first introduced in Act I- Scene 2, one sees Hamlet as a sensitive young prince who is mourning the death of his father, the King. In addition, his mother’s immediate marriage to his uncle has left him in even greater despair. Mixed in with this immense sense of grief, are obvious feelings of anger and frustration. The combination of these emotions leaves one feeling sympathetic to Hamlet; he becomes a very “human” character. One sees from the very beginning that he is a very complex and conflicted man, and that his tragedy has already begun.