Death In Hamlet Research Paper

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“Hamlet had a considerable influence in the nineteenth century…”(Kinney). Most can agree, however, that for most of the play nothing really happens. Until act three, no one we have been introduced to has died. Even though death is only a prodigious part of the play in acts four and five, the theme of death is woven throughout the entirety of the play. In Hamlet, the theme of death resembles a ripple in the water. The death in Hamlet begins with Polonius, the ripple of death begins here when Hamlet takes Polonius’ life. Hamlet, at this point in the play, is pretending to be insane and fooling everyone. While talking to his mother, Hamlet hears something on the other side of a curtain and plunges his sword straight through it. Queen Gertrude describes the killing of Polonius as a,“...rash and bloody deed...”(3:4 Line 31). To most of the readers or watchers of the play, they see this as something good since Polonius was spying on Hamlet and his mother. To say it …show more content…

After the death of Polonius, Hamlet was shipped off to England, with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern escorting him. All was going fine until Hamlet discovered a letter from his stepfather instructing the King of England to chop off Hamlet’s head when he got there. He escaped death by writing a completely different letter and sealing it, this letter decrees this,“...those bearers be put to sudden death…”(5:2 Line 50). This action may have saved Hamlet from death by the English king, but it couldn’t save him from Claudius’ wrath. The aftermath of the letter lands Hamlet back in Denmark, apparently uncaring and numb to his past actions. The ripple effect continues on its path until it eventually hits Hamlet, Laertes, Claudius, and Gertrude all in the same

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