Hamlet’s struggle to re-order Denmark ultimately results in extreme chaos. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince Hamlet destroys Ophelia while feigning madness, mortally combats Laertes, who is avenging Polonius’s death, and fails to kill King Claudius, who contributes to Hamlet’s murder as well as the deaths of Gertrude and Laertes. Hamlet’s struggle to restore order in Denmark clearly results in these chaotic situations.
Hamlet emotionally destroys Ophelia when he acts “Mad as the sea and wind when both contend / Which is the mightier” (IV.i.7-8) for the purpose of assessing how to deal with Denmark’s corruptive state as part of his plan to restore order without arousing suspicion. While behaving crazily, Hamlet does not merely end his romantic
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her death, insane Ophelia manifests her devastation due to Hamlet’s forsaken love with a daisy, a known symbol for forsaken love, and many short songs, including concerning a man who “let in the maid, that out a maid / Never departed …show more content…
This provides Claudius with the opportunity to create mass chaos by organising Hamlet’s murder and subsequently killing Queen Gertrude and Laertes in the process of killing Hamlet. Hamlet becomes consumed by a quest for vengeance and restoring order after he determines that Claudius is the “serpent that did sting [Hamlet’s] father’s life” (I.ii.36) in the “unweeded garden” (I.ii.135) of Denmark. Unfortunately, Hamlet fails to murder Claudius when presented with the opportunity because it conflicts with his desire for revenge; Hamlet delays killing Claudius because he desires for Claudius to die with “crimes broad blown” (I.ii.135) and suffer the consequences of unforgiven sins in the afterlife. This desire is particularly strong because Hamlet’s father suffers for his sins in the afterlife, but at this point in time it is not possible for Claudius to endure the same post-life suffering if Hamlet murders him because Claudius is praying during Hamlet’s opportunity. In this sense, Hamlet is in fact struggling to restore order, but he is at a low point in his struggle when he fails to act on his opportunity to kill Claudius. Hamlet’s difficulty to initiate Claudius’s death due to Hamlet’s preoccupation with vengeance enables Claudius to conspire Hamlet’s murder, which results in the duel between
There are many topics deeply hidden in the works of William Shakespeare. One of his greatest pieces of works is the story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Not only are the words of Shakespeare meaningful, but there are also many follow up pieces of literature that contain important interpretations of the events in this play. These works about Hamlet are extremely beneficial to the reader. I have found four of these works and will use them as sources throughout this essay. The first source is “The Case of Hamlet’s Conscience,” by Catherine Belsey, and it focuses on the topic of Hamlet’s revenge in the play. The second source is “’Never Doubt I Love’: Misreading Hamlet,” by Imtiaz Habib, and it explains a lot of information about Hamlet’s “love” for Ophelia. The third source is “Shakespeare’s Hamlet, III.i.56—88,” by Horst Breuer, and it talks in depth about the issue of suicide in Hamlet. The fourth and final source is “Shakespeare’s Hamlet 1.2.35-38,” by Kathryn Walls, and it describes the significance of the role the Ghost plays throughout Hamlet. There are many different confusing parts in Hamlet and the best way to fully understand the play is to understand all of these parts. By understanding every miniscule detail in the play, it creates a different outlook on the play for the reader. In this essay, I will explain these confusing topics, as well as explain why the sources are helpful and what insight they can bring. At the end is this essay, the reader will have a complete understanding and appreciation of the play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.
Living in an environment of deception and hostility, the reader can easily identify with Hamlet's anger. Most all compassionate audiences will be sympathetic to his plight. However, the origins of Hamlet's vehement actions toward his once beloved Ophelia can be debated from several different points of view. Whatever his reasoning may be, it is probably correct to assume that he regrets deeply every harsh world spoken toward Ophelia. He only realizes again what a beautiful and kind person she was- after her death.
It is never easy to see into a person’s heart and find their true emotions, especially when their feelings are intentionally masked to give off a different impression. Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, attempts to mask specific emotions throughout the play. He tries to give off the impression that he is insane when he is near his murderous uncle and other characters because he doesn’t want them to suspect his plan of revenge. However, he silently expresses his love towards the sweet Ophelia, his girlfriend. At times, Hamlet must be rude and act insane towards her, but it is simply a mask to cover his true emotions instead of showing weakness. He doesn’t want anyone to use Ophelia against him and he desires for her to stay
While Hamlet may still be feeling depressed Hamlet moves into the stage of denial and isolation. Hamlet feels the effects of denial and isolation mostly due to his love, Ophelia. Both Hamlet’s grief and his task constrain him from realizing this love, but Ophelia’s own behavior clearly intensifies his frustration and anguish. By keeping the worldly and disbelieving advice of her brother and father as “watchmen” to her “heart” (I.iii.46), she denies the heart’s affection not only in Hamlet, but in herself; and both denials add immeasurably to Hamlet’s sense of loneliness and loss—and anger. Her rejection of him echoes his mother’s inconstancy and denies him the possibility even of imagining the experience of loving an...
Hamlet is one of the most controversial characters from all of the Shakespeare’s play. His character is strong and complicated, but his jealousy is what conduces him to hate women. He sees them as weak, frail, and untrustworthy. He treats Ophelia, the women he loves, unfair and with cruelty. Similarly, he blames his mother for marrying her dead husband’s brother, who is now the King of Denmark. Hamlet’s treatment for women stems from his mother’s impulsive marriage to his uncle who he hates and Ophelia choosing her father’s advice over him.
It is widely believed that “Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself” and this holds true for Hamlet’s Ophelia. Ophelia’s death symbolizes a life spent passively tolerating Hamlet’s manipulations and the restrictions imposed by those around her, while struggling to maintain the last shred of her dignity. Ophelia’s apathetic reaction to her drowning suggests that she never had control of her own life, as she was expected to comply with the expectations of others. Allowing the water to consume her without a fight alludes to Hamlet’s treatment of Ophelia as merely a device in his personal agenda. Her apparent suicide denotes a desire to take control of her life for once. Ophelia’s death is, arguably, an honorable one, characterized by her willingness to let go of her submissive, earth-bound self and leave the world no longer a victim.
[4, 1, 40] These idiosyncrasies are observed in the play when Claudius becomes concerned he will lose power as King and the likelihood Hamlet will murder him to avenge his father’s death. This is apparent when Gertrude informs Claudius that Hamlet is, “Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend which is mightier”. [4,1,6] With these thoughts daunting Claudius, he approaches Laertes in a Machiavellian manner to convince him to murder Hamlet, for he knows Laertes is angry, deranged and “Vows to the blackest devil” [4,5,131] after the death of his father. In doing so, Claudius has the intent to use Machiavellian powers over Laertes who is currently mentally unstable, with the objective being that Laertes will murder Hamlet to avenge his own father’s (Polonius) death. Claudius is able to successfully persuade Laertes in a manipulative speech, especially with his snide comment, “Not that I think you did not love your father, but that I know love is begun by time, and that I see a passage of proof.” [4,7,96] Claudius’ malicious comment indicates he is using his power over Laertes, so that the burden and repercussions do not rest on him, so that he may retain his authority as King. By utilizing his power over Laertes, Claudius is successful, as Hamlet is slain, however, as reflected in Claudius’
The story of Hamlet is a morbid tale of tragedy, commitment, and manipulation; this is especially evident within the character of Ophelia. Throughout the play, Ophelia is torn between obeying and following the different commitments that she has to men in her life. She is constantly torn between the choice of obeying the decisions and wishes of her family or that of Hamlet. She is a constant subject of manipulation and brain washing from both her father and brother. Ophelia is not only subject to the torture of others using her for their intentions but she is also susceptible to abuse from Hamlet. Both her father and her brother believe that Hamlet is using her to achieve his own personal goals.
Shakespeare, William, Barbara A. Mowat, and Paul Werstine. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Washington Square Press new Folger ed. New York: Washington Square, 2002. Print.
Hamlet's relationship and actions towards Ophelia are not exempt from his dual personalities. In private, he is deeply devoted to her; but in public, he humiliates and belittles her...
... the only way to honour his father Polonius is by killing Hamlet. In addition, as Claudius reads the letter from Hamlet to Laertes he says “'Tis Hamlet’s character. “Naked” And in a postscript here, he says “alone.” Can you advise me?” (IV, VII, 52-53). This shows that Claudius takes advantage of Hamlet’s return alone as an opportunity for Laertes to kill him. Through Claudius’s actions the readers observe how he deceives Laertes into killing Hamlet for his own benefit without getting blood on his hands. Furthermore, Claudius’ desperation to kill Hamlet leads to him losing sight of what is important, which is being the king of Denmark, what he originally wanted, instead the lies he told and the manipulation he spread is now taking over. To conclude, it is evident through the play that the words and actions of Claudius have only lead to the spread of deception.
Prince Hamlet, son of the dead king and nephew of the usurper, is a popular and well-regarded individual throughout Denmark. Claudius knows “[h]e’s loved of the distracted multitude” (Shakespeare IV.iii.4) and Ophelia, his love interest, describes him as “[t]h’ expectancy and rose of the fair state” (III.i.166). However, his character changes after his father’s death. His mother quickly weds Claudius, whom Hamlet sees as “little more than kin and less than kind.” (I.ii.67) This incestuous marriage disgusts Hamlet, who loses all hope in women because of his mother’s unfaithfulness to her dead husband. “[F]railty, thy name is woman” (I.ii.150) he cries. His relationship with Ophelia abruptly ends, as he cannot trust her, but tells her to go to a “nunnery” (III.i.131), rather than become “a breeder of sinners.” (III.i.132) This misogyny fits in with Hamlet’s feigned madness as he tries to investigate the ghost claims of his father’s murder. Upon confirming this theory, he goes to tell his mother and proceeds to “wring [her] heart” (III.iv.43) and “speak daggers to her” (III.ii.429). The unn...
Ophelia loves Hamlet; her emotions drive her to perform her actions. Some would say that Ophelia’s emotions could have actually been what ended her young
The relationship between Hamlet and Claudius is problematic, largely due to the fact that they both wish death upon the other. For instance, they view each other as a threat, which is a foreboding sign within a royal family. When Hamlet learns that his father was murdered by his own uncle - Claudius, Hamlet vows to avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius when he is told, “But know, thou noble youth, The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown” (1.5.38-40). In other words, the ghost of Old King Hamlet informs Hamlet that Claudius has murdered him. He compares Claudius to a serpent, a large deadly
With his thinking mind Hamlet does not become a typical vengeful character. Unlike most erratic behavior of individuals seeking revenge out of rage, Hamlet considers the consequences of his actions. What would the people think of their prince if he were to murder the king? What kind of effect would it have on his beloved mother? Hamlet considers questions of this type which in effect hasten his descision. After all, once his mother is dead and her feelings out of the picture , Hamlet is quick and aggressive in forcing poison into Claudius' mouth. Once Hamlet is certain that Claudius is the killer it is only after he himself is and and his empire falling that he can finally act.