Timeless Aspects of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles
analytical Essay
1899 words
Timeless Aspects of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and Trifles
William Shakespeare is considered the greatest playwright, if not the greatest writer in the history of literature. His criticisms of society in his works have passed the “test of time,” and still are as significant today as they were when they were first written. There are many similarities in Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, and Trifles by Susan Glaspell, written in the early 20th century, that further support the timelessness of Shakespeare’s works. Despite the fact that Shakespeare’s Hamlet was written many centuries ago, his analyses of certain values in society are not only similar to those portrayed in the much more recent play, Trifles, but also to certain issues in modern society such as gender roles, family honor, suicide, and guilty conscience. For this reason, as well as, the complex structure, and intricate characters in the play, Hamlet is considered as Shakespeare’s greatest work of all his thirty-seven plays and one hundred and fifty-four sonnets.
This timelessness of Hamlet is also evident in the many issues and values that it shares with the more contemporary play, Trifles. The most apparent similarity between the two plays is the way women are viewed in each of them. In both plays, women are viewed as inferior to men in many different instances. In Trifles the women are made a mockery of, despite the fact that they are the ones who find the evidence that would eventually solve the murder mystery that the men are working on. At one point, the women find a half made quilt and begin to converse about it, then, the sheriff comes downstairs and says “They wonder if she was going to quilt it or just knot it!” (1621). The s...
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...re shapes its society.
Works Cited
Boyle, Kay. “Astronomer’s Wife.” Literature. 5th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 56-60.
Browning, D.C. Dictionary of Literary Biography. Vol. 7. Dutton, New York: n.p., 1965.
de Grazia, Margreta. "When did Hamlet become Famous." Textual Process. Dec. 2003: EBSCO Host. 19 Apr. 2004
Glaspell, Susan. Trifles. Literature. 5th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. New York: McGraw-Hill,2002. 1616-1626.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Literature. 5th ed. Ed. Robert DiYanni. New Yrok: McGraw-Hill, 2002. 1395-1496.
Suicide Research Consiturium. 28 Oct. 2003. National Institute of Mental Health.
4 Apr. 2004. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/research/suicide.cfm.
United States Crime Rates. 2001. Federal Bureau of Investigation. 4 Apr. 2004.
http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/uscrime.htm.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes the similarities between shakespeare's hamlet, prince of denmark, and trifles, written in the early 20th century, that support the timelessness of his works.
- Analyzes how hamlet's timelessness is evident in the many issues and values that it shares with the more contemporary play, trifles.
- Analyzes how in shakespeare's hamlet, women are put in inferior roles, such as ophelia, and how her brother laertes and father, polonius, take many of the decisions in her life.
- Analyzes how hamlet's conscience comes into play when he has an open chance to murder the king, but does not kill him because claudius is in the middle of prayer.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's hamlet, prince of denmark is considered the greatest work of his career based on the structure and crafty use of the elements of drama within the play.
- Analyzes how the timelessness of shakespeare's hamlet is irrefutable, because its values and criticisms of society are still applicable to society today.
- Describes boyle, kay, and robert diyanni's "astronomer’s wife".
- Analyzes margreta de grazia's "when did hamlet become famous." textual process.
- Explains shakespeare, william, and hamlet, prince of denmark. literature. 5th ed. ed. robert diyanni.
- Analyzes how family honor plays a large role in the storyline and the theme of hamlet.
- Analyzes how the quote shows how his sister's state and his father’s death strike a flame within his family pride, and make him instantly wish for revenge on the cause of this distress.
- Analyzes how hamlet's situation and soliloquy depict thoughts that many people today still have — suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the united states and over 30,000 people commit suicide annually.
Related
- analytical
- opinion
- Topics Deeply Hidden in Hamlet by Williams Shakespeareanalytical essayThere 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.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that shakespeare's words and follow-up pieces of literature contain important interpretations of the events in the play.
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses other characters in the play as foils to hamlet's character. horatio, claudius, and fortinbras show character traits of steadfastness and loyalty.
- Analyzes how the three plots for revenge by different characters play an important role in understanding hamlet.
- Introduces catherine belsey's "the case of hamlet’s conscience" to stay on the topic of revenge.
- Analyzes how hamlet fluctuates between sane and insane throughout the play, which causes difficulty for the reader to decide which one he truly is.
- Analyzes how hamlet's love for ophelia is difficult to decipher because he contradicts his own feelings towards her.
- Explains that they will bring in information from their second source, 'never doubt i love': misreading hamlet.
- Analyzes how rosencrantz and guildenstern are used by shakespeare to add comic relief to a serious play.
- Analyzes how the clowns at the graveyard add comic relief to hamlet and make light of ophelia's death.
- Analyzes how the ghost of hamlet's father is used as a tool by shakespeare to foreshadow the death of claudius.
- Introduces horst breuer's "shakespeare’s hamlet, iii.i.56—88" as a source of information on the role of the ghost.
- Analyzes how hamlet contemplates suicide with himself in his famous "to be, or not to be" soliloquy.
- Cites kathryn walls' "shakespeare's hamlet 1.2.35-38" as a source of information on suicide.
- Describes shakespeare's "the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark" in literature: an introduction to reading and writing.
2200 wordsRead More - King Hamlet's Ambiguous Ghostopinion essayShakespeare, William. "Hamlet." The Norton Introduction to Literature. Eds. Alison Booth, and Kelly J. Mays. Tenth. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2011. 1024-1129. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that hamlet's ghost was merely a hallucination, whereas maurice egan believes that the ghost is sent from purgatory, while roy battenhouse believes it is pagan and came from hell.
- Disagrees with w.w. greg's interpretation of hamlet’s ghost, stating that his claim that the ghost is hallucinating is without merit.
- Agrees with maurice egan's reasoning for believing that hamlet’s ghost is a real character. the ghost requests for the king to exact revenge upon claudius.
- Disagrees with roy battenhouse's assumption that if the ghost is not catholic, then it must be pagan.
- Disagrees with maurice egan's claim that hamlet' s ghost is from purgatory, and not from hell, since he didn't have time to confess his sins before being murdered and ended up in the middle state.
- Disagrees with arthur low's claim that since king hamlet came back as a ghost, he must be residing in purgatory.
- Agrees with robert west's claim that shakespeare intentionally wrote the ghost to be as ambiguous as possible.
- Explains that battenhouse, roy w., "the ghost in "hamlet": a catholic "linchpin"?" studies in philology 48.2 (1951): 161-92.
- Analyzes how the interpretation of hamlet's ghost can change the entire demeanor and attitude of the play.
- Explains that greg, w. w, and anthony low, "hamlet and the ghost of purgatory: intimations of killing the father." the norton introduction to literature.
2020 wordsRead More - Hamlet: The Man behind the Madnessanalytical essayShakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how hamlet's obsession with death turned on him, to the point where he considered taking his own life.
- Analyzes how hamlet is the most complex character of the play. he is not mad, but a part of everyone.
- Describes shakespeare's "the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark" in literature: an introduction to reading and writing.
- Analyzes how hamlet feigns madness after learning of his father's murder, but becomes mad later on in the play. he can't back away from what he is meant to do.
- Analyzes how hamlet's madness is found in ophelia, his true love. he is arduously struggling toward the emancipatory future of absolute consciousness.
1015 wordsRead More - Hamlet’s Revengeanalytical essayShakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how hamlet's fall into insanity is a result of many different, tragic reasons. he is clearly more intelligent than any other character in the play, but his pseudo madness is the very means for his revenge.
- Analyzes how hamlet seems to be a loner throughout the play. the first time this is seen is through his mistrust and disgust of his uncle and mothers wedding.
- Analyzes how hamlet's trust dwindles when he encounters rosencrantz and guildenstern, who were sent to him by the king.
- Analyzes how hamlet's obsession with perfecting everything to what he wants is good and bad for him.
- Analyzes how hamlet is the most intelligent individual in the play, and uses his intelligence to his advantage as much as possible.
- Analyzes how hamlet's intelligence is the key to his plan. he caught the tricks of the king, knew of spying, and overcame all of these obstacles to get what he wanted.
- Analyzes how hamlet's mockery to himself drives him to want revenge even more. mistrust is common theme in the play, and it plays a major role throughout.
- Describes shakespeare's "the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark" in literature: an introduction to reading and writing.
2102 wordsRead More - Differences in Zefirelli´s and Branagh´s Hamletanalytical essayShakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how branagh and zeffirelli portray the death of the king in a slightly different manner.
- Concludes that each author interpreted the theme similarly in each movie, but their use of imagery, setting, and performance were unique. zeffirelli's version of hamlet was more emotional and intimate.
- Describes shakespeare's "the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark" in literature: an introduction to reading and writing.
- Analyzes how franco zeffirelli and kenneth branagh created a movie portrayal of william shakespeare's hamlet.
824 wordsRead More - Poisoned Through the Ear: The Power of the Spoken Word in Hamletanalytical essayShakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the court of denmark is full of hungry ears, listening for news of the king's death, how he died, scandalous gossip of claudius and gertrude, eavesdropping on conversations and catching whispered secrets, and sometimes lies. shakespeare uses prominent imagery of ears to illustrate words' powerful influence
- Analyzes how the ear is a gateway to the human psyche and means of affecting it.
- Analyzes how hamlet's transformation from mourning on the verge of suicidal to vengeful can be traced to the effect of the ghost. gertrude also experiences the transformative power of words.
- Analyzes how gertrude's words highlight the power of spoken word in that they seem to have the ability to make a person turn inwards to examine their own faults.
- Analyzes how claudius is a master of deception, using his words to fool hamlet and all of denmark into thinking that he is the rightful king.
- Analyzes how claudius' deceptive nature influences those around him. deception, listening in, and coercion are rampant in the royal court of denmark.
- Analyzes how hamlet's plot can be traced to the effect of spoken words and shakespeare uses imagery of ears at such definitive moments to reveal words' effect on characters.
- Describes shakespeare's "the tragedy of hamlet, prince of denmark" in literature: an introduction to reading and writing.
1576 wordsRead More - Madness and Insanity in Shakespeare's Hamletanalytical essayMack, Maynard. “The World of Hamlet.” Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet. Ed. David Bevington. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the prince's complete rejection of ophelia indicates an imbalance in his outlook on life, but not insanity.
- Analyzes how laertes and hamlet are stuck with the poisoned rapier, and the queen imbibes the drink intended for the hero.
- Analyzes how shakespeare's creation of hamlet within the tragedy left open the question of whether the madness of the protagonist is entirely feigned or not.
- Analyzes how the hero's friend, horatio, and marcellus make contact with hamlet and escort him to the ramparts of elsinore.
- Analyzes how marvin rosenberg's "hamlet as a player-fool" reveals how the prince himself is an actor.
- Analyzes how hamlet's use of syllogism is pure madness to the king.
- Analyzes how hamlet is a new man guided by reason and god in "o'erdoing termagant."
- Argues that the lack of rigorous logic in the play may be the cause of seeming madness within the hero.
- Cites abrahms, phyllis, and alan brody's "hamlet and the elizabethan revenge tragedy formula."
- Cites mack, maynard, rosenberg, nardo, and shakespeare.
3105 wordsRead More - Hamlet:The Enigmatic Characteranalytical essayHamlet: one of the most analyzed tragic heroes in all of literature. Hamlet, the main character in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, is conflicted throughout the whole play. He obsesses over avenging his father’s death, and this leads to rash, irresponsible actions that cause others to suffer, as well. He plans to kill Claudius, his uncle, for murdering his father and then marrying his mother. In an act of outrage, Hamlet unknowingly kills Polonius, the King’s assistant, instead. This creates even more problems because now someone else’s father is dead. Hamlet is somewhat of an inconsistent character; he’s different almost every time we see him. Hamlet displays characteristics of depression, irony, timidity, and being hurt.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes hamlet as one of the most analyzed tragic heroes in all of literature. he obsesses over avenging his father's death, and this leads to rash, irresponsible actions that cause others to suffer.
- Analyzes how hamlet shows serious signs of depression from the beginning of the play to the end.
- Opines that hamlet's mourning duties to his father are sweet and commendable, but persevering in obstinate condolement is a course of impious stubbornness.
- Opines that hamlet had every right to mourn, and he thought it appropriate that his mother should mourn.
- Analyzes how hamlet creates an ironic mess of things. he says and plans to do one thing but ends up doing the exact opposite.
- Analyzes how hamlet has trouble killing his uncle, but he does not have trouble causing the death of his friends, guildenstern and rosencrantz.
- Analyzes how hamlet shows signs of being scared and insecure through his actions and lack thereof. he spends a lot of time investigating and making sure that his uncle really committed the murder.
- Analyzes how hamlet and ophelia have a rollercoaster relationship.
- Opines that if a man says he loves you, it fits his wisdom so far to believe it. then weigh what loss your honour may sustain.
- Narrates how she promised him she would be careful and listen to him. her father warns her.
- Analyzes how hamlet's rudeness towards ophelia and gertrude’s marriage, and potential affair, had a big impact on him.
- Analyzes how hamlet has been hurt by some of the people he loves most. he was upset when his father was murdered, and angry that his mother married his uncle.
- Analyzes how hamlet's death exemplifies his role as the tragic hero, showing signs of depression, irony, timidity, and being hurt.
- Explains that "hamlet." shakespearean criticism. ed. michelle lee. vol. 92. detroit: gale, 2005. literature resource center.
- Explains meyer, michael, the bedford introduction to literature: reading, thinking, writing.
- States that o'neill, william, "doing and performing in hamlet." the midwest quarterly 53.2 (2012): 121+.
- Describes the shmoop editorial team's "hamlet in hamlet."
1435 wordsRead More - Suicide Soliloquy in Hamletanalytical essayShakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 1992. Print.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses metaphors, rhetorical questions, and repetition to express hamlet's indecision regarding what he should do.
- Analyzes how shakespeare uses metaphors to express hamlet's view of life, death, and the afterlife.
- Analyzes how shakespeare incorporates religious undertones in this soliloquy because of the metaphor of afterlife and the dreams that may come.
- Analyzes how shakespeare introduces a powerful motif in the soliloquy, which revolves around hamlet facing his decision of whether or not to kill himself.
- Analyzes how hamlet contemplates ending his life because of the almost lyrical words that shakespeare uses. the idea of making himself quiet parallels the metaphor of sleeping for death.
- Analyzes how hamlet repeats himself, expressing his confusion in the choice he should make between living and dying.
- Analyzes how shakespeare discusses suicide through metaphors, rhetorical questions, and repetition until hamlet decides he is too afraid of death to commit suicide.
- Describes shakespeare's tragedy of hamlet prince of denmark, ed. barbara a. mowat and paul werstine.
1222 wordsRead More - Hamlet Vs. Much Ado About Nothinganalytical essayShakespeare, William. The New Cambridge Shakespeare: Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Ed. Philip Edwards. Cambridge: Cambridge U P, 1985.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hamlet and much ado about nothing have the same author, but both have similarities and differences in themes.
- Analyzes how love in hamlet is often depressing, even though love is wanted by all.
- Analyzes how much ado about nothing is based on love and the relationship between claudio and hero.
- Analyzes how hamlet's mother marries her brother-in-law after her husband dies. the immediate marriage between gertrude and claudio is scandalous.
- Analyzes how hamlet wanted the king to confess his guilt during the play so he retold the story of the whole situation.
- Analyzes how hamlet's depressing questioning of life and death is a question of great matter, and the existence of humans is looked at throughout the novel.
- Analyzes how hamlet's conversation with the gravedigger shows how lightly he views death. he picks up a human skull from one of the graves and stares at it in amazement.
- Compares hamlet and much ado about nothing in terms of love, marriage, and death, but they are both viewed differently.
- Explains shakespeare, william, and philip edwards' the new cambridge shakespeare: hamlet, prince of denmark.
1746 wordsRead More