...revenge that is assigned to him; but its text offers no reasons or motives for these hesitations".[83] After reviewing various literary theories, Freud concludes that Hamlet has an "Oedipal desire for his mother and the subsequent guilt [is] preventing him from murdering the man [Claudius] who has done what he unconsciously wanted to do".[84] Confronted with his repressed desires, Hamlet realises that "he himself is literally no better than the sinner whom he is to punish".[83] Freud suggests that Hamlet's apparent "distaste for sexuality"—articulated in his "nunnery" conversation with Ophelia—accords with this interpretation.[85][86] John Barrymore's long-running 1922 performance in New York was characterized as "revolutionary in its use of Freudian psychology; in keeping with the post World War I rebellion against everything Victorian, he eschewed the genteel, idealized 'Sweet Prince' of 19th-century tradition, imbuing his character with danger and sexuality."[87] Beginning in 1910, with the publication of "The Oedipus-Complex as An Explanation of Hamlet's Mystery: A Study in Motive,"[88] Ernest Jones—a psychoanalyst and Freud's biographer—developed Freud's ideas into a series of essays that culminated in...
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...mood of uncertainty that prevails throughout the play. (George) So speaks Shakespeare’s prince hamlet of the transient nature of all mankind throughout the play humanity and frailty is a common theme. (Mortensen) In Hamlet the tragedy, hamlet, the prince of Demark with holds a great internal conflict throughout the play. (Directessays) Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play and the play responsible for the immortal lines “to be or not to be that is the question” (Taylor) The story hamlet is set in the late middle (Tennen) Shrouded in his inky cloak, Hamlet is a man of radical contradictions he is reckless yet cautious, courteous yet uncivil tender, yet ferocious. (Mabillard) Hamlet is shocked to find his mother already remarried to Uncle Claudius, the dead king’s brother, hamlet is even more surprised when his father’s ghost appears and declares that he was murdered....
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...Essay Two This essay discusses how Prince Hamlet speaks and acts different in Act V, scene II, than in other parts of the play. Throughout the play Hamlet is conflicted and revengeful when he finds out that his uncle Claudius had murdered his father. Hamlet can never seem to take action. He procrastinates and overthinks almost every situation he is in. Hamlet also fears death and what consequences his actions will have. In Act V, scene II, Prince Hamlet speaks and acts very different he overcomes being afraid of death. He also stops overthinking very move he makes. Hamlet also starts doing what he wants to do and keeping to his word. Act I is where Hamlet is first challenged. Hamlet cannot understand why he is the only one being affected...
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...Perceiving Tragedy A tragedy is considered to be an event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress. Arthur Miller's essay, 'Tragedy and the Common Man', contributes many different ideas on how he perceived tragedy. Trying to fulfil one's lives and personalities is usually how a tragic story happens. Hamlet tries to get revenge on Claudius when he find out what really happened to his father, starting his tragic story. He feels betrayed and is working hard to get his rightful position back. There is always the possibility that Hamlet is going to succeed in his mission. Tragedy is something that happens to everyone that is trying to fulfill themselves as a person, someone that is on a mission to get what they want. Hamlet starts with the plan of trying to get revenge on Claudius when he find out what the complete truth of what happened to his father. This is explained when he says, "As meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge." (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 30-31). He is a tragic hero, in which he goes on this mission of trying to get revenge for himself and his father, and ultimately succeeds, but then dies. He had a plan throughout the play, had many chances to fulfil the plan, but never went through with it. In Arthur Miller's essay, this is explained when he says "The tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing--his sense of personal dignity." (Miller, pg...
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...In Hamlet’s most famous soliloquy, in which he reveals his suicidal contemplations, he says, “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” (3.1.56-58). Assuredly, in the same manner that Hamlet’s ‘mind’ becomes sick as a result of Claudius’ sick ‘mind’, Knights argument, that a sick soul such as Hamlet’s cannot heal but only infect, is a justifiable argument that depicts the malignant nature of corruption amongst the top political elite. The ethical dilemmas that plague Hamlet are dramatized by Shakespeare throughout the play. In Act 3, Scene 4, Hamlet kills Polonius, thinking he has killed Claudius. To this deed, Gertrude exclaims, “O, what a rash and bloody deed is this!" (3.4.28) – and it is. Intuitively, Hamlet should engage in self-criticism but, he does not. Hamlet, instead, adopts a deterministic mindset in that, since his action is motivated by a cause external to his will, he should not be held morally responsible for his bloody deed; rather, his mother, being the external cause, should be. Hamlet’s disregard of having blood on his hands, and the blood of the wrong person, marks the crisis of his moral decline. Hamlet’s behaviour, moreover, reveals...
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...Hamlet Essay Someone's personality could have a major impact on everyone else surrounding them in either a positive or a negative way. The play, Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, written by William Shakespeare, takes place in Denmark in the 14th-15th century. The Prince of Denmark tries to get revenge for his father's death, but ends up causing much more than the life of Claudius. The actions Hamlet takes affect Ophelia, Gertrude, Horatio, Claudius, and Polonius throughout the play. Hamlet is responsible for the deaths of the people closest to him, because he was too introspective, emotional, and did not take action. Hamlet is a thinker, so he took time to plan what the best actions would be to get revenge for his father, alternatively of being a doer. Hamlet is too...
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...There comes a time in one’s life when he loses faith in his beliefs or in his relationships. In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet’s uncle Claudius, murders Hamlet’s father to inherit the crown of Denmark and the love of Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude. Throughout the play there are six soliloquies that reveal the character of Hamlet and others. In more than any other Shakespearean play, the audience is painted a better picture of Hamlet’s mind. Shakespeare questions the social and Christian institutions in the face of tragedy with the usage of several ambiguous phrases. Through word play and tone shifts, Hamlet’s collapsing sanity is reflected and shows the deconstruction of his views towards the Church and its values and his family. Hamlet’s questionable sanity is first reflected in the Church and its teachings. During the Elizabethan Era, most people practiced Catholicism, and it was not until later in the 1500s that the Catholic religion was called into question by another developing religion at the time, Protestantism. Not only does society begin to doubt the teachings of the Church, Hamlet does as well because he has lost complete faith in Christian values. According to Hamlet, those values have the cause of Claudius murdering his own brother and marrying his wife. Hamlet is unable to accept this unfortunate fate, and in turn, exclaims to the heavens, “O God! O God” (I.ii.132)! Hamlet has lost faith in the Everlasting because he is disgusted that God would let such an incestuous...
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...Hamlet is among the best ever written, and perhaps the very best. Why do the literary critics say this? In this essay let’s examine the play to see what makes it a prizewinner. Phyllis Abrahms and Alan Brody in “Hamlet and the Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy Formula” give some detail about the reasons for the undying popularity of this play: No play demonstrates the power and glory of Shakespeare’s tragic vision more than Hamlet, which for over 350 years has excited us with its action, its insight, its brilliant language. Hamlet is an unparalleled adventure story, complete with suspense, intrigue, murder – even a battle at sea with pirates. It is a play of intense emotional and physical violence. Yet underlying all of this are some of the most profound explorations of the mysteries of human existence. (43) This play is ranked by many as the very greatest ever written. Cumberland Clark in “The Supernatural in Hamlet” gives the consensus regarding Hamlet that exists among literary critics of today: At least six or seven years pass after the writing of Midsummer Night’s Dream before we find Shakespeare engaged on Hamlet, the second of the great plays with an important Supernatural element, and, in the opinion of many, the greatest tragedy ever penned. (99) There is no more exalted ranking than the above. Richard A. Lanham in the essay “Superposed Plays” maintains that no other English tragedy has generated the literary comment which this play...
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...The Lion King and Hamlet Essay The Lion King & Hamlet - Comparative Essay “All it takes for Evil to prevail in this world is for good men to do nothing.” Disney’s The Lion King placed a children’s façade on a very serious story of responsibility and revenge. This theme, however, is one of the oldest in history, and while it is not the most apparent, it does exist by William Shakespeare. The Lion King seems not to be based on a fairytale, but rather on the Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare. The basic character archetypes are concealed, and the storyline is simplified for children. But with a closer inspection of the characters themselves and the storyline, we the seasoned readers, can see just how apparent these similarities are. The story of The Lion King closely parallels that of Hamlet. It is about the jealousy of an uncle named Scar towards his nephew, Simba, who is the son of the king, and rightful heir to the throne. This jealousy drives him to take drastic action to secure himself to the throne. The only way he can do this is to kill his brother, King Mufasa and Simba. He accomplishes this by killing Mufasa and goes on to become the King of the Pride Lands and leader of the pack, thus “marrying” Simba’s mother, Sarobi. After the plan that Scar puts into action is completed, Scar finds his plan was only half successful; Simba survives. However, the clever, smooth talking uncle tricks the young and susceptible Simba into thinking that he is responsible for...
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...FEBRUARY 3, 2014 COMMENTS OFF ON COMPARE AND CONTRAST ESSAY ON HAMLET AND DEATH OF A SALESMAN Compare and Contrast Essay on Hamlet and Death of a Salesman Different characters in fictional work serve to develop the plot in different ways. this happens often, be it strengthening the protagonist, or working towards weakening and destroying the protagonist. This is no exception in William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”, and in “Death of a Salesman” by Arthur Miller. The female characters in the two works choose to hide or deny the truth, and this does not work out well for them, or for the protagonists in the end. Linda chooses not to confront her husband, although she knows that he has plans to commit suicide. Gertrude chooses not to accept her wrongdoing by marrying Claudius, and she does not accept the consequences of her action. The female characters treat the protagonists in different ways, and this contributes to the development of the protagonists. The different personalities of the female characters in the stories enhance the characters of the protagonists in different ways. By denying reality, the female characters contribute to the downfall of the protagonists. Linda is the main character in Miller’s work. She is a loving and loyal wife to her husband. She chooses to reprimand and rebuke her sons for not caring more about their father, although she knows that her husband is not well. Linda knows of her husband’s intention to commit suicide. She reveals this to her sons when...
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...Hello. I wrote this as an in-class essay. I'm just wondering about what I did well and what I can improve on. Thanks. Hamlet's Sanity and Insanity in William Shakespeare's The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark In the Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, by William Shakespeare, the sane Hamlet occasionally switches between the realms of sanity and insanity. When madness suits Hamlet's purpose, he puts on an "antic disposition" (I.V.173). On the other hand, when sanity proves worthy, Hamlet reverts back to being logical. Hamlet claims he is "mad north-north-west" (II.ii.376), meaning he is mad sometimes and sane other times. Therefore, to achieve his short-term goals, Hamlet shifts between sanity and insanity, which ironically, slows his overarching goal of revenge. To begin, Hamlet shifts into the realm of insanity to achieve his short-term goals. Hamlet uses his insanity as a weapon, changing insanity into the form of words or action. Furthermore, Hamlet is only insane towards his enemies or his enemy's allies. For example, Hamlet attacks Ophelia, who has allied herself with Claudius, with words: "are you honest" (III.i.104), "are you fair" (III.i.106). Hamlet "speak[s] daggers" (III.ii.387) to Gertrude, because she is an obstacle to Hamlet. Also, Hamlet slays Polonius so violently that Hamlet guarantees that Polonius is "dead, for a ducat, dead" (III.iv.25). Hamlet gravely harms both Ophelia and Gertrude with his words of insanity, while sending...
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...play Hamlet, which covers the competency of love, hate and power struggles found within the characters which later leads to an unfortunate ending. Hamlet, the main character of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most complex characters ever created. His intricacy can be seen in the amount of soliloquies he speaks throughout the play. Each one of Hamlet’s soliloquies reveals his innermost thoughts and gives the reader or audience insight as to what he is feeling at that time. The audience cannot help but to show some feeling towards the characters such as Hamlet, Fortinbras and King Claudius. All throughout the play, Shakespeare uses various characters to represent the social, economical, and cultural effects that are shown in Hamlet that may also correspond to the Elizabethan audience. Some characters that represent these effects include Hamlet, Fortinbras, Claudius, and Rosencrantz. It is through these characters’’ speeches and actions that really target the audience. The numerous soliloquy presented by Hamlet is one of the speeches in the play that captivates the audience. This is because the audience can relate to it, and they can anticipate what's to come and see the development of the characters. Elizabethan audiences were people from different levels of class, from Commoners to Royalty attended the theatre; the people who attended the theatre all shared one thing, the entertainment. Plays then were very realistic, often having real cannons being fired,...
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...time, parallels The Lion King in many more ways than one. The Lion King and Hamlet are best compared through the actions of the secondary characters, the exploration of the theme of death, and the striking similarities present in each works’ protagonist. Obviously, all plot events are not exactly the same, however the differences are insignificant to the point that the majority of the storyline and major characters still remain the same. The reflections of Hamlet in The Lion King are so strong that there are 3 sets of secondary characters that bear a striking resemblance to one another: Mufasa and King Hamlet, Claudius and Scar, as well as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and the hyenas. King Hamlet ruled his country virtuously and successfully. This is made clear by Horatio in a conversation with Marcellus and Barnardo about the possibility of war under the new King Claudius. Horatio states that Hamlet Sr. was a noble king who was respected by the citizens of...
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...John Doe English 2 H April 1, 2015 Hamlet Theme Essay The themes of Appearance vs. Reality are very prominent in the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Throught the story many characters act in a deceitful manner in an attempt to seem like an innocent pawn in the game of life, when in reality they are the most corrupt characters in the play. Polonius an excellent example of appearance vs. reality. Throught the story Polonius seems to be a loyal servant to the kingdom, serving the previous and current king as a personal adviser. To the average citizen in the kingdom Polonius seems to be just as loyal of an adviser to King Claudius, but Hamlet exposes Polonius to be a deceitful man, who by supporting the new king has betrayed his previous ruler and the honor of the kingdom. Hamlet's mother Gertrude can also be used as an example of appearance vs. reality. To the people of the kingdom Gertrude appears to be an honest woman who remarried because of her love for Claudius, but in reality she remarried solely to stay in power and continue her luxurious life as a queen. Hamlet himself is also an ideal example of appearance vs reality, because of his constant act of insanity which causes him to appear mad when in reality he is perfectly sane and simply acting to benefit himself. Polonius a textbook example of appearance vs. reality. Almost immediately after the death of Hamlet’s father, Polonius readily accepts Claudius as his new ruler which is seen as a betrayal to the previous...
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...Cause and Effect Essay – Elizabethan Target Audience “Always mystify, torture, mislead, and surprise the audience as much as possible (Roff).” Hamlet is a dramatic production written by William Shakespeare. “The play, set in the Kingdom of Denmark, recounts how Prince Hamlet exacts revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering the old King Hamlet, Claudius's own brother and Prince Hamlet's father, and then succeeding to the throne and marrying Gertrude, the King Hamlet's widow and mother of Prince Hamlet ("Hamlet”).” Shakespeare’s main objective was to impress his Elizabethan audience because entertainment through theater was extremely important to everyone in the era ("Elizabethan Theater"). Shakespeare successfully captivated an Elizabethan audience with this production (“Hamlet”). This essay will explain how an Elizabethan audience was targeted by Hamlet’s final monologue (act 4, lines 32-66). This speech effectively targeted and engaged an Elizabethan audience because its format, mentions of revenge and exciting nature caused the audience to sympathise with Hamlet’s decisions and feelings, and become enthusiastic and involved in the play. The format of this speech is a key factor which explains why the Elizabethan audience is effectively targeted. This speech is written and delivered in the form of a soliloquy. This means that it is an “uninterrupted speech delivered by a single character to the audience but not to other characters” (Jaber Al-Ogaili 48). Soliloquies are a...
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