Premium Essay

How Does Shakespeare Create Suspense In Hamlet

Submitted By
Words 352
Pages 2
Known for its grand introduction to sin,seduction, and suspense, Shakespearean plays deem to the reputation of leaving readers balancing on the tip of their toes. Throughout Shakespeare's several works , one can not tell whether his pieces became very famous in literature for its clever wordplay, or its endearing dramatic irony. In Hamlet, by no other than Shakespeare himself, a glimpse into the suspenseful world is given to readers right from the first line of the play. Having the ability to truly finesse suspense in the first line of a play, is not a talent that is seen everyday.

As uncommon as it is, the play begins with a question being asked from one soldier to the other. Right from the start, this develops the format of the this play

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Hamlet Senior Paper

...“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.” John Green, The Fault in Our Stars Grief isn’t something that people prepare for. Like death, grief happen all of a sudden. Grief is the natural response to lose. It can be a strong emotion the can be overwhelming.(Mayoclinic.org)It could be when somebody first finds out a loved one had died, it could be when a person it doing something that reminds them of a lost one. There are different levels of grief as well. One can completely be sad only on the inside but on the outside normal or they can completely show their sadness. It shows one passion for the lost one. For example, a lady has coffee with a friend at a common place for many year she’ll associate that place with the person. If that person were to die that coffee place would be a reminder of that person. The lady could cry from just seeing the coffee shop, or she could be happy for seeing that coffee shop. The cry or happiness reveals her relationship with the person who passed. She could be crying because she regret saying something to the person or not saying something. She could be remembering the good times she had with that person as well, it could remind her of the person. Hamlet is the same way. Hamlet is dealing with grief his own way. Shakespeare is showing Hamlet as a person who isn’t getting along with anybody. Everybody has their own way of dealing with grief. Everybody in the play tells Hamlet to move on and stop grieving, but in reality everybody in...

Words: 3292 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Esty

...Hamlet study questions and answers on Act 5 Act 5 scene 1 Gravediggers and Hamlet 1 – 171 1. Who are the actors on stage here? What role do they play? 2. What class of society do we see for the first time, and why is it significant? 3. What are the gravediggers talking about in the first 30 lines? What is behind their difference of opinion? Give quotes to back up your ideas. 4. Some of the humour of this scene comes from the linguistic mistakes the men make. Identify them. 5. Who do they decide is the strongest builder and why? 6. What do you feel is the point of the gravedigger’s riddles and songs? 7. Who else creates humour in this first part of the scene? 8. What does this show about Hamlet’s development? 9. How do the references to Adam (lines 30 – 40) and his sons (lines 75 – 79) play a role in the plot? When were these ideas used before? 10. What means does Shakespeare use to raise suspense during the graveyard scene? 11. What does the gravedigger’s mention of King Hamlet in lines 141 - 143 reveal to the audience? How is this important here? 12. Does it contradict information we have had previously? Why do you think Shakespeare has done this? Thoughts about Yorick , life and death 172 – 213 13. Find the hyperboles in Hamlet’s speech, and explain why he uses them. 14. Identify the misogynistic lines. Who is he talking about? 15. In what ways do Hamlet’s reactions to the skulls in the graveyard seem to suggest...

Words: 1054 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Hamlet Film Proposal

...Rafi Ferrer Godburn English IV 23 March 2014 Action Many actors and directors have said that there is no right or wrong way to create Hamlet, the play written by William Shakespeare, due to the intriguing and complex displays of human nature found in the text. This allows for limitless interpretation of this timeless play, and gentlemen, today I would like to share with you my very own. I believe with all my heart that the themes of revenge, unspeakable anger, wicked disloyalty, and many more found in Hamlet are timeless, and I wish to prove this to the audience by setting this production in the 22nd century. With scenes utilizing dark, ominous sets, exaggerated focus on body language to amplify the inner emotion of each character, and regular usage of silhouettes to portray our protagonist’s inner emptiness, this visual style will hold true to the essence of Hamlet, regardless of the 500-year leap into a dreary, futuristic Denmark. The costumes will be realistically modern, while reflecting the inner motives of each character, and will by no means be excessively futuristic and silly. Subtlety is key to film making, and this is Hamlet—not Tron. With Joaquin Phoenix as Hamlet, Sigourney Weaver as Gertrude, and Anthony Hopkins as Claudius, this film will be globally praised as innovative, twisted, and expertly performed. Gentlemen, have I gotten your attention? Not only will this production hold true to the original text, but it will also explore an entirely different world...

Words: 958 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Research Paper

...The role of Hamlet in Hamlet December 23,2011 Mr. Santin English 12-U Ethan D’Mello In many pieces of literature, it is the characters actions and words that have the greatest effect on the story line. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, there are many characters that are key to furthering the plot of the story, while keeping the reader engaged and interested in the book. These dramatic forces add suspense, irony, and mood which together makes for a good read. The characters who further these dramatic forces are Hamlet, Claudius, and Laertes. The character that furthers the dramatic forces the most is Hamlet. By examining the theme of love, their views on life and death, plus the act of scheming between Claudius, Hamlet, and Laertes, it will be evident that Hamlet furthers the dramatic force the most. Hamlet is a better character to reveal the theme of love when compared to Claudius. Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost and is told that his father’s brother Claudius had murdered him in his sleep. “O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain, My tables,- meet it is I set it down That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain, …So, uncle, there you are; now to my word; It is ‘adieu, adieu! Remember me.’ I have sworn’t” (Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 106-111). As a dutiful and loving son, Hamlet decides to avenge his father’s death. By doing so, he is accepting the task of going against all of Denmark and is planning to prove that his father was killed by the present...

Words: 3527 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Shakespeare

...Shakespeare was a respected poet and playwright in his own day, and is widely regarded today as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet. As quoted in an article,” The Romantics, in particular, acclaimed Shakespeare's genius, and the Victorians worshipped Shakespeare with a reverence that George Bernard Shaw called "bardolatry"”. In the 20th century, his work was repeatedly adopted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance, and is currently an active part of education curriculums. His plays remain highly popular today and are constantly studied, performed and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. It is safe to say that although Shakespearean plays were set in the Renaissance Era, they are still the epitome of English literature and are revered by theaters, performers and audiences alike due to their remarkable credibility in portraying everlasting political, social and moral issues. http://www.neptunetheatre.com/content/Shakespeare_hat_trick His plays move from romantic to tragic, humorous to serious so much so that he not only caters to all tastes but also all times by portraying the political situation of his times as well as the way of living. Even Romeo and Juliet, considered by many as a die –hard romantic scripture actually highlights political issues. One of the main political aspects of the play was when count Paris uses...

Words: 3064 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Importance of Hamlet’s Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

...Importance of Hamlet’s Soliloquies in Shakespeare’s Hamlet Shakespeare often has his characters speak in soliloquies during the course of his plays. Soliloquies are essential to the presentation of a story through the medium of a play because they provide the opportunity the chance to tell the audience specific pieces of information which cannot be disclosed through normal conversation. In his work, Hamlet, Shakespeare’s title character is shown to speak in seven soliloquies. Each soliloquy advances the plot, reveals Hamlet’s inner thoughts to the audience and helps to create an atmosphere in the play. The first soliloquy which Hamlet delivers gives the audience their first glimpse of him as a character. Hamlet is reflective and depicts the way he views his own position; he tells of his father’s death and then his mother’s quick remarriage. He says, “It is not, nor it cannot come to good” (I, ii, 163), when referring to the marriage of his mother. This gives the audience a hint of foreshadowing because it is the first time when Hamlet mentions the future. This speech also reveals his thoughts further when he says that his mother is frail because she is a woman, while he also admits that he knows he must hold his tongue. During the course of this speech Hamlet makes several allusions to historical figures and this demonstrates to the audience that he is an intelligent young man. One of these allusions is when he compares the love his late father had for his mother to Hyperion...

Words: 4820 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Much Ado About Nothing

...MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Title As a title, Much Ado About Nothing fits neatly with those of Shakespeare’s other plays written around the same time: the titles seem whimsical and even flippant. Twelfth Night was alternatively titled What You Will, and As You Like It seems a much less informative title than, say, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Still, the capricious titles are actually as reflective of their content as any history or tragedy title. The plot of Much Ado About Nothing centers on a lot of hubbub over little misunderstandings; there’s a whole lot of fuss about stuff that ultimately isn’t that important. For the bigger issues in the play, though, we turn to the fact that, in Shakespeare’s day, "nothing" was often pronounced the same way as "noting." The play is built around the process of "noting," which has myriad meanings. It can mean "to take notice of" something, to eavesdrop, to observe, or to write something down – but these notings aren’t necessarily accurate. A person can misunderstand a meaning, or mishear, or misreport something, in the process of noting too. The foibles that result from noting (and misnoting) are central to keeping the play spinning. If that wasn’t interesting enough for you, you might want to note that "nothing" was also an Elizabethan slang term for the vagina. "Much Ado About Vagina" makes sense as a title, right? After all, the highs and lows of the play revolve around men and their relationships with, suspicion of, and...

Words: 3038 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

How the Count Found Solace

...How The Count Found Solace “Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine: I will repay, saith the Lord”. (Holy Bible, Romans 12:19) Alexandre Dumas uses his novel, The Count of Monte Cristo, to not only comment on French politics of the time, but to provoke thought about the role of God, especially his judgement and justice. Dumas demonstrates that while society’s justice is easily corrupted by men, the power and responsibility of true justice lies within a higher being Men must trust and honor the judgment of God, and consequently refraining from taking revenge on their fellow men. Alexandre Dumas’ life, which was filled with economic and political turmoil, greatly influenced his literary works, especially The Count of Monte Cristo. Dumas was born into a powerful and respected military family in 1802, in Soisson, France. His father was the first black French general, and served faithfully and dutifully under Napoleon Bonaparte. However, Dumas’ father died in 1806, leaving the young Dumas and his mother impoverished. Beginning in 1823, Dumas worked as a secretary for the Duke of Orleans in Paris. It was also at this time that, Dumas became obsessed with theater and started mixing with artistic and literary crowds. Much of his spare time was spent reading or watching plays, of which he focused on the works of William Shakespeare, who greatly influenced the aspiring writer. In 1829, Dumas wrote the play Henri...

Words: 4383 - Pages: 18

Premium Essay

Harold Bloom

...metaphysical poets John milton Jonathan Swift mark Twain mary Shelley Nathaniel hawthorne Oscar Wilde percy Shelley ralph Waldo emerson robert Browning Samuel Taylor Coleridge Stephen Crane Walt Whitman William Blake William Shakespeare William Wordsworth Bloom’s Classic Critical Views W i l l ia m Sha k e Sp e a r e Edited and with an Introduction by Sterling professor of the humanities Yale University harold Bloom Bloom’s Classic Critical Views: William Shakespeare Copyright © 2010 Infobase Publishing Introduction © 2010 by Harold Bloom All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For more information contact: Bloom’s Literary Criticism An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data William Shakespeare / edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom : Neil Heims, volume editor. p. cm. — (Bloom’s classic critical views) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-60413-723-1 (hardcover) ISBN 978-1-4381-3425-3 (e-book) 1. Shakespeare, William, 1564–1616—Criticism and interpretation. I. Bloom, Harold. II. Heims, Neil. PR2976.W5352 2010 822.3'3—dc22 2010010067 Bloom’s Literary Criticism books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities...

Words: 239932 - Pages: 960

Free Essay

Nice

...(external conflicts) as with an antagonist and or struggle within himself (internal conflict). 3. THOUGHT * What the play means as opposed to what happens (the plot).  Sometimes the theme is clearly stated in the title.  It may be stated through dialogue by a character acting as the playwright’s voice. Or it may be the theme is less obvious and emerges only after some study or thought. The abstract issues and feelings that grow out of the dramatic action. * 4. LANGUAGE * The word choices made by the playwright and the enunciation of the actors of the language.  Language and dialog delivered by the characters moves the plot and action along, provides exposition, defines the distinct characters.  Each playwright can create their own specific style in relationship to...

Words: 2078 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Asdfasdf

...Elements of Drama by: Christina Sheryl L. Sianghio Character Most simply a character is one of the persons who appears in the play, one of the dramatis personae (literally, the persons of the play). In another sense of the term, the treatment of the character is the basic part of the playwright's work. Conventions of the period and the author's personal vision will affect the treatment of character. Most plays contain major characters and minor characters. The delineation and development of major characters is essential to the play; the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius depends upon the character of each. A minor character like Marcellus serves a specific function, to inform Hamlet of the appearance of his father's ghost. Once, that is done, he can depart in peace, for we need not know what sort of person he is or what happens to him. The distinction between major and minor characters is one of degree, as the character of Horatio might illustrate. The distinction between heroes (or heroines) and villains, between good guys and bad guys, between virtue and vice is useful in dealing with certain types of plays, but in many modern plays (and some not so modern) it is difficult to make. Is Gregers Werle in The Wild Duck, for example, a hero or a villain? Another common term in drama is protagonist. Etymologically, it means the first contestant. In the Greek drama, where the term arose, all the parts were played by one, two, or three actors (the more actors, the later the...

Words: 9002 - Pages: 37

Premium Essay

King Lear

...KING LEAR Act One The play opens at Lear’s court, where we meet the main characters. The opening scene is in itself shocking, as Lear forces his daughters to declare their love for him. The one who loves him the most will receive the largest part of his kingdom, which he intends to divide between the three. Lear himself wishes to hand over the ruling of the kingdom to his daughters, while retaining the ‘Pre-eminence, and all the large effects / That troop with majesty’ (Scene 1, Lines 131-2). Goneril and Regan acquit themselves well at this love test. Cordelia, however, dismayed by her sisters’ ponderous words, refuses to take part in the ‘contest’ and tells Lear that she loves him as her duty instructs her. When Cordelia refuses to speak again, Lear casts her off without a moment’s hesitation. Ken attempts to argue with the King, accusing him of ‘hideous rashness’ (Scene 1, Line 151). When Kent further warns Lear that his elder daughters are false flatterers, Kent too is banished. Lear invests Albany and Cornwall with power, and, after Burgundy refuses to take Cordelia as his wife, now that she is without dowry, France takes her for her virtues alone. Goneril and Regan complain, in private, about Lear’s harsh judgement and unpredictable behaviour and worry that they too may be treated unfairly. Edmund, Gloucester’s bastard son, soliloquises about his own situation, revealing his devious intentions towards his brother. When his father enters, Edmund’s...

Words: 27223 - Pages: 109

Premium Essay

Narrative

...Narrative A narrative is a sequence of events that a narrator tells in story form. A narrator is a storyteller of any kind, whether the authorial voice in a novel or a friend telling you about last night’s party. Point of View The point of view is the perspective that a narrative takes toward the events it describes. First-person narration: A narrative in which the narrator tells the story from his/her own point of view and refers to him/herself as “I.” The narrator may be an active participant in the story or just an observer. When the point of view represented is specifically the author’s, and not a fictional narrator’s, the story is autobiographical and may be nonfictional (see Common Literary Forms and Genres below). Third-person narration: The narrator remains outside the story and describes the characters in the story using proper names and the third-person pronouns “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they.” • Omniscient narration: The narrator knows all of the actions, feelings, and motivations of all of the characters. For example, the narrator of Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina seems to know everything about all the characters and events in the story. • Limited omniscient narration: The narrator knows the actions, feelings, and motivations of only one or a handful of characters. For example, the narrator of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has full knowledge of only Alice. • Free indirect discourse: The narrator conveys a character’s inner thoughts...

Words: 12257 - Pages: 50

Premium Essay

Prose Fiction

...SECOND DRAFT Contents Preamble Chapter 1 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Background Rationale Aims Interface with the Junior Secondary Curriculum Principles of Curriculum Design Chapter 2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 1 Introduction Literature in English Curriculum Framework Strands and Learning Targets Learning Objectives Generic Skills Values and Attitudes Broad Learning Outcomes Chapter 3 5 7 9 10 11 11 13 Curriculum Planning 3.1 Planning a Balanced and Flexible Curriculum 3.2 Central Curriculum and School-based Curriculum Development 3.2.1 Integrating Classroom Learning and Independent Learning 3.2.2 Maximizing Learning Opportunities 3.2.3 Cross-curricular Planning 3.2.4 Building a Learning Community through Flexible Class Organization 3.3 Collaboration within the English Language Education KLA and Cross KLA Links 3.4 Time Allocation 3.5 Progression of Studies 3.6 Managing the Curriculum – Role of Curriculum Leaders Chapter 4 1 2 2 3 3 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 21 Learning and Teaching 4.1 Approaches to Learning and Teaching 4.1.1 Introductory Comments 4.1.2 Prose Fiction 4.1.3 Poetry i 21 21 23 32 SECOND DRAFT 4.1.4 Drama 4.1.5 Films 4.1.6 Literary Appreciation 4.1.7 Schools of Literary Criticism 4.2 Catering for Learner Diversity 4.3 Meaningful Homework 4.4 Role of Learners Chapter 5 41 45 52 69 71 72 73 74 Assessment 5.1 Guiding Principles 5.2 Internal Assessment 5.2.1 Formative Assessment 5.2.2 Summative Assessment 5.3 Public Assessment 5.3.1 Standards-referenced...

Words: 41988 - Pages: 168

Premium Essay

Learning Theory

...- 55 39 Stop and think - 57 Selected reading - 60 3 Post-structuralism and deconstruction - 61 Some theoretical differences between structuralism and post-structuralism - 61 Post-structuralism - life on a decentred planet - 65 Stop and think - 68 Structuralism and post-structuralism - some practical differences - 70 What post-structuralist critics do - 73 Deconstruction: an example - 73 Selected reading - 79 4 Postmodernism - 81 What is postmodernism? What was modernism? - 81 'Landmarks' in postmodernism: Habermas, Lyotard and Baudrillard - 85 Stop and think - 90 What postmodernist critics do - 91 Postmodernist criticism: an example - 91 Selected reading - 94 5 Psychoanalytic criticism - 96 Introduction - 96 How Freudian interpretation works - 98 Stop and think - 101 Freud and evidence - 102 What Freudian psychoanalytic critics do - 105 Freudian...

Words: 98252 - Pages: 394