Comparing Hamlet In Sense And Sensibility

In a broad sense, everyone knows of the famous playwright William Shakespeare and author Jane Austen. Several of their works are well-known and studied often. There are several ways in which one could compare and contrast any number of their works and their characters together. For example, the contrast between the characters Hamlet from Shakespeare’s Hamlet (H) and Marianne from Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (SS). They both have very detailed character arcs in their narratives. Hamlet develops as he experiences family drama and tragedy, while Marianne develops through heartbreak and good old fashion life-experience. There are multiple differences between these two very distinct characters, yet they share an intensity of emotion and passion which is what leads them into trouble in their stories. For Hamlet his character changes immensely throughout the play similar to Marianne throughout Sense and Sensibility. The play begins with Hamlet’s father being killed and Hamlet is understandably depressed about it. The new king, his uncle Claudius, plays down this emotion and thinks Hamlet is being just a little dramatic. Claudius asks Hamlet, “How is it that the clouds still hang on you?” (Shakespeare 1.2. 68). His melancholy behavior is obvious to everyone, yet no one seems to have

When confronting his mother, Hamlet found it difficult not to be violent with her because of all the anger he held inside. When he began to be more aggressive, it was the reappearance of his father’s ghost which shocked him enough to calm down. With Marianne, she continued to naively believe that if she simply loved Willoughby enough, no troubles would ever come to her. She was blinded by the unrequited love she had, to the point where his absence caused her physical harm to her health. Ultimately, they had to come to terms with their emotions, and face them with a more sensible