Hamlet Acts I-V: The Most Important Motifs In Shakespeare's Play

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Hamlet Acts I-V
There are many different important motifs throughout Hamlet such as the incestual nature between Hamlet's mother, the Queen, and Claudius. Misogyny in the Queen's decision to marry Claudius in such a short amount of time. But the most important motif that stands out throughout the playwright is how and when people confess their sins, and how it fits into the story of Hamlet.
The idea of the confession of sins was a general belief throughout the Elizabethan culture, which was the time when Shakespeare wrote his plays. It was believed that if you confessed all of your sins you would be sent straight to heaven. If you did not confess any of your sins, then you would be sent to hell. If you confessed only a small amount of your sins you would be sent to purgatory, which is a world in between Heaven and Hell, but yet is still trapped on Earth. King Hamlet Sr. at the start of the play is revealed to the night guards of Norway while he is in purgatory. …show more content…

The killer is revealed to be Hamlet Sr.’s Brother, and Hamlet’s Uncle, now known as King Claudius. Hamlet goes to hunt down the King Claudius to murder him before he has time to confess his sins. The King realizes that Hamlet knows what he had done, so he goes to confess his sins within the Chapel of the Castle. Hamlet realizes he cannot kill the King now, and that he has to wait until he is under the act of another sin in order for him to be sent to Hell, or at least Purgatory, he could be drinking, swearing, etc, and that would all be a viable account of a

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