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The Character of Hamlet
Psychological reading of Hamlet
The Character of Hamlet
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"Hamlet" is a revenge tragedy written by William Shakespeare. The setting of the story is in the middle ages around the 14th or 15th century. The play is mainly set in the royal palace in Elsinore, a city in Denmark. The story features plenty of deaths and a grueling revenge plot set by our main protagonist, Hamlet. What made "Hamlet" famous was not only it 's classic murderous story line, but also the way that Shakespeare puts together complex scenes. Act III, scene ii was a particular scene in "Hamlet" that captured Shakespeare 's literary genius because he used this scene to advance the play even further. What made this scene stand out are a couple of reasons. First, in this scene, hamlet appears to be more in control of his behavior than other scenes which proves that his sanity is still intact and showing that his insanity is just a decoy for his true plans. Second, this is the scene where Shakespeare revealed to the audience that the ghost …show more content…
Because to the queen, it seems like Hamlet is speaking and looking at nothing. Lastly, the reason why I think this scene was a major scene used to advance the play even further is because it give Hamlet justification for his insanity. The whole time the audience thinks that Hamlet was insane because of a ghost that may or may not be real. But by confirming that the information that the ghost told Hamlet was real, we can conclude that the ghost was real and so the murderous plot for revenge can continue for Hamlet. The play within the play was the turning point for Hamlet, the whole time during the act III scene ii, Hamlet sounds very excited as if the play he was setting up was going to make or break his murderous plot( assuming that Hamlet would drop his revenge plot if Claudius did not react the right
The Mel Gibson version of Act I, scene 5 gives the most accurate representation of the ghost’s purpose to use Hamlet as a result the actors’ movements and manners of speaking. In this film clip, the ghost is calm and sure of himself, speaking softly, as ghosts do, yet with conviction of his own authority. He is also mobile in the scene, moving ever closer to a Hamlet who appears to be paralyzed with fear. This motion establishes an unequal power dynamic between the father and son, making it clear that the late King Hamlet is in control of the situation. Although the ghost still tells Hamlet to “taint not [his] mind, nor let [his] soul contrive against [his] mother aught,” the line is delivered as an ominous warning rather than fatherly advice.
How Hamlet is Manipulated by Hamlet's Ghost in the Play This particular scene of the play brings the main plot into motion as Shakespeare finally introduces the ghost for the third time to Hamlet alone demanding his vengeance. Their interaction brings Hamlet to his madness in the next few acts, something of which Shakespeare does to expand his character and to change the minds of other characters that interact with him. It is clear by the ghost’s speech that he was murdered by Claudius, and that sin must be returned with punishment.
In Act 1 Scene 4 and 5, when Hamlet meets and speaks with the ghost of his father, the fear increases. You begin reading faster and feel like you are running after the spirit with Hamlet. The actual conversation between the two is very fast and flows very nicely. Once agin making the scene more intense. Throughout the scene the dramatic effects are heighten by the ghost’s long lamented speeches to his son. The entire scene is one of climactic drama.
The mixture of fantasy and reality is one of the things I like about Hamlet. The appearance of the “ghost” at the beginning of the play makes the plot exciting and grabs people attention immediately.
In the players’ scene, Hamlet revises the play of The Murder of Gonzago, adding in a scene that hints at the murder of King Hamlet. When Claudius reacts to Hamlet’s trap and makes a sudden exit, Hamlet now knows that the ghost’s story is true and will “take the ghost’s word for a thousand pound.” He now has no reason not to act. Prior to witnessing Claudius’ reaction, Hamlet has been debating with himself over the legitimacy of the ghost and its story. He has been questioning himself and whether he is a coward, because all he has done is talk, not having taken any action. Now that Hamlet knows the murderous sin Claudius has committed, Hamlet feels no guilt in avenging his father’s death. The plot takes a turn, as Hamlet becomes more of a man of action than a philosopher.
In William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” there are many different events throughout the play that affect and shape the main character Hamlet. The biggest event being when Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, the king, who then proceeds to tell him that his uncle murdered him. This event will lead Hamlet to madness with sanity while plotting his revenge on his uncle which will ultimately end in his, his uncle and several other’s deaths at the end of the play.
All throughout the play Hamlet mourns the loss of his father, especially since his father is appearing to him as a ghostly figure telling him to avenge his death, and throughout the play it sets the stage and shows us how he is plotting to get back at the assassinator. Such an instance where the ghost appears to Hamlet is when Hamlet and his mother are in her bedchamber where the ghost will make his last appearance. Hamlet tells his mother to look where the ghost appears but she cannot see it because he is the only one who that has the ability to see him.
Furthermore, it is possible to propose that Shakespeare merely uses this scene to provoke irritation and consequently suspense from the audience. If Hamlet wasn’t given this opportunity to kill Claudius we would have not this insight into Hamlet’s indecisiveness, possible cowardice and inability to kill Claudius in cold blood. It is probable to suggest that through this soliloquy we are shown that Hamlet’s initial passion for revenge after the Ghost’s visitation has faded as the play progresses to merely thinking about killing Claudius.
... to make choices as to how they wanted to act out those scenes. Nevertheless, the ghost is an important part of the play that will always lead to questions in the readers mind. Does the ghost cause Hamlet to go mad or is that madness within that causes the ghost to be revealed? Is it the ghost who causes Hamlet to seek revenge or the unraveling truth of Claudius’s murder? These questions may change with every generation but as some questions get answered others come forth which leads audiences to always be captivated by Hamlet.
In act I, scene i we are introduced to the Ghost of Hamlet's slain father. The reader may be more inclined to believe that Hamlet's madness is in fact true if he himself was the only one to view the Ghost. However, there were actually three individuals to whitness the Ghost. Hamlet's sane and trustworthy friend Horatio says "Before my God, I might not this believe/ without the sensible and true avouch/ of mine own eyes" (I. i . 55-57). It was a warning from Horatio that gave Prince Hamlet to fabricate his madness to more easily work out his plan of revenge. Horatio warns Hamlet, "... And there assume some other horrible form/ which might deprive your sovereignty of reason,/ and draw you into madness? Think of it " (I. iv. 72-74). Hamlet respected and adamantly listened to his father, so when the Ghost told him "but howsomeever thou pursues this act,/ taint not thy mind." (I. v. 83-84). Hamlet would surely listen and obey these wishes of his father from beyond the grave.
Imagine a play in which a prince is seeking revenge of his father’s murder and ultimately succeeds. Now, imagine a play with the same plot, but with young love, dramatic scenes denying this love, and true madness that leads to suicide. Which sounds better? Which would hold your attention longer? Odds are that the second play described is the choice you have chosen or unknowingly chosen in your thoughts. If it is not, then you would be missing out on one of the most famous plays written by William Shakespeare. Both plays described have the fundamental plot of this Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but only the second is the true play that Shakespeare intended to be performed. Only the second play includes the young, lovesick and distraught Ophelia who separates the first described play from the second. Ophelia may not be the star of the play like Hamlet, but through her transformation into a state of madness along with her role in the only true romance in the play, we learn more about several characters and remain intrigued in the play.
Revenge is a major theme throughout William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. This theme provides motivation for characters to murder each other throughout the play, whether or not characters seek revenge for themselves. Because Laertes and Hamlet are so absorbed with wanting to exact revenge upon certain people, they ultimately cause the deaths of all of the main characters in the play. Revenge is the main root of evil in this play.
Revenge has caused the downfall of many a person. Its consuming nature causes one to act recklessly through anger rather than reason. Revenge is an emotion easily rationalized; one turn deserves another. However, this is a very dangerous theory to live by. Throughout Hamlet, revenge is a dominant theme. Fortinbras, Laertes, and Hamlet all seek to avenge the deaths of their fathers. But in so doing, all three rely more on emotion than thought, and take a very big gamble, a gamble which eventually leads to the downfall and death of all but one of them. King Fortinbras was slain by King Hamlet in a sword battle. This entitled King Hamlet to the land that was possessed by Fortinbras because it was written in a seal'd compact. "…our valiant Hamlet-for so this side of our known world esteem'd him-did slay this Fortinbras." Young Fortinbras was enraged by his father’s murder and sought revenge against Denmark. He wanted to reclaim the land that had been lost to Denmark when his father was killed. "…Now sir, young Fortinbras…as it doth well appear unto our state-but to recover of us, by strong hand and terms compulsative, those foresaid lands so by his father lost…" Claudius becomes aware of Fortinbras’ plans, and in an evasive move, sends a message to the new King of Norway, Fortinbras’ uncle.
We see that the ghost is a driving force for Hamlet on his way to conscious maturity. There is something rotten in the State of Denmark but the something rotten exists in all places and in all people. Anyone with intellect and a conscience would not tolerate it, as Hamlet does not by willfully going into a battle at the end of the play wherein he knows he will be killed. Further, the ghost is just one more thing Hamlet must escape on the way to his mature self. As Harold Bloom, noted Shakespearian critic, notes about this sea-change in Hamlet's character and its relation to the ghost, "In Act V, Hamlet is barely still in the play; like Whitman's 'real me' or 'me myself' the final Hamlet is both in and out of the game while watching and wondering at it. We feel that if the Ghos...
Hamlet contains three plots of revenge throughout the five acts of the play. Young Hamlet, after getting a shocking realization from his father’s ghost, wants to enact a plot of revenge against his uncle. Laertes, who was struck twice in quick succession by the death of his father and sister, wants to kill Hamlet. Away in Norway, Fortinbras wants to take revenge on the entire nation of Denmark for taking his father’s land and life. These three sons all want the same thing, vengeance, but they go about it in wildly different ways, but as Lillian wilds points out, “he also sees himself in the mirrors of Fortinbras [and] Laertes.”(153) It becomes clear that the parallels presented throughout the play are there to further illuminate the flaws of