As in Wagner’s Ring, ancient pagan cultures often depicted the three mythological Norns, with their transcendent knowledge, as representatives of “holy things”: nature in its most serene and sublime form (Vorspiel). In Christian interpretation, however, because of the theist’s aversion to knowledge as a progenitor of sinful ambition, the Norns are affiliates of Satan. Indeed, both Genesis 3 and Macbeth are allegorical representations of man’s downfall as a result of the loss of innocence. In Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates that knowledge inspires reckless ambition, which, in humanity’s fallibility, is bound to suppress morality in favour of selfish desire. Firstly, the characters of the three Weird Sisters are symbolic of Satan, using knowledge to bring needless suffering into the world. Secondly, the character of Lady Macbeth, symbolic of Eve, becomes insane as a result of intrapersonal conflict. Finally, the character of Macbeth is symbolic of Adam, rejecting morality and God, embracing nihilism, and, ultimately, doomed to a Faustian death. Therefore, through the Witches’ prophecies, the collapse of Lady Macbeth, and the nihilistic rejection of life effectuated by Macbeth, Shakespeare demonstrates in his play Macbeth that knowledge is essentially Satanic: a firm moral foundation is required to restrict the ambition and immorality it enkindles.
The three Weird Sisters, or as Tolman explains, the “Norns of Past, Present, and Future,” embody knowledge that is utilised to bring about man’s downfall (92). The Sisters are not realistic characters per se, but are constant and unchanging, suggesting a spiritual, demonic level of being. To begin with, the Weird Sisters are shown, as a result of an evidently Mephistophelian exchange...
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...edge of Good and Evil did indeed produce the lustful Fall of Man, but it was in Christ that God fulfilled the covenant. “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (King James Version, 1 Cor. 15.22).
Works Cited
1 Corinthians. The Bible: Authorized King James Version. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2008. Print.
Hudson, Henry Norman. The Harvard Shakespeare. Boston: Ginn & Heath, 1880. Print.
Rolfe, William J. Introduction. Shakespeare's Tragedy of Macbeth. Harper and Brothers, 1877. 9-42. Print.
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Ken Roy. Toronto, ON: Harcourt Brace, 1988. Print.
Tolman, Albert Harris. Notes on Macbeth. Baltimore: Modern Language Association of America, 1896. Print.
Wagner, Richard. Gotterdammerung: Musical Drama in Three Acts (five Scenes) and Prologue. Trans. Rudolph Sabor. New York: G. Schirmer, 1960. Print.
1. Plays have foils to help the audience understand important characters in the play. Foils are minor characters that have similarities and differences with a more important character in the play. Sometimes the minor character is just there for the character to talk to; this is the basis for being a foil. In the play "Hamlet," [Titles] by William Shakespeare, the character Ophelia is a foil to Hamlet.
Macbeth by William Shakespeare is a recognized classic tragedy portraying the victory of good over evil. This paper will explore the various expressions of evil within the play.
Hamlet is a man of words not actions. His delay to react after finding out Claudious is behind his fathers murder is hesitated due to his desire to validate the information from Old Hamlets ghost to see if what he had told him was really the truth: “I’ll have these players play something like the murder of my father before mine uncle... The play’s the thing where in ill catch the conscious of the king.” (p.31) Hamlet believed the play will expose Claudius’ guilt through the actor’s emotions and talent on stage. Hamlet’s plan turned out perfectly causing Claudius to react suspiciously towards this act because of his guilt. Claudius’ reaction gave Hamlet the proof that he needed to point fingers at Claudius for the murder of his father. Hamlet can now seek revenge on his uncle and cause him to suffer the way Hamlet has been ever since this tragic event with his father. Although with this proof Hamlet still holds off the killing of the killing of Claudius and decides to confront his mother about it instead of taking action. In act 3 scene 4, while Hamlet is speaking to his mother he he...
Shakespeare’s Hamlet, shows strong prejudice against woman especially with such characters of Ophelia and Gertrude. Shakespeare created an interesting character with Gertrude; he created a character that sits in the middle of all the conflict and appears to not partake in much of it. However Gertrude does seem intent in defusing it at every possible chance she receives. Gertrude is a central figure in the play. She appears a great deal but doesn’t say much – implying mystery and creating an interesting uncertainty in the audience. Hamlet spends a lot of time dwelling on her marriage to Claudius and Shakespeare leaves many questions unanswered with Gertrude such as did she have an affair with Claudius behind old hamlets back? Why does she drink the poisoned wine that is intended for her son? Does she know it is poisoned? Gertrude is the mother of Hamlet and although they do not have a typical mother son relationship she does love him. Queen Gertrude is often interpreted by many as an adulterate, incestuous woman. Catherine Belsey states that typical interpretations of Hamlet maintain: ‘Gertrude a slut; and Shakespeare a patriarchal bard’ (Belsey,1997:34). Gertrude’s actions throughout the play could be read to show her to be a very passive character, far from a strong independent woman. This is shown with her obedience to Claudius, three times during the play, Gertrude is told to leave and each times she complies without hesitation. In Act 1, scene 2 Claudius says to Gertrude, ‘Madam, come’ (122). Then again, Act 3, scene 1, Claudius says to her, ‘Sweet Gertrude, leave us .’ (28), she complies with ; ‘I shall obey you’ (37). And finally, in Act 4, scene 1, Claudius say, ‘O Gertrude, come away!’ (28). This obedience that Gertrude ...
In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the protagonist, Price Hamlet, uses several ways to defend himself against his oedipal desires, his animosity towards his uncle, as well as his own inner conflict . Hamlet's hatred towards Claudius stems from two crimes committed; Claudius' murder of his brother and his incest with Hamlet's mother. Because of the seriousness of both crimes, as well as the fact that both persons affected are closely related, there is evidence of an interrelation between both of the crimes; which can further explains Hamlet's reaction. Following his father, King Hamlet's death, his mother, Gertrude proceeds to marry his Uncle Claudius; this causes a surge of Hamlet's oedipal desires towards his mother. Hamlet attempts to reconcile his incestuous urges using his relationship with Ophelia. Furthermore, his need for vengeance for his father's death causes Hamlet to experience great anger towards his Uncle; Hamlet incorporates the Oedipus Complex in his revenge against his father's murderer, who is presently his mother's husband. At the same time, Hamlet experiences an inner conflict. He is torn between his duty to avenge his father's death and his inability to kill his uncle; which can be seen in relation to his Oedipal Complex as well.
How does the use of comic relief best contrast the tragedy of Hamlet? In great works of literature a comic relief is used as contrast to a serious scene to intensify the overall tragic nature of the play or to relieve tension. As illustrated in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, intense scenes are joined with character’s banter and vacuous actions as to add a comic relief. In Hamlet, Polonius acts as a comic relief by his dull and windy personality, Hamlet uses his intelligence and his negativity toward the king and queen to create humor, while on the other hand Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are a comic relief by their senseless actions and naïve natures. Polonius, Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are all used as a comic relief to increase the ultimate tragic nature of the play.
In every story, a female character always seems to play a significant position. No matter how big or minimal their role is, their impact will be of great importance. More than oftentimes the female character will be portrayed in a depressing manner, overall being weak. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the female protagonist Ophelia’s character is conveyed as an obedient woman who tries to please those around her all the while only displeasing herself and the man she loves leading her to live a tragedy that ends her life. This play focuses on Hamlet striving to avenge his father’s death; ruining his life and those around him because of his choices. Ophelia is the girlfriend that tries to abide by him and make him the happiest man he can be but Hamlet is a man full of doubts and internal dilemmas. In regards to
In my readings of Hamlet, sexism was a immense element in the story. It is not fairly unambiguous where the incest comes in and who is involved, but the unorthodox relationships that have taken place shows how things were during the Elizabethan Age, or were they? My goal in this paper is to research the gender roles between the males and females in the story and to prove how women were treated during these times, and to determine who was involved in incest and sexism. The characters in focus will be Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, and son of the deceased King Hamlet; Polonius, counselor to Claudius; Laertes, Polonius’ son who has returned home due to King Hamlet’s death; Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother and Queen of Denmark; and Ophelia, daughter of Polonius and the sister of Laertes, also Hamlet’s girlfriend.
Ophelia and Desdemona play the role of the "innocent lady" in Shakespeare's Hamlet and Othello. The roles of these characters provide a sense of completeness, faithfulness, and obedience to the leading male figures. In both plays, these innocent ladies end up dying. These deaths are both due to a false rejection of love. Othello kills Desdemona because he believes her love is false, and Ophelia dies ultimately because she reads Hamlet's mask of madness as rejection. These deaths exemplify the pattern of harmony turning to chaos in both of these plays, and provide proof of the decay that is spreading to everyone in Venice and Denmark.
For many years in the past women played a small role socially, economically, and politically. As a result of this many works in literature were reflective of this diminutive role of women. In Elizabethan theatres small boys dressed and played the roles of women. In contrast to this trend, in Shakespeare's Hamlet the women in the play are driving factors for the actions of many other characters. Both Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, and Ophelia, Hamlet's love, affected many of the decisions and actions done by Hamlet.
In the mind of an individual there is a battle between inner choices and outside pressure from the society when both are in the opposite poles, a battle in which in which well being can be lost or found. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the unpropitious hero Hamlet is negatively influenced by demands and enters into a mental dilemma, as he is unable to decide whether he should follow his inner voice and kill his father’s murderer, or whether he should be a law abiding citizen and respect the new king and follow his policies. When individual’s choices conflicts with external demands, individuals will not be able to have good personal life, and chances to become indecisive, which ultimately leads to the downfall of the individual like Hamlet’s tragic end.
The puzzling tragedy that is Hamlet will forever be speculated, which is why it has attracted such attention and praise. The madness in which Hamlet lives draws decisions of polarizing weight. Stay righteous and live out your life with your father’s killer? Or do you slay him and suffer before god and the law? It bears moments of wisdom, followed by inexplicable actions and Vis versa. One moment you find the protagonist staring at his girlfriend with his pants at his ankles, the next you find him contemplating the value of life. It’s hard to determine what the message behind the wildcard character that Hamlet is. William Shakespeare’s tragedy “Hamlet” unravels opposing subjects, superstition instead of righteousness, private revenge or public revenge; it portrays the contradictions emerging in the religious revival of the Renaissance as “Christian humanism” was taking form in Western Europe. An aspect of the play reveals and mocks the hypocrisy of the kingdoms as they exert authority and pose as the ideal of religion. The king is a murderer who prays to god without belief. The one who attempts to remain righteous is an outcast amongst his kingdom. The biggest speculation is drawn on the rectitude of revenge. Does Hamlet have the right to kill his uncle? If so, does Laertes then have the right to kill Hamlet? Is Fortinbras the only exception of just revenge when he is motivated by honor, while the others rage over personal revenge? In the wake of these quarrels, the most evident and obvious Christian Humanist belief is held true...evil never wins. The punishment of those who died in Hamlet is virtuous and deserving. Those who stooped to treachery suffered the consequence.
He was great man and prince, with great potential and virtue. Another person whose virtue parallels that of Hamlet was Laertes, the son one of the Courtiers in Claudious’s court. Both of these men also share the trait of impulsiveness, achieving spontaneous reactions when angered. In Laertes this revealed in his return to Ellisenore after his father’s death. He returns with fire in his veins and revenge seething from his breath ready to kill the king. “To Hell, Allegiance! Vows, to blackest devil!”. In Hamlet this is seen in his rash reaction in stabbing Polonious with his rapier. In thinking it was the king behind the aras, he lashes out and kills Polonious. In both cases the men have been willing to commit regicide in order to attain revenge for the loss of a father.
The characters Macbeth and Satan both share a number of qualities with each other. Both portray the corrupting influence of power, or the want of it. Both possess inordinate ambitions. Despite these similarities, however, the disparities between the two of them, in the conception of their evil, are apparent.
The play Hamlet by Shakespeare, takes place in The Kingdom Denmark at the beginning of 17th century. The word tragedy means a failing of character in the hero of a tragedy that begins about his downfall. “The tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark” says it all because he was prince of Denmark and, he was not free to carve for himself. Hamlet, like all the other major characters, was untrue to himself. When he was himself, he was like Horatio, a student from Wittenberg. But as he said, "Horatio, or I do forget myself." He did forget himself. He erased himself and his humanist education from his own brain and there in the book and volume of his brain he wrote his father's commandment (the voice of Denmark, sent from Hell to speak of horrors, to breathe contagion, unfolding the secrets of his prison-house that he was forbid to tell to mortal ears). Hamlet was from himself taken away. In the play Hamlet by Shakespeare, the character Hamlet’s tragic flaw is outlined by his inability to act, and make final decisions upon his desired goals. So in the essay below there are some examples from the book that leads hamlet to his tragic flaw. At some point he is too rational that is also one of the causes that leads to his tragic flaw.