The Lasting Appeal Of Shakespeare's Hamlet

“Part of Hamlet’s lasting appeal is that it poses more question than it gives answers.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, Hamlet, resonates and maintains a lasting appeal, through the posing of questions, which few about societal issues, such as appearance and reality, action and inaction, revenge and corruption. These themes are represented through the disillusionment shown towards humanity and an exploration of one’s self, where the questions posed by Hamlet are also relatable to the audience. Imagery of decay and disease are weaved throughout the play to reinforce the themes. The exploration of these values and ideas through characterisation and language forms and features, contribute to Hamlet’s lasting appeal and the textual integrity of the play, as they resonate contextually to different audiences.

The play is first established with

Had the meaning of existence now became a matter of the soul and conscience, and what was ‘deemed’ acceptable and right. This universal confliction and idea presented through the character of Hamlet, Shakespeare has been able to engage the audience, where questions posed by Hamlet, through soliloquies, transcends to the audience and forces them to reflect on their own beliefs and values, and how they act if they were him. Hamlet is engulfed with revenge to kill Claudius, after the Ghost informs him that it was Claudius who killed him. However, despite this, Hamlet delays and is unable to perform any act of revenge, due to his conflicted feelings. It is in the soliloquy ‘O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!’ where Hamlet finally decides to act, “Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell”. However, Hamlet’s paradoxical character is reflective of his social context and