Violence In Hamlet

The theme of violence spans across countless works of literature. This theme is seen in the short story “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and in Hamlet by William Shakespeare. In Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper,” the protagonist slips into a state of madness. Her repeated exposure to the same wallpaper drives her insane. While Gilman does not portray physical violence in this short story, she does depict psychological violence. On the other hand, in the play Hamlet, Prince Hamlet of Denmark has just learned his father was murdered. The ghost of his father appears to him and demands he seeks revenge. Hamlet spends the rest of the play plotting to kill his murderous uncle. Hamlet is riddled with scenes of physical violence. While

both “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Hamlet by William Shakespeare depict scenes of violence, the psychological violence shown in “The Yellow Wallpaper" impacts readers differently than the physical violence shown in Hamlet; furthermore, the two different types of violence lead to a different release of emotion.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman portrays the violence trapped inside Jane’s mind. The major act of violence in this short story is between Jane and herself. Jane is confined to her room at all times. Her husband forbids her from working and controls every aspect of her life. This controlling nature leads Jane to reflect all her emotion inward. This inward anger is shown when Jane writes, “I got positively angry with the impertinence of it and the everlastingness. Up and down and sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking eyes are everywhere” (Gilman). This anger Jane demonstrates to the wallpaper is shown countless times throughout the short story. As the story progresses, her anger begins to slip into madness. Because she is unable to let out her emotions, Jane begins to reflect her psychological pain onto the wallpaper that lines her bedroom. She begins to see shapes in the wallpaper, and even pictures a woman trying to break out. The use of psychological violence creates a feeling of unrest in the reader. Readers expect the shock that follows a murder, but the shock that follows an act of psychological violence forces readers to look inward. The violence Jane inflicts on herself through her mind is hard to grasp. Everyone feels anger, and it is often hard to express anger in a positive way. Jane’s story shows a perfect example of how inward emotions can lead to psychological violence and how that in turn can become madness. On the other hand, Hamlet by William Shakespeare shows scenes of physical violence. Hamlet is seeking blood. His uncle murdered his father and how he wishes to do the same. There are many examples of violence throughout Hamlet. One such example is when Hamlet murders Polonius. Before Hamlet stabs the innocent man, he remarks, “How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead” (Shakespeare 29). This statement shows Hamlet’s affinity for violence. His first thought when he hears the noise is that it is Claudius spying on him. Throughout the play, Hamlet acts out his violent impulses on others. These acts of external violence show the key difference between Hamlet and “The Yellow Wallpaper”. While Hamlet killing Polonius is only one of many times physical violence is included, the impact on the audience is always the same. Physical violence shocks the reader. It angers the reader, but it does not cause the reader to think. Physical violence is solely used for shock value.
The nature of the violence depicted in each literary work defines the ending.

In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is free to express his anger and inner violence on those around him. This free expression of anger shapes the outline of Hamlet’s future. Even before Hamlet succeeds in murdering Claudius, he expresses his anger out on Ophelia and Gertrude. Hamlet’s acts of violence lead to his casual murdering of Polonius in later scenes. These depictions of external violence lead to the many murders found throughout the course of the play. By including external violence that leads to murder, Shakespeare shows readers the danger of free expressions of anger. Hamlet’s anger was left unchecked. He was free to release his anger and pain on those around him. His anger never affected him, but it impacted everyone who came in contact with him. At the end of the play, multiple deaths take place. When he learns he is dying, Hamlet lunges at the king and forces him to drink poison. This is shown when Hamlet says, “Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?” (Shakespeare 357). On the contrary, in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Jane’s inner violence leads to her taking her own life. Because Jane was never free to release her anger like Hamlet, she inflicted her violence on herself. Her slow decent into madness can also be contributed to this lack of release of emotion. While it is debated on whether Jane actually did commit suicide, Gilman writes that “[Jane is] securely fastened now by [her] well-hidden rope” (Gilman). Because of this quote, it can be interpreted that Jane did kill herself. Gilman’s use of inner violence and suicide creates a feeling of discomfort in the reader. Inner violence is hard to stomach. In Hamlet’s case, readers understand why Hamlet yearns for revenge. In Jane’s case, her apparent suicide is shocking. Even though her slow descent into madness is experienced by readers, her finally act still brings with it utter shock. While Hamlet is responsible for the death of many

characters, it is Jane’s act of suicide that cuts into the hearts of readers.
In conclusion, the violence found in Hamlet by William Shakespeare and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is not one in the same. In Hamlet, the external acts of violence portrayed lead to the murders found in later acts. In “The Yellow Wallpaper,” Jane’s lack of external expression leads to her suicide. These two portrayals of violence not only impact and shape the course of the play but also the readers. Jane’s suicide shocks readers. It forces them to come to terms with internal violence and affects everyone. In Hamlet, Shakespeare warns what can become of someone who lets anger and violence consume their life. While these stories deal with the topic of violence differently, they both offer important narratives that impact the world today. Anger cannot be bottled in or one may explode. On the other hand, anger cannot be freely expressed on others.