Shakespeare utilizes prose through Hamlet’s dialogue in order to indicate disrespect to the other speaker. When Hamlet casts Ophelia away, he insults her using the informal structure of prose, saying “get thee to a nunnery” and “marry a fool, for wise men know well enough”. Hamlet’s decision to speak these informal words to Ophelia emphasizes his disregard for higher status. Later, Hamlet addresses actors of a lower social class in prose, saying “O, it offends me to the soul to hear a […] fellow tear a passion to tatters”. The unstructured format of Hamlet’s speech to the actors indicates his acknowledgment of their lower class compared to his royalty. Similarly, Hamlet breaks iambic pentameter and uses prose when referring to Osric, calling
One of the most emotional and moving scenes in William Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is in Act III, Scene I lines 90-155 in which the title character becomes somewhat abusive toward his once loved girlfriend Ophelia. It is interesting to examine the possible motives behind Hamlet's blatant harshness in this "Get the to a nunnery" scene toward the easily manipulated and mild mannered girl. While watching Kenneth Branagh and Mel Gibson's film adaptations of the play, the audience may recognize two possibilities of the many that may exist which may explain the Prince's contemptible behavior; Kenneth Branaugh seems to suggest that this display of animosity will help the troubled man convince his enemies that he is in fact demented, whereas the Mel Gibson work may infer that Hamlet's repressed anger toward his mother causes him to "vent" his frustrations upon Ophelia, the other female of importance in his life.
She loves hamlet, so when he treats her badly within the same scene she retreats back to the side of her family. This primarily happens when Ophelia says “At home my lord” upon Hamlets inquiry as to where her father is (3.1.132). This choice affects her, through the idea that Hamlet is bad for her, which due to her love for him she is torn between loving him and obeying her family’s guidance. Her hostility to Hamlet, “you are naught you are naught” becomes evident the next scene she is around him and he shows his poor behavior (3.2.152). Ophelia now believes that Hamlet no longer loves her, and comes to the idea that her father and brother were right in warning her of Hamlets evil intentions. This is where she begins to lean more on their guidance mentally, as she does not know how to go about behaving around
The king withdraws from this exchange, and his mother begins more lovingly, on a different tack. But still Hamlet takes words that others have used and returns them changed or challenged: “Ay, madam, it is common./. . . Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not 'seems'” (I.ii.74-76). Although the prince is speaking in public, he uses verbal rhetorical devices most critics in Shakespeare's day would consider unseemly.
It is also through these women that Shakespeare alludes to various symbols of dishonesty and hidden truths. Ophelia struggles to tell Hamlet the truth of what she sees, hears, and feels. It is for this reason Ophelia’s disloyalty enrages Hamlet: “Get thee to a nunnery, farewell. Or if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool, for wise men know well enough what monsters you make of them / I have heard of your paintings too, well enough. God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another” (3.1.132–37). Hamlet commands Ophelia to go to a convent in order to remain virtuous, on the other hand, if she is to marry, marry a fool who will not recognize she is cheating on him. He continues expressing his disgust by alluding to the fact that women are frauds that paint themselves to be something they are not for the sake of deceiving men. Shakespeare utilizes women characters to balance their male counterparts and add a different dimension to the relationships, hierarchies, and social changes in his works. Tina Packer, founder and artistic director of Shakespeare & Company writes, “The actor Shakespeare could feel in his body the truth; the writer Shakespeare could record what he saw in the outside world and he gave to the women the words to expose the dichotomy between what lay within and what was expected from
Polonius, his [Hamlet’s] seeming opposite in so many ways, is, like Hamlet, an inveterate punster. To whom else but Polonius should Hamlet direct the taunt of “Words, words, words”? The aged counselor recalls that in his youth he “suffered much extremity for love, very near this,” and he has been an actor at the university. Polonius too has advice for the players: “Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light.” When Hamlet jibes at “so capital a calf” enacting Julius Caesar, killed in the Capitol, he reinforces the parallel to his own playacting and anticipates the slaying of Polonius behind the arras. (4)
William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet. He was recognized in much of the world as the greatest of all dramatists. In Hamlet, Shakespeare provides the first prop as letters. Ophelia proclaims, “My lord, I have remembrances of yours, That I have longed long to redeliver; I pray you, now receive them” (III.I.93-95). In this citation, Ophelia gives Hamlet the letters (“them”) of poetry he has written to her. With this action, she manages to devalue Hamlet, bring forth a feeling of worthlessness and unimportance.
It is seen when he insists his mother’s grief for his father is not true, but instead a false façade ““‘I have that within me which passes show/ these but the trappings and the suits of woe” (I, ii, 88-89). Hamlet points out the blatant disrespect for the deceased King’s memory, stating, “O most wicked speed, to post/ With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! / It is not, nor it cannot come to good/ But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue” (I, ii, 161-164). This shows Hamlet’s distaste for his mother’s action, which than carries over to Ophelia
In Hamlet, Shakespeare develops the character of Hamlet through numerous soliloquies and long speeches. Not only is the use of these literary devices difficult for the actor, but it is also draining on the audience, who must listen to the monotony of the same person speak continually for several minutes, without any interruption. Playwrights developed plays to appeal to both the audience and the prominent stage actors of the period. Shakespeare needed a means to reduce the amount of time Hamlet talks to himself. The addition of another character, Horatio, provides this, by turning what might have been a tedious monologue into a more manageable dialogue between two characters. Horatio fulfills this role of Hamlet’s friend and confidant, someone to whom Hamlet can talk and explain his ideas.
This angry tone is brought about to a great extent by the choice of diction. Hamlet’s soliloquy is full of angry words; he refers to people of the wretched lower classes—whores, drabs, and kitchen maids—as he curses his own cowardice. Strings of adjectives describing all sorts of horrible sins are attached to the king as well as his own name. The king is a treacherous, kindless, “bloody, bawdy villain!”
An author can reveal characteristics of characters in literature through several different methods. Some common methods of characterization include one’s appearance, speech, thoughts, name, actions, and emotions. However, unconventional means can also be used, such as imagery, which is visually descriptive or figurative language. In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, imagery is used to characterize central characters to the play. Firstly, Hamlet’s characteristics are revealed through the imagery of death in his speech. Secondly, Claudius’ characteristics are revealed through the imagery in the Ghost and Hamlet’s descriptions of him, as well as his own thoughts. It is through this visually descriptive and figurative language, that readers can identify characteristics of these central characters.
Language Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Shakespeare used a variety of language techniques throughout Hamlet,
When Hamlet fights with Ophelia he asks “Why wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners?” (3.1.123-124) and then warns her that all men “are arrant knaves” (3.1.130) and to “believe none of” (3.1.130) them. Hamlet is demanding Ophelia to not have children so she does not risk having arrogant and vengeful sons like himself. Before the play starts, Hamlet asks Ophelia “shall I lie in your lap?” (3.2.102) and continues to discuss “country matters” (3.2.106).
Bradley was a professor of poetry at Oxford University and this book draws from his lectures, making him both an expert and his content credible. This particular book has been reprinted numerous times. Although it is from 1904, the credibility of a literary source is not influenced by its date. This book contains Bradley’s extensive research on earlier literary criticism of Hamlet, indicating his writing is well supported. The research he did was also supplemented by many quotes from Hamlet.
Although scholars and literary critics continue to question the true authorship of his plays long after his death in 1616, William Shakespeare is still considered one of the greatest writers of all time. Throughout Shakespeare’s career, up until the fire that destroyed the Globe Theatre in 1613, many people believe that Shakespeare wrote thirty-six full length plays (Literary Cavalcade).
When an author considers writing a literary work, they must contemplate who their characters are going to be, what each of those characters will act like, what the plot will be and how the whole thing will end. A lot of planning and thinking go into completing a literary work. When examining literary works to observe the particular structure, Shakespeare 's Hamlet is a well written play to pick apart in order to observe the structure of it. Hamlet is very well put together with the way Shakespeare wrote the plot, when one reads and fully comprehends the play they 'll be able to understand all the he put into the literary work. In Hamlet, the dramatic irony and all the purposely, yet sly, repeated comments of characters is great. The characters