Category: Hamlet

Shakespeares Hamlet is one of the most important plays in the history of literature, and its main characters behavior deserves thorough studying. Throughout the book, his state of mind changes and evolves, and it is key to understanding his actions and interactions with other characters. It is essential to analyze his thoughts and mood since they clearly show the reasons behind his decision to kill his fathers murderer.

At the beginning of the play, Hamlet feels frustrated because he is baffled by the actions of his mother, who chose to quickly marry Hamlets uncle Claudius after her husbands death (Shakespeare 16). When the Ghost tells him that his father was killed by Claudius, he does not rush to defend the honor of his father and instead chooses to test the words of the Ghost. He stages a double play recreating a scene of his fathers death to observe the reaction of Claudius, who cannot bear seeing it and leaves, which allows Hamlet to conclude that the Ghost was right. Hamlet avoids killing Claudius in Act 3 because he sees him praying and does not want him to go to heaven. By unknowingly killing Polonius, who stands behind the arras, Hamlet demonstrates his determination to defend himself and his mother.

In his soliloquies, Hamlet criticizes himself for not being passionate about his vengeance and not acting decisively because he fears what may happen to him in his afterlife (Shakespeare 52). When Hamlet reads the letter carried by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern containing an order to kill Hamlet, he decides to leave the two to their death by pirates and heads back home. His interactions with Polonius in Act 2 and with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are quite similar since he does not respect them and feels dismissive of them, deciding to keep them at a distance. At the beginning of Act 5, Hamlet argues about the imminence of death, which demonstrates his state of mind that he is ready to die for his cause.

Hamlet is a play that everyone has to read at least once in their life to see how the feeling of grief can affect a persons behavior. Hamlets state of mind evolves from depressive into decisive, and each time manifests itself in his actions. By soliloquizing and observing his friends and enemies, Hamlet masters control over his emotions and becomes determined to avenge his father.

References

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Bradbury and Evans, 1859. Project Gutenberg, Web.

Ancient Greek plots and motives are commonly reflected in the European literature of the New Age, which makes the heritage of different epochs comparable. One of the plotlines  discovering the reason for the death of a protagonists father. One of the aspects frequently discussed in this context is resilience. According to the Cambridge dictionary definition, this essay understands the notion as the ability of a substance to return to its usual shape after being bent, stretched, or pressed (par. 2). This problem is demonstrated by the protagonists of Oedipus Rex by Sophocles and Hamlet by William Shakespeare. They have different motives, but they appear to be united by the common goal. By comparing and contrasting these two characters, this essay demonstrates the impossibility of defining the most resilient protagonist as they both demonstrate outstanding steadiness in achieving their goals.

To begin with, it is vital to assess the character of Oedipus Rex. He appears to have an extremely straightforward and direct personality. Throughout the plot, he demonstrates incredible persistence as he does not miss an opportunity to find the details about Laius murder (Sophocles). Oedipus grows courage to discover the truth after questioning the blind prophet Tiresias, listens to Jocastas version, and, finally, faces the story of the shepherds (Sophocles). After realizing his guilt in the crime he was investigating, Oedipus blinds himself and expects death (Sophocles). This appears to be the most convincing aspect of the resilience demonstrated by Oedipus throughout the story. In other words, even though he did not get back to happiness after the adventure, he saved the decency and undoubtedly showed personal growth as a result of the way Oedipus went through.

Another point to be made deals with the character of Hamlet. Shakespearean resilience is an important element of his plots: as Caputo interprets it, as a tragedy, the play does not recover from disasters so much as it ultimately succumbs to them and triggers a regime shift (viii). Speaking of Hamlet himself, he passionately seeks the answer to the question of why his mother got married so soon after his fathers death (Shakespeare 60). Unlike Oedipus, the character under discussion seems to have more of a philosophical way of discovering the truth. For instance, he checks the veracity of the ghosts not by asking directly about the truth but by observing his murderous uncles reaction to the comedy play. Hamlet creates a psychological trap to reveal the betrayer: Ill observe his looks; / Ill tent him to the quick. If he but blench, / I know my course (Shakespeare 173). In a word, Hamlets inner tragedy provokes him to be not less persistent than Oedipus discussed above, but in another way: throughout the plot, he goes through a philosophical adventure.

To conclude, it is not unusual when common subjects are borrowed from the ancient pieces by later writers. William Shakespeare appears to be one of them; thus, a comparison of Hamlet with Oedipus Rex becomes possible. What unites these two plots is the protagonists search for answers to the questions about their fathers deaths. While Oedipus energetically goes through various challenges and ends up with a more assertive personality, Hamlet also demonstrates outstanding resilience. That is why it seems impossible to assess which version of the seeking characters going through unbearable psychological challenges shows more resilience.

References

Cambridge Dictionary. Resilience. Cambridge Dictionary.

Caputo, Danilo. Shakespearean Resilience: Disaster & Recovery in the Late Romances. UC Irvine, 2020.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Sophocles. Oedipus the King. SLPS.

Tis sweet and commendable in your nature, Hamlet,
To give these mourning duties to your father:
But, you must know, your father lost a father;
That father lost, lost his, and the survivor bound
In filial obligation for some term
To do obsequious sorrow: but to persever
In obstinate condolement is a course
Of impious stubbornness; tis unmanly grief;

His speech ended, Claudius twists Laertes, the son of the Lord Chamberlain, Polonius. Laertes articulates his wish to return to France, where he was living before his return to Denmark for Claudiuss coronation. Polonius offers his son permission, and Claudius genially grants Laertes his approval as well.

Turning to Prince Hamlet, Claudius inquires why the clouds still hang above him, as Hamlet is still dressing in black bereavement clothes. Gertrude advises him to recycle his nightly color, but he responds bitterly that his inner mourning is so great that his stern manifestation is just a poor mirror of it. Impacting a tone of paternal advice, Claudius announces that all fathers die, and all sons must lose their parents. When a son loses a father, he is duty-bounce to grieve, but to grieve for too long is unmanly and unfortunate. Claudius advises Hamlet to think of him as a father, repeating the prince that he situates in line to thrive to the throne upon Claudiuss fatality.

To be, or not to be, that is the Question:
Whether tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Armes against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to dye, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ake, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is here too? Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To dye to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; I, theres the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give vs paws.

The vital claim of the world-famous monologue in Hamlet is, in concentrated form, that our state is so miserable that entire non-existence would be definitely preferable to it. Now if suicide essentially offered us this, so that the substitute to be or not to be lay in front of readers in the complete sense of the words, it could be selected categorically as a highly advantageous annihilation. There is something in us, nevertheless, which tells the audience that this is not so, that this is not the termination of things, that fatality is not a total obliteration.

In this viewpoint, the Princes further considering the origin of death can be regarded in yet a various light (moreover to the aforementioned two offerings, i.e. the predictable failure to win the brawl against the sea of problems or the only way to overpower it indeed). Specifically, death could be regarded as a third option  the way which permits to evade selecting between to be and not to be in general.

In spite of whether the concern is located on life against death or action against no action, the themes undertaken by the soliloquy ruled to the nature of the Danish Prince often getting contrasted to existentialists after the term was initiated in the twentieth century.

Introduction

Every actor should be aware of the peculiarities of the character, certain stories related to plays, and the way this character can be beneficially presented to the audience. The more an actor learns about the character, the more appropriate can be considered the method chosen to introduce this role. In other words, every character is another life with some difficulties and benefits that should be shown to the audience in the most remarkable way.

So, if the character is supposed to suffer on the stage, the actor should be realistic to the extent that the audience believes the grief of the character and sympathises his/her feelings, emotions, and tragedies. In this respect, an actor should be prepared to persuade the audience and make the character more realistic and persuasive so that the audience felt the whole spectrum of emotions and challenges experienced by the character.

Finding the Light

As the play Hamlet is based on contradictions and numerous conflicts, it is necessary to show how the main character, the Prince of Denmark, faces difficulties and different challenges created by the fortune. I believe that the light should be of primary importance, especially for this play by William Shakespeare where the mood changes every moment and the main character should be lighted differently in different situations.

Thus, when Hamlet talks about his father and his mood and the mother tries to persuade him to be happier for her as she is going to get married, Hamlet should be in shade because I am too much I the sun (Shakespeare 9). This means that every step should be rehearsed in advance so that the audience did not think that an actor is going back and forth only to attract their attention.

The next important element to consider is the well-known monologue by Hamlet and his dialogue with Ophelia (Shakespeare 51). So, this scene is of crucial importance because it is widely used for allusions and other references as one of the most prominent scenes of the play. In this respect, I can act in two different ways: The first method includes being at the back of the back of the stage to the darker part of it thus making the audience pay particular attention to what is happening on the stage; on the contrary, I can move toward the audience to the lighter part of the stage making the audience see me and hear every word I use in the most whispering manner.

Voice: Loud and Whisper

The actor can grab the audiences attention with the help of certain special effects, explosions, sparkling costumes, and other tricks. However, the most important effect can be produced with the help of voice. In this respect, I can use more energetic and loud tone while defending my point of view, telling other characters about my vision of the problem. In other words, all scenes where my character believes he is right should be accompanied with rather clear and loud tone contrasted to the scenes when the character experiences some doubts or learn about mysteries around him. For instance, I can use different tones even in the same line: To be or not to be: that is the question (Shakespeare 51).

This means that I shall pronounce to be with the loud and resolute tone as if I had decided what to do and how to act in future. On the contrary, or not to be should be pronounced with lower and less resolute tone as if I got heated and should reconsider my decision. Every tone should coincide with gestures and lighting; if I say something using low voice, I should stay in the back of the stage in a shade. However, I can stay in the light creating a contrast in this way.

Learn the Directions

Every step should be taken consciously because the play cannot stand a mess on the stage. That is why I can use a great number of different techniques but each of those should be justified. For instance, I can change the directions vigorously when I say about revenge. This means that I can choose a line and go back and forth as if I am in agony or have an obsessional idea. This method can be applied to the dialogue between Hamlet and the ghost when a ghost of Hamlets father asks him for revenge. On the other hand, too much motion can destroy the image of the play and the main concept of the conflict.

In this respect, I can use motion when the character is supposed to change the emotion and the vision of the problem (I can move toward the audience when Hamlet is sure about his decision to act in revenge, when he wants to punish all who are to blame). Though the lack of motion can make the character look a bit sluggish, it can also make him look more resolute as he is sure about all his actions and feelings. Unfortunately, the play is based on the conflict and it the conflict should be in everything including voice, lighting, and motion.

Blocking

Playing the role of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, I enter the stage for the first time after my friends had seen a Ghost. I know nothing about it. I enter a room of state in the castle. Being on the stage, there is no need for me to move too active. Moreover, I suffer from the dearth of my father, so I even do not want to move. I listen to the monologue by the King quite. When I start talking, I should move ahead to appear closer to the audience to make them feel what I do.

All the movements on the stage should show that I am in a deep grief. Crossing the stage, I should walk straight as I am a Prince, but at the same time all my movements, all my stature should show that I mourn over the death of my father. The next time I appear on the stage is when I talk to my friends, they tell me about the Ghost they saw. I should be in the center on the stage in this scene.

Depending on the content of the words which are exclaimed on the stage, my position may change. I may stay as a stone, when I need to express my thoughts to the audience, and I may move more active, when I worry and want to show it. It is important to discuss all these moments beforehand. The movement on the stage, as well as the position, may influence greatly my character and his expression on the stage.

Stage Combat

There are two crucial combat moments in the play where I perform. These two scenes are considered to be the most difficult ones as I will have to create an illusion that I fight with Laertes (for the first time) and Claudius (for the second and the last time in my life). I am going to fight with a sword, so I need to learn fencing. It is important to learn how to do this in order to remain realistic whole fights. It is crucial for my character to remain active while the fight with Laertes.

But, after I am wounded I will have to fight less active, I would even say with some tension and against the collar. On the one hand, I am wounded, so I have to remember it while fighting with Claudius. On the other hand, there is a poison in my organism, so I should feel uncomfortable and broken. It is important to change my position on the stage while those fights. Fighting with Laertes I should be on the side of the stage still spotlighted. The fight with Claudius should be in the center of the stage as this is the culmination of my struggle, the killer is punished for his actions. I should choreograph all the movements, no one action or move should be spontaneous.

Staying Open

It is important to remain open to the audience. It is inadmissible to position a body on a diagonal. This creates an impression that I remain close to the viewers. This may also mean that I am not really open to people who look at me and this may leave an effect that I did not manifest the character of my hero. Emotional openness is important as well. Being on the stage I do not have scenes where I need to turn away my body from the audience.

It is important never back out for my character, Hamlet. Playing this role I will try, vice versa, to be open to the audience and to show them my pain and grief. The audience should understand that I am not sure whether I want to revenge or not. To be or not to be& (Shakespeare 51) is a phrase which makes viewers think about the emotional condition of my character. Such phrases and scenes in the play are very important. The level of my openness will be very high. I will have to do all possible to make the audience believe me.

Conclusion

I would like to conclude this essay with the words by William Shakespeare, All the world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players (Shakespeare and Somogyi 68). Even leading a normal life, we play different roles. Entering the stage, I should forget about the roles I play in real life and merge to playing. All the techniques mentioned above, namely finding a light, having a voice, directions and blocking, combat scenes and staying open create my character. Hamlet on the stage should express all feeling and emotions people experience while reading the book. It is inadmissible for me to change the main idea of the character as it is not the play written for me, it is the play I should submit to. The playing techniques mentioned in this essay may help me create an image I will have to express on the stage.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. London: Read Books, 2010. Print.

Shakespeare, William and Nick De Somogyi. As You Like It. London: Nick Hern Books, 2003. Print.

Hamlet, is composed of many finite layers that make up his irate character. Hamlet’s unordinary characteristics could be explained by many things such as his father recently passing. Losing a family member (King Hamlet) is difficult for most and since everyone is different, these situations are all handled differently. Shakespeare created Hamlet’s character with madness in mind to bring drama and confusion into his play. However, there is one character who remains by his side through it all, Horatio. Horatio is almost the opposite to Hamlet, and like 2 halves of the same whole, they need each other. Horatio is able to balance out Hamlet somewhat, the calm to Hamlet’s storm, which is one of the reasons he’s such a strong character in comparison to Hamlet, he’s by far the most rational and straight headed of the pair. The contrasts are why Hamlet and Horatio are very attached throughout the play. In Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, the Prince Hamlet is betrayed and deceived many times by different people and is shown to be one of the weakest characters despite being the main focus of the piece, while Horatio is shown to be rather strong despite his supporting role, making them perfect foils for each other.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet stars its very namesake, The young Prince Hamlet, which would lead one to believe that he would be one of the strongest characters in the play; however this is far from the actuality with him being one of the weakest characters in the entire work. In act 2 scene 5 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the young Prince of Denmark speaks to the ghost of his father which has been haunting the castle from the first scene of the play due to the cause of his death. In a normal tragedy, the tragic hero acts almost immediately in revenge for their loved ones, but Hamlet’s weak mind prevents him from doing so. He is shown to be very indecisive and his morals prevent him from taking necessary action. Much like in act 3, when Hamlet misses an incredible opportunity to kill Claudius, the literal murderer of his father (Shakespeare 56). Hamlet refuses to kill Claudius simply because he is praying at the time, and the young prince believes that somehow that would outweigh Claudius’s wrongdoings and he would end up in heaven. Hamlet’s strong morals have yet again prevented Hamlet from doing what he needs to do, as he is too weak to overcome his own mind.

On the flip side of Hamlet’s weakness, Shakespeare’s Horatio displays the characteristics of an incredibly strong and trustworthy character, worthy of Hamlet’s respect and love. In the very beginning of the play, Marcellus and the other guards call Horatio in order to try and communicate with the ghost of the late King Hamlet (Shakespeare 1). Right off the bat, Horatio is shown here to be a character that is very trustworthy, but also level headed while not flaunting his intellect. He knows enough to value what ignorance he has that can protect him from political ruin, but neither ambition nor deceit determines his loyalties. Horatio also brings the light of truth into the whole scenario, since the level headed Horatio confirms seeing the ghost we can assume that Hamlet is not mad when he sees the ghost as well. The only time one might question Horatio’s unwavering intelligence would be in act 5, when Horatio states to the dying Hamlet that he would rather impale himself on his own sword than live on after Hamlet’s death (Shakespeare 112). However, Hamlet passionately demonstrates his own deep love and admiration for Horatio in his request that Horatio tell Hamlet’s story. Hamlet trusts his friend enough to leave him the task of finding the words that will divine the truth. For Hamlet, entrusting the task to Horatio declares his love better than expressing that love through any of Hamlet’s poetry or philosophy.

These opposite traits that Hamlet and Horatio demonstrate cause them to be perfect foils for one another. In act 5, when Horatio attempts to kill himself by drinking the poison, is the only time that Horatio considers doing something that a reader would consider rash, saying he’d rather die than live after Hamlet’s death (Shakespeare 114). Hamlet is the only one able to bring out this more unruly side of Horatio. On the flip side in act 3, Hamlet speaks of how he admires the many traits of Horatio, wishing to be more like his most trusted companion (Shakespeare 75). He admires Horatio’s level-headedness and insight, and values his opinion more than anybody else’s but his own. The differences between these 2 characters is what draws them together, making them perfect foils.

Throughout Shakespeare’s tragedy, the Young Prince Hamlet is shown to make more than one questionable decision. He doesn’t kill his murderous uncle when he has the chance, he puts his own mother in a chokehold, and sentences 2 of his oldest friends to their death. The prince is not exactly what one might call levelheaded, but Horatio is almost the definition of such. He is intelligent but not outspoken, reserved yet willing to speak about what he deems necessary. In fact, the only irrational thing he does directly involves Hamlet and his actions. Their stark contrasts are what make them such close companions and perfect foil characters. They balance each other out, like the wind and the sea; Horatio’s calm waves only rustled by Hamlet’s erratic winds. The opposite natures of the 2 allows the reader to observe human nature in the way that opposites do indeed seem to attract. People are drawn to things that are different from themselves or their norms, which is beautifully demonstrated in the close relationship between Horatio and Hamlet.

The act of revenge does not fail to collect an extraordinary audience which gives their full attention, thanks to the easy indisputable fact that revenge raises one in every one of the good queries with reference to human life: however do I ask for justice once the law ceases to perform properly? Shakspere abroaches into the human fascination for the act of revenge and created a play that has revenge as its predominant motif. 3 revenge plots make up the story of Hamlet, and they are interlaced in a hypnotic manner. The first one began with the assassination of the King of Denmark, Hamlet’s father, Hamlet desires revenge for the murder of his father by Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle.

In Hamlet, playwright involves revenge because the force that it attaches to the play and drives it, in addition, showing that revenge taken headlong instead of through reason results in downfall. Acts of revenge are made up of four phases. The primary step of seeking payback may be a motivation for action. Within the gap scene, Horatio asserts: ‘But to recover of us, by strong hand and terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands so by his father lost”(1.1.114-116).

After that speech which came from Horatio, the motivation for Fortinbras’s revenge becomes known; Fortinbras needs to gain back the lands lost to Denmark once his father was killed. Hamlet’s revenge is additionally introduced with the happening mentioned above; the Ghost of previous Hamlet speaks to the patrician for the first time, and Hamlet learns his father’s death had been a murder. ‘The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown’ (1.5.46-47). The Ghost orders Hamlet to, ‘Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder’ (1.5.31). Hamlet doesn’t trust the Ghost and accepts the very fact that he lacks points to justify Claudius’ future assassination. Shakespeare also introduces backstory morals and beliefs, the majority of Denmark was Protestant throughout the setting of the play, as well as Hamlet. He had attended Wittenberg, a Protestant college, and Protestants didn’t believe purgatory, or ghosts either, that induces Hamlet to suppose the ghost may be a demon from his own mind. Consequently, before Hamlet can act on the Ghost’s words, Hamlet can use his scholarly ability to substantiate it in his own way. Hamlet makes an attempt to get rid of his high suspicions by feigning madness, thus he will do and say virtually something he desires to, without concern of rebuke. ‘Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t’ (2.2.206). Polonius, additionally to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet’s friends, are employed by Claudius to spy on Hamlet. Hamlet visions all through their false words, and effortlessly acknowledges Claudius’s true intentions. A traveling acting company visits Elsinore Castle, and Hamlet initial asks the players to perform a speech that significantly harps on the revenge motif; ‘With eyes like carbuncles, the hellish Pyrrhus, old grandsire Priam seeks,’ (2.2.488-489). Hamlet requests the speech as a result of male monarch resembles Hamlet in this his mission is to kill a king in revenge for his father’s death; Pyrrhus’ father was Achilles who splendidly died from Associate in Nursing arrow wound within the articulatio plana.

He additionally resembles Claudius in this male monarch is that the slayer of the rightful king of Troy. within the soliloquy, monarch is bestowed as a hellish character, while not self-reproach or pity. Hamlet might have additionally asked for the speech as a result of he queries the morality of revenge and also the speech’s portrayal of male monarch helps him to substantiate these doubts in his mind. Hamlet then encompasses a spur of the instant plan, and plans to own the players perform a play; the play in mind is, ‘The Murder of Gonzago.’ Hamlet speaks his mind, saying, ‘…the play ‘s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king’ (2.2633-634). It mimics the tactic during which King Hamlet was alleged to are dead by Claudius. Hamlet’s arrange can take away all doubt, thus his revenge will occur.

Thus, Hamlet’s confirmation of his suspicion can occur once Claudius watches the play; Claudius’ reaction will take away all suspicion of the Ghost’s words so Hamlet will have his revenge. Hamlet tells Claudius the play is termed, ‘The Mouse-trap’ (3.2.261). Hamlet’s affirmation of his uncle’s guilt permits him to require vengeance; ‘Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood, and do such bitter business as the day would quake to look on’ (3.2.422-424). Hamlet currently encompasses a smart motive, and now not any doubt of Claudius’s guilt. Hamlet desires solely to kill Claudius, and his revenge are going to be complete. however Hamlet’s irascibility and blind rage causes him to kill Polonius, ‘How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!’ (3.4.29), thinking he was killing Claudius (whom he believed to be spying on Gertrude and Hamlet) instead. Hamlet damns himself, and Hamlet’s payback can have a serious complication; as a results of her father’s murder, Ophelia committed suicide, and mythical being currently needs to kill Hamlet to hunt his own revenge. Fortinbras, Hamlet, and mythical being are currently tired similar predicaments; it’s the honorable factor to try and do to revenge slain fathers, which is precisely what they every arrange to do. mythical being and Hamlet are each loving with revenge to the purpose at that they’re going to act quickly doltishly, and ignore the results. Claudius orders Hamlet to England, with the apparent intent to gather tribute, however his real intent is for Hamlet to be dead, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are to be there to watch his death. On his way, Hamlet comes across the military of patrician Fortinbras, wherever he makes his final, and most significant, soliloquy. a lot of is alleged regarding revenge and his failure to own accomplished.

In conclusion, Revenge is that the drive of Hamlet and is what brings regarding the death of Hamlet and mythical being and also the rise of Fortinbras. Hamlet accepts his own death. The mythical being also is struck by Hamlet, yet, he doesn’t blame Hamlet within the finish, but rather, Claudius. Once Gertrude drinks the poisoned wine, and dies, and once his own fatal wound, Hamlet kills Claudius. At this point, Hamlet’s revenge is achieved, however at a nice price to him – his own life. Before his last breath, Hamlet names Fortinbras the new King of Denmark.

Works Cited

1. William, Shakespeare. Hamlet. Ed. Philip Edwards. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
2. Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth. 2nd ed. London: Macmillan, 1905.
3. Bush, Geoffrey. Shakespeare and the Natural Condition.Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1956.
4. Davis, Tenney L. “The Sanity of Hamlet.” The Journal of Philosophy, vol. 18, no. 23, 1921, pp. 629–634. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/2939352.

Today we have before you a good man whose mental state never had a chance to stand in this cruel world. A good man whose heart is just one of a mere boy’s, mourning the loss of his father. Betrayed by all, with the exception of one friend, our good prince stood alone in the world pondering whether to be or not to be. Won’t that always be the question? This is a relatable man with relatable features; every man who has felt the “pangs of despised love” knows this man. Every man whose mind has sunken away into a world beyond what is in front of him as his heart cries with sadness, bitterness, and remorse knows this man. Every one of us here today knows this man, for every one of us is this man. We are Hamlet.

In the events of what has transpired from this murder trial leading up to now I must again regard to the ladies and gentlemen of the court of the fact that my client was mentally unstable and that his actions did not have just cause in terms of him knowing what he was doing within the time frame of the murder. He was just a prince with a tormented soul who suffered immensely of the loss of father, killed by those close to him, you know who you are. To think otherwise would deny the fact. It would brandish him a man of genuine incompetence of the dire consequences for his full-blown actions and behaviour. What he has done is no more guilty as how his madness has represented him to be in some insane form that has recreated his uncontrolled being to the point that he is beyond recognition to all who once knew and loved him. Though I am not excluding the fact that Polonius was murdered by Hamlet, I am including that this case contains insanity that makes no judgment call in deciding who dies and who lives. The deciding factor of Polonius’ fate is unknown, but what is known is that his death was not planned from the beginning.

You all have the choice in deciding one’s fate today. He stands here before you in spirt. Choose what you all deem fit for him but choose wisely for the lasting effects will forever change the ending to this tragic story of a tragic man’s life. Let me ingrain these last thoughts in you on this particular moment. Young Hamlet was indeed wrong with his actions, but one cannot base all assumption upon his character and personality. That makes it uniquely his own on what madness in the namesake of revenge can ever amount to being in who he truly is inside. Judge not the false pretences of his actions, but that of the content of his character, for in what we seek here in this dark, dreary room, one shall find the answer. In conclusion to this case, I consensually believe that my client is not a murderer. He is, in essence, a man whose blinded and wretched madness sought the need to fulfil his revenge that further convulsed the murder of Polonius. What we have seen before us today is comparable to taking a box of puzzle pieces and dropping them on the ground before us. We have been given all of the pieces, and each one has a definite placement, but now it is up to you to decide which pieces go where. Put together the small ambiguous details to create the larger picture, and those pieces should spell NOT GUILTY.

References

1. https://www.timeout.com/melbourne/blog/hamlet-goes-on-trial-for-murder-in-melbourne-tonight-and-youre-the-jury-100617
2. https://www.c-span.org/video/?441661-2/justice-kennedy-presides-mock-trial-hamlet
3. http://katelynsportfolio2013.weebly.com/hamlet-closing-argument.html

In plays, many outside forces such as geography, other characters, religion, culture, and society play an important role in the development of characters. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s strong beliefs in Christianity influence his behavior and lead to his internal struggle of action versus inaction and ultimately tragedy.

Hamlet’s Christian beliefs about heaven and hell deter his desire to take revenge for his father’s murder. Upon seeing Claudius’s obviously guilty reaction to the play, Hamlet’s yearning for revenge grows stronger. He finds Claudius praying and draws his sword but hesitates to stab him in the back, saying “And so ‘a goes to heaven, /And so am I revenged. That would be scanned” (Shakespeare 3.3.74-75). Hamlet’s rationale in not murdering Claudius is that if he murders him while he prays then Claudius’s soul will be sent straight to heaven. His reasoning for not killing Claudius in that moment is almost sacrilegious. He hopes to take revenge on Claudius in a more morally compromising position so that he can have him suffer in hell. His thought process is somewhat twisted, and yet is still grounded in the Christian concept of heaven and hell. To truly punish Claudius for murdering his father, Hamlet wishes for him to suffer eternal torment in hell. Hamlet’s hesitancy to exact revenge for his father’s murder is based on his desire to see Claudius suffer.

Even though Hamlet’s beliefs in heaven and hell cause him to falter in taking revenge, his Christian beliefs on incest motivate him. Although Claudius and Gertrude are not related by blood, their relationship is incestuous in Hamlet’s eyes. He expresses his extreme disapproval by saying his mother “married. O, most wicked speed, to post/With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” (1.2.156-157). Hamlet emphasizes the quickness of their marriage in relation to his father’s death (only a couple months prior) and the comfortability with his mother in performing a heinous sexual act. He views their marriage as an act of betrayal by his mother and finds their physical relationship repulsive. According to Christian religious law, “the marriage of a brother to his deceased brother’s wife was as much an act of incest as if a brother and sister who shared the same mother and father had married” (Hamilton 171). Hamlet’s adherence to his Christian values causes him to vehemently despise their marriage. In addition, what makes Gertrude’s marriage to Claudius more extreme is that it perverts a sacred sacrament in Christianity, the sacrament of marriage (Hamilton 171). Hamlet’s “moral world” comes falling into chaos as he has to deny his mother, who he loves, “all true womanhood” (Snider 68). His mother’s marriage has “touched to the very core the profound ethical nature of Hamlet” and therefore leaves him feeling as though his “family relation is essentially annihilated” (Snider 68). His repulsion to his mother’s marriage, specifically as an opposition to Christian law and a destroyer of family relations, influences him to take revenge for his father’s murder.

The only other person with this viewpoint in the entirety of the play is King Hamlet, who is Hamlet’s biggest influence in acting but also causes some initial hesitation. Upon initially seeing the Ghost, Hamlet thinks that it is “not the ghost of his father, but an evil spirit taking on the earthly form of his father for its own malicious purposes” (Rea 208). Hamlet’s Christian beliefs and upbringing is what leads him to his thought process. When Hamlet and the Ghost are alone, the Ghost convinces Hamlet that he is truly his father. Yet when Hamlet is alone again, he begins having doubts and questions himself saying that “The spirit that [he has] seen/May be the devil” (2.2.610-611). The Ghost wants Hamlet to commit an extremely heinous crime-the murder of a king-and if the devil lures him with false pretenses then Hamlet’s soul would be captured (Rea 213). Hamlet decides that he cannot solely rely on the Ghost’s word and needs more proof before acting. Hamlet ends up deciding to host a play in order to test the Ghost’s validity. Once the Ghost is proven correct, Hamlet becomes extremely willing to take revenge. This inclination to believe his father comes from Hamlet’s idolization of him. Hamlet compares him to many Greek gods and that compared to Claudius he is “So excellent a king…Hyperion to a satyr” (1.2.139-140). The comparison to Hyperion, the god of heavenly light, showcases the exaggerated image that he has of his father. Because of his idolization of his father, King Hamlet’s testimony to his own murder directs the entire course of the play; his testimony is Hamlet’s main driving force (Snider 69). King Hamlet specifically mentions that the reason Prince Hamlet needs to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” is not only because Claudius is a murderer but because Claudius is “an incestuous…adulterate beast” by having physical relations with Gertrude (1.5.42). So not only are Hamlet’s Christian beliefs driving him against his uncle and mother’s relationship, but the voice of his father is as well. King Hamlet “gives pathos to Hamlet [and] furnishes the basis of his action” (Snider 69). Although Hamlet’s faith in his father initially wavers, he eventually believes him, and the Ghost becomes Hamlet’s main motivator in taking revenge.

Hamlet’s Christian upbringing leads to his internal struggle of whether he should take revenge or not. His beliefs about heaven and hell cause him to not only hesitate in killing Claudius but question the validity of his father’s Ghost. However, Hamlet’s abhorrence to his mother’s incestuous marriage, which is perpetuated by his father’s disgust as well, and the Ghost’s insistence on taking revenge provoke him into action. Ultimately, the play ends in the tragic death of all the main characters.

There were times when Hamlet would give out a piece of advice to one of the actors of the play on how to read the lines when in honesty if he would have taken and listened to his own advice he could have avoided running into multiple problems. That showed that he is not very orderly since he believes one should not treat words and actions differently, but he does that. The level of his depression, the number of times he’s doubted, and the amounts of death could have refrained if Hamlet would have done what the ghost asked instantly and made the death of Claudius look like a casualty. The heads of three important families were all murdered, the oldest sons of each family gave the oath to avenge them, but only one of the three sons was able to accomplish the oath. Revenge was the incentive of each of the sons, for two of the sons it led to their failure and destruction as for the other son it led to his succession and rise. The theme of revenge is continuously brought up multiple times. It’s almost in every theme and the main motive behind everyone’s actions and decisions. The development of the play is thanks to the motive of Hamlet’s wish for revenge.

Not all of the characters in the story go down the path of revenge alone, some of them ask advice from others, but each of them all goes about it in a different way. The timing of each person’s revenge is different as well; some went through with it immediately while others waited for the perfect time to go through with their plan. The commotion between Hamlet and Laertes only increases the amount of displeasure between the two, which results in the vengeance they desire. Both of them are overwhelmed by the amount of hatred they feel for the other but fear what would happen if their feelings were revealed. The story lacks decisive actions. Hamlet’s sanity spins out of control right after the death of his father, his mother’s instant marriage, and when the communication with the ghost begins. After the ghost confessed what had happened to him, Hamlet was consumed with confusion, fear, doubt, anxiousness, and his thoughts on revenge; there was too much going on in his head. His first intuition on hearing what happened to his father was to attempt to gain revenge. He fears the consequences of what would happen if he attempted that. Piece by piece he was falling apart slowly; damaging his mind. He withholds you to carry out his desire for revenge by holding onto his ethical reasoning, but by doing this he thinks that he is a weakling for stalling. His inner struggles begin to increase while his thoughts on self-worth do the opposite and decrease.

Hamlet can be considered to be doing both right and wrong in seeking revenge. There are many reasons as to why it could be both; it just depends on the point of view that you decide to look at it. Mostly the act of seeking revenge is on the wrong side for various reasons. It’s mainly on the wrong side because of the outcome and how it affected everyone including the kingdom. Revenge drove Ophelia and Hamlet to become mad; which resulted in Ophelia’s suicide and the death of Hamlet. Not only did revenge only bring death, but it also brought the separation between families and lovers. There were too many problems to solve before more were created. Not only did Hamlet fall because of his weak mind, but he had pushed Ophelia down that same path. All that is wanted is justice for what happened to his father. Hamlet believes avenge is necessary to move on and allow his father’s spirit who’s still in the castle to rest and finally be at peace. Hamlet believed that if he avenged his father he’d become a monster but in reality, it wouldn’t make a difference because both waiting and not waiting have consequences. There were others who were affected in the attempt of revenge when they weren’t even involved. Hamlet was so indecisive on what to do that there was no way he could tell the difference between right or wrong and that he himself didn’t know if what he was doing or planning to do was right or wrong, but in reality, it honestly was really wrong. Hamlet would’ve been doing the right thing if he would have killed Claudius as soon as the ghost told him instead of waiting for so long to decide what to do which just made everything fall apart and Hamlet didn’t seem to be in the right state of mind the longer he waited on his decision. Since he waited so long it was wrong because of the major impact not only was it a serious problem, but it could’ve had worse consequences; it brought innocent people into the problem and they died not knowing what was happening.

Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is a play ruled by Hamlet’s conscience. It is his values, attitudes and beliefs that drive the plot and contribute to the understanding of the social, cultural and historical context of Shakespeare’s time. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet in response to Elizabethan culture and life to compare the ideas of the era with the events and characters of the play creating a complex situation. Hamlet’s dilemma becomes the framework of the exploration of fundamental human concerns. Through Hamlet, Shakespeare examines, explores, investigates and questions fundamental and timeless human questions about life, death, loyalty and duty. Within the play, it is through the behaviours of the characters Hamlet, Gertrude and Ophelia that significantly demonstrate the historical, social and cultural contexts of Shakespeare time. Such notions are established through gender roles, sexuality in terms of the roles of both men and women in the Elizabethan era and religion with its many influences on the laws and norms governing the society. Nevertheless, although Shakespeare’s work was written hundreds of years ago, his literal works continue remains to influence contemporary culture and literature as his works outstandingly comment on human nature, condition, truth and life on earth.

By applying a feminist lens, it becomes evident that the social standards of Renaissance life were characterised by misogyny and the influence of the feudalistic chivalric code. This is evidently seen through the behaviours of the characters of Ophelia and Gertrude as both women seem to struggle with their dependence on men. During the Elizabethan era, many women were subjected to inferiority to men. Acts of disobedience to husbands, fathers, and brothers were not only viewed as socially unacceptable but a crime against religion. Women were incapable of living a life of their own as societal influences pressured them to marry, give birth and raise children. Gertrude is a prime example of a married woman who was a mother. According to David Lawrence, “[Ophelia’s] history is an instance of how someone can be driven mad by having her feelings misrepresented, not responded to, or acknowledged only through chastisement and repression. From her entrance on, Ophelia must continually respond to the commands which imply distrust even as they compel obedience.” (1978). The influence of the feudalistic chivalric code is also applicable to Hamlet as men were expected to live bold public lives. The gender roles of the time placed boundaries and restrictions on the ways Hamlet could exercise his grief following the death of his father. “In Hamlet, there are also some personality traits which are generally believed as belonging to women, such as his hesitation, evasion of princely duties and emotional dependence. As Elaine Showalter analyses through the numerous castings of Hamlet on stage, Hamlet is often portrayed as a woman. It is perhaps because Hamlet’s emotional vulnerability can so readily be conceptualized as feminine that this is the only heroic male role in Shakespeare which has been regularly acted by women… (223).” (Dee-Yan, 2009). This may be because Hamlet’s emotional state was confined within the wall of sixteenth-century construction of masculinity ideology which led to his inability to act with the tension between inward and outward expectation. Nevertheless, his misogynistic attitude towards women had been spoiled and places blame on Gertrude’s actions of remarrying after the death of Hamlet’s father. The feminist critical lens reveals the sexist and stereotypical aspect of the play written during the Elizabethan era through the treatment and behaviours that are displayed predominantly through the characters of Claudius and Hamlet because of their mistreatment and lack of respect towards the female characters in the play.

The protestant reformation not only influenced a great amount of the culture in the Elizabethan era but as a religion, significantly influenced the many attitudes to sexuality. “Early modern English women were constructed as the more sexual of the two genders as such men in their constant patriarchal policing by father, brother, and husband (Gajowski).” (Olivas T, 2015). Sex outside of marriage was clearly sinful but so was sex inside of marriage if it was a matter of passion rather than procreating, the informs the audience of the reading of Hamlet’s accusation against his mother in her closet. “Hamlet intends to make his mother see the error she has made in marrying Claudius. Gertrude says, “Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.” Hamlet answers with his true feeling by saying, “Mother, you have my father much offended” (III. Iv. 9-10). Hamlet tells the queen that she is being too sexual for her age. He also shows his repulsion of her choice of Claudius over his virtuous father.” (Sharmin S, 2018). Hamlet does this incompletely on the grounds that he is fixated on Gertrude’s sexuality and her new marriage. Hence, when Hamlet says, ‘something is spoiled in the territory of Denmark’ (1.4.90), some would concur that the ‘something’ is Gertrude. Gertrude gives the maternal nearness in Hamlet. She epitomizes the sexuality that makes this tragedy. This furthermore comments on the fact that “Ophelia is subtler in dealing with Hamlet’s sexual puns and mockery. She doesn’t attempt to confront his vicious attack with equally bawdy puns, nor does she succumb to the embarrassing situation. Yet, Ophelia cunningly dissolves Hamlet’s wild rhetorical assaults.” (Chen Y, 2011). The sexuality of many women and some men during the Elizabethan era was expected to be placed under suppression which explores the many roles sexuality played socially and culturally and the many ways it influenced the behaviours of the characters in Hamlet.

Historically, Denmark was a predominantly Protestant nation at the time of the play’s composition therefore, in Hamlet, Christian notions, elements and practices were highly evident. This was displayed through the acts of repentance, as King Claudius is seen praying for forgiveness in Act three, Scene three. Protestantism ideology is also in place as the afterlife and one’s mortality is commented on by Hamlet. The idea of Catholic purgatory should be noted as Hamlet believes it is where the ghost of his father resides. The play has a lot to say about purgatory, for instance, the presence of the ghost suggests a more superstitious world than the apparently rationally protestants wish for which also touches on The Great Chain of Being. In the play, during the ghost scene in Act One, Scene five, Shakespeare does not use iambic petametre inciting a response from the audience given the political and social influence at the time. Shakespeare was writing at a time when many of the population would have had to adapt under different rulers, to different aspects of the Christian faith, and would have held a variety of views – no matter what the current ruler and laws, they expected them to believe. In Act three, Scene one, Hamlet’s hesitation is due to the influence of the Catholic church. Although Hamlet contemplated suicide, the religious beliefs served as an impendent however Ophelia killing herself contradicts such an idea. Hence this illustrates the great impact the Protestant reform had on the characters in Hamlet as well as the influence religion had on Renaissance life.

The use of culture and lifestyles in the play from the Elizabethan era helps create the dramatic complication the characters go through which is transient throughout their behaviour. This gives the modern reader an inside view of the era of Queen Elizabeth the first and life during the Renaissance. Hamlet is universally described now as the play that captures the essence of every new generation. There are many situations the modern audience can relate to such as the divorce and remarriage rates are so high today that Gertrude’s sexual crime seems normal. Nevertheless, factors such as gender roles, sexuality in terms of the roles of both men and women in the Elizabethan era and religion with its many influences on the laws and norms governing the society were significantly influenced by the social, cultural and historical contexts of Shakespeare’s time. The fundamental feminist critical lens reveals the sexist and stereotypical aspect of the play written during the Elizabethan era through the treatment and behaviours that are displayed predominantly through the characters of Claudius and Hamlet because of their mistreatment and lack of respect towards the female characters in the play. The sexuality of many women and some men during the Elizabethan era was expected to be placed under suppression which explores the many roles sexuality played socially and culturally and the many ways it influenced the behaviours of the characters in Hamlet.