Furthermore, Shakespeare exhibits how Hamlet chose to devise a plan of acting mad, rather than avenging his father’s death immediately, progressing to his demise. On the other hand, Hamlet questions the appearance of his father: “The spirit that I have seen may be the devil”(II.ii.610,611). Consequently, Shakespeare conveys that Hamlet’s indecisiveness about his father’s murderer necessitates him to procrastinate more, and lead further to his death. However, Hamlet accomplishes the opportunity to murder Claudius, yet believes it is not the right time: “Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent”(III.iii.91). In fact, he desires that “...his soul may be damned and black as hell”(III.iii.97).
iii 106 - 140] then meddling and subversive, as he sets spies on his own son, and finally irredeemably and ultimately fatally corrupt and subversive, as he schemes and plots around Hamlet. His death - physical corruption - is a precursor, signifying to the audience the ultimate fate of all those characters exhibiting signs of corruption. Polonius seems to be the most obviously corrupt character, but the centre of evil of the play's plot and of the kingdom is Claudius, as he kills King Hamlet. When Marcellus states, 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.' [Act I, Sc.
Hamlet ICTW In conveying the contempt the Ghost and Hamlet embrace towards the Queen and Claudius, Shakespeare, in his tragedy Hamlet, integrates Claudius’s need for power in order to irradiate the notion of Claudius’s selfishness and human betrayal. In the passage, the damning diction employed by the Ghost reveals biblical undertones and apprises the reader of the conniving ways of Claudius and the Queen. The ghost describes Claudius through the metaphor of a serpent- evoking a biblical reference Adam and Eve. The Ghost reveals that Claudius murdered him by saying: “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.” By employing the wording “serpent,” it highlights Claudius’ sneaky ways: slithering about to take over the throne. Claudius purposefully set out to murder his own flesh and blood, which proves his selfishness, similar to the biblical reference of the serpent.
The struggle to act upon his father’s murder is a key factor in Hamlet’s disillusionment with the world. The Elizabethan period was a time that demanded revenge and this is even true in our present time to some extent. An eye for an eye approach was considered socially correct which Hamlet initially suggests ‘May sweep to my revenge’. Since Claudius has become the new king, he is considered a false king and imposter to the throne by Hamlet and this leads to the collapse of the natural hierachy that was in place. He states ‘tis an unweeded garden’ alluding to the fact that a false king leads to corruption which finally leads to the collapse of the hierarchy.
Banquo illustrated Macbeth’s subconscious belief that he was an undeserved kin, for he has played “foully.” Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s conscience to show how even the idea of power can be strongly manifested in someone’s mind and slowly corrupt any existence of principles and integrity, once again emphasizing the idea that “absolute power corrupts absolutely. “Another example of Shakespeare using Macbeth’s internal conflict to depict the theme, “absolute power corrupts absolutely” was after Duncan’s regicide. After hearing the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth contemplates on committing regicide on the King but once again his conscience constricts him from doing so. However, he is clearly vacillating with the thought of murder when he says, “if chance will have me king, why chance may crown me without stir. His inner conflict is shown explicitly in act 1, scene 7 when he weighs not only the detrimental political consequences of the murder but also the moral values involved.
The revelation is in itself a dramatic effect as the audience becomes more intrigued and excited on how Hamlet has managed to get them killed. The language used by Hamlet when explaining how he had managed to get them killed depict his anger towards treachery ‘Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes/between the pass and fell incensed points/of mighty opposites’ (5.2.61-63). This could also depict the notion of Hamlet’s attitude towards the lower rank; it is most likely that Hamlet and Claudius that belong to the upper rank regard Guildenstern and Rosencrantz as inferior breeding. On the other hand ‘mighty opposites’ could also suggest Hamlet referring to the two forces of evil and good. Moreover the dramatic effect that Shakespeare outlines when Hamlet narrates to Horatio his plan to save himself that he has realised that ‘There's a divinity that shapes our ends, /Rough-hew them how we
God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! This is the first time that the reader sees Hamlet’s inner turmoil as he considers committing suicide over the death of his father but decides he cannot, for the consequence would be hell. It is important to note that purgatory and hell are referenced numerous times throughout the play as a consequence for giving into selfish thoughts or actions. In this particular instance however, this soliloquy also lends to the idea that Hamlet is insane due to the passing of his father.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet has and intricate plot formed by the characters and themes throughout it. One major idea is Hamlet’s changing sanity, which fluctuates through the play as a performance and as a true madness. The other main theme which develops the play is the act of vengeance, with the delay and doubt that accompanies it. These themes, along with dramatic devices and the characters in the plot, add to the textual integrity of the play. There is a duality to the character of Hamlet, as his madness changes from a performance to true insanity throughout the play.
Which everyone knows will lead to his downfall. To prove this is the reason, while analyzing the play, the points that come to mind are that Hamlet only acts when he does not think about the consequences of his actions, and when he accuses himself of over thinking, catching himself in the act, or even when Hamlet had a clear chance to kill Claudius but stop and thinks of all the things that will happen to him. From all these points it is clear that the reason Hamlet delays to avenge his father’s death is because he is in a deep state where he “over-thinks” or “over-philosophizes” which can suggest that he is in fact “thought-sick”. Wolfgang Von Goethe presents the point that the delay is a natural struggle, of a “lovely, pure and most sensitive nature, without the strength of
Hamlet 1) Hamlet's madness is an act of deception, concocted to draw attention away from his suspicious activities as he tries to gather evidence against Claudius. He reveals to Horatio his deceitful plan to feign insanity in 1.5: Here, as before, never, so help you mercy, How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I, perchance, hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on, That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this head-shake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As 'Well, well, we know'; or 'We could, an if we would'; Or 'If we list to speak'; or 'There be, an if they might'; Or such ambiguous giving out, to note That you know aught of me: this is not to do, So grace and mercy at your most need help you. (187-199) 2) Hamlet stages The Murder of Gonzago, itself an elaborate deception, to try to catch Claudius in his guilt. He again reveals his deceit to Horatio: Give him a heedful note For I mine eyes will rivet to his face, And after we will both our judgments join In censure of his seeming. (3.2.86-89) 3) Hamlet schemes to deceive his mother, Gertrude, at their meeting in her closet.