How effectively does Shakespeare introduce the characters and themes of 'Hamlet'?

How effectively does Shakespeare introduce the characters and themes of ‘Hamlet’?

By Phillip Preston 12.8

‘Hamlet’, written by William Shakespeare around 1600 is one of his most famous and popular plays. Hamlet as a character is created as a complex man who is struggling with powers and plots beyond his ability to control in an effort to seek justice. In the early part of the play, Shakespeare creates some of the themes and introduces the main characters that shall continue throughout it, including Hamlet himself and his Uncle Claudius. Hamlet knows that there was something suspicious concerning the death of his father, and he strongly dislikes his uncle who married his brother’s widow and became King. Whilst Hamlet in the opening scenes does not outrightly accuse his Uncle of killing his father, the dislike is evident to the audience and this constitutes one of the main themes – appearance versus reality otherwise known as hypocrisy.

Act I, Scene II creates this theme when Claudius and Hamlet are introduced to each other. The first thing that Hamlet says is ‘A little more than kin, and less than kind!’. This aside is destroying the image that Claudius is trying to create - that Hamlet is his son. The pun, playing on the word ‘kind’ meaning offspring, is displaying Hamlet’s ready wit and intelligence. Hamlet is telling the audience that he feels bitter towards Claudius’ claims and that he is not pleased with what Claudius is trying to do. He is therefore showing the reality behind the appearance that Claudius is attempting to create. Shakespeare introduces this theme very effectively, as it is not only portraying the feelings of the two main characters, but it is also clear and immediately sets up tension between the two and this theatrical device is very useful in keeping the audience captivated. This theme can also be called deception, and when related to Claudius and Hamlet this seems more appropriate in this scene, since each, more so Hamlet, is covering their true feelings for each other. The audience sees evidence of this with Hamlet’s nature towards his uncle. The line ‘I shall in all my best, madam’ is evidence of his dislike. He is agreeing with his mother, about staying in Denmark rather than returning to Wittenburg, whom he loves and he displays it so obviously as to snub his uncle, whom he dislikes, but at the same time is deceptive about his true feelings for Claudius. The body language of the actor however, would make it clear to the audience that he didn’t like him. Indeed, the audience may get the feeling that Claudius does not like Hamlet either, as he is a threat to his power, but conceals this dislike for the sake of his wife, who would be horrified. This is brought across by Claudius’ continual referral to Hamlet as his son, which he knows that he does not like, and so does so to anger him. This insensitivity and insult is again showing how deception is used to mask one character’s true feelings for another. This theme is also introduced very effectively since it again contributes to the atmosphere of tension that has been created by Hamlet and Claudius in relation to their relationship with one another, and so one theme has been created off the back of another. In relation to this point, the theme of disorder has also been introduced – an uncle and nephew should get along but they do not. This is going against what one would imagine would happen.

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The disorder theme has already been introduced however, in the first scene. The most obvious example is the presence of the Ghost. It is an example of disorder of the natural world and a disruption of the divine right, since as the soldiers claim it looks ‘like the King’. If it is indeed Hamlet’s father then the kingship should have passed to Hamlet and not to his brother. This is a travesty, and an Elizabethan audience would have appreciated the significance of this much more, since they were far more concerned with religion and the power of the monarch. The language that Marcellus uses also contributes to the disorder theme – ‘Is it not like the King?’. He should have said, is it not like our last king? Since he refers to the ghost as the current king, the audience immediately picks up on the fact that there is disorder and discontent within Denmark, in relation to Claudius’ kingship. This suggestion of divided loyalties is again in reference to the theme of disorder, since they should all be directed to the current king, and not the dead one (or, if following the divine right, his son – Hamlet). Since Marcellus is a guard at the palace, the fact that he is referring to the dead king as the one who should be one the throne is very significant since it tells the audience that there is discontent and disorder within the army which is dangerous. The theme of danger is therefore created and is also reflected in the presence of the ghost since it suggests something foul is afoot, and getting too close to it could become dangerous. The themes of danger and disorder are tied together with Horatio’s disclosure that Fortinbras of Norway is planning to invade Denmark and that he is recruiting mercenaries, ‘lawless resolutes’, to do so. This lack of integrity on the Norwegian king’s part suggests disorder since it is insinuating that he does not have an army of his own, and coupled with that are the connotations that mercenaries are notoriously disordered. The danger is present in the fact that Denmark is about to be invaded and if, as already shown, the army is not content with their leader, this could pose a far more serious threat. The structure of Horatio’s speech in Act I Scene II is also suggestive of disorder, the lines vary between 8 and 12 syllables per line. Whilst most adhere to the iambic pentameter and decasyllabic pattern, the frequent few that break it are again in reference to the disorder since it is showing how the pattern is being broken, and all is not well. Therefore, in the first scene, Shakespeare has managed to introduce two themes through dramatic, structural and linguistic techniques. The themes that are introduced are very dramatic and have a large effect upon the audience since what they represent is that something very bad is about to happen, and this creates tension. This is built upon by the relationship between Claudius and Hamlet in scene II, and whilst it is good to have tension, it is not a pleasant experience for the audience since they start to fear for characters they have sympathy for. And an audience may at this stage of the play have sympathy for Claudius.

Bertram Joseph says that ‘when the play begins, there is no indication that Claudius is a villain’. This is true, and the audience can in scene II sympathise with his character. What the audience sees is the very image that Claudius is presenting to his court as a new king, and so he must come across as pleasant and strong. This he does and the audience empathises with him, more so when they see Hamlet and his attitude towards him. They feel sorry for Claudius as what they see is him trying to be conciliatory towards Hamlet, declaring him a son, and making an effort to be nice only to have it thrown back at him, from what the audience perceives as a rebellious teenager. The literal, conversational way in which he speaks will also endear him to an audience since they will be able to understand him, and whilst the lack of imagery is not interesting, it allows for his speech to flow easily. The unrhythmic quality of it however, and the authoritarian way in which he gives out orders means that some in the audience will be slightly put off by his manner, suspecting him of not being as strong a leader as he is wishing to appear as. They may even find him slightly cruel as in his speech he talks about ‘mirth in funeral’. This image will shock as his brother has just died, and it is evident he is talking about him. This nastiness is also heightened by the fact he is talking to his wife, his late brother’s wife as well, and in the same line says that there is ‘dirth in marriage’. This cruelty towards his brother and his wife will definitely put some people off his character, and the fact he is describing ‘mirth’ in relation to funerals will create suspicion. Claudius would find it amusing only if he knows what he has gained (the kingship) and how he gained it (murder), yet no one else does. This feeling of power will undoubtedly create ‘mirth’ in his eyes. Shakespeare has therefore created a character than can be viewed in one of two ways. The one that succeeds is the villainous one, as in scene V we discover that he has indeed killed his brother and from there the audience’s opinion of him is severely tainted. Shakespeare has thereby created the ‘perfect’ villain, someone who is likeable and who is not noticeably a villain upon the outside, thanks to hypocrisy. Shakespeare has attempted to portray this dual image with Hamlet as well, yet it does not work, and as such his effectiveness as a character is decreased.

The two ways that Hamlet can be interpreted at this early stage of the play is as an annoying, rebellious teenager or as a tragic, suppressed hero. The former view is in relation to his acting with Claudius, he ignores him and makes sarcastic comments, playing on what he has said, such as with the ‘kin and kind’ example earlier. This allows part of the creation of Claudius’ ‘good’ image, which is wrong. This is where Shakespeare’s attempt at creating a dual possibility for Hamlet falls down. The good, but as we know - wrong, interpretation of Claudius’ character is so strong, thanks to a number of elements added in by Shakespeare, that it makes the pathetic, and as we know – wrong, interpretation of Hamlet very weak. Therefore Shakespeare has defeated himself in his using of the dramatic technique, and again the use of hypocrisy, since in creating one very strong character, he has attempted to do the same with another, but the impact is not as strong. Therefore when Hamlet first enters, the audience takes a dislike towards him and a critical view and as such, Shakespeare has failed in portraying Hamlet’s character effectively. The other interpretation, that of the hero, is not so weak but only really comes to fruition during Hamlet’s soliloquy after the rest of the characters have left in scene II. It is structured in iambic pentameter, which suggests sincerity and emotion and the language too reflects this.

‘so loving to my mother

That he might not beteem the winds of heaven

Visit her face too roughly.’

This emotion and imagery in his soliloquy help Shakespeare to create a very effective character, since it is the opposite of what Claudius is and the contrast between the two allows for very interesting drama. This extract shows Hamlet’s love for his mother, in that he is praying to heaven that his uncle does not harm her emotionally nor physically. He does not want her to change and this prayer for continuity in relation to what he holds dear is very insightful into his character since he wants what he loves to continue (his mother), but he wants those things he does not like (his uncle) to end. What is evident from this quote however, is that he has accepted what has happened and sees it as what will be the ‘norm’ for his foreseeable future. This can be seen from the tone and language, the tone is regretful as if he has come to terms with what has happened. The choice of words such as ‘heaven’ suggests strength and age, as if he expects their marriage to last as long as heaven has done. The effect upon the audience is to sympathise immediately with his character and feel for his situation. Tied in with this is the dislike for Claudius. The audience will change sides once they hear Hamlet’s side of the tale, and in making them do so, it means Shakespeare has created a very effective character since he has been able to completely change their point of view. This is something that is not easy to do, and as such needs a very powerful character to be able to do so.

The opening scenes, and indeed the act, are all used by Shakespeare to create his main characters and themes that will continue throughout the play. Some of these themes are very evident, yet Shakespeare subtly creates others by the development of the original, such as danger from the sense of disorder in the first scene. This layering of themes, and therefore emotions, is incredibly effective since it draws the audience into the play, allowing them to empathise with the characters on a higher level. The two main characters – Hamlet and Claudius, are also created very effectively. Shakespeare uses them to play off each other and create two ‘false’ characters and opinions about each one. This is very skilful, but as examined, the portrayal of Hamlet’s double personality is not as good as Claudius’, and so it decreases the impact of his entrance into the play. Later on though, when he is developed, it becomes evident that he is a person who is the protagonist to Claudius’ antagonistic ways. This means two very powerful men have been created, ones that the audience can both fear and respect, yet sympathise with at the same time. By doing this, the effectiveness of the play as a whole is increased vastly.