Comment on the dramatic significance of any three scenes in Hamlet.

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Q. Comment on the dramatic significance of any three scenes in Hamlet.

        

Act 1 Scene 1

        Act 3 Scene 2

        Act 5 Scene 2

     

Ans.                 Shakespeare’s tragedies revolve around a person of social or intellectual status whose life is ruined by one great mistake or a tragic flaw. Hamlet reveals Shakespeare’s gift for dramatic characterization and brilliant poetic imagery. Shakespeare truly understands the human mind and sympathises with the problems an individual faces. This he does through his powerful language and striking visual imagery.

 

        Shakespeare wrote the play around the turn of the 17th century Elizabethan London was full of intellectual and artistic ideas, Hamlet is probably one of Shakespeare's most studied and popular plays. Loosely based on Danish history, the play most likely has its origins in Histories Tragiques. The atmosphere was politically turbulent and dangerous. When Shakespeare wrote Hamlet he was already very experienced and a master of poetic techniques and stagecraft. He began to attempt radical new ways of engaging his audience. Hamlet’s popularity is due to his artistic exuberance, rich and varied incidents, characters and language. We observe Hamlet’s decoration of love for Horatio and his friend’s tender fare well. Shakespeare’s heroes have preoccupation with self and are introspective in nature. His tragic heroes are haunted by their conscience seeking their true selves agonizing over what course of action to take, as they follow what can often be understood as a kind of spiritual progress towards heaven or hell.

        Hamlet is an intensely theatrical play. It richly displays Shakespeare’s interest in his own profession as actor and playwright, and the London theatres at the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Shakespeare’s plays are written for the stage and so are intended to be performed and seen by audience. The work of art mimics the beliefs, assumptions and prejudices of the society of which it is produced. Hamlet was produced at a time of intellectual religious and political controversy. The rice of capitalism tested the absolute power of the monarchy. Hamlet dramatizes the struggles of the Elizabethan period.    

                                                                                                        

        During the Elizabethan times, evocative passages reflected philosophical thoughts, these thoughts were often spoken in verse and rhyme also was used to convey excitement and passion. There was no real scenery and so setting was created through the magic of words. In Elizabethan theatre tragedy occurred when the essential good in a person is wasted when evil or tragic flaw overcomes the person. Shakespeare made events of the past have relevance to the present and the events also had a universal significance. In Hamlet the ghost of his father adds to the element in the play. In Elizabethan revenge was thought to be noble and manly and there can be order only if man can control his passions. Use of soliloquies and the use of dramatic irony would be considered as a literary tradition.

 

Hamlet portrays the inner turmoil of an alienated melancholy young man ordered by a ghost to avenge his father’s death. His emotional journey results in great harm to others as her travels from deeply troubled questioning or “to be or not to be--” and the calm acceptance to “let be.” It tells us about human life and responsibilities, it “holds up the mirror up to nature,”

Use of metaphors and similes are the lifeblood of Shakespeare’s language. The images often form clusters. In Hamlet a number of images of sickness and disease are descriptive of the unwholesome condition of Denmark. There is also much beauty; dignity and majesty included the poetry of Hamlet. Shakespeare is able to capture a spontaneous outburst of emotions very effectively through his language and choice of words. In Elizabethan time punning was very popular, Shakespeare shows mastery of style and diction. The passage which talks about the qualities of a man show Shakespeare can write prose with as much power as verse. This is one of the finest passages in the play. The speeches in Hamlet are distinctive absorbing and engrossing. They deal with fundamental human problems.

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The dramatic significance sustains the readers’ interest as the play builds up tension. Shakespeare has uses forceful imagery and dialogue to keep up the reader’s interest. Shakespeare has shown the emotions that are related to relationships. Shakespeare has used the element of valuing relationships to make the scenes more dramatic.

 

In Hamlet’s first appearance Shakespeare uses ‘action’, ‘play’ and ‘show’ as he angrily denies his grief, which is merely signified, in his outward appearance. The play presents Hamlet as a clever and thoughtful person who doesn’t like to rush into things.

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