This paper gives and overview and brife description of the motivations and emotions of Hamlet, the main character in Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Poetry is used to fully underand and explore the emotions of anger, grief and guilt
RUNNING HEAD: HAMLET'S EMOTION AND MOTIVATION Emotion and Motivation in Hamlet Jennifer Steele University of South Calolina Aiken "On my honor as a USCA student, I have neither given nor received any unauthorized aid on this paper. To the best of my knowledge, I am not in violation of academic honesty." Abstract This paper gives and overview and brife description of the motivations and emotions of Hamlet, the main character in Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Poetry is used to fully underand and explore the emotions of anger, grief and guilt. Peotry also alows the reader to dig deeper into the motivations behind the actions of the play. William Shakespeare, was an English playwright and poet, was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England, in 1564. This was the sixth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The exact date of his birth is unknown however we know that he was christened on April 26th, 1564. William was the third child and oldest son of John and Mary Arden Shakespeare. Shakespeare's two sisters, Joan and Margaret, died before Shakespeare was born, the other children were Gilbert, a second Joan, Anne, Richard, and Edmund (http://www.allshakespeare.com/hamlet/). William Shakespeare was one of the world's most renowned authors. He is best known for his play Hamlet. It continues to be one of Shakespeare's most popular and frequently staged plays. The play Hamlet is his
Consider Kenneth Branagh’s Screen Version Of “Hamlet”. How Successful Is His Presentation Of Act Five Scene One? Consider The Scene In Detail, In Order To Show Your Understanding Of The Original Text.
Christopher Tattersall 10E2 RAC 6 / Shakespeare's "Hamlet" T.A.F.W - 3 DP and 1HWK 02 May 2007 Consider Kenneth Branagh's Screen Version Of "Hamlet". How Successful Is His Presentation Of Act Five Scene One? Consider The Scene In Detail, In Order To Show Your Understanding Of The Original Text. The play, "Hamlet", was written over four hundred years ago, by the famous play write William Shakespeare. For that reason, the language and jokes in the play are difficult to understand for the people of the twenty first century. Shakespeare writes in poetry and blank verse for the more elevated characters in the play, also using rhyming couplets to end scenes. However, prose is the style for the lower class of his characters. Many screen versions have been made of this play, but Branagh's adaptation is one of the only versions that keep the original dialogue from this Shakespeare classic. This play tends to be very popular with the people of modern society, whether as a film version or a theatre production. The reason it's so popular is because it deals with the issues that most of us have to face in modern day life, for example, it contains a breakdown of trust and friendship, and it faces such issues as morality and mortality. "Hamlet" has been given a 'revenge tragedy' plot by Shakespeare. When we say 'tragedy', as in the modern usage, we don't just mean a sad event, it is a
Hamlet & Madness
The idea of a character feigning madness is not unusual in great literary works; many authors use it to show the sanity of a character. This idea is apparent throughout Hamlet. In the masterpiece, there is much debate around the protagonist, Hamlet, and whether or not his madness in the play was real or feigned. Literary scholars have debated this for more than four hundred years. One of the possible reasons for the intense recognition of this play is the way Shakespeare uses Hamlet's theme of madness to serve a motive, of how one must use deception in order to deceive others to get the truth. In this play, the tragic hero contemplates his own concepts of moral judgement and in the process is considered mad. Hamlet claims to feign his madness, but is it debated that he actually has some characteristics of a madman. His madness can be defined by his inability to decide between right and wrong and to make appropriate decisions based on the standards of society. Hamlets circumstances in the play were a major contribution to his 'madness.' His father, King Hamlet, has just been murdered; his mother, Gertrude, had married his uncle Claudius only a short time after her late husband dies, stripping Hamlet from his natural right to the throne. The ghost of his dead father appeared to him with instructions to revenge Claudius for his murder and finally, his love Ophelia was no
siginificance of ghost in hamlet
Shakespearean Tragedies are typical of overwhelming grief and revengeful characters which Hamlet is a prime example of. The writer's inclusion of the Ghost not only adds to the dramatic effect of the play but also the plot and outcome. The Ghost plays a critical role in defining the destinies of the other characters and lifting the structure of Hamlet. Shakespeare applied the Ghost at the opening of the play for a theatrical and foreboding introduction to Hamlet. The audience is immediately hit with a frightening scene of confusion and interest. By exploring the language and structure of Hamlet we can begin to understand the importance of the Ghost in Act One. By generating the interest of the audience in the first scene of Hamlet the playwright can immediately immerse the audience in what the guards have witnessed. "What, has this thing appeared again tonight?". Horatio questions the existence of the Ghost and says "Tush, tush, 'twill not appear". This adds to the suspense the audience is experiencing as they wonder whether the Ghost will actually appear. Shakespeare uses the connotations of the Ghost to create a threatening opening to the play. The audience establishes the setting of Scene One when Francisco says "'Tis bitter cold" and Bernado exclaims "Tis now struck twelve". At the time, the audience would have known these to be conventional features of a witching hour.
Comparing an extract from Assassins by Stephen Sondheim with an extract from Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
Introduction In our scripted piece we worked from an extract from Hamlet by William Shakespeare. We compared this with an extract from Assassins by Stephen Sondheim. Our scripted piece was written between 1602-1604 where royals ruled society. In contrast when Assassins was written which was in 1990, society was democratic & governed by a President. Themes In our scripted piece the theme was set around a grave to which the two actors spoke. We called it the gravedigger scene. We were trying to work out whether or not Hamlet was mad or whether it was an act. But Assassins also deals with death and some degree of madness you could argue. When comparing this to our scripted piece it does differ in many different aspects. One being the story line, the genre etc. But they both deal with death and madness. Just in slightly different contexts. The other difference is the style of the pieces. Style Hamlet was written in the style of an Elizabethan verse drama, which is a bit like the old English, whereas Assassins was a musical this was different in a huge way as the audience would enjoy Assassins a lot more in a different way, because people love music. Hamlet though, was more of a show which needed more concentration and there would be no clapping hands or singing in the audience. Plus Assassins would have been performed inside in a theatre but Hamlet was performed in
Comparison of Hamlet Soliloquies
Contrast and comparison of two of Hamlet's Soliloquies Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' presents us with many apparent elements that are expressed through various mediums. One of the most effective mediums is the use of soliloquies. This journal entry will breakdown the first and last soliloquies delivered by Hamlet and denote there meanings whilst contrasting and comparing them. In regards to the soliloquies it is evident that they are both significant to the play and progress of the characters. It is evident that these two soliloquies add importance to the progression of the play as they deliver differing situations in the play. Shakespeare uses each soliloquy as a philosophical analysis that introduces upcoming themes and happenings. They allow foreshadowing to take place in order for the audience to understand the crucial events that will ultimately follow. For example in the first soliloquy, Hamlet establishes strong thoughts about death, both of his father and suicide. It is also later revealed that Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, has married his mother. Through this soliloquy, Shakespeare incorporates immense depth to the character of Hamlet as well as the other main characters. It enables the audience to understand Hamlet's stance and further insight into his thought patterns in regards to death, suicide and duty to God and family. "Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd his cannon
Consider the significance and importance of the Ghost to the play, to the other characters and to the audience, both contemporary and Elizabethan.
AS Level Shakespeare Module Assessment Task ) Consider the significance and importance of the Ghost to the play, to the other characters and to the audience, both contemporary and Elizabethan. In Shakespeare's 'Hamlet', the ghost plays a key role in influencing the destinies of the other characters. The ghost is important to the play as it symbolizes both fate and catalyses the plot. It also brings the play into the revenge tragedy genre, which allows foreshadowing to occur and helps the audience, both Elizabethan and contemporary to better understand the play and appreciate it. The late King Hamlet is forced to roam the earth as he was murdered before he could confess to his sins, having to remain in purgatory till his sins are washed from him and he is able to enter into heaven. Hamlet, the tragic hero of the play, and is influenced by the encounter with whom he believes to be his late father, the ghost. Hamlet was both horror-struck and mortified to hear of his father's betrayal. He immediately felt that he must avenge his father and this reveals the role of the ghost, who is able to affect the protagonist. Hamlet is instructed to punish Claudius, the late King Hamlet's brother and murderer. The ghost reveals that Claudius, by killing his own brother, has committed a, "murder most foul," and deserves to die. Written during the first part of the seventeenth century, the
Comparison of the revenge carried out by the protagonists of the books Broken April and The Thief and the Dogs.
Comparison of the revenge carried out by the protagonists of the books Broken April and The Thief and the Dogs. Both books Broken April and The Thief and the Dogs revolve entirely around revenge. The revenge in both these books is to the highest degree different. We can see this difference mainly in the motives and methods of the protagonists. In Broken April, 'the Kanun'1 forced the revenge exhibited by Gjorg. We must remember that Gjorg wanted to end traditional 'war' between his family and Zef's because death made him sick, not just the prospect of dying but also Zef's death. Also he has nothing against Zef or his family but the fact that he has to kill Zef because legislation called for it. On the other hand in The Thief and the Dogs, Said felt angry about the way that Ilish reported his thieving activities to the police and the manner in which his wife, Nabawaiyya, was part of the plot to put him in jail. Though he acted as though he had made his peace with it, he was determined to 'strike like fate'2 as they had besides taking away his freedom, his riches and his pride, had also kept away his daughter, Sana, from him and this angered him the most. The episode that really strengthened his resolve was when Sana refused to recognize and seemed scared of him. Said felt that 'prison lashings had not been as cruel as'3 his daughter not recognizing him. This made Said sad
Hamlet's First Soliloquy
Victor Morrow 1/15/03 Hamlet's First Soliloquy Hamlet's world is crashing rapidly down over his head as the era of Old King Hamlet comes to an end and the era of Claudius comes into being. The world has not allotted Hamlet a movement to grieve before his mother and the kingdom has moved on without him. His mother has remarried to what he believes is a villain. Without being able to return to Wittenberg, Hamlet no longer has an escape from his problems. The ideals, religious beliefs, and family have betrayed. With his father dead and his mother a villain's whore, he has no one to confide in. Claudius tries to impose fatherly advice upon him, but solutions from the source of the problem do him little good. Denmark has changed drastically in government in less than a month and the threat of war is on their doorstep. His back is against the wall and life is becoming unbearable. Hamlet's soliloquy affects a tone of despair and woe. Hamlet contemplates his own death. Speaking metaphorically about his flesh melting, Hamlet wishes that suicide was not a sin. Hamlet has lost what he has to live for. The throne has been snatched from his grasp along with his mother in the same calculated swoop. He speaks metaphorically comparing about the Kingdom of Denmark being the Garden of Eden turn rank and decayed. Old King Hamlet and Claudius are as Hyperion to a satyr. Hamlet goes on to
"To what extent do you see Hamlet being constrained by duty and obligation?"
"To what extent do you see Hamlet being constrained by duty and obligation?" Hamlet lives in a society where the church forbids vengeance, however personal honour often overcomes the ecclesiastical law. At the time that William Shakespeare wrote this play these were also the circumstances in England, which would mean that members of the audience would be able to relate to Hamlet's personal conflict. He is a man of great contradictions, being reckless yet cautious, tender yet ferocious. Hamlet's cultural identity causes conflict between his two primary duties. As the son of Old Hamlet, it is Hamlet's duty to avenge his father's murder yet as a citizen and Prince it is also his duty to protect the king and keep stability in society. Because it is Claudius, the King, whom Hamlet would need to kill in order to fulfil his duty to his father, a tension is created as to which duty should take precedence. Hamlet's essential dilemma, and perhaps something that the modern men in the audience would be able to relate to, is the conformation between duty and morality, courage and fear. The Ghost, claiming to be the spirit of Old Hamlet, tells the story of his murder and commands Hamlet to kill the culprit, the newly crowned King. This would make an Elizabethan audience very wary of the ghost because they believed that a revenger's soul would be damned, and therefore, if Hamlet
