There is much evidence in the play that Hamlet deliberately feigned fits of madness in order to confuse and disconcert the king and his attendants. His avowed intention to act "strange or odd" and to "put an antic disposition on" 1 (I. v. 170, 172) is not the only indication. The latter phrase, which is of doubtful interpretation, should be taken in its context and in connection with his other remarks that bear on the same question. To his old friend, Guildenstem, he intimates that "his uncle-father and aunt-mother are deceived," and that he is only "mad north-north-west." (II.
Hamlet and Claudius contradict one another in a variety of ways making them enemies throughout the play. Prince Hamlet is perceived as the protagonist in the play for many reasons, one of them being because he displays an elegant intensity in everything he does, making him very amiable to the audience. When Hamlet is truly indecisive, brutal, revengeful, and hateful. When Hamlet speaks to others, his words are thought out to be hurtful to whomever he is speaking to. “You should not have believ'd me, for virtue cannot so inoculate our old stock but we shall relish of it.
Focusing on Act 1 Scene 4 and Act 3 Scene 2, explore how the role of the Fool contributes to the tragic impact of King Lear. The play, King Lear expresses the hamartia and peripetiea that bring about the tragic death of a once powerful monarch. Rather than just allowing Lear himself to portray these features, Shakespeare uses the Fool to point out the King’s flaws, and also to develop the themes of human corruption and injustice which may lead Lear to becoming insane in the first place. Act 1 Scene 4 shows how the role of the Fool contributes to the tragic impact of King Lear by using comic relief. Shakespeare uses comic relief in order to overrule a serious situation which is, Lear asking Kent to assist upon him.
He is a man who tries to discover a deeper philosophical understanding of human behaviour. However, as Hamlet is thrust into a role which forces him to act he begins to question his sense of identity. His stifling and consuming insecurities restrict him from pursuing his ‘purpose’ of seeking vengeance, and cause him to become morally conflicted. Hamlet’s failure to navigate his changing world ultimately results in inner turmoil and moral corruption by the end the play. Despite Hamlet being a sixteenth century text, the concerns of truth and deception remain relevant to any context, thus enhancing the value of Shakespeare’s work as it has the capacity to stand the test of time.
In every major play written by Shakespeare there is a fool, Polonius possesses the characteristics exhibited by an old fool (more specifically a court jester) as Shakespeare uses him to amuse others and show humor in Hamlet. In the first act of the play, Polonius reveals himself immediately to be contradictory to himself in his own speech. After many lines of a speech in which he tells Laertes to hide his feelings and impulses, to impress people by rich clothing and by acting in manners that are not borne of his own instincts; Polonius then tells his son "To thine own self be true" (1.2.78).This is exactly what Polonius has been advising his son not to do: he can’t seem to keep his mind on course long enough to complete a coherent and thoughtful idea. Further proof of his inability to finish a thought was revealed in his talk with Reynaldo when he says “sir, does 'a this- 'a does- What was I about to say? By the mass, I was about to say something!
Shakespeare prolongs metaphors in order to emphasise the amoral society of Hamlet’s Denmark. Hamlet enunciates to the audience in his soliloquy his view of the corruption of this society of Denmark: “`tis an unweeded garden” (1.2.135). The ghost uses metaphors to characterise its perspective of Polonius as “the serpent that did sting thy father’s life Now wears his crown” (1.5.38). Shakespeare states in hamlet’s soliloquy “o that this too too solid flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew” (1.2.129). In this statement, there is symbolism of flesh ‘melting’ and becoming a ‘dew’, which parallels Hamlet’s desire for a transfigured state of
FESTE-SIGNIFICANCE AND ROLE In the play “Twelfth Night”, by William Shakespeare, Feste the jester plays a significant role. The fool, who Olivia’s father “took much delight in”, acts as a choric commentator, rather than an actual participant in the plot. Feste’s strength comes from his sharp observations, an accomplished professional making insightful commentary and radiating charm form his witty response and humorous answers. On the other hand, the opposition of festivity energy and Puritanistic rigidity is shown in the hostility between Feste and Malvolio, which ends with Feste’s cruel taunt of Malvolio. Lastly, the numerous poetic songs sung are tinged with melancholic nature, reverberating with ageing, death and winter weather.
Felix Cole English 10 H Monica Espinasse Barbed Words Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet evokes a world where a nation can be seen as a diseased body and language can be used as a lethal weapon. Madness, defined in the dictionary as, “engaging in actions that are senseless or foolish”, is an issue that multiple characters deal with throughout the play. Many would say that Hamlet’s actions are very irrational, but everything he says and does eventually helps him achieve his desires. Despite how things seem Hamlet is an intelligent character who ultimately is in his right mind. The death of one’s father and a ghostly visitation thereafter are events that would challenge the sanity of anyone.
Scene 1 offers us a good preview as to what Iago is going to do for the rest of the Act and ultimately the rest of the play. Our first view of Iago is of a hard deceitful man who says « Sblood » as opposed to Roderigo’s « Tush! », we see already his powers of deception as he explains how he is even worse off than Roderigo, his furious language: « A fellow almost damned in a fair wife » manages to convince the intellectual Roderigo who is presented along with Cassio in contrast to Iago. They are polite, educated, fairly wealthy and can not imagine that something as evil and motiveless as Iago exits. Iago has not only lost his promotion but also his hero in Othello.
The audience immediately recognizes and laughs at this irony. Also the audience comes to an understanding how the play mocks the upper class. Jack's inability to recognize the deviation between his words and actions is reinforced when Jack declares that in the "position of a guardian, one has to adopt a very high moral tone on all subjects" (6). Jack's earnest attitude can be indirect from the way he scolds Algernon's lack of seriousness, thus suggesting that he is serious. The dramatic irony is obvious to the audience who correctly identifies the poor morals that he holds through the use of exaggeration of the word "all".