Hamlet critics

ACTUAL QUOTES:

"Hamlet's world," Maynard Mack says, "is pre-eminently in the interrogative mood." Harry Levin quotes this, going on to say: "... the word 'question' occurs in Hamlet no less than seventeen times, much more frequently than in any of Shakespeare's other plays. Recalling that it comes as the final word in Hamlet's most famous line," ["To be, or not to be, that is the question," (III, i, 56)] "we may well regard it as the key-word of the play ... Furthermore, besides direct inquiry, there are other modes of questioning, notably doubt and irony...." (3)

L. C. Knights says: "If this ghost turns out to be one who clamours for revenge, then we have every reason to suppose that Shakespeare entertained some grave doubts about him." This is, moreover, a "Ghost whose command had been for a sterile concentration on death and evil."



A.C Bradley
'...while Hamlet certainly cannot be called in the specific sense a 'religious drama,' there is in it nevertheless both a freer use of popular religious ideas, and a more decided, though always imaginative, intimation of a supreme power concerned in human evil and good, than can be found in any other of Shakespeare's tragedies.'

'It was not that Hamlet is Shakespeare's greatest tragedy or most perfect work of art; it was that Hamlet most brings home to us...the sense of the soul's infinity...'

He calls Hamlet a 'tragedy of thought' and says Hamlet's downfall 'is connected rather with [his] intellectual nature and reflective habit than with any yielding to passion'.


Jan Kott 

'Hamlet is a great scenario, in which every character has a more or less tragic and cruel part to play, and has magnificent things to say. Every character has an irrevocable task to fulfill, a task imposed by the author. The scenario is independent of the characters; it has been devised earlier. It defines the situations, as well as the mutual relations of the characters. But it does not say who the characters are. It is something external in relation to them. And that is why the scenario of Hamlet can by played by different sorts of characters. '

Hamlet might so easily have been manufactured into an enigma, or a puzzle, and then the puzzle if sufficient pains were bestowed, could be completely taken to pieces and explained. But Shakespeare created it a mystery, and therefore it is forever suggestive; for ever suggestive and never wholly explicable
Edward Dowden

The single characteristic of Hamlet’s innermost nature is by no means irresolution or hesitation or any form of weakness, but rather the strong conflux of contending forces
A.C. Swinburne

He sees it pictorially, not as the problem of an individual at all, but as something greater and even more mysterious, as a condition for which the individual himself is apparently not responsible, any more than the sick man is to blame for the cancer which strikes and devours him, but which, nevertheless, as its course and development impartially and relentlessly annihilates him and others, innocent and guilty alike. That is the tragedy of Hamlet, as it is, perhaps, the chief tragic mystery of life.
Caroline Spurgeon

Hamlet […] cannot be comprehended except as a study of emotion.
L.L Schüking

The concentration at Ellsinore of all that happens enhances the impression of inactivity, which is enhanced again by the sense given us of the constant coming and going around Hamlet of the busier world without
Harley Granville-Barker

explore William’s dramatic presentation of Blanche.

I HAVE TAKEN THIS OFF OF ASENGLISHBLOG.WORDPRESS AND ADDED SOME IMPROVEMENTS --> CREDIT TO THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR 

A Streetcar Named Desire tells the tale where a the main character, Blanche De’Bois,  is caught in a fatal inner contradiction, implying that she is not compatible with the ‘New South’. William’s makes it evident that the demise of Blanche Dubois is a consequence of numerous important actions in her life as one learns as the play develops; however the demise of the main character is caused by the failure to develop and accept the post-war America – one which is liberal, male-dominated and far less aristocratic. It is this which escalates the whole tragic process and it can be argued that the males of the play, in particular Stanley Kowalski, represent New America.

Primarily, William’s lengthy use of stage directions to introduce Blanche to the audience, present her being ‘shocked’ and in ‘disbelief’ when she discovers where her married sister lives; William’s describes Blanche’s appearance as being ‘incongruous to this setting’. Clearly, Blanche is unfamiliar with the buzzing, lively setting of New Orleans where there is ‘intermingling’ of different races; it will certainly be a dramatic change for Blanche, a typical Southern Belle with ‘a flirtatious yet chaste demeanour’ and more refined tastes. New Orleans is a perfect example of the changing face of America, a province with a ‘variant way of life’, a city with its ‘bawdy’ delights or its ‘proud free black and slave inhabitants’ – this above all would have alienated Blanche from her surroundings, and William’s lexis choice of ‘incongruous’ is the perfect adjective which describes Blanche’s discord in this new setting, whose ‘uncertain manner’ hints and foreshadows her nature which brings about her demise – of course this ‘uncertain manner’ may not draw the attention of the audience  because her arrival to a foreign place shrouds her peculiar state.

Blanche is presented as being a sensitive and unpredictable character and William’s portrays this through her responses in dialogue; she shouts at her sister to ‘Turn that off! I won’t be looked at in that merciless glare’. This erratic and rather aggressive response to a light being switched  on already indicates that there is something wrong with Blanche because of her inability to look at herself in light; she is clearly sensitive about her age and her appearance. Perhaps this is a satirical comment about the pressures placed on women at the time, in a heavily male dominated society that subdued women and prevented them from being liberated; perhaps Blanche is afraid and therefore refuses to look at the world in a harsh light herself. The adjective ‘merciless’ could reflect how in society, women like Blanche, widows who became spinsters were shunned, particularly in the deep South, judging by the rigid and innate values that a lady was supposed to be the embodiment of – Blanche is quite the opposite; the audience later learns that her husband’s suicide, a man who is described as having a ‘tenderness’ and being ‘the least bit effeminate looking’  has had a profound effect on her life. The playwright emphasises that Blanche’s behaviour has derived from a cluster of events which severely impacted her; the suicide of her homosexual husband, Allan Grey, was traumatic for Blanche and implicates that the overwhelming love for her husband was perhaps the last wholesome emotion that she allowed herself to succumb to. Clearly, Blanche has been heartbroken as she refers to her heart as being ‘empty’ and this compels the audience to pity this creature, whom William’s describes as ‘a person of intense loneliness’ and it is Blanche’s demise at the end of the play which demonstrates  that the gnawing power of loneliness can lead to one’s self destruction; all she longs for is ‘warmth and protection’. Allan Grey’s death was a pivotal moment in Blanche’s life because it was these losses that drove her down and lead her to her sister’s doorsteps. Even with Mitch, Blanche admits that after her husband’s death ‘intimacies with strangers was all [she] seemed to be able to fill [her] empty heart’ – sleeping with other men filled the void left by Allan Grey. William reminds the audience that Blanche fell in love at a young age, she was still a child, with a child’s naivety and vulnerability, her love was like a ‘blinding light’; therefore it is no surprise that after the death of her husband she was lead to a sordid and immoral path, where she was constantly ‘hunting for some protection’. Ultimately, Blanche feels responsible for her husband’s death as she criticised him for being a homosexual, claiming that he ‘disgust’ her. It is Blanche’s first excruciatingly painful heartbreak which leads her to deteriorate – through William’s use of expressionism, the playwright sheds light behind the justifications for her ‘vice’ actions. Some critics have suggested that William’s considers ‘Blanche guilty for not saving her husband from his homosexuality’ because she did not show ‘more womanly support and compassion for the young man’. To an extent, this statement is true – if Blanche had shown her husband more support, perhaps her demise would have never come about. However, it can be argued that this would never be possible in the prejudiced society of the South – homosexuality was considered evil and non-existent; people believed that it could be medically treated.

William’s dramatization of Blanche depicts as her a ‘moth-like’ creature that doesn’t ‘want realism’, but would much rather prefer ‘magic’ and does not tell the whole truth, instead what she thinks ‘ought to be truth’. Blanche’s personal desires for all things beautiful, a rose tinted world where what ‘ought to be truth’ was in fact the truth, such as her claims of having an incredibly wealthy friend, who she intended to travel with, after being told by Stanley that she must leave Elysian fields. Her reluctance to face reality is an indication of her mental stability; she continues to maintain the facade that she thinks is reality. Through this, William’s demonstrates how easy it is for one to distort reality from the surreal; another example of how Blanche’s demise can be explained. In addition to this, compared to any other characters in the play, for example Stella Dubois, Blanche’s actions are far more melodramatic as she is described as giving a ‘piercing cry’ as a locomotive ‘thunders past’. Blanche’s overreactions towards everyday life highlight the fragility of her mental state. This is evident through her hyperbolic actions – William’s hints that once a major event occurs, Blanche’s hold of sanity will be completely lost.

The most poignant moment of the play, where William’s induces a huge amount of sympathy for Blanche is during the her victimisation: her rape. Here, the audience witnesses Blanche at her weakest point as her vulnerability is clearly demonstrated through William’s use of plastic theatre; he describes her ‘clutching the broken top’ of a glass bottle, in an attempt to defend herself against the violent, aggressive and incredibly animalistic Stanley. Clearly, Blanche is non compliant in the rape; however, Lant believe that ‘William’s harbours false notions about rape’ and that Blanche was a promiscuous woman who deserve everything she got. Of course, this viewpoint is incredibly narrow-minded and is identical to many of the opinions expressed at the time about the sensitive topic of rape. However, it is evident that William’s believes that the rape scene is a metaphor and holds deeper meaning; he believed that the rape scene contained ‘some very important truths about the world we live in’ and in many ways this view is correct. In essence, Stanley’s rape of Blanche represents and reflects the harsh, brutal forces of the world and in a sense, it could be viewed as the New America (being Stanley) taking hold of the Old America (being Blanche), in particular the Old South’s traditions that Stanley undoubtedly feels threatened by. This is how the changing face of America takes control of Blanche and breaks her soul; she ‘moans’ and is portrayed as reluctantly giving in, as ‘she sinks to her knees’; Blanche is forced to submit to Stanley, who describes them both having ‘this date with each other from the beginning!’. Stanley’s final comment closes the scene as he carries Blanche’s ‘inert figure’ to the bed, a clear indication that she is about to be raped. From this final comment, William’s suggests to the audience that in a world like this, women like Blanche stand no chance against men like Stanley and this is again emphasised through the sinister and vile mood of the rape scene that demonstrates how Blanche is in no way compliant; William’s does not wish to compel the audience into believing that the rape was in any way just. One may also see this as a fact that there is no room in the New America for the narrow-minded, often racist and discriminatory behaviour of the Old south. In the end, it is not a person that destroys Blanche, it is not Stanley, it is simply a thing and it was those who Blanche exploited that were unwilling to try and comprehend her need for a facade and illusion. Elia Kazan, the man responsible for the dramatic adaptation of the play understood that it was Blanche’s ‘inner sickness’ that pursued her like ‘doom’ and made it ‘impossible for her to attain the one thing she needs’, in fact the only thing she needs, ‘a safe place’.

William’s decision to end the play with Blanche being taken away provides no sense of resolution or closure, with Blanche’s last remarks, when leaving with the doctor that she has ‘always depended on the kindness of strangers’ and hence her life ends with her handing herself to a stranger. William’s use of dramatic irony highlights Blanche’s greatest flaw that was the cause for her plight; she is too trusting of people. Unfortunately, everything about Blanche meant that it was impossible for a woman as delicate, refined and beautiful as her to survive in the real world, especially in New America – her illusions are destroyed, as is she. Perhaps, the most agonising part of the ending, is that life continues to go on as Eunice reminds Stella, that ‘life must go on’ and everyone resumes to their lives; the women with their turbulent marriages and the men with their poker game. William’s final comment is harrowing as it is a clear example of  how society is cruel and will continue to go on and move on without giving a second thought to those who are damaged – sometimes carrying on in life is the hardest thing of all.

Ultimately, Blanche’s demise was simply inevitable; what makes it particularly poignant is the amount of truth that is captured – society’s refusal to attempt and comprehend the reason for this woman’s erratic behaviour makes her downfall all the more tragic. Blanche Dubois has been fabricated by William’s in such a way that she reflects how modern society at the time could be incredibly merciless towards the weak and the vulnerable. She functions to evoke emotions of empathy in the audience; they are compelled to become more aware of this flaw in society that has damaged the many who simply want ‘warmth and protection’ but are denied it by the brutality of the realistic world.

STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE CHARACTER ANALYSIS AND CONTEXT

STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE CHARACTER ANALYSIS AD CONTEXT

	Context		Language and Structure
	A lot based on own life-. Alcoholism, depression, thwarted desire, loneliness, and insanity all something he experience His experience as a known homosexual in an era unfriendly to homosexuality also influenced work . Stanley Kowalski,  likely modeled on Williams’s own father and other males who tormented Williams during his childhood. Realism era after Depression and World War II. The characters in A Streetcar Named Desire are trying to rebuild their lives in postwar America: Stanley and Mitch served in the military, Blanche had affairs with young soldiers based near her home Critique of the way the institutions and attitudes of postwar America placed restrictions on women’s lives The struggle between men and women within downtown American society. Tennessee Williams foregrounds this gender struggle, using different techniques to represent that truth of societies attitudes towards masculinity and femininity. Setting: New Orleans – the French quarter. Very multicultural (this is seen throughout the play) and cosmopolitan. Home of Jazz, oddly tolerant city, despite being in the middle of the deep south. The city is one of powerful contrasts: old French architecture and the new jazz; Old World refinement mixed with the grit of poverty and modern life; decay and corruption alongside the regenerative powers of desire and procreation		Stanley and Blanche, individual representatives two backgrounds- colour to represent this Stanley needs vividness to prove his physical manhood-  "as coarse and direct and powerful as the primary colors." Blanche shuns loud shades and selects pastels or white. The directness of bright colors repulses her; she prefers muted, muffled tones Stage effects are used to represent Blanche's decent into madness. The maddening polka music, jungle sound effects, and strange shadows show Blanche experiences Blanche avoids light- see reality of fading beauty, reality of her past, haunted by ghosts of lost and what she has done, when forced to stand under light, say that 'magic rather than reality, represents life, shows here struggle to grasp reality, bright light represents youthful sexual innocence, poor light represents sexual maturity and disillusionment- Allan Grey relationship 'bright vivid light' since, 'bright light missing' Blanche bathes herself. Her sexual experiences have made her a hysterical woman, but these baths, as she says, calm her nerves- represent her efforts to cleanse herself of her odious history. Can'terase the past, her bathing is never done. Stanley shows after beating Stella- soothe his violent temper- does it again, water represent transparency and instability of their actions. •Two conflicting moods, points towards conflict ahead. First atmosphere – bustling, lively and romantic, there is music in the area and the buildings have ‘raffish’ charm= light tone, and also a sense of exoticism “bananas and coffee”, involves the senses. New Orleans is portrayed as a cosmopolitan city, does not suffer from racial discrimination (the play opens on two neighbours, one white, one black). “Voices of people on the street overlapping”  city is thriving. Conflict--feeling of decay. The houses are ‘weathered grey’ with ‘rickety stairs’. The sky is a ‘tender blue’ – is the bustling atmosphere a fragile façade? The use of the word ‘decay’ implies that there is rot beneath the surface (particularly true in the case of Blanche, who is deteriorating mentally). The ‘faded white stars’ and the fact that it is ‘first dark’ give a sense of foreboding.
		The Struggle for Identity	Quotes
		The antagonistic relationship between Blanche and Stanley is a struggle between appearances and reality or fantasy vs reality. Blanch represent fantasy-When Mitch rejects Blanche due to gossip, turns to another man—the millionaire Shep Huntleigh—who might rescue her- dependence on men, she has no realistic conception of how to rescue herself- link to context. Blanche moving from upper class society (Belle Reve)to lower class society (living with Stanley and Stella)- This links to Socio-historical factors– People from the country moving to the city. Idea of New South and industrialization.- Shown further through Blanch and Stanley’s exchange of the Belle Reve papers when they end up in ‘Stanley’s big capable hands’. Shows that the upper class has demised so greatly that ever the grand upper class houses are now being controlled by the lower classes. Reflects decaying south. Blanche’s struggle to find a man- The one person shewas involved with fails to be a compatible husband(Homosexuality), Fate- supposed to be alone. Could not even make itmwork with Mitch-Going from place to place – ‘run from one leaky roof to another’ looking for a man, unsuccessfulrelationships Gender– a woman’s role in 1947 America. Contrast Blanche withStella – how they adapt, how they behave in the home. HowWilliams presents masculinity and its impact on Blanche andStella Class– conflict between Stanley and Blanche, Mitch’s relationshipwith Blanche Cultural, social and historical- the loss of Belle Reve and the oldSouthern way of life, Stanley’s Huey Long Philosophy and thechanging world. The clash of culture	Arriving at Kowalskis’, Blanche says 'she rode a streetcar named Desire', then transferred to a streetcar named 'Cemeteries', which brought her to a street named Elysian Fields'.  allegorically represents Blanche’s life. The Elysian Fields are the land of the dead in Greek mythology. Blanche’s lifelong pursuit of her sexual desires has led to her eviction from Belle Reve, her ostracism from Laurel, and, at the end of the play, her expulsion from society at large. ''Meat!” Stanley instantly presented as a brutish,monosyllabic ‘caveman’ this shows his strong stereotypical character precedes himself “I’ve never had a real look at you, Blanche.” Blanche’s deceitful natureshows her need of mystery and romance, it also suggests that she isashamed of her true self from

STEALLA KWOLSKI

	Personality	Background
	Confident as she always stands up for herself and isn't afraid to tell her husband what to do. Caring towards her sister and does what she wants her to do. Believed to have been created by Williams as a bridge joining the two worlds of Blanche and Stanley as tey both constantly compete for her to be on their side. Unwilling to leave her husband after the violence that he inflicts upon her and she makes excuses for him. Passive as she is swayed from one side to another but never fully follows through with her opinion.	Married to Stanley Kowalski and is having their baby She is Blanche's sister and supposedly left her sister and family and Blanche had to deal with the deaths of her family on her own.
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	Quite quiet at the beginning of the play and doesn't really speak to her sister instead she listens to her. She is also very much in love with Stanley She becomes very weak when Stanley abuses her	"Admire her dress and tell her shes looking wonderful" "I want to go away, I want to go away!" "But there are things that happen between a man and woman in the dark- that sort of make everything else seem- unimportant"

HAROLD ‘MITCH’

	Personality	Background
	More sensitive than the others perhaps as he lives with his dying mother. Mummy's boy Him and blanche are dawn together by their need for companion ship	Mitch lives with his mother who is dying, he says when he is talking to blanche that she only has a couple months left to live. Stanley's friend Later find out that Mitch has experienced the death of a loved one just like Blanche.
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	He is very respectful of Blanche and takes a liking to her even though he is not Blanche's ideal man as he is clumsy and sweaty, she also likes him. However after finding out about Blanche's sexual past he is angry and confronts her about it. Mitch still remains a gentlemen unlike Stanley as Mitch does want to have sex with her even though he says he doesn't want to marry her but he doesn't as Blanche doesn't want to.	"Poker should not be played in a house with women" "I don't think I want to marry you anymore" "(Mitch collapses at the table, sobbing)"

STANLEY

	Personality	Background
	Animalistic physical vigor, which is evidence in his love of fighting, work and sex. His authoritive personality is shown through his outbursts of anger he demonstrates towards his friends and his wife. Very loving towards his pregnant wife. Likes gambling, drinking and sex.	His family and himself are polish which results in the term "polka" being used to describe him by Eunice and Blanche. Stanley shows anger towards this and states that he is from America and should be referred to as a "Pole".
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	Seen at the start of the play as the egalitarian hero. Doesn't like Blanche from the onset as she feels he looks down on himself and his friends, This animosity towards her manifests itself in everything that he does therefore resulting in him investigating her past, her birthday gift to her (ticket back to Laurel) and the sabotage of her relationship with Mitch. His down to earth personality is changed to a degenerate one when he strikes his wife and then later on in the play he rapes his sister in law. Stanley shows no remorse or his actions with the play ending with him being the ideal family man and comforting his wife and baby.	"Since when do you give me orders" "Open your eyes to this stuff!" "So you want some rough-house! All right,  lets have some rough- house!"

BLANCHE

	Personality	Background
	Anxious, maybe suffering from a mental illness such has anxiety or depression She has a drink problem which she hides poorly as she is constantly having Stan's alcohol She is aging and lives in a perpetual panic about her aging as she asks for dim lighting and only goes places that are dark when with Mitch. Her manner is dainty and frail and she owns a very showy collection of cheap evening clothes which Stan see's straight through and outs her. Depends on male sexual desire for her self esteem. Beneath her veneer of snobbery she is an insecure individual.	Blanche arrives at her sister's having lost their family fortune in their estate Belle Reve. Lost her young husband to suicide and she has not gotten over it. She is a social pariah due to her indiscrete sexual behaviour back in Laurel
	Development (Growth & change)	Quotes
	When in the Kawolski household she claims to be a women who has suffered no indignity and who is pure. Feels as if she has to marry Mitch so that she can put poverty and her bad reputation behind her. Stan's constant persecution of Blanche ruins her persuit of Mitch and her oblivious nature to her situation. Stan then rapes her destroying the amount of sanity and self esteem she had, she is then sent to an insane asylum. The play ends in a sad way as it reminds the audience of Blanche's dependence on men for happiness as she is led away by a kind doctor despite her sisters cries.	"... I want to be near you, got to be with somebody, I cant be alone!" "She pours half a tumbler of whisky and tosses it down" "Now don't get worried, your sister hasn't turned in to a drunkard"

women in hamlet

Women are seen to be a vehicle for the extension of masculinity within hamlet. The two women in the play, Ophelia and Gertrude, are seen as subliminal and reliant upon men to have a status. During the Elizabethan era, women were seen to be socially and physically inferior to men. These characters have far less stage time then the concern which is given to them by Hamlet.

Gertrude, Hamlets mother, is seen to be fully reliant on men to maintain her societal position within the Court. She quickly remarries after her husband dies and marries to the brother of the deceased. Gertrude is completely unaware of the murder that Claudius has undertook on King Hamlet. This reinforces the idea that women were intellectually inferior as it is implied that she should have known that it was him who had murdered her husband.  Another suggestion is that Gertrude was so desperate, she only married Claudius for his wealth and position. By not being able to stand independently shows that she is a typical Elizabethan woman. Hamlet shows his anger at his mothers behaviour, calling her a ‘whore’ and ‘incestious’. The anger felt at his mother is projected onto the other females in the play and thus hamlet makes Ophilia be inferior due to his disillusionment. He was right to be angry as Elizabethan law and the book of common prayers state that it is wrong to marry your husbands brother, however it strike a remarkable resembelance to Henry VIII who married his older brother’s wife, and their offspring was Mary 1, who had just came out of power.

Like hamlets concerns, Shakespeare sublimities Ophilia by having Laertes obsessing over his sister’s virginity. Ophilia can be seen as a doppelgänger of Gertrude as the two main similarities are their naivety and reliance upon men. The language used by Shakespeare shows how subservient she is. She receives instruction and replies ‘I shall obey, my lord’. The use of submissive language automatically puts Ophillia on a lower social standing then the men, and lower than Gertrude, as she is younger. Not only does this show she has no power, she is also reliant on men to explain how to carry out these acts: ‘I do not know, my lord, what I should think’. The need to seek guidance over her thoughts highlight how weak Ophilia is and how men have to control the lesser females. This is also emphisized by the level of control her family has over her; she is used as a pawn to spy on hamlet and further her farthers influence in the English Court, quite possiably for the power of patronage. Ophilia’s role is to show hamlets misguided view on women and how they should be treated. Ophelia could have possibly been a tragic hero, to conquer her dad's control and gain Hamlet's feelings, however because of her societal status, she is only aminor tragic character. Shakespeare utilizes Ophelia to depict inconstancy of women.

Gertrude's inaction in real life is the thing that permits her to be ruled and controlled by the men throughout her life, yet she is additionally to some degree ignorant and unmindful of her environment. Hamlet believes that Gertrude is acting: “ she followed my poor fathers body […] all tears”, and she expects the same from hamlet. Although she is seen to be curt with her tounge and rude to hamlet, she is controlled and influenced by Claudius. Contextually, the husband has control over the wife and this is a prime example. These shows how inferior she is as she can not think for herself.   

Ophilia and Gertrude both die a feminine death to show how weak women are and the role of them dying is for the men, showing again the power they hold. Ophilia dies because of the lack of love from hamlet and the death of her father, both of whom had significant control over her. Gertrude inevitably dies as a result of hamlets duel and claudius’ feelings. By making them both die of fluids, it highlights the feminity as it was known to be a easy death. Gertrudes sppech on ophilias suicide shows the fraility of women. ‘sweets for the sweet’ is significant as it shows women as innocent and with flowers symbolize ‘a young maiden’.

In conclusion, Shakespeare uses women to enhance the masculinity of the main characters. Both characters are extremely subvient and controlled almost fully by men. Although they play a minor role in the play, their impact was large and important in the play.

Hamlet themes, evidence and critics

Theme: Isolation

Isolation is portrayed in hamlet as a extended metaphor for hamlets inner feeling, especially about the loss of his father an the remarriage of his mother.

examples

• Right after his meeting with the Ghost…"I hold it fit that we shake hands and part" and asked them never "to note that you know aught of me."

• Rosencrantz later said, that "the cease of majesty dies not alone; but, like a gulf, doth draw what's near it with it.”- indirect , to claudius about hamlet

• closet scene, Hamlet was mute. He was "loosed out of hell to speak of horrors", but he would not speak them to Ophelia. As Hamlet later said, "hell itself breathes out contagion to this world,"

• KING CLAUDIUS (4,7,54-55) 'Tis Hamlets character. 'naked! And in a postscript here, he says 'alone.’

• Last scene hamlet dies last although one of the first to be poisoned. Shows isolation as wants to be on his own.

Critical thinking

• Mark Thornton-Burnett “abundantly evident is hamlets refusal to fit into neat categorizations. His resistance to generic classification”- by refusing to comply to social normative, hamlet is in fact isolating himself, rather than being isolated by other characters.

• However, characters such as Ophelia and Gertrude who had betrayed him, left him with no other option but to distance himself from those who he loved.

Death

• Death is a central theme within the play; it begins with fascination but later ends up with him pursuing death.

evidence

•        The play starts with death, it shows hamlet questioning the demise of his father. This is projected onto the guards who have recently witnessed the ghost and are protecting themselves from the apparition and the afterlife.

•        Ghost is in purgurtry and hamlets key concern is his fathers soul. Protastants did not believe in purgatory however catholics did.

•        Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell / Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death, Have burst their cerements

• To be or not to be- still concerned about afterlife and implications of suicide. The soliloquy considers suicide but it is a hypothetical argument. Due to uncertainty of afterlife most would have ended their lives.

• Act 4 scene 4 : ‘Even for an egg-shell’ . The land is not even big enough to bury them all, it is about honour. Use of simile

• Yurik’s skull is the only symbolism of death – memento mori used skulls as a reminder of death and inescapable morality.

• Death restores order in elsinore act 3.1 ‘undiscovered county that no traveller returns from’

critic

• 'It was not that Hamlet is Shakespeare's greatest tragedy or most perfect work of art; it was that Hamlet most brings home to us...the sense of the soul's infinity...‘ – ac bradley

Apperance and reality

• Shakespere presents deception as a critical theme in hamlet. The dramatical technique reveals the deception of self and others.

Evidence.

• Talks about ‘customary suits of solemn black’ , also ‘my inky cloak’, physically wears his melancholy

• Feigning madness “puts an antic disposition on” Act 3, Scene 1 “puts on this confusion” as a revenge strategy,

• Gertrude’s lie about Hamlet’s madness in order to excuse him of the murder of Polonius – “Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend/Which is mightier”

• Ophelia as a foil character, her real madness juxtaposes against hamlet’s deceptive madness

• Madness is a revenge tragedy, Shakespeare’s first tragedy Titus Andronicus, Titus pretends to be mad so that others would let their guard down

• In Elizabethan society, madness was feared.