Shakespeare’s Hamlet is widely known as an Elizabethan revenge tragedy, however beneath the surface of this title is a transcendent play exploring universally primordial concepts of the human condition. Hamlet continues to challenge audiences within the modern milieu through a weighted commentary on the ubiquitous facets of existence and survival whilst under the insidious forces of corruption and morality manipulation. Hamlet allows us to foster an understanding through the study of Renaissance
Madness has been a fascinating facet of the human psyche for generations of the fine arts, whether it is showcased through the mediums of theatre, art, or literature and the ambiguity of its definition has spurred artists into creating countless great works. Shakespeare’s Hamlet in particular, serves as an intriguing take on the thin line between the sane and mad, as well as a spectacular testament to Shakespeare’s ability to harness the subject of insanity as a thrilling plot device. Hamlet’s
In Hamlet, scepticism acts as the catalyst of the play by creating doubt through illusion, and thus, rendering the characters as well as the audience to question the representation of truth. The passage fuels the speculative nature of the play in relation to Hamlets insanity and further developing an understanding of the mainstream of the play being limitations of perception. This extract brings to the forefront the inability to represent reality and comprehend truth, particularly in the protagonist's
A final examination of the role of guilt and innocence within Hamlet questions the concept of accountability. There are characters such as Ophelia, whose madness makes her irrational. Is it fair for her to feel or assume guilt if she is not in a healthy state of mind? Ophelia’s situation is helplessly tragic as Gertrude poetically describes her death “as one incapable of her own distress” (4.4.177). Gertrude, arguably, does two things when she makes this claim of Ophelia’s death: she was trying
Shakespeare’s Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and A Midsummer Night’s Dream Drama is based on conflict. Conflict is essential to create problems for one or more characters and to draw in the audience. We tend to emphasize with one character, because of the problem and not because of the character. This understanding and sympathy is a natural part of human nature. We as humans are programmed to want to help and be compassionate toward other people. Shakespeare’s plays, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s
Woman: God’s second mistake? Friedrich Nietzsche, a German philosopher, who regarded ‘thirst for power’ as the sole driving force of all human actions, has many a one-liners to his credit. ‘Woman was God’s second mistake’, he declared. Unmindful of the reactionary scathing criticism and shrill abuses he invited for himself, especially from the ever-irritable feminist brigade. The fact and belief that God never ever commits a mistake, brings Nietzsche’s proclamation dashingly down into the dust bin