The Representation Of Truth In Shakespeare's Hamlet

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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 delusional state of mind, and thus exposing the limitation of theatre to convey reality. In addition, it is here were we gain an insight into Hamlets relatioship with women, and thus further feeding the claim of the Oedipal theory. Ultimately,…show more content…
This short extract further adds credence to this line of reasoning which is embodied in the play through the use of repetitious rhetorical questioning "Have you eyes?", implying the relationship between seeing and knowledge, by questioning the validity of what you are seeing. This repetitious image referring to the eye in the dialogue reinforces the inability to come to terms of what we seeing as our mind simply refuses to believe it, despite it playing out before us. The deeper Hamlet observes the less reality and coherency of everything is interpreted by the figure, being Hamlet as well as the audience. Similarly, A Winter's tale utilises the metaphor of the eye, were Leontes observes his wife with Polixenes and drawing on false assumptions, meaning that seeing may also be deceiving. This passage offers perceptions as to how theatre functions through the relationship between truth, witness and interpretation, noticeable from the onset of "Who's there", and carrying this doubt and disbelief throughout the play. This ambiguity is a feature present here in Hamlets dialogue alongside its connation's of verse which create a complexity of twists and turns. This is made noticeable by the prominent use of rhetorical questioning, revealing the confusion that is at the heart of this play. More substantially, the opening line "Look here upon this picture" questions the limitations of…show more content…
This scene conveys Hamlets repulsive conduct, which is full of ripe and fetid language of corrupt sexuality, as depicted in the figurative language of "the heyday in the blood is tame" and "Nor sense if ecstasy", as a way of brutally saying his mother should not uphold herself to these erotic desires. Hamlet's graphic account of Gertrude's relationship with Claudius gives it a feel of smuttiness and invasiveness. His infatuation and anger with his mothers treachery overruns his original aim of revenge, and possibly motivated by a dark and deep force within the protagonist. It is here the theory of the Oedipal complex presents itself as an explanation to his allegedly maddening actions, such as the desire to kill his father and possess his mother, were through the use of this sexualised language and abrasive sarcastic tone potentially adds credence to this claim. This extract provides insight into Hamlets general perception and behaviour towards women throughout the play not only towards his mother but Octavia is included as well. The dialogue of ambiguity when he speaks to women, cloaks his inner persona questioning his act of insanity, and thus seemingly coming across as a madman. Gertrude's being wed to Claudius gives Hamlet the impression that women are deceitful,
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