... his court yard of the Elsinore Castle, now Claudius the kings brother has taken over the throne as King, and has married Hamlet's mother Gertrude. Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. King Claudius and his lord Chamberlain ... Polonius are dealing with royal affairs because he is now in power and is enjoying his new life. Laertes, the son of Polonius ... has returned home to Denmark to pay his respects and to celebrate the King's newly appointed position. Hamlet wants to return to college, but Claudi...

• Word Count: 988
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... his court yard of the Elsinore Castle, now Claudius the kings brother has taken over the throne as King, and has married Hamlet's mother Gertrude. Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. King Claudius and his lord Chamberlain ... Polonius are dealing with royal affairs because he is now in power and is enjoying his new life. Laertes, the son of Polonius ... has returned home to Denmark to pay his respects and to celebrate the King's newly appointed position. Hamlet wants to return to college, but Claudi...

• Word Count: 986
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... it. Then comes the burial of Ophelia, which is when Laertes and Hamlet fight as Hamlet feels that Laertes is not truly sorry for Ophelia's death as Hamlet says, "even Forty thousand brothers " can't make up the love he had for Ophelia. It is after this that Laertes joins Claudius, and schemes to kill Hamlet by poisoning the foil they plan to use in a joust between ... the court; instead it brought him more awareness. In his quest to kill Claudius, he gets side tracked and unintentionally takes the life of Polonious. "I took thee for thy better"-this is when Hamlet was speaking to his mo...

• Word Count: 3059
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School

... he got everyone, including himself, fooled. Continuously questioning the right to live is an age-old question that even Hamlet cannot answer. "But that the dread of something after death" [78] leaves all to reconsider taking flight to the unknown. In his finally soliloquy, Hamlet finally triumphs over his inner demons and decides to act. A lesser man (Fortinbras) would not have been so torn ... image of decay shows the need for change. " To what base uses we may return" (Vi166). The graveyard scene serves to show the seeming meaninglessness of life. Throughout the play, Hamlet struggles...

• Word Count: 1544
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... girlfriend Ophelia, and homeland country, Denmark. First, Hamlet becomes isolated from his mother because she married his uncle Claudius shortly after his father was killed. Hamlet feels detached from her because she appears to have little grief over the death of her husband: Like Niobe, all tears, ... he has gone mad, and she is hurt by his insults, she becomes dejected and isolated from him. Finally, Hamlet is isolated from his society when he is sent to England by King Claudius: He shall with speed to England ... other half. But go not to my uncle's bed; Assume a virtue, if you have i...

• Word Count: 1216
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... causality linking him with his crime. And this chain he might, perhaps, have broken except for Hamlet (Jump, 125). Although Knight's views of Hamlet and Claudius are almost the extreme opposite of my interpretation, I understand how he developed this interpretation. Hamlet becomes sick and cynical after the death of his father, whom he greatly admired, and the hasty remarriage of his mother to his ... committing suicide because he is troubled by the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune (III, i, 58). His disinterest for life, and his wishes for death are a definite indications of Haml...

• Word Count: 2834
• Approx Pages: 11
• Grade Level: High School

... century and during the Renaissance period in Europe. His others works of art included Othello, Julius Cesar, Romeo and Juliet, and Mac Beth to name a few. After much debate within myself, I have concluded that Hamlet should be considered a tragicomedy. It is quite obvious why it would be considered a tragedy. The King of Denmark is killed and the murderer resumes power of the ... in Prince Hamlet's life is very disheartening to him. But with strategically worded quotes like this, the King and Queen and the rest of the citizens never are really able to pin point Hamlet's motives for his ...

• Word Count: 1576
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... action against him, and then after he is certain of what happened, Hamlet then waits for the right time to carry out his plan to kill Claudius. Hamlet is not only characterized by his procrastination at this time however. When Polonius is eavesdropping on his conversation with Gertrude, Hamlet hears him behind the arras and stabs him to death without even knowing who it is ... . Fortinbras also has his army to help him carry out his revenge, unlike Hamlet and Laertes who take it fully upon themselves to avenge their fathers. After learning that his father's ghost is telling the truth abo...

• Word Count: 763
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... victims of swords "envenomed" by the same "serpent" Claudius (5.2.326). Claudius has also wed Gertrude, Hamlet's mother and queen of Denmark. The ghost accordingly accuses her of incest and adultery; she has been seduced by the serpent (cf. 1 Corinthians11:1-3). Thus King Hamlet, "by a brother's hand, of life, of crown, of queen at once dispatch'd" (1.5.74-75). In short, the initial world of the ... play is a fallen world. Hamlet notes the cosmic dimensions of his predicament with his famous line, "Thetime is out of joint" (1.5.189). The ... about Pyrrhus, the son of Achilles, who kill...

• Word Count: 1931
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... the course of this speech it talks about how Phyrrus went from being very influential and powerful to fragile and unaware after the death of his father. "The rugged Phyrrus, he whose sable arms, Black as his purpose, did the night resemble." This indicates that before his ... father's death, he was in total control of himself and the country. However later in the speech it states Phyrrus's state after his father was murdered. "Hath now this dread and black complexion smeared" meaning that now that ... his father is dead, what is he to do after being dishonored in such a manner. This ta...

• Word Count: 459
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... 's empire stands was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse (1.1.117-120)." He compared the ghost as a possible sign of disaster or catastrophe in Denmark, as to what happened before the death of Julius Caesar. From the start of the play, Denmark was already tainted and wrought with disease that would eventually continue over the course of the play. In ... mad. "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion, - Have you a daughter (2.2.180-182)?" In one of Hamlet's speeches with Polonius, he uses that line. The speech in general is about how spoiled life is, as wel...

• Word Count: 1164
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... the rotting matter theme. In every act, and almost every scene there are mentions of death, decay, and morbid descriptions that may send shivers up one's spine. The pictures are meant to set the mood as dark and dismal. After reading these lines one should not see Hamlet as a bright and cheery comedy, but rather a tragedy. The motif sets the understanding of other ... through the same metaphors. Many other characters used the decaying matter to describe different aspects of the decaying morals of the people of Denmark. Hamlet himself described the situation of his mother's marriage almo...

• Word Count: 1359
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... cruel fate and compelled to undertake a revenge mission for which he is not prepared. Not only are Hamlet's musings about life extensive, they are uniformly dark. Seen in this light, Hamlet does not act because he lacks the emotional fortitude to do so, depression and courage being difficult to reconcile ... . There are, however, good reasons for Hamlet to avoid acting precipitously. The story of Old Hamlet's murder is ... was ignorant of the crime. Nevertheless, she marries her brother-in-law only a few months after her husband's death. Clearly, while he is directed by the Ghost to refr...

• Word Count: 782
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... and thou must cure me" (IV.3.65), portraying the psychologically ailing prince as a personal sickness, a fever raging in his body. Hamlet, later, in his first soliloquy, deplores of the world "things rank and gross in nature possess it merely" (I.2.136). After the death of his father, and quick "two months nay" remarriage of his mother, every aspect of the world seems to be ... Polonius, he says, "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion" (II.2.181-182), showing his view that even the life-giving sun can give life to disgusting disease. He follows later, a...

• Word Count: 1339
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... not for his own sake but for the honour of Denmark. As he awaits the play, he questions whether it would be easier to end his life by his own hand rather than suffer the heartache that has befallen him. Living means he must fulfill his duty to his father by taking revenge ... against his uncle Claudius who is responsible for King Hamlet's death. He also has to restore the order in Denmark. Claudius is the main source of corruption and disease flooding the country. In this soliloquy, he ... this face before the play within the play. His conscience overwhelms him, and he is not ready to ...

• Word Count: 1261
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... the dust. Thou know'st "tis common; all that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity." (1.2 line 70) This is an example of how Gertrude told Hamlet to forget about his father's death and that everybody dies and to goes to eternity. Throughout the play Gertrude never really changes significantly and blindly keeps her commitment to Claudius, who ultimately betrays her ... In noise so rude against me?" (3.4 line 47) This quote explains how she denies what she has done in the past. She begins to change slightly after Hamlet's murder of Polonius (her father), thinking it is Claudi...

• Word Count: 558
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... starts thinking about carrying out the revenge. After much thought and debate Hamlet devised a plan to tell if his uncle actually did murder his father or if"...It is a damned ghost that we have seen..."(3.2.87) just haunting Hamlet and trying to get him to murder his uncle. By putting on a re-enactment of his father's death with the players, the reaction of Claudius ... during the poisoning scene ensures Hamlet that Claudius did, indeed, murder his father and that now was the time to seek revenge ... will send him straight to hell for all of eternity. Unfortunately Claudius" act of si...

• Word Count: 787
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... assay of arms against your majesty." Immediately after learning about his fathers death, Laertes returns home. He blames Claudius for the murder of his father. Laertes learns that Hamlet was responsible for his father's death. He then decides to kill Hamlet to avenge the death of his father. He and Claudius concoct a plot to kill Hamlet. By a poisoned tipped sword, Hamlet. " Hamlet, thou art slain The treacherous instrument is ... in thee, unbated and envenom'd- Hamlet was deeply sorrowed by his father's death. He spoke to a ghost, and this ghost stated that his father's death was a murd...

• Word Count: 1080
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... tells him of the role of the King, thereby indicting him. "It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain; No medicine in the world can do thee good; In thee there is not half an hour of life; The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practise Hath turn'd itself on ... , the king's to blame."" -- (V.ii.314-321) Also with his dying breath he absolves Hamlet of all blame; that is of course, if Hamlet will forgive him, which he does. "Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me."" -- (V.ii.330 "333)...

• Word Count: 2387
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• Grade Level: High School

... -49). Polonius's control over his daughter drives her crazy as well. By doing as her father says Hamlet continues to play his games knowing he's being eatched. Hamlet's games confuse Ophelia very much, and after her father's death she can't handle it anymore. She takes her life which in turn causes the deaths of many others. Claudius, another man who uses control to get what ... serpent that did sting thy father's life/ Now wears his crown" (1.3.37-41). When he is finally king keeping the truth hidden is a great concern of his. When he thinks Hamlet may know the truth he sends him off to...

• Word Count: 559
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... the state of the nation. In the first scene, the guards are on duty outside of the castle when the ghost of the dead King Hamlet appears. Horatio asserts that the ghost brings words of caution to the men that the county is headed for some sort of struggle, which probably ... who now rule Norway are seeking to regain the land they lost to Denmark are direct evidence that Denmark is going to be attacked by Norway. After seeing the ghost, Horatio makes an allusion to Rome before the fall of Julius Caesar; A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood ... in funeral and with dirge...

• Word Count: 905
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... the state of the nation. In the first scene, the guards are on duty outside of the castle when the ghost of the dead King Hamlet appears. Horatio asserts that the ghost brings words of caution to the men that the county is headed for some sort of struggle, which probably ... who now rule Norway are seeking to regain the land they lost to Denmark are direct evidence that Denmark is going to be attacked by Norway. After seeing the ghost, Horatio makes an allusion to Rome before the fall of Julius Caesar; A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood ... in funeral and with dirge...

• Word Count: 1520
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... kingdom were busily planning their trickery. In particular Claudius, who, after murdering his father, and marrying his mother, still abused his power over Hamlet. For example, by using his servants, who were supposedly Hamlet's friends, to spy on Hamlet. He certainly suspected that Hamlet knew of his murderous actions, yet stated to Rosencrantz and Gildenstern that Hamlet's problems were, "to us unknown," and convinced them to ... not choose his battles very carefully, and this is evident in his blind and hasty murder of Polonius. After avoiding Claudius on numerous occasions, he then s...

• Word Count: 860
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School