... death of his father, but also from the shock of the sudden discovery of his mother's true nature. Hamlet states, " Would have mourn"d longer - married with my uncle/ My father's brother" (I.ii.151-152). He states this to show how he hates the fact that Gertrude has lost a husband but gained a new one all within one month's time. Hamlet's actions seem to be genuine ... Ophelia. A critic states, "His cruelly gross mistreatment of Ophelia is a deflection of his disgust at his mother's being lecherous, unfaithful in her love for him" ("Freudian Criticism"). Hamlet lost the love of Ophelia, ...

• Word Count: 1901
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... occurs when his mother and Ophelia die: Hamlet: I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum . Queen: No, no the drink! O, my dear Hamlet! The drink, the drink! I am poisoned. Hamlet: O villainy! Ho! When Hamlet realises that his mother ... had died he feels very depressed and he suffers (emotionally) due to this event. Hamlet was more depressed when Ophelia, his love died, because Ophelia was his true love and he ... his greatest point of suffering. Ironically, his shields fall before either of these elements which reduce the cathart...

• Word Count: 3952
• Approx Pages: 16
• Grade Level: High School

... . However, the next act belies Hamlet's sanity and reason. In act two, Hamlet appears again, although it now becomes apparent he has lost the conviction he demonstrated earlier-to complete his destiny as prescribed by the ghost of his father. During this act, Hamlet spends most of his ... by his fathers spirit-role of the vengeful son-Hamlet exhibits insane behaviors. This is illustrated by his statements to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I know not-lost my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises..." (1071, line 282). Hamlet then admits he is merely feigning insanity with, "I am but mad no...

• Word Count: 3068
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School

... dramatic irony, as only the audience knows that the ghost can be seen by other characters. This shows that the ghost is now a figure of Hamlet's imagination and he has lost control of his mind. As Hamlet is in exile he abruptly decides to send Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their death in England. He later tells Horatio that they were " ... has no moral responsibility towards his old friends. Just as the audience fears Hamlet is lost control entirely, he comes back to reality when he learns of Ophelia's death in Act 5 Scene 1. "I loved Ophelia, forty thousand brothers could not wit...

• Word Count: 968
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... murdered by the recently crowned king. The theme that remains constant throughout the play is appearance versus reality. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the ... good: "And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!" Act 1 Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, ... Honest...

• Word Count: 1792
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... murdered by the recently crowned king. The theme that remains constant throughout the play is appearance versus reality. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the ... good: "And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!" Act 1 Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, ... Honest...

• Word Count: 1669
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... . However, the next act belies Hamlet's sanity and reason. In act two, Hamlet appears again, although it now becomes apparent he has lost the conviction he demonstrated earlier-to complete his destiny as prescribed by the ghost of his father. During this act, Hamlet spends most of his ... by his fathers spirit-role of the vengeful son-Hamlet exhibits insane behaviors. This is illustrated by his statements to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I know not-lost my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises..." (1071, line 282). Hamlet then admits he is merely feigning insanity with, "I am but mad no...

• Word Count: 2118
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... murdered by the recently crowned king. The theme that remains constant throughout the play is appearance versus reality. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the ... good: "And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!" Act 1 Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, ... Honest...

• Word Count: 1675
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... murdered by the recently crowned king. The theme that remains constant throughout the play is appearance versus reality. Things within the play appear to be true and honest but in reality are infested with evil. Many of the characters within the play hide behind a mask of falseness. Four of the ... good: "And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man. Farewell; my blessing season this in thee!" Act 1 Polonius gives his son Laertes his blessing to go away, ... Honest...

• Word Count: 1677
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... them in a very close-knit co-dependant affair. "You are the Queen, your husband's brother's wife, And, would it not so, you are my mother." (Act3, Scene4) This jealousy and hatred Hamlet feels is close to pushing him over the edge, so when the Ghost commands revenge Hamlet has ... excused for this murder , it being done so passionately, however the two that follow it are so treacherous and cold it seems Hamlet has lost his former compassion and truly begun to act willingly in the brutal circumstances that surrounds him. These two murders are of those who would be ... portrays Hamlet as...

• Word Count: 2354
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... 's good intentions, the seeds have been sown. Hamlet feels he has suffered yet another loss. When Ophelia says about the play "'tis brief my lord-, Hamlet replies "as woman's love- (IIIii.134-135). Polonius also loses - by the end of the play he will be dead, as will both his daughter and son ... . Ophelia believes that Hamlet " hath importuned me with love in honourable fashion- (Iiii.110-111). Despite this she obeys Polonious's instructions and rejects Hamlet. She goes even further and agrees to be involved in the ... we see Ophelia her father is dead and she is in the midst of a deep d...

• Word Count: 1437
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... cannot believe that his mother could so quickly fall in love with Claudius when she seemed so in love with Hamlet Senior as well. When he finds out from his father's ghost that Claudius murdered him, he exclaims, "O my prophetic soul! / My uncle?" (1. 5. 41). This means that he already had a feeling that this was true, and makes Hamlet feel justified in having all the other ... return. Hamlet then talks crazy to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the king's spies, who are pretending to just be concerned about Hamlet's well-being. He suspects that they are not his true friends, asking, " Were...

• Word Count: 1204
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... that his father has been slain. His purpose in the story is to avenge his father's death by taking back land from Denmark that his father lost (along with his life) in battle. Cluadius is able to do away with the trouble Fortinbras brings on, by letting him march into Poland untouched ... life. Hamlet is a prime example. His father is deeply involved with foreign affairs, while places like Norway are trying to take back land that they rightly lost. He simply does not have time for his son. Hamlet probably did not know his father very well. A lot of his life seemed to be spent ... will n...

• Word Count: 1894
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... his family members. He begins his speech with angry curses,O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else? And shall I couple hell? O fie! Hold, hold my heart, . . . He ends with more curses directed at the queen, his mother, and the king, his uncle. O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, ... Hamlet switches immediately from deep pondering to his feigned persona precisely when Ophelia enters. The phrase,Soft you now. .? is the transition from his true self into his madness as it is an exclamation of interruption. In the interaction between Ophelia and Hamlet, he denies ever giving Op...

• Word Count: 1958
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... of the play, Bernardo: Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on't? Horatio: Before my own God, I might not this believe Without the sensible and true avouch Of my own eyes. (1,1 54-58) Bernardo tends towards a more rational approach, not allowing the folly of the ... eyes to get to him, however Horatio cannot deny what he has just seen. The reader has to call into question whether to suspend disbelief and accept this fantastic event of supernaturalism, or to remain skeptical about the true ... feelings. Hamlet appears to be shaped by his different emotions at different ...

• Word Count: 1742
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... methodical and logical nature of thinking is exemplified through his "matter of fact" way of explaining death: "Your father lost a father, that father lost". Shakespeare has used the repetition of "father" 3 times for added effect. Through Claudius perception of death Shakespeare reveals Claudius's true character. The "matter of fact" explanation of death gives Claudius a sense of detachment, an almost inhuman characteristic. Claudius ... established examples of Claudius" intelligence demonstrates that he is an apt politician. The assertion that Claudius was a good king is further substa...

• Word Count: 1997
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

"I follow him to serve my turn upon him, we cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot truly be followed." (Othello, I, i, 45-47). Your closest friends could just be people who you think are your friends, but they"re really your enemies with secret identities and disguises to hide their true colors. The old saying about keeping ... by there own wants and desires they can't see what is really important anymore. Like Claudius, he was just blinded by his desires and in the end lost things that were even more important then power. In a few instances, there are people who allow themselves to bec...

• Word Count: 1777
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... his character flaw of procrastination to eventually destroy him. Another characteristic that acts against Hamlet is his excessive depression. Hamlet experiences rejection from his true love, anger from the murder of his father, betrayal from family and friends, and fear for what lies ahead. These feelings of pain and ... were given directly to him and always tried to think of better and less harmless ways of getting revenge. "That would be scann"d; / A villain kills my father, and for that / I, his sole son, do this same villain send / To heaven." (III, iii, __) Hamlet decides against k...

• Word Count: 1428
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... I"ll catch the conscience of the king". The play works but does not make Hamlet take action just yet. When hamlet is most bound to act, he gets puzzled and lost. This is most likely the reason why Hamlet does not take advantage of the opportunity to kill Claudius when he is at his prayers. Hamlet can not have his revenge ... Ophelia. It is only after Ophelia's death that Hamlet expresses his true love for her. Hamlet declares his love for Ophelia as she is lying in her grave. "I loved Ophelia: forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum". Sadly Hamle...

• Word Count: 779
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... show courage, but instead, for the most part, are being told what to do. Cordelia demonstrates courage when she speaks the truth to her father, statingI love your majesty according to my bond, no more nor less? (King Lear. Act 1. Sc 1. Ln. 94-95), but this merely results in her banishment and eventual hanging. Ophelia ... , on the other hand, lacks a single scene in which she shows courage. She is merely a puppet to her father and her brother, vowingI shall obey, My lord? (Hamlet. Act 1. Sc 3. ln.136). This lack of conviction results in her death as well. Both women have committed no crim...

• Word Count: 1288
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... in the play because Laertes does not know the whole truth about his father's murder. He believes everything that Claudius tells him, some of which is true. The very fact that Laertes questions Hamlet about his father's death, shows just how difficult it is for Laertes to trust Hamlet. Hamlet's poor decision ... The ghost of Hamlet's father revealing the truth about his death is a testament to this: "Upon my secure hour thy uncle stole With juice of cursed hebenon in a vial, And in the porches of my ears did pour "i(Act 1:5 60-63) The ghost has come back seeking revenge on Claudius. He ...

• Word Count: 1278
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... is that I'm helpless. I grow enraged ... Perhaps the anger gives me strength ... Proud as Napoleon or Lucifer, I stand and survey the wasteland I've conquered. My bowel's knot, That's the indignity of it" (191). Even in victory, she is unable to maintain her pride and dignity. This is one of many examples ... has died. His only true love is dead , which is seen when Hamlet says," I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?(act 5, 1, 47-49). Hamlet had already lost a father and now her love is dead as well....

• Word Count: 1471
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... she could forsake her loving husband when he was such a great man. "So excellent a king, that was to this/ Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother frailty, thy name is woman!" (1,2.143-144 & 150). These lines just reinstate all that Hamlet believes. His father was very kind, especially to his mother; ... do and what not to do while he is away. He ends this speech with "This above all: to thine own self be true" (1,3. 84). Polonius really does love his son even though it is very questionable sometimes whether he is just worried about himself. Polonius's speech is about Laertes keeping ...

• Word Count: 1201
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... convention, thus producing our time delay. Firstly, Hamlet is obliged to avenge his father's murder: "if thou didst ever thy dear father love revenge his foul and most unnatural murder-. Using guilt to lure Hamlet into killing Claudius, the Ghost describes Old Hamlet's murder in detail, ... therefore influencing Hamlet to hate Claudius passionately as the true horror of the murder is revealed: "And in the porches of my ears did pour The leperous distilment; whose effect Hold such an enmity with blood of man That swift ... spoken in such a sexual manner, is effective in unnerving Gertrud...

• Word Count: 2372
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

... killing Hamlet and he will stop at nothing until he completes his mission. This just proves that he has no sense of self-control and he has lost his sanity. Hamlet also appeared to act crazy after discovering that his uncle, King Claudius, notoriously killed his father and then married his mother. Hamlet is ... hit with so many emotions that he eventually goes mad and speaks inappropriately to almost anyone he comes in contact with. This is true when Hamlet says to Ophelia: "Go to, I'll no more on it, it hath made your ignorance. Go to, I'll no more on it, I hath ... already. He is rud...

• Word Count: 1084
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School