... psychological stress under which he finds himself and, instead, entering the much more psychologically peaceful state of earthly denial. Although this reason may seem arbitrary, Shakespeare clearly emphasizes the importance of such a motivation to escape pain, per se, in Hamlet's decision-making. He does so by emphasizing the Player's scene ... which reflects his general naivete in understanding things. The main dramatic purpose of the play's opening scene is arguably to illustrate this theme. In it, Shakespeare portrays Hamlet's friends are naively friendly and loyal (and thus psycholog...

• Word Count: 3498
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: High School