... recurring theme in the play, that of Hamlet's obsession with the afterlife. This is one of the reasons that the ghost of his father has such an effect on him, which is a trigger for all the subsequent events in the play. In Act I Sc 4, Hamlet says something that shows a ... scene, when Ophelia speaks with Hamlet as Claudius and Polonius listen from a clandestine location, Hamlet repeatedly commands her to go to a nunnery, where she will never be able to marry. This is partially to try and protect her from the carnage that Hamlet must suspect will ensue when he eventually ... revenge, but...

• Word Count: 1952
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

... sleeping with his wife, Emilia, which is obviously untrue. A character far more complex than seems at first, there is more to Iago than meets the eye - making him a man who is not merely pure evil but rather a true villain in every respect of the word. One of the most fascinating ... by D.A. Traversi, Beneath Claudius" impressive ability to assume, on the surface and in the public eye, the appropriately judicious and authoritative mask, which has even led some students of the play to minimize the full extent of his malignity, lie the obsessive realities of insecurity, ruthlessness, and h...

• Word Count: 1814
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

... father's phantom visits him, he persuades Hamlet to take revenge against his uncle Claudius; his father's true killer. Hamlet acts as if he's mad, and in his so-called unrest full stage he devises his plan to take revenge. Throughout the play the death of a character becomes a frequent event. Although most people lose their lives because of their own self-centered ... doing was following the King's preference. Polonius was slained by Hamlet after having been mistaken for the King. The next to die is Ophelia, she, is entirely controlled by Hamlet and the King, for their own selfish reaso...

• Word Count: 1486
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... around him to the point that everyone trusts and believes in his 'right' actions. Gertrude for example has such a respect for him that she is ready to marry him even though he is her brother in law. However everything he does has selfish intentions. Investigating the reason of Hamlet's ... As levels as the cannon to his blank Transports his poisoned shot, may miss our name And hit the woundless air. Oh come away! My soul is full of discord and dismay." - Claudius, Act 4, Scene 1, lines 41-45. This quote shows that Claudius is worried about Hamlet's mental health, while in ... to b...

• Word Count: 1361
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School