Word Play in Hamlet - 1457 Words

Word Play in Hamlet nbsp; nbsp; A principal theme in Shakespeares Hamlet is the strength and flexibility of language. Words are used to communicate ideas, but can also be used to distort or conceal the truth and manipulate. Throughout the play characters comment on the properties of language and exploit these for their own advantage. nbsp; Claudius, the shrewd politician is the most obvious example of a man who manipulates words to enhance his own power, possessing a professional grasp of the language. Using this he can oppress people and assert his authority, as we see him doing when delivering a polished speech to the council. He cleverly justifies the ill-viewed situation of his marriage to Gertrude, reminding†¦show more content†¦What wouldst thou beg, Laertes? nbsp; The comment above is ridiculous in its context, since Laertes has so far not been permitted to speak, never mind `lose his voice. The King oppresses him to a great extend, through the constant questioning, through the unnerving repetition of his name and finally through reducing verbs like `beg, referring to the manner of speech Laertes uses to request his leave, one that the King has not yet heard. Claudius adopts entirely different manners of speech, depending on to whom he is speaking. On this occasion he controls in a way he would not, when conversing with others. nbsp; So, we have seen how Claudius exploits language to evade, oppress and assert his power. Yet, we also see how he uses language to advance his political situation and the view of the people. Upon seeing Hamlet he greets him slightly strangely: nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; `But now, my cousin Hamlet and my son -nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; In public he stresses to the court that Hamlet is now his son, and throughout the discussion makes references to he, himself being the father. He adopts a friendly tone when advising `Good Hamlet, to give his mourning duties to his new father, and this desire to `eliminate memoriesShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1034 Words   |  5 Pages Actions speak louder than words. So in Hamlet written by Shakespeare there is a lot of dichotomy between words vs. actions. The basic idea of dichotomy is the difference between to similar ideas or actions. In the play Hamlet there are two ideas that are butting heads. These would be words vs. actions. In the play there is a lot of talking and saying stuff about other people and there is actions to be followed by the words that were said. Throughout the essay you are aboutRead MoreHamlet Is A Theater Performance Of The Shakespeare Play1715 Words   |  7 PagesEssay 2 The play Hamlet is written by William Shakespeare whereby he uses a combination of poetry and prose. The film, Hamlet is a theater performance of the Shakespeare play. The play is written in blank verse offering an insight into the state of mind of the character as well as a reaction to the ongoing actions in the stage. The style is reserved for the nobles and informal situations like courts. Figurative language is used to express the actions and feelings of the characters have been evidencedRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - A Close Reading Of A Passage1555 Words   |  7 PagesClose Reading of a Passage in William Shakespeare s â€Å"Hamlet† â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question,† said by Hamlet at the beginning of his soliloquy, and it has become a quite well known phrase since Shakespeare s time. Even though the phrase is well known, the meaning behind it isn’t always fully interrupted or considered. The phrase can also be known as a representation of the Hamlet play itself, but the phrase is actually the words of someone whom is truly depressed and questioning lifeRead MoreSomething and Nothing in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay1731 Words   |  7 Pagesasks Hamlet What is my Lord? and Hamlet replies Nothing.(3.2. 109,111) Shakespeare uses nothing multifariously in his tragic play   Hamlet.   Nothing becomes a way for the reader to draw parallels between Young Hamlet, and his slain father.   Young Hamlets   use of   the word nothing, consistently borders on the realm of something. Still, nothing is more than a   mere lack of something, nothing is the catalyst that enables the reader to see the coalescency that exists between Hamlet, andRead MoreHamlet Character Analysis995 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, there are many events and characters that are ambiguous to the audience. They are interpreted in several ways as there are different view points on why a character decided to act like they did. Such examples in the play are Hamlet’s use of language is equivocal as he uses his words to confuse and insult other characters in the play. Moreover, the decisions that Hamlet makes to delay Claudius’ murder in the play can be interpreted to have various explanations. Hamlet’sRead MoreDelaney Sereika. Ms. Stensaas. Ap Literature. 2 February921 Words   |  4 PagesDelaney Sereika Ms. Stensaas Ap Literature 2 February 2017 Hamlet: Seems Versus Is Throughout the tragic play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, there are a multitude of characters who seem to act one way but, below the surface, are completely different than they are portrayed. These characters hide behind their own disguise, masking their true identities. The motif Seems Versus Is is brought to the reader s attention in Hamlet because it shows that although people might seem to be one way, they canRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet - Sanity Vs. Insanity1742 Words   |  7 PagesEnglish IV Mrs. Joyner Sanity VS. Insanity â€Å"Hamlet represents the mid period of the growth of Shakespeare s genius, when comedy and history ceased to be adequate for the expression of his deeper thoughts and sadder feelings about life, and when he was entering upon his great series of tragic writings† (The World s Best Essays from the Earliest Period to the Present Time). Hamlet’s actions are entirely too extreme for him to be faking his insanity. Hamlet is constantly on the brink of insanity, orRead MoreThe Ghost Of Old Hamlet1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe ghost of Old Hamlet is an important part of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, but the ghost does not appear to all of the characters. The audience first sees the ghost when it appears before Horatio and the watchmen, Bernardo and Marcellus, who are both minor characters who do not play a major role in the play. Hamlet also sees the ghost later, and the audience only hears the ghost speak in interactions between him and Hamlet. However, because the ghost†™s words are not real, it also brings forth the questionRead More Hamlets Wit Essay examples939 Words   |  4 Pageslargely because of their enormously complex personalities.   Hamlet, with his inner conflicts, indecision, wit, and passive-aggressive behavior, is one of Shakespeares most memorable characters.   Yet so much attention has been given to Hamlets inner conflict-whether or not he should kill his uncle-that a large piece of his personality is easy to overlook.   Hamlets wit strikes out at the audience in several different scenes throughout the play and not only gives the reader greater insight into HamletsRead More Strange Behavior and Ghosts in Hamlet by William Shakespeare1519 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the play ‘Hamlet‘, we see that the protagonist seems troubled and quite isolated. The Shakespearean play is believed to have been first performed between 1600 and 1601 but not published until 1603. Hamlet is the young prince of Denmark, his mot her Gertrude married her brother-in-law shortly after her husband (Hamlet’s father) died. In the Elizabethan era many people believed in supernatural forces and this is displayed within the play when Hamlet’s father returns as a ghost. Many people