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How Does Shakespeare Use Epiphany In Hamlet

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Many people claim that revenge is childish or that revenge is necessary to move on. Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, killed Hamlet's dad. Claudius poisoned his dad by pouring it in his ear. Hamlet saw his dad's ghost. His dad told him how he died. King Hamlet (dad of Hamlet) asked Hamlet to kill Claudius for revenge and this action would take him out of purgatory. In this excerpt from Hamlet, William Shakespeare connects epiphany and imagery to craft Hamlet's belief that revenge is a noble act.

Shakespeare uses epiphany to show Hamlet's need for revenge. Fortinbras is passing through Denmark. Hamlet was coming home from England and saw his troops pass by. Hamlet then had an epiphany on his conversation about revenge. He also is comparing his progress with Fortinbras's progress/attitude towards revenge. "When honour's at stake. How stand I/ then, / that have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And let all sleep?" (5.5.28-32). Hamlet points out that he is at stake with trying to kill Claudius to get revenge for King Hamlet. He would think about how far he has come and realizes that he needs to keep fighting for what he believes in. Therefore, Shakespeare uses epiphany to give Hamlet his train of thought for his act of revenge. …show more content…

King Hamlet (ghost) describes how Claudius kills him using descriptive adjectives. "Sleeping within my orchard, / My custom always of the afternoon, /upon my secure hour thy uncle stole/ With juice of cursed hebona in a vial/And in the porches of my ears did pour..." (1.5.66-70). While King Hamlet is describing this situation to Hamlet, he uses a tone that persuades him which also motivates him for revenge. Shakespeare uses imagery to portray the want of using the act of

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