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How Does Shakespeare Use Imagery In Hamlet

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The use of imagery in Hamlet enhances the dialogue and scenery in the play. William Shakespeare uses conflicts between countries, relationships and, families to make the play more suspenseful and to cause more tension. Without the use of imagery that William Shakespeare uses in Hamlet, the play would be very bland and not be one of the great plays in history like it is. In the first act, Shakespeare uses deep imagery to describe the condition of Denmark. "There is something rotten in the state of Denmark." The quote describes how corrupt Denmark was at the time and another thing it could mean is how the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude is not right. Their marriage came at a very suspicious time, only two months after the Kings death. …show more content…

In Act 1 Hamlet says "frailty, thy name is women" (I.ii.146). He is demonstrating his despise of his mother Gertrude 's actions by marrying Claudius shortly after the king or her husbands death. Throughout the play we see that Hamlet has disgust with his mother for her lack of character and strength. Shakespeare uses good imagery throughout the play while describing Hamlet and Gertrude’s odd relationship, which makes the interactions between them two much more interesting. Another relationship is the one between Ophelia and Hamlet. The descriptions of their relationship make the dialogue between them very tense. Their relationship is not that stable and is kin of weird. Hamlet claims that he once loved her, but a moment later he tells her that he never loved her. While he is attempting to act crazy in Act 2 he grabs Ophelia, stares at her for a while, then lets out a long sigh. They can 't seem to have a normal conversation. Ophelia also has a lack of strength and independence. Shakespeare shows this through her relationship with her brother and father. She obeyed her father when she rejected Hamlet and his letters. She is also used as "bait" for spying on Hamlet on two different occasions. Throughout the play William Shakespeare uses great imagery and descriptions to create tension, suspense, and conflicts between friends, families, and relationships. Without the use of those, Hamlet would not go down as one of Shakespeare’s most popular and well known

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