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Rhetorical Analysis Of Hamlet

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In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet has to wait until he is alone in act two scene two to be able express just how angry and frustrated he is at the situation he finds himself in. The angry and erratic tone in the first section of Hamlet's third soliloquy coupled with that of a cool and calculating tone at the second section shows how Hamlet is switching back and forth between being an angry and ranting griever to a cold and calculating plotter/wannabe murderer in a quest to avenge his father. Up to this point in the play there has not been any casualties (not taking into account the death of King Hamlet and the death of a relationship between Ophelia and Hamlet). Hamlet is feigning madness while trying to figure out how to switch from …show more content…

But the second section is a complete change. A change almost as sudden as the conversion from Mr.Hyde to that of Dr.Jekyll. Hamlet changes both the style and tone to describe how he has become calculating and cautious. A prime example of how Hamlet is thinking out his movements is when he states how “[he] heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play have by the very cunning of the scene..[are forced to] [proclaim] their malefactions” (II.ii.576-579). The word malefactions carries with it the thought that Claudius’ crimes against the family are THAT immoral and wicked. It is here that we, the audience, notice just how calculating Hamlet is. His plan to “have these players play something like the murder of [his] father” (II.ii.581-582) serves a double purpose. Like Shakespeare's plays in general, Hamlet gains plausible deniability. If someone were to come at Hamlet he could quite simply say that it was merely a rework of an old play. Or even better he can say that if the play has nothing to do with you, why are you getting angry by it. This point leads to the second purpose of this play within a play tatic. If Claudius were to challenge Hamlet directly and in public, he is forced to either PUBLICLY admit how he poisoned his brother and the incestous act of sleeping with his wife, or If Claudius waits for a private confrontation, he leaves Hamlet with opportunity to commit the assassination/murder now that hamlet “knows [his] course” (II.ii.586) and claudius was in fact guilty of the murder of King Hamlet. AT this point of the speech, Hamlet finally considers how the spirit of his dead father could also be a demon. It is not until now that he realizes that “The spirit [he saw] May be a devil, and [that] the devil hath the power t’assume a pleasing shape” (II.ii.585-587). It is here that the audience makes the connection that one of the MANY problems Hamlet is facing he has no clue as to if

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Although Hamlet is plotting to murder a king which is the highest form of treason any person could commit in his time, is made to seem like an honorable and justified action. Through the ghost of his father demanding that Hamlet avenge his untimely death by the hand of his brother, the audience disposes of this idea that plotting against and killing a king is treason. The audience understands Hamlets rage and desire for revenge and is encourages it although Claudius is the new king of Denmark and father to Hamlet. This betrayal Hamlet commits against his former uncle now his adoptive father would disgust the audience had it not been that Claudius was guilty of murdering Hamlets father and plotting to murder Hamlet. By having this double crossing it establishes how not even the bonds of family can quench the thirst for power and

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After learning this, Hamlet’s sole motivation is to avenge his father’s death by revealing Claudius’ deception. Hamlet’s initial plan to expose Claudius is to have performers put on a play imitating the events of his father’s death. Hamlet says, I’ll have these players play something like the murder to my father before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks; I’ll tent him to the quick. If ‘a do blench, I know my course…The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King (Shakespeare

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Hamlet develops the play-within-the play to try and get a reaction out of Claudius. Although it does work and he gets the reaction he desires on a silver platter just as he hoped, he is then further uncertain within himself and procrastinates on what needs to be done. Within this action of setting up this play he desires enough certainty to act on his thoughts and he receives that assurance, yet he still chooses not to, which then leads to more procrastination which is a common theme within the play. As a result of his inaction, others are harmed and chaos erupts. As such, Hamlet does not act despite having the external assurance that Claudius did murder his father, he just lacks the certainty within himself to do the actions.

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Hamlet is a Shakespearean play about a distraught prince who comes home to Denmark at the news of his father’s death. Once he finds out that his uncle Claudius has married his mother and become king himself, Hamlet suspects foul play. When his father 's ghost comes back to tell him of Claudius’s sins, he is asked to murder Claudius for revenge, but he isn’t sure if he can do it. Some scholars, researchers, and casual readers would argue that this drives Hamlet mad by burdening him with decision. Others would say that after he accepts his father 's plea for vengeance, that he uses this cloak of madness as a disguise so Claudius cannot see his murderous intentions.

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In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the dead king’s son Hamlet avenges his father’s murder, but his madness and indecision takes its toll on everyone. Hamlet’s father, the King Hamlet, was murdered by Claudius because he was ambitious for the throne and Queen Gertrude. In Act 3 of the play, Hamlet begins to test Claudius for any sign of guilt in the murder of his father. After watching a play disguised as a reenactment of the murder of King Hamlet, Claudius begins to confess his sins to God. In Claudius’ confession soliloquy, Shakespeare reveals Claudius’ inner duel between his rational desire to act virtuously by relieving his guilt and his gravitation toward material gain and selfishness by following his ambitions through the use of

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It seems as if Claudius has committed the crime, and Hamlet is just trying to get the one proof that can tie him to the crime, even if it is a reaction to a play. When Claudius asks if anything in the play is offensive, and Hamlet tells him that they have nothing to worry about because neither of them are guilty, is a very big probability, and the focus of Hamlet's attention is Claudius, no one else is mentioned or brought into this conversation which is a direct attack on Claudius (1:52). The problem with proof that the film conveys is how Hamlet is so focused on proving that Claudius is guilty, he attacks him solely, watches his every move, and just needs any simple reaction to prove that he's guilty, he doesn’t even consider that there can be a different reason for Claudius’

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This leaves Hamlet conflicted about what his mind tells him he has to do and what his conscience prohibits him to carry out. The character Hamlet is faced with a conflicting decision whether or not he should take an act of vengeance against his uncle for his crime to appease his father's ghost or remain inactive and keep the peace. Hamlet utilizes rhetorical devices such as metaphors, hyperboles, and rhetorical questions to appear “mad” in hopes of achieving revenge, his manipulation of the idea of facade results in the downfall of characters around him and ultimately leads to his tragic ending. In the

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For instance, he wasn’t sure if the ghost was telling the truth so he modifies the play, The Murder of Gonzago, to resemble the murder of his father. While the actors are performing the play, he will watch Claudius’ reactions to see if he truly is guilty. He also asks Horatio to watch Claudius to have a second opinion because Hamlet’s judgment may be bias. He says, “The play’s the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King” (II, 2, 60). Another scene in the play where Hamlet thinks logically before lashing out is when he sees Claudius praying and is completely vulnerable, but restrains from killing him.

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As he makes his manipulative actions, Claudius tries to hide Hamlet from the truth of the murder so that he can remain in power for as long as possible, at any costs possible. This is important to the play because we get to see how Claudius proves his intentions

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From the beginning of the play, Hamlet has experienced a deep sadness resulting from his mother’s hasty marriage and the death of his father. After Hamlet learns about King Hamlet’s true cause of death from the ghost, his sorrow and depression intensify and he develops anger. Hamlet is now experiencing a variety of conflicting emotions that he is forced to keep to himself. Hamlet is also experiencing uncertainty because the ghost of King Hamlet revealed this information to him. Hamlet is unsure if the ghost is truly a devil trying to deceive him during his unstable emotional state.

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First of all, Claudius’ murder of king Hamlet affected Hamlet in many ways; He became very suspicious about everything that was going on. He suspects Claudius had something to do with the murder and most of Hamlet’s actions are set on proving that, for ex. In act 3, Hamlet sets up a play that is supposed to depict the murder of King Hamlet and if Claudius showed any signs of guilt, Hamlet will have proved that he did it. Earlier in the play, the ghost of King Hamlet tells Hamlet that Claudius murdered him and asks him to get his revenge for him. Hamlet’s actions are driven by his desire to avenge his Father by killing Claudius.

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To some, Hamlet may seem unappreciable and irrational, but during further examination one sees that his attitude is only for attention. Not only does Hamlet control when he does or does not talk in prose, he also announces that he

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However, the concept of deception is also a major part of the play and it’s mainly demonstrated through the character of King Claudius. Shakespeare portrays Claudius as manipulative character, who uses his intelligence to delude the nation of Denmark and queen Gertrude. In the beginning of the play, Claudius is shown as capable ruler who oath to support the people of Denmark. During his speech he uses the incidence of Hamlet's father death to create a unity and to get the people together as he stated, "to bear our hearts in grief and our whole kingdom/ To be contracted in one brow of woe" (Shakespeare 1.2.3-4).

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As Eliot describes, “the ‘madness’ of Hamlet lay to Shakespeare’s hand; in the earlier play a simple ruse, and to the end, we may presume, understood as a ruse by the audience…” (Eliot 93). Although the play made it seem as though the purpose was to tell a tale of revenge, Eliot says that, “For Shakespeare, it is less than madness and more than feigned.” (Eliot 93) He furthers his argument by explaining that the characterization of Hamlet, from his nostalgic tones, to his philosophical deepness, does not imply that he he’s trying to scheme a revenge plan, but instead aims to express only his emotions. Throughout the play, it is noticeable that Hamlet has an intricate persona.

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The audience feels sympathy towards King hamlet who make his appearance in the play as a ghost and has been murdered by his younger brother Claudius. The audience and the victim, King hamlet, both know the truth about his murder, however he himself is helpless about taking any revenge. Even though he tries to at least let his son know about the murder, but seeing him in pain even after his death develops a huge sympathy towards his character. In addition, his wife Gertrude and his kingdom has been snatched away from him in fraudulent ways by his own brother, gives him huge agonizing

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