ipl-logo

William Shakespeare Hamlet Research Paper

1089 Words5 Pages

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare. There are multiple instances in which characters are subjected to grapple with decisions made in the past and how to cope with the way their surroundings have changed due to it. The character this essay will be focused on will be Hamlet son of the slaughtered King Hamlet, Hamlet undergoes large tragedies throughout the play and his reactions to these events are grandiose in scale and normally quite rash and sudden. Shakespeare utilizes these tragedies as a way to invoke chaos throughout the play and even create additional tragedies. Prime examples of these reconcilements due to past uncertainties are: The killing of Polonius in a anger and suspicion induced accident, The death of Ophelia and how he …show more content…

Ophelia becomes so struck by relentless grief she deems her life to be stuck in a world of permanent pain and without her father, lover or even brother she commits the cardinal sin of self slaughter. This repercussion of his murderous act creates turmoil and distress within young Hamlet, he begins to feel near guilt towards the ending of Ophelia’s life. He chooses to attempt to right what he has done by attending the funeral of Ophelia, this funeral is also attended by Laertes. Laertes and Hamlet begin to fight and ultimately Hamlet throws himself in her grave and says he would rather die than live his current life and creates greater tension with Laertes than before. This choice made by Hamlet to further anger Laertes, instead of attempting to solve the negative outcomes of his prior decisions creates large upcoming problems for Hamlet in latter scenes. Hamlet’s personal choice to treat Ophelia with such disregard and mediocrity was able to drive Ophelia to the point of near madness, the compiled stress grief and anger over Hamlet taking her father’s life was too much to take and lead to her committing suicide. Hamlet’s way of reconciling with what occurred was to display his grief and anger in front of her funeral procession and thusly further anger Laertes, a decision needing reconcilement as the play continues. The inability to predict the outcomes of his impulsive actions play a key role in the action and constant chaos experienced by the characters in the

Show More
Related
781 Words | 4 Pages

Her initial denial comes from the rejection of her love by Hamlet, leading to anger and confusion. She then begins to bargain with herself, trying to understand why Hamlet has treated her so coldly. As the play progresses, Ophelia's depression deepens. She becomes overwhelmed by the events around her, ultimately leading to her tragic demise. Ophelia's story shows how grief can be not only a response to loss but also to rejection and disappointment.

Read More
578 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet reaches for the dropped dagger and wounds Laertes and then lunges over also killing Claudius too. As Gertrude, Laertes, and Hamlet begin to die it is Laertes that recognizes the gaps in the story and is able to place Ophelia as the cause of all of their problems. In Hamlet’s last moments he is forgiven for the misconception about his sanity. Ophelia’s truth is revealed but it is too late to save those who were poisoned. Horatio observed the scene play out and is awe stricken by the total misconception that was

Read More
1102 Words | 5 Pages

King Hamlet’s death is what drives the conflict. It sends Hamlet spiraling into depression and rage. After hearing that Claudius killed his father, Hamlet is practically unable to focus on anything but his revenge. First, he makes clear plans and puts them into action, but later in the play, he rushes into plans and acts impulsively. Both of these events greatly affected Ophelia and Hamlet did not notice or care.

Read More
242 Words | 1 Pages

Hamlet struggles dealing with his mother because he feels very strange being around her, doesn't get full attention from his mother, and treats her poorly. After Hamlet was very upset towards his mother, he stabs Polonius hiding while behind the tapestry and Ophelia gets mad. Ophelia dies after her father’s death by drowning in the river. When Hamlet and Horatio discuss death, Hamlet admits that he switched the letters. Then, Claudius manipulates Hamlet into a duel with Laertes whose sword is poisoned.

Read More
660 Words | 3 Pages

The character of Ophelia in Hamlet enters the play as a content, though naïve, young woman. However, Hamlet’s apparent rejection of her love and her father’s subsequent murder drive all reason from her head. She reverts to a simple-minded state, entering a world of madness. Because she is incapable of rational thought, Ophelia’s death is an accident rather than a suicide. A primary indicator of the accidental nature of Ophelia’s death is that it does not conform to traditional tragic suicide.

Read More
1318 Words | 6 Pages

It is likely that Ophelia has gone nuts upon Hamlet's disgusting and disintegrated promises. Hamlet had broken both her heart and her mind. Based on an article, “ Women were approximately three times more likely than men to experience major depression in response to any stressful life event” (Maciejewski 596; vol.31 no.4). Finding herself lost in a world of patriarchy, Ophelia chooses to end her own life.

Read More
746 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet was not acting normal when he jumped into Ophelia’s grave. Ophelia’s death was making him act irrationally and charged at Laertes. Afraid of Laertes he did not understand how much he love her and said crazy things so Hamlet cared more for Ophelia more than Laertes. In addition when Hamlet was at the funeral Hamlet would miss being with Ophelia and he should have never betrayed her. As a result Hamlet’s reaction to his love for Ophelia shows he cares also he reacts her to her death.

Read More
1947 Words | 8 Pages

‘Oh, please let’s get out.’” and Jay is left feeling hurt and betrayed, when in fact all that should have mattered to Jay is that Daisy loves him now (142). Obsession is present in Ophelia and Hamlet’s in a different way than in Jay and Daisy’s. Hamlet’s obsession with revenge ultimately leads to the death of Ophelia. By allowing Ophelia to believe that Hamlet is insane and killing Ophelia’s father, Polonius, without thinking, Hamlet’s obsession with revenge causes not only the downfall of Ophelia and Hamlet’s relationship, but also causes the emotional downfall of Ophelia, which leads to her untimely death.

Read More
1783 Words | 8 Pages

Ophelia believes that she is not Hamlet’s or any man’s equal. Ophelia has never been treated as an independent individual. She is always following someone’s orders. Ophelia’s subservient nature causes her to suppress her feelings which eventually leads to her mental breakdown and death in Act IV. In Act IV, Ophelia “passively” commits suicide which emphasizes her submissive nature.

Read More
634 Words | 3 Pages

Not only did Shakespeare follow Christian theology but also Catholic and Protestant views, which are exhibited by the ghost. In the play the ghost is similar to a demon which threatens Hamlet into giving up his soul. Hamlet could have easily just promised the ghost revenge and kill Claudius but he did not because he wasn’t sure if the ghost was telling the truth. One thing that made Hamlet similar to other playwrights was that they all derived from the Greeks.

Read More
729 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet kills Ophelia’s father thinking that it would change her mind about Hamlet being able to get closer to her. Ophelia had other plans in mind and so did Laertes too. Laertes thought that he could possibly do something for Ophelia to get away from Hamlet.

Read More
1135 Words | 5 Pages

The figure of Ophelia is tragic one, she is the victim of a patriarchal power struggle, where they use her as a puppet to influence each other. Her father Polonius and brother Laertes strongly advice her to end her relationship with Hamlet, and she does what

Read More
872 Words | 4 Pages

William Shakespeare is a well-known playwright of the 1500’s and of the modern day, most often associated with his sonnets, monologues, and soliloquies. He often tied his plays into her personal life or into the events that occurred in the society around him. His most popular play is Hamlet, having been translated into over 75 languages, and he even invented many popular expressions that we still use to this day, such as “wild goose chase” and “love is blind.” He is a very influential playwright and is still widely performed and recited to this day. The work of Shakespeare is widely read around the world by many people of different age groups, and is considered as merit for many English classes in both public and private educational institutions.

Read More
937 Words | 4 Pages

The speed and slowness of time impact decisions and lead to many different outcomes. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, time is a very important aspect of the play. The timing of King Hamlet’s death and Hamlet’s choices thereafter all highlight the importance of both taking action and delaying actions. Hamlet’s hesitation with avenging his father’s death along with the queen’s decision to quickly marry her dead husband’s brother not only emphasizes the importance of choices, but also how the timing of these choices leads to other decisions. Author Eric Levy states that Hamlet and the other characters’ choices are chaotic and add emphasis to the idea that “time is out of joint” and needs to be set back in place (1.5.196).

Read More
397 Words | 2 Pages

William Shakespeare is the most famous name in English literature, and his works continue to influence new generations of readers and play-goers today. Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s greatest and longest plays, is the tragic story of Hamlet, a fictional Prince of Denmark, who seeks revenge on his uncle for murdering his father and marrying his widowed mother. He is visited by the ghost of his father, King Hamlet, who tells of the plot of his brother, Claudius, to poison him and take his throne as well as his Queen Gertrude. The two subplots of the story involve Hamlet and his love interest, Ophelia, as well as the tensions between Denmark and her neighboring country of Norway. Although Hamlet was written in at the turn of the sixteenth century,

Read More

More about William Shakespeare Hamlet Research Paper

Open Document