Shakespeares Hamlet
Prima facie, Shakespeare's Hamlet is a tragedy with the theme ofrevenge at the heart of its drama. Yet, among the myriad number of revengetales, Hamlet stands out as one that strikes a highly resonant chord withits audiences. While, no doubt, there are many reasons for Hamlet'suniversal appeal, one definite reason is that most audiences identify withHamlet's sense of isolation. Indeed, it is Hamlet's isolation that makeshim into such a tragic figure, since he is seen as standing apart and alonein a corrupt world that is full of political ambition, sexual depravity,and moral conflict. A universal state of affairs that is all toorecognizable and experienced by every individual at some point in time inlife. Thus, it is the isolation of Hamlet's inner conflicts and strugglesthat enable audiences everywhere to easily identify with him. Hamlet's isolation and loneliness is evident in the play's first actitself, which portrays him as isolated in his mourning for his father; by
Notonly does he feel compelled to swear Horatio and Marcellus to silence, buthe also intends to deliberately isolate himself from the regular going-onsin Denmark through pretending to be mad: "How strange or odd soe'er I bearmyself. 195-6) Thus, itis Hamlet's isolated burden and struggle to maintain moral integrity thatsucceeds in winning audience empathy through the ages. Gertrude's observation is not far wrong. Hamlet, here,cleverly twists an old proverb, which carried the meaning, "the closer therelationship, the greater the dislike. This is evident in his quip toClaudius that he is "a little more than kin, and less than kind," (1. The fact that Hamlet alone is still grieving for his father is furtherestablished when his mother urges him to "Good Hamlet, cast thy nightlycolour off. 2 Claudius, the newly crowned King ofDenmark is seen entering with Queen Gertrude, Prince Hamlet, the Council,and the Lords.
Common topics in this essay:
Queen Gertrude,
Indeed Hamlet's,
Horatio Marcellus,
Shakespeare's Hamlet,
Lords Significantly,
Indeed Shakespeare's,
King Denmark,
hamlet's isolation,
,
sense isolation,
hamlet's sense,
identify hamlet's,
hamlet's mourning,
queen gertrude,
hamlet's sense isolation,
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Acceptance Essays
