Hamlet
The most important line in Hamlet is, "The play's the thing,wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." (II, ii, 617). In theplay, the issue of a clear conscience forms a key motif. When theconscience of the characters appears, it does so as a result of someaction; as in the case of the aforementioned line, which follows Hamlet'sconversation with the player. This line is of particular significancebecause it ties action and its effect on the conscience of the characters. The nature of Hamlet is conscience, and action plays an important role increating the development of the plot. No where is this development seenclearer than with Hamlet. The Prince's development comes as a result ofthe self-evaluation of the actions that have taken place, and the ensuingactions that he takes are a clear result of this self-evaluation. So, inessence, the actions cause him to think of his conscience and then actupon these feelings. Hamlet's several soliloquies are a testament to this
It is action which prompts Hamlet to mull over his conscience, and theclearing of his conscience which prompts action. He doesthis to absolve himself of his guilty conscience, and it is the first timewe see the king show any penitence towards the sins he committed, and itoffers a different perspective towards Claudius. By doing this,the king's conscience is brought up because this is the first time heconfesses to comitting the "crimes". With a little insight, even theactions of the king follow suit with the conscience to action motif. Although he is a man whois crafty and wicked in the play, and his actions following thisconfessional do little to offer anything to the contrary, it is possibleto say that the penance is the action which follows a conscience mullingaction by the king. Theremark is made in response to a statement by Polonius speaking of"sugaring the devil", which Claudius alludes to himself. following a conversation with his recentlywed mother and uncle reflect the uneasiness he feels. Byself-evaluation, the characters then make the conscious decision to takeaction with their feelings. In the soliloquy to endthe act (whereupon the most important line is derived), Hamlet questionshis passion for the plot he has planned, and his conversation has clearlyaffected this ambivlance. When Hamlet meets his father's ghosthowever, he feels sure of himself, and knows what he must do. Hamlet's decision's are keyed by pondering over his conscienceand it is the decisions he makes which further the actions of the play. An example of this is at the end of act II,following Hamlet's conversation with the player. At the beginning of Act III, Claudius states, "Howsmart a lash that speech doth give my conscience.
Common topics in this essay:
Hamlet Prince's,
III Claudius,
,
II Hamlet's,
Murder Gonzago,
conscience action,
hamlet's conscience,
hamlet's conversation player,
conversation player,
conscience king,
hamlet's conversation,
result self-evaluation,
conscience characters,
soliloquy conversation,
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