Hamlet by Shakespeare: Literary Essay Analysis

Introduction

Hamlet by Shakespeare is a book that has been crafted keenly to show creativity and mastery of literature explicitly. The book has used literary devices in a unique style to appeal to the audience's imagination in creating a thriller story. Hamlet is one of Shakespeare work that has spared literature debates among scholars for the way he shows his knowledge in selection of a character and giving them roles that are captivating in uncovering a mysterious conspiracy. Shakespeare has used symbolism and imagery to bring the best out of his characters to the audience of the book. It is Shakespeare's style to use the main characters in his stories as the title of most of his writings. Hamlet is not any contrary to Shakespeare's writings since the title of the book represents the main character of his book, Hamlet. Hamlet is a prince who is used in the narrative to exhibit the theme of confusion, family betrayal and revenge.

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Themes of Confusion, Betrayal, and Revenge in Hamlet

Hamlet, the prince, struggles with issues of madness and confusion when he learns about the demise of his father. After Hamlet returns home and finds his uncle has taken over the throne without considering the rights of an heir to the throne, Hamlet is faced with many issues. The ghost of his father appears to him telling the prince that his uncle Claudius was behind the king's death. The prince leaves for his home country Denmark from his educational journey in Germany in a state of sorrow and confusion (Act 1). He later finds his uncle as the king who had also married Hamlet mother only a few months after the death of the King. The fear of uncertainty starts to unfold when hamlet sets philosophical traps for his uncle. The confusion begins to set in when the prince sets a plan similar to one described by the ghost of his father to learn the truth behind the king's death. Hamlet actions of revenge leave a trail of bodies and raise questions of disloyalty and mistrust among his friends. Hamlet is faced with hard decisions that are geared towards revenging his father's death. Shakespeare shows how hamlet is consumed by revenge that he does not care about the damage he causes (Schmit, 26). Most of his friends die in the process, but still, he is focused on the verge of keeping the promise he made to the king's ghost to revenge his death.

Shakespeare shows how people's behavior can be affected by the thirst for revenge. Shakespeare uses Hamlet to prove his feelings and those of ordinary people. Hamlet experiences love, anger and grief. However, his feelings are overtaken by desires for revenge. Hamlet says, "... With wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge" (Act 1, 35-37). Hamlet is paranoid about everything within the Kingdom and the people around him. He questions everything that happens in the king with the intention to uncover the truth. The path to the truth seems messy and costs many lives. Despite being in love with Ophelia, Hamlet stabs her father whom he caught spying him. Ophelia dies of grief and madness as she sings sad songs after realizing Hamlet's actions. On the same note, Hamlet killed his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern whom he thought were spying on him on behalf of the king. Shakespeare has used Hamlet in his poetry to question the existence of life. He asks, "To be or not to be?" This represents the dilemma that Hamlet faced when he faced with difficult situations in the curse of his revenge (Sengul 225)

The Use of Literary Devices and Characters in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Shakespeare is known for his use of literary devices in his writings. Hamlet is no different, Shakespeare has used literary devices to capture the attention of his audience and derive a message through his characters. Symbolism and imagery are one of the devices Shakespeare has used. Shakespeare uses the king's ghost as a symbol of Hamlet's imagination. Severally the ghost only appears to Hamlet and have a conversation with him. It is unlikely that only Hamlet sees the ghost if it was real. It is a representation of your Hamlet and his desires to revenge his father's death. When Hamlet visits Ophelia, she says, "he looked ghostly, pale almost as if he had crawled out of hell" (Act 4, 93). Shakespeare also uses costume changes to represent the difference between the thoughts of a person and the outside looks. Hamlet appeared calm but had far more reaching ideas to revenge his father's death. He always pretended around people, but in the end, his mission was uncovered. Hamlet's inky cloak represents his grief for his father during the morning period. After the morning period, he still wears black despite the other family members' desire to forget the old king. Hamlet's black costume shows that he had not put into rest his father's death and he was still in a revenge mission.

Additionally, like many of Shakespeare's drama stories, he has used women characters to show love, affection and power. The roles of Ophelia and Gertrude are used to show love since they are close to the protagonist, Hamlet. Gertrude is mostly involved in Hamlet's life since she was his mother and wife to his greatest enemy Claudius. Mothers love shown when Gertrude convinces his husband not to kill his son. However, men's dominance is displayed when the king plans Hamlets death without telling Gertrude (De Grazia 10). This deceit caused Gertrude's life when she drunk from the cup intended for her son.

On the other hand, Ophelia love for his father is shown when she dies out of loneliness. This meant that his father meant the world to her, Ophelia's behavior even changed after his death. Previously, Hamlet could abuse her in silence, but after she lost her father, she gained a different role to show rebellion and isolation until she decided out of grief. Shakespeare has used the characters mentioned above along Hamlet to show love and women power in life.

Conclusion

As discussed above the clear development of the story is depicted through Shakespeare's ability to integrate various entities of literature to draw the attention of the audience. Shakespeare has used different literary devices and characters to create themes of madness, confusion and revenge. King Claudius, the chief avenger in Hamlet, has been used to show an endless desire by killing the previous king and taking his wife for himself. The character of Claudius has been used to bring out contrasting roles of Hamlet. Hamlet is faced with dilemmas and questions in his quest to avenge his father. Shakespeare has brought out Hamlet's feelings as honest, just yet revengeful. "... I, his son, do this same villain send to heaven, why, this is hire and salary, not revenge" (Act 3 scene 3 78-84). However, the desire to revenge is fulfilled since Hamlet finds himself in a divergent path where he questions his morals and desires. In conclusion, Hamlet by Shakespeare is a masterpiece which shows correct use of literary devices to develop themes through different characters.

Works Cited

Perrine, Laurence, and Thomas R. Arp. Literature: structure, sound, and sense. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974.

Sengul, Mehmet Bakir. "A Comparative Analysis on Hamlet (William Shakespeare) and Gulnihal (Namik Kemal) Theatres." BILIG 84 (2018): 219-241.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet, edited by George Richard Hibbard, Oxford UP, 2008, pp. 18-22

Schmitt, Carl. Hamlet or Hecuba. New York: Telos, 2009.

De Grazia, Margreta. 'Hamlet'Without Hamlet. Cambridge University Press, 2007.