The Theme Of Death In Hamlet

The Theme Of Death In Hamlet
10 Bucks Everyone Dies, Bet
(The Theme of Death in Hamlet Acts 4 and 5) "There a significance, some deep and abiding
meaning to death–one that transcends our puny ability to understand?" this quote is from
chabad.org, by Maurice Lamm. Death is very hard to understand, is it a void which we never return?
Death may be just the disintegration of our bodies that we all know as being kind of gross. The play
Hamlet has several deaths in it, the play is known as the play of death. Hamlet being the little baby
he is just goes around trying to figure out how to get the balls to kill the old man. In the play Hamlet
throughout acts 4 and 5 the theme of death is very present, and one of the more major themes. The
play Hamlet in act 4 shows the theme of death very well. The theme of death is a biggy in the world
of themes throughout the play Hamlet. The play basically has everyone die in the end. Shakespeare
shows his genius very well by slipping little clues about the death theme throughout the play. He
sprinkles the death ingredients like he is a chef making a masterful entree. Hamlet infers on page
210 line 5, "Compounded it with dust, whereto 'tis the dead." Here Hamlet is responding to
Rosencrantz where Rosencrantz is asking Hamlet where he put the dead body of Polonius. The way
that the two characters just throw death around like it is some kind of play toy is astonishing. Both
Rosencrantz and Hamlet have lost their sensitivity to the subject of death. Lawrence R Samuel
Ph.D. states from Psychology today, "The end of life is now frequently a prolonged period carrying
a heavy emotional, ethical, physical, and financial price, something that has helped make death this
country's greatest taboo". This quote shows that death is now a huge taboo to talk about, but back
then it really wasn't after Hamlet has killed polonius. Clearly, The theme of death is present during
this time in the play Hamlet. The theme of death in Hamlet acts 4 and 5 are really shown by dulling
the mind more sensitive subjects. Hamlet the play was the ultimate R rated movie from the olden
times.Hamlet suggests on page 214 line 30, "A man may eat a fish with the worm that hath eat of a
king, and eat the fish that hath fed of that worm." Hamlet is
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Themes Of Hamlet Essay
THEMES
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. Asthe main theme
of this play emanates from the appearance of the King Hamlet's ghost to his son, narrating him the
circumstances of his death, and that his anticipation from his son to take revenge from Claudius for
his death.
KEYWORDS : fundamental , King Hamlet's ghost , circumstances.
THE IMPOSSIBILITY OF CERTAINTY What separates Hamlet from other revenge plays (and
may be from every play written before it)is that the action we expect to see, particularly from
Hamlet himself, is continually postponed while Hamlet tries to obtain more certain knowledge about
what he is doing. This play poses many questions that other plays would simply take ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shakespeare first uses the revenge theme to create conflict between Hamlet and Claudius. In Act I,
Hamlet is visited by the Ghost of his father, who makes Hamlet aware of his murderous death
completed his brother. The ghost says this to Hamlet regarding Claudius, "Revenge his foul and
most unnatural murder"(Shakespeare, Hamlet, I , v, 25).this is where Hamlet is first introduced to
the revenge plot between himself and Claudius. Hamlet wants to insure that the ghost really was his
dead father before he kills Claudius. Hamlet wants to entrap the king by making him admit his
actions. To do this Hamlet has people act out the death of his father in front of Claudius and declares
him Guilty by his reactions to the play, "o good Horatio, I'll take the ghosts word for a thousand
pound'' (iii, ii,281–282) . Hamlet affirms that Claudius' guilt to Horatio and now realizes that he
must continue on revenge plot. Hamlet's desire to get revenge for his father is the driving force to
the development of the play. While Hamlet takes the length of the play to take actions, laertes, upon
hearing of his father's murder, reacts swiftly and recklessly. He returns to Elsinore threatening to
overthrow Claudius if he does not explain the death of Polonius. When Claudius tells which
reinforces the theme of vengeance. While Hamlet and laertes are at opposing

Theme Of Morality In Hamlet
In sources of literature, authors illustrate different themes to advance the plot. This is definitely the
case in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet. The author presents the theme of morality through many
characters. Also, in many scenes of the play, the audience witnesses the theme of revenge.
Furthermore, Deceit is another theme that is seen in the play from the beginning until the end. In the
play, Hamlet, the theme of revenge, morality, and deceit are portrayed within the characters.
Shakespeare expresses the theme of morality through the ghost of King Duncan, Laertes and
Hamlet. Hamlet encounters the ghost where they speak of what truly happened during King
Hamlet's death. As they speak to each other the ghost says, "A serpent stung me–so the whole ear of
Denmark/is by a forged process of my death/ rankly abus'd– but know, thou noble youth,/ the
serpent that did sting thy father's life/now wears his crown"(I,v, 35–40). The ghost of King Hamlet
explains how there are false rumours about the way he died and informs Hamlet that he should not
believe in them. He later clarifies that Claudius is the man who murdered him. Claudius' act of
betrayal presents his lack of morality which continues to show throughout the play. After this
encounter, audiences feel a sense of revenge, lack of ethics and honesty amongst the characters.
Moreover, as Hamlet and Laertes are in a fencing match, Laertes cheats as his sword is sharpened
and coated with poison in order kill Hamlet. As both individuals fence, Laertes tells himself, "And
yet it is almost against my conscience."(V, ii,292). Laertes feels guilty for what he is about to do
even though Hamlet was the cause of Polonius and Ophelia's death. In spite of the fact that Laertes
is willing to give up anything to kill the man who murdered his father and sister, he faces Hamlet in
a fencing match, which makes him think back on his morality. Furthermore, the audience sees
morality once again when Hamlet is telling Gertrude about how awful of a person she is for quickly
moving on to a new king after king Hamlet's death. Hamlet is deeply hurt by Gertrude's affection
towards the new king and says, "Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, stew'd in
corruption,

Theme Of Death In Shakespeare's Hamlet
"I'm nothing if not fair. I am a result. You are going to die. At some point, I will be standing over
you as genially as possible. Your soul will be in my arms," narrates Death in Mark Zuask's The
Book Thief. This personification of Death emphasizes the inevitability and finality of its coming and
existence. The said motif of death, life, and mortality is the centralized theme identified in William's
Shakespeare's Hamlet. While myriad themes are evident in the tragedy, each directly correlates to
the main idea of death in its entirety. Hamlet commences following the death of the main character's
father and the fallen king, Old Hamlet–which later is believed to be murder. After numerous
downward spirals and attempts on his own life, Hamlet mistakenly slays Polonius in Act III.
Ophelia becomes aware of the details of this horror and "one woe doth tread upon another's heel/ so
fast they follow" when Ophelia is found drowned, dead after an assumed suicide which is viewed as
being done at Hamlet's hand. Hamlet then arranges for Rosencrantz and Guildstern's death as
"...they did make love to this employment [in helping the king]. They are not near [his] conscience"
(5.2.61–62) thereafter the uncoiling of his lethal plan. Meanwhile King Claudius has been
attempting to eliminate the threat Hamlet poses to exposing the king's act of Cain, by murdering
Hamlet as well. The last of these efforts end in Gertrude, the queen and Hamlet's mother, consuming
the poison intended for

John Coffey Quotes
Literary Quotations from The Green Mile
Q1: "The wide corridor up the center of E Block was floored with linoleum the color of tired old
limes, and so what was called the Last Mile at other prisons was called the Green Mile at Cold
Mountain" (King 6).
This quote shows its significance in defining the setting of The Green Mile. The setting of The
Green Mile is a prison called Cold Mountain but more specifically it is located on death row.
Furthermore, the time frame that the novel takes place is The Great Depression. This is perfect for
the theme of confinement and solitude in The Green Mile because the prison keeps the inmates
confined inside the jail. This relates to the Shakespeare play Hamlet because Hamlet feels trapped in
Denmark and he ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In The Green Mile the central theme is the supernatural because it is expressed through the main
character John Coffey. The first instance of the supernatural is when John Coffey heals Paul
Edgecombe's urinary infection. Hence, John Coffey has supernatural powers to in his ways of
healing the sick and dying. These supernatural powers are the driving factor in the plot of the story
as well. It helps drive the idea that John Coffey is innocent and he was falsely accused for the
crimes. Lastly, the theme of the supernatural furthers the plot of the novel because the supernatural
helps the understanding of John's innocence. Which is essential to the plot because the entire story
revolves around the divinity of John Coffey. This relates to Hamlet because King Hamlet was killed
in the beginning of the story and was resurrected as a ghost. Also, King Hamlet advances the plot by
convincing Hamlet to kill Claudius. Hence, King Hamlet is a perfect example of the supernatural
and how it is used to further the plot because of his ghostly presence and his will for revenge.
Therefore, the structure of the plot is perfect in conveying the theme of the supernatural in The
Green

Hamlet Theme Essay
Themes within Hamlet
Regarding the themes in Shakespeare's tragic drama Hamlet, there is a divergence of opinion among
literary critics about which should be called the dominant theme and which should be classed as
secondary. This essay will discuss the various themes and their ranking.
Perhaps the most popular theme in the play is that of revenge. R.A. Foakes in "The Play's Courtly
Setting" explains the burden of revenge which the protagonist must carry for the duration of the
play:
And where there is no legal punishment for his father's death, he must stoop, driven by the universal
wrong, and "being thus be–netted round with villainies", to revenge. He must share the corruption of
others in spite of his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The cause of each can be attributed directly to another character's action – or lack of it. But if a play
is to be a coherent work of art there must be some central action around which all the other parts
revolve. What is the central, unifying action of Hamlet? Revenge. (43–44)
R.A. Foakes continues on the revenge theme in "The Play's Courtly Setting":
And where there is no legal punishment for his father's death, he must stoop, driven by the universal
wrong, and "being thus be–netted round with villainies", to revenge. He must share the corruption of
others in spite of his nobility, and recognize in himself the common features, "we are arrant knaves
all." (53)
The opening of the play introduces the theme of supernatural influence on the present. Marchette
Chute in "The Story Told in Hamlet" describes the opening scene:
For two nights in succession, just as the bell strikes the hour of one, a ghost has appeared on the
battlements, a figure dressed in complete armor and with a face like that of the dead king of
Denmark, Hamlet's father. A young man named Horatio, who is a school friend of Hamlet, has been
told of the apparition and cannot believe it, and one of the officers has brought him there in the night
so that he can see it for himself. [. . .] Whatever the message is that has wakened the ghost, it refuses
to share it with them (35).
Meanwhile Claudius is conducting some items of business:

When Death Comes To Hamlet
When Death comes to hamlet.
(The theme of Death in Hamlet Act 5)
How can death mean so much in Hamlet? I think Shakespeare made this play extremely good in
death because it all starts because of the death of hamlet father. It also shows death throughout the
play and at least every act shows some kind of death, by thinking about it to seeing it. I think when
hamlet plots to kill Claudius everything starts to get worse and every action he does result in his
death and more people die before he dies. In Hamlet the theme of death shows a massive impact in
Act 5 and Shakespeare shows it to throughout the play and how it results in his death.
The last act 5 shows a lot more death not death but like talking about death and thinking about it.
Shakespeare made this final act the best one about theme because there's so much thought into
death. In the beginning of act 5 there's a grave–digger. The Grave–digger says "IS she to be buried
in Christian burial, when she willfully seeks her own salvation". Now this is the first part of
showing death and it's in the first Scene. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When this happens it's the next step closer to hamlets death. After the lord leaves hamlet says
"There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. IF it be now, tis not to come, it will be now, if
it be not now, yet it will come". When hamlet says this he knows his death is coming soon. In scene
2 of act 5 hamlets closer to death and it's in the beginning now to the end of

Ophelia Hamlet Quotes Analysis
In the play Hamlet there are many themes that we can relate to our everyday lives and feelings.
Some themes are very dark and may only apply to us at our darkest times. Ophelia is a significant
character in the play because she affects Hamlet and contributes to the theme of depression.
Ophelia clearly affects hamlet and the decisions he makes throughout the entire play by knowing his
love for her. Hamlet's love is so strong for Ophelia that is weighs a lot on the choices he makes in
his life and impacts further decisions. The quote the shows this is, "doubt that the stars are fire,
doubt that the sun doth move his sides, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt i love" (I.ii.7–10).
The quote shows us how Hamlet says that other things might not be what the appear to be but his
love is always true. Hamlet and Ophelia are still ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Revenge was a very common way to get even with someone after they hurt you in some way. In the
quote,"revenge his fouls and most unnatural murder"(schmoop) we see that revenge is encouraged.
The king was wrongfully murdered so Hamlet has to take revenge on his uncle for killing him.
Another reason why revenge is needed in this play is to keep the monarchy as normal as possible.
Through the quote, "let not the royal bed of Denmark be a couch of luxury and damned incest"
(schmoop) we can tell that Gertrude and Claudius' relationship is frowned upon. The dead King
want Hamlet to get revenge on his brother for killing him and marrying his wife. Hamlet wants his
father's soul to be at peace and have justice be served. An example of this is shown in the quote,
"and so he goes to heaven; and so I am revenged" (schmoop). When Hamlet finally gets revenge for
the King's death his soul can go to heaven and be free. Hamlet wants to get revenge for his father's
death that both angers and sadness him thus contributing to the theme of

Theme Of Death In Hamlet
DEATH IN HAMLET
Death is the most impactful experience in humans' life. People experience death in many ways and
forms, and all manifest on its unique moment. It can be exposed to us as an escape from suffering
and also as a door to unmeasurable pain. In Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts the prolongation of a plot
that raises from a single death, leading to a chain of unexpected events and indefinite possible
endings. All of this revolves around a vain death of a heroic king, a brother, father, and a husband,
all who once lived in one body. His purpose is to capture the different reactions death can cause and
how it can create a huge impact on a single individual's life.
As can be seen, Hamlet is more than any other play. Shakespeare touches every possible theme in
literature and this piece was not an exemption. As a matter of fact, Shakespeare uses death as one of
the strongest themes in Hamlet. From the beginning and through all the play he makes used of this
in such an unexpected way that we can even say that without the concept of death Hamlet would
lose its main essence.
Not to mention, even before the play itself starts a death has already taken place and from this, the
whole plot makes its own development. We are introduced to our main character, Hamlet, and in the
first act, we can see that the death of his father has brought so much controversy and confusion to
his life. Behind his own thoughts of sorrow there's other feelings as well that he struggles to
identify, as he expresses this by telling his mother that "....Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black, [...] Nor the dejected 'havior of the visage, Together with all
forms, moods, shapes of grief, That can denote me truly..." With this dialog and especially the last
sentence, he delivers a message explaining that his outside appearance does not fully describe his
inside sense. Eventually, these feelings can be related to a "psychological type of death" where
according to authors Kivistö and Hakola, after an abrupt physical death occurs, there's an another
extended and even more painful form of death that takes place in the mind of the survivor (in this
case Hamlet) who has lost his loved one.
Furthermore, the feeling

Theme Death In Hamlet
Death Happens
(The Theme of Death in Hamlet)
"And this is the nature of birth and death" (Strain). This Quote suggests that death is just apart of
life and that it happens to everyone and I highly agree with that. Death is a huge factor in life, In the
play, Hamlet, By Shakespeare there is a huge theme of death throughout the play. Often many
people think that is all the play is about due to all the deaths in the play. At the end of the end
everyone happens to die. In the famous play, Hamlet, by Shakespeare there are three main themes
that I have consumed.
First of all, in the play, Hamlet, by Shakespeare there is a theme of death that is a ripal effect. At the
beginning of the play there was a Hamlet's dad that died due to his uncle pouring poison into his ear.
The was the very first death but throughout the play everyone around hamlet begins to die including
his loved ones father Polonius that he accidentally killed and even his own girlfriend ends up dying.
Laertes mentions, "Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead found, Till of this flat a mountain
you have made" (Act 5 Scene 1 Lines 229–232). This quote shows that there are a great amount of
death in this play that they had to bury dead bodies on top of dead bodies. And throughout the play
the deaths get closer and closer to hamlet like a ripal effect and eventually Hamlet himself dies.
Hamlet is trying to kill his uncle the whole time and eventually it came back to him. Dasa Infers,
"What goes around comes

The Theme Of Death And Death In Shakespeare's Hamlet
In Hamlet, Shakespeare depicts the diffusion side of the problematic part in the life of the hero who
recoils and leads to his death. The use of death in storytelling offers many pathways to character
development and can also carry the theme of the story. Many stories can also be centered around
death. In the story of Hamlet, the story begins with the young prince depressed about the death of
his father.
Prince Hamlet was ordinary boy just like any other. He was a smart and clever young man and was
probably very kind to have many friends and a girlfriend, but after the news of his father's death, he
had changed. Hamlet soon began to shut himself in his room every night and wears nothing but dark
clothing. The death of his father ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
" I loved you not." Towards the middle of his play, Hamlet sees that his uncle appears to act
suspicious and proceeds to walk out of the room. This means that what the ghost said must be true
and he may now proceed in getting his revenge. Even though the young prince believes that he is
pretending, it seems that between the death of his father and the feeling of betrayal by his loved
ones has taken its toll on Hamlet.
During a conversation with his mother, Hamlet hears a noise from the tapestry and thought it was
Claudius, so he proceeds to stabbing him, but out came Polonius, Ophelias father. Hamlet's
obsession with revenge has caused him to kill an innocent man and unavoidably leads his lover to
perish. The death of her father drives Ophelia insane and eventually she drowns causing her brother
Laertes to hate Hamlet for destroying his family and teaming up with Claudius to kill the prince.
Their plan was to have Laertes fight Hamlet in a fencing match where Laertes will fight with a
sword that is coated with poison and later Claudius will offer Hamlet a Cup filled with poison. As
the match begins Laertes cuts Hamlet, then they accidentally switch swords and then Hamlet cuts
Laertes. Now both boys have been sliced by the poisoned blade and their lives are reaching their
end. As Claudius watches the match with Gertrude, too focused on the match to be

How Does Hamlet Encounter With His Father's Ghost
In Act I, Scene V, Hamlet's encounter with his father's ghost establishes the theme of revenge. King
Hamlet's ghost appears and states that, "If thou didst ever thy dear father love–revenge his foul and
most unnatural murder... the serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown". After
encountering his father's ghost, Hamlet agrees to seek revenge, but is hesitant when given the
opportunity. However, his father's ghost returns in Act III, Scene IV and states, "do not forget. This
visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose," in order to remind him of his responsibility to
get revenge. After the second encounter with his father's ghost, Hamlet reaches a turning point in
Act IV, Scene IV and states, "...which is not tomb enough and continent to hide the stain? O, from
this time forth my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!". In Act V, Scene II, Hamlet finally
achieves revenge for his father by piercing Claudius with his dagger and forcing him to drink the
poisoned wine. Although he is reluctant at first, Hamlet's encounters with his father's ghost
eventually drives him to get revenge ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
After encountering his father's ghost, Hamlet states, "how strange or odd some'er I bear myself as I
perchance hereafter shall think meet to put an antic disposition". Hamlet clearly states that he is
going to pretend to be a madman. However, Hamlet's statement that, "... the spirit that I have seen
may be the devil, and the devil hath power t' assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps, out of my
weakness and my melancholy, as he is very potent with such spirits, abuses me to damn me," and
the fact that he is the only one that can hear and speak to his father's ghost may suggest to the reader
that perhaps Hamlet is truly mad. Despite of whether Hamlet is truly mad or not, his encounter with
his father's ghost clearly introduces the theme of madness into the

Death theme In the play Hamlet by Shakespeare
Death has always been the most debated subject regarding humans belief. It is part of life, yet a
mystery nobody has experienced to tell. It is said to drive people's actions, however Death is still a
mystery as the whole human race still wonders how it acts on people's lives and what is next after
Death. In the play Hamlet, Shakespeare uses the theme of Death to drive the characters actions, and
portrays the tragedy through their dialogues and significant symbols to create a tragic atmosphere.
The first sign of Death is the appearance of King Hamlets ghost. The play is set only two months
after his death, which is the lead for the events following in the play. He appeared at the platform
before Elsinore castle as Horatio pictures, with ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
When Polonius is alive, Ophelia is absolutely obedient and dependent on him "Ill teach you: think
yourself a baby" (I.iii.110 p1338). It is possible to say that Hamlet indirectly kills Ophelia through
slaying Polonius. With her suicide, Laertes her brother is given even more reason to kill Hamlet. In
the chain of Death, the following one is Laertess. He is driven to face his fate by Claudiuss
manipulation and Hamlets carelessness. Hearing the news of Poloniuss death and his sisters going
mad leading to her suicide; he goes mad and thirsts for Hamlets blood. However, just how Hamlet
avenges his fathers death with the price of his life, Laertes too will avenge his family in exchange
with his youth in the grave.
Death itself is also presented through Hamlet the protagonist character. Although at first he fears
Death, slowly he becomes the sword of Death; and then he becomes a represent of Death after
killing Polonius and then in the graveyard scene in Act IV (Boyce, Hamlet 1). Hamlet fully realizes
that everyone's fate is death, regardless of status or wealth. He also realizes that no matter what a
person does in life, in death, that person is merely nothing Your worm is your only emperor for diet:
we fat all creatures else to fat us, and we fat ourselves for maggots: your fat king and your lean
beggar is but variable service, –––two dishes, but to one table: thats the end (IV.iii.22–26 p1390). Or
again in the graveyard, as he picks up the skull of Yorick his

Use Of Puns In Hamlet
Gabby Buccola
Ms. Sankey
English 2 CP
3/1/15
Hamlet Essay
The tragic loss of a father could make anyone go mad. The story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is a
tragedy written by William Shakespeare. Taking place in the kingdom of Denmark, Prince Hamlet
plans to take revenge on his uncle Claudius for murdering his own brother and Hamlet's father, King
Hamlet. Claudius had seized the throne and married Hamlet's mother Gertrude only two months
after his father's death. This leads Hamlet to depression and motivates him to avenge his father's
death. Shakespeare uses many different conventions of language to emphasize Hamlet's feelings and
the themes represented in the play. Rhymes, puns, and repetition constantly used in Hamlet, Prince
of Denmark display the themes of revenge, madness, and grief.
Shakespeare frequently uses rhymes in Hamlet to display revenge. Throughout the play,
Shakespeare added a rhyme to signal the audience to the end of a thought or scene. Hamlet stated
that one day Claudius's, "Foul deeds will rise though all the earth's o'erwhelm them, to ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Shakespeare's idea of incorporating puns with grief is to decrease the tension and add some humor.
When Claudius asked Hamlet why he was upset, Hamlet replied that he is "too much in the sun". In
other words, Hamlet is saying he is still too much of a "son" and is suffering grief over his father's
death. However Claudius and Gertrude seem to be unaware of Hamlet's pun, and they both try to tell
him to stop mourning over his father. Neither of them seem to realize that they have just caused
Hamlet even more grief by marrying so quickly after his father's death. Their insensitivity is
heightened by the fact that both Claudius and Gertrude tell Hamlet he's been mourning for too long.
Hamlet's father died just two months prior of their marriage, and he's still experiencing the grief any
son would have at the loss of a

In Hamlet, playwright William Shakespeare weaves the dominant motifs of death, disease, and
decay into every scene to illustrate the corrupt state of Denmark and Hamlet's all–consuming
pessimism by using the literary device of imagery. The word image englobes any kind of simile; by
using it, a poet or prose writer illustrates, illuminates and embellishes his thought. Shakespeare is
able to utilise imagery through various descriptions or ideas which arouse emotions and associations
in the mind of the reader. The images he uses are incredibly rich and vivid that in they have the
ability to form a different world for the audience. Shakespeare's choice of metaphors and similes at
any given moment in the play is determined by the dramatic issues arising out of that moment. In
the play, Shakespeare is able to accurately illustrate the corrupt state of Denmark, as well as
Hamlet's profound pessimism which corrupts his mind and soul. This is accomplished through the
technique of imagery, particularly pertaining to the motifs of death, disease and decay.
In this play, the image of death is introduced from the very beginning, in Act I, once the Ghost of
the old king Hamlet appears. In the plot, once the ghost is introduced, its role is to inform Hamlet
about a secret murder. As Hamlet did not witness the murder, there was no need to feign madness.
Yet Shakespeare keeps them both: ghosts and madness. They intensify the idea and image of death.
It is not only his presence, but also his

Hamlet Theme Of Death
Beyond the Wall of Death
(A analysis of the theme of death in Hamlet, Acts 3–5)
"The undiscovered country, from whose bourn No traveller returns, puzzles the will," (Shakespeare
144 Act 3 scene 1 lines 86–87). The question that still plagues humanity today. What is after death,
where do we go? No one of this earth can answer this question. In the play Hamlet, by William
Shakespeare, the theme of death is one of the main themes of this famous play. The theme of death
continues throughout the entire play from the beginning of the first act to the end of the fifth act.
Hamlet is about a young prince named Hamlet who has recently lost his father, the late King
Hamlet. As a result, Prince Hamlet falls into a deep depression after losing his ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Shakespeare expresses that no matter your status death comes to all people. Maggots don't care if
you are a king or if you are a peasant. Likewise, maggots don't care if you are famous, rich or you
are poor, and nobody. Maggots devour everybody's bodies the same way. Also, death brings about
the circle of life. Humans fatten many creatures, to consume, to sustain their life, such as cows and
chickens. However, most people don't realize that we are fattened to feed worms and maggots.
Shakespeare also mentions that a worm is used by a peasant to catch a fish to sustain the peasants
hunger, and the worm has fattened itself from a king prior to being used by the peasant. Thus,
saying that the peasant fed off a king. Once again, expressing that death is the great equalizer. To
further emphasize this conclusion, "When death conquers life, it seems that there is a long distance
between the deadman and his past life" (Ahmadi & Tayari). It's evident that the case is made that
death does not care about social status or wealth. Death will take all in the end, for all the money in
the world can't stop, or prolong the inevitable.
In Hamlet Acts 3–5 death makes a full circle, after an individual murders another human being
death will come in full circle, ending with the murderer 's' own demise. As declared by Hamlet after
slaughtering Polonius in Act 3 scene 4, "Who was in life a foolish prating knave. Come, sir, to draw
toward an end with you" (Shakespeare 204 lines 233–234).

Hamlet Death Theme Essay
The death obsessed play "Hamlet" surrounds a main character Prince Hamlet who, like the play, also
had an obsession with death. Because of the plays recurring theme of death, a funeral is the most
appropriate social gathering. One major theme in this play is the theme of the magnitude of a
character's life increasing after their death. Which is seen most clearly with unspoken words and
emotions save until after death to be released. Hamlet typically only had a lot to say about someone
after their death, even if it contradicted what he said about them when they were alive. A funeral is
the perfect setting for a character to express his feelings, in a play that revolves around death.
An example of Hamlets tendencies to wait until it is too late to share his feelings is found before the
funeral scene. Hamlet holding the former court jester Yorick skull had a lot of unspoken yet positive
opinions about him revealed. He ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In direct contradiction of his previous statement to Ophelia, Hamlet's former lover, "I did love you
once" (III,i,115) implying he no longer does and follows with a battery of insults. After he saw her
corpse being buried he proclaims the complete opposite "I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers
Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her" (V,i,247–249)
Hamlet only chooses to genuinely express his feeling and thoughts after the death of someone close.
This play much like Hamlet puts more significance on certain characters after their death.
In most cases the death of a character is the end of them, the death of a character in "Hamlet" brings
him or her to life. The dead characters in this play directly influence and intervene in the lives of the
living. Waiting until the death of one's friend is never the best time to disclose anything that may
change the friends completed life, Hamlet is guilty of this time after

Hamlet Disease And Decay Essay
In The Tragedy of Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the theme of disease and decay is emphasized
through the characters interaction with each other, in the imagery, and through the comparison of the
state of Denmark to Hamlet's state of mind. In the opening scene, Francisco introduces the idea of
disease and decay through interaction with Bernardo in their conversation about the death of King
Hamlet. Disease and decay is seen through the actions of the characters from Hamlet and Ophelia
gradually going mad to Claudius and Laertes plotting to kill Hamlet. Hamlet's state of mind and the
state of Denmark are seen to be related because Hamlet and Denmark seem to be in a state of decay
from the opening scene of the play. The characters' dialogue ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In Hamlet's first soliloquy, he speaks about "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt,/ thaw, and
resolve itself into a dew" (1.2.129–130). The imagery created including the melting of flesh is an
example that Hamlet is not in the state of mind he should be in and he thinks the whole world is
disease comparing it to "an unweeded garden" (1.2.135) and "things rank and gross in nature"
(1.2.136). The ghost of the King is another example of imagery for he is a walking example of death
and decay and the images he creates about his death aids in developing the theme. He describes the
moment of his death as "a most instant tetter barked about,/ Most lazar–like with vile and loathsome
crust" (1.5.69–70); the ghost tries to create the feeling the death is becoming like a leper. The
imagery of poison is a major aspect in creating the theme of disease and decay because it slowly
kills a person much like how the theme of the play, disease and decay, take over the characters.
Hamlet and Ophelia both go mad and everyone dies. Ophelia goes insane because her father died
and Hamlet does not love her so she drowns

Shakespeare's Hamlet presents a theme that can be carried throughout the entire play. The theme is
that death, directly alters the actions of those within its affect. From seeing ghosts bound to
purgatory and plotting revenge, to thoughts of suicide being the nobler thing to do in a situation of
suffering; death drives them all and more. Death seeps into the minds of all who fall at the knees to
it. Hamlet, Laureates, and even Ophelia all become a victim to this great motivator. All acting out in
their own way and seeking revenge in their own way causing more and more chains of events. At
first before a great loss, our dear beloved Hamlet was loved and adored by all who knew of him. He
was the heir to the throne of Denmark. But his father died, murdered in cold blood. See, it is all
when Hamlet is approached by Horatio telling him, "In the dead waste and middle of the night been
thus encountered. A figure like your father armed at point exactly,"(Shakespeare 1.2 1710). When
Hamlet finds out of a ghost walking at the midst of night, he declares that he must go and see it.
When the ghost and Hamlet finally meet it seems to be a shade of his father, the once king of
Denmark. The ghost speaks with Hamlet and explains, "But know, thou noble youth, the serpent that
did sting thy father's life now wears his crown."(Shakespeare 1.5 1719) At this moment Hamlet
makes the realization that his suspicions of his uncle were right, it was his uncle that slew his father
in the orchard.

What Is The Theme Of Death In Hamlet
Hamlet is one of many great works written by William Shakespeare. The topics of love, ghosts,
revenge, and of life after death are all understood when reading Hamlet. Shakespeare uses many
literary devices such as imagery, symbolism, and descriptive language to help create the mood of
fear, suspense, and despair present in Hamlet. Many readers may see different themes of this play
but two themes are very equivalent to each. Two themes that are represented in Hamlet are the
complexity of action and the mystery of death. Shakespeare uses these themes to enhance this
magnificent play and give people a wonderful production in which they can relate their lives too.
The story of Hamlet is among one of Shakespeare's best and most well–known works. ... Show
For example, "producing a world he has never before confronted... where death of life and love
must be experienced, a world, in fact, so dark and disillusioning that it is impossible to find one's
way through the despair" (Berlin 67–68). Another main theme of this play is the mystery of death
and how the thought of life after death is intriguing to some people. After the death of Hamlet's
father, Hamlet tends to remain fixated on the idea of death. Throughout the play, he considers death
from many different points of views. Over the course of the play, the idea of death is closely
connected to the minor themes of fidelity, principle, and unpredictability. Hamlet uses these aspects
so that hopefully, he can answer his innermost questions, which will end the problem of trying to
figure out the truth in an enigmatic world. The idea of Hamlet's own death intrigues him as well.
There are numerous times that Hamlet ponders whether or not suicide is a proper action in an
intolerably, agonizing world. With so much grief and misery on Hamlet's shoulders, he constantly
thinks about death as a solution to end his suffering. However, due to the Christian religious views
on suicide, his fear that if he does commit suicide then he will confined to eternal suffering in hell
stands in the way of his action. For example Hamlet states, "To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take
arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep; No more; and, by a
sleep to say we end the heart–ache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to, 'tis a
consummation devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep; to sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the
rub"

In Hamlet, playwright William Shakespeare intertwines the primary motifs of death, disease, and
decay into each scene of the play to create a distinct depiction of the corrupt state of Denmark and
Hamlet's all–consuming pessimism by using the literary device of imagery. The word image
englobes any kind of simile; by using it, a poet or prose writer illustrates, illuminates and
embellishes his thought. Shakespeare is able to utilise this technique through various descriptions or
ideas which arouse emotions and associations in the mind of the reader. The images he uses are
incredibly rich and vivid that in they have the ability to form a different world for the audience.
Shakespeare's choice of metaphors and similes at any given moment in the play is determined by the
dramatic issues arising out of that moment. In the play, Shakespeare is able to accurately illustrate
the corrupt state of Denmark, as well as Hamlet's profound pessimism which corrupts his mind and
soul. This is accomplished through the technique of imagery, particularly pertaining to the motifs of
death, disease and decay.
In this play, the image of death is introduced from the very beginning, in Act I, once the Ghost of
the old king Hamlet appears. In the plot, once the ghost is introduced, its role is to inform Hamlet
about a secret murder. As Hamlet did not witness the murder, there was no need to feign madness.
Shakespeare's use of images related to both ghosts and madness intensify the central motif of

Essay about The Theme of Death in William Shakespeare's...
The Theme of Death in William Shakespeare's Hamlet
In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the protagonist, Hamlet is obsessed with the idea of
death, and during the course of the play he contemplates death from numerous perspectives. He
ponders the physical aspects of death, as seen with Yoricks's skull, his father's ghost, as well as the
dead bodies in the cemetery. Hamlet also contemplates the spiritual aspects of the afterlife with his
various soliloquies. Emotionally Hamlet is attached to death with the passing of his father and his
lover Ophelia. Death surrounds Hamlet, and forces him to consider death from various points of
view.
In the first scene of Act 5, Hamlet discovers Yorick's skull in the graveyard. ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
/ As thou art to thyself. / Such was the very armor he had on." (1.169–71). This portrays the younger
Elizabethan's belief that the line between the dead and the living was extremely blurred. A ghost
could appear to anyone it chose to at any time. This particular ghost appears to only a few people in
the entire play, the guards and Horatio, and young Hamlet. The ghost is mentioned several other
times in the play including when young Hamlet himself sees the ghost of his father in Act 3, scene
4. "Whereon do you look? / On him, on him! Look how pale he glares. / His form and cause
conjoined" (3.4. 141–3) and again "Why look you there, look how it steals away! / My father, in his
habit as he lived!" (3.4. 154–5).
In Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 3, scene 1, he presents his most rational and dominating scrutiny of the
moral authority to take one's own life. He presents the dilemma of whether to commit suicide and
escape one's frustrations in life, or to live because of fear of the after life. "To be or not to be–that is
the question:/ Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles" (3.1. 64–7). He decides that the only reason
people choose to live is because they fear the afterlife and it's consequences. "When he himself
might his quietus make/With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, / To grunt and sweat under a
weary life, / But the dread of something after

The Theme Of Avenging Oned Ones In Shakespeare's Hamlet
The theme of avenging one's loved ones is seen in Act I when Hamlet is told the truth about his
father's death. Even though in the beginning of the play, Hamlet is sad and depressed, this discovery
turns Hamlet into a vengeful person. In "Hamlet" the idea of avenging one's loved ones is seen in
Act I when Hamlet says to the ghost of his father, "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift as
meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge" (Shakespeare Scene 5, line 29). In
this quote, Hamlet is asking the ghost of his father to tell him how his father died in order for him to
avenge him faster than a person falls in love. This quote represents the theme by showcasing how
much Hamlet wants to avenge his father's death ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
And so 'a goes to heaven, and so am I revenged. That would be scanned. A villain kills my father,
and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven" (Shakespeare Scene 3, line 73). In
this quote, Hamlet sees King Claudius, the villain, and is thinking about killing him now. A problem
arises, when Hamlet sees the villain praying. If he is slain while praying he may go to heaven. To
Hamlet, killing King Claudius isn't the only part of his revenge, Hamlet wants King Claudius to
suffer, so he wants him to go to Hell. Hamlet doesn't just want to avenge his father, but to also make
the avengement as sufferable as possible. Hamlet shows that his ferocious has risen tremendously
when he purposely wants to send someone to Hell. The quote is a significant part of the story by
proving that Hamlet has changed for the worse, which will be seen later on in the story.
Avenging one's loved ones is seen similarly in Act IV when Claudius tells Laertes, fresh from his
return from France, that Hamlet killed Polonius, Laertes' father. Laertes then plans to avenge his
father. In the play the overall theme is seen in Act IV when Laertes says, "And so have I a noble
father lost, a sister driven into desperate terms, whose worth, if praises may go back again, stood
challenger on mount of all the age for her perfections. But my revenge will come" (Shakespeare
Scene 7, line 25–29). In this quote, Laertes says that he will

Hamlet Archetypes
In the play, "Hamlet" written by William Shakespeare, introduces us to a tragic hero whose
indecisiveness and morals identifies the theme for the whole play. The hero being Hamlet, a prince
whose recently fallen father (also named Hamlet) calls upon him in ghost form to kill the now
current king and new husband to Hamlet's previous wife, Claudius. Hamlet's character throughout
the play is what drives the theme seen in the story which is revenge.
The character hamlet is identified as a tragic hero due to what motivates him to seek revenge for his
father and how he does it. For example, after finding that his uncle (the current king) potentially
killed his father Hamlet put on mad persona in order to get more information about the killing and
escape the risk of having the king find out what he was doing. The reason he does this is to ensure
that he wouldn't be killing the king for no reason and that the king in fact is guilty. This being said
Hamlet is a very morale based character which is the reason it takes him so long to act in any kind
of revenge. This characteristic of scepticism shown in Hamlet represents the archetype of a hero for
he is not willing to kill a person is potentially innocent without solid proof. Another example of
Hamlet's motivations represent the archetype of the hero is when he hires traveling actors ... Show
As the play begins Hamlet plans on acting mad in attempt to defer attention away from himself so
he didn't come across as a threat to the king. This then escalates as Hamlet is ensured that Claudius
killed his father, thus making him turn actually mad. This madness can be shown when Hamlet
arrives to Ophelia's funeral and sees her brother Laertes jump into the grave to say his final
goodbyes. Hamlet then also jumps into the grave to say his final good–byes and then goes on to
fight Laertes. These actions made by Hamlet shows the madness that was brought upon him from
the theme of

Language Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay
Language Techniques in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Shakespeare used a variety of language
techniques throughout Hamlet, which contribute to the themes in the play. They also help to add
more meaning and understanding for the audience. Soliloquies, word play, symbols and other
figurative language are some of these important techniques that enhance Hamlet. The way
Shakespeare switches from bank verse to prose with each character shows his mastery of the
language. Imagery of poison, decay and disease are used by Shakespeare to represent the themes of
illness, corruption and rottenness. The language is varied and ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
"Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears/... She married. O! most wicked speed, to post/ With such
dexterity to incestuous sheets."( Act I.ii.154–57) Through his soliloquies, audience soon realise
Hamlet is loosing all of his will to live.
The soliloquies include many metaphors that bring together many of the themes in Hamlet. One of
these themes includes Hamlet's hesitation of his actions and his decision of whether he should give
up on life. He metaphorically compares the problems of his life to "The slings and arrows of
outrageous fortune" and "sea of troubles"( Act III.i.58–9). This use of metaphor shows how
Shakespeare used language to express themes. Along with suicide, come the themes of revenge and
Hamlet's obsession with death and the afterlife. Hamlet metaphorically compares death to sleep and
to an undiscovered country, wondering "For in that sleep of death what dreams may come." (Act
III.i.66). He is afraid to commit suicide, as he doesn't know what awaits him. Another theme is
Hamlet's depression of which makes Hamlet believe that life is just full of suffering. He uses the
metaphor "Yea, from the table of my memory/ I'll wipe away all trivial, fond records.."( Act
II.v.105–6) showing how he wants to erase his memory because everyone has betrayed him. This
contributes to Hamlet's depression. "Lay not that flattering unction to your soul/...It

The Theme Of Death In Hamlet By William Shakespeare
Death can be defined as; the permanent and irreversible cessation of the vital functions that result in
the end of one's life. Death itself can have many different causes such as disease, old age or even
something as gruesome as murder. In the Elizabethan era, it seems as though murder was commonly
used to solve problems as in several of William Shakespeare's plays, characters are killed so that
more dominant characters can obtain what they truly desire. In William Shakespeare's tragedy
Hamlet death is a prominent theme that is explored in depth throughout the play. Within the play,
there are many examples of death; such as the suicide of Ophelia, the unnecessary murder of
numerous characters and even Hamlet's untimely death itself. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Along with the severe impact the death of Hamlet's father has on him, another visible way the theme
of death is revealed is through Hamlet's developing fascination with death. When Hamlet comes
across the gravediggers digging up graves in act 5 at first he is disturbed but then he slowly becomes
fascinated. Hamlet wonders how someone who once meant so much in life could be so easily
forgotten to rot in the ground after their death "–Where be your gibes now, your gambols, your
songs, your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar?"( A5 S1 L173–174).
When they come across the skull Hamlet is shocked to learn that it is that of someone he once knew,
taking it in his hands and gesturing to where the lips he had once kissed had been, hauntingly asking
the lifeless bones . He is curious about how long a body takes to decay and questions the grave
diggers as the answers they provide him both intrigued and disgusted. The skull acts as a physical
image and reminder of the absolute finality of death in this scene, Similar to Hamlet's fascination,
the theme of death is also shown in this play through his revelation of the finality of death. In the
fifth act of this play Hamlet witnesses death on the deepest level yet as he stares death in the face
while holding the skull of Yorick. At this point Hamlet begins to see life's impermanence "...
Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust, the dust is earth, of earth we
make

How Does Shakespeare Present The Theme Of Death In Hamlet
Death, the Main Plot of Hamlet
In 1601, shortly after the unexpected death of his son, William Shakespeare wrote the tragedy
Hamlet. There are many issues that are brought up and debated during the play. One of the key
points that Shakespeare explores in depth throughout the play is death and its complex nature. The
protagonist, Hamlet, is obsessed with the idea of death and throughout the play he experiences the
loss of those he loves and contemplates even his own death.
Shakespeare's theme of death throughout Hamlet begins in the opening scene. Shakespeare begins
examining death, when the ghost of the Old Hamlet shows himself. The ghost reveals to Hamlet that
it was Claudius who murdered him, in order to marry Gertrude and become the king. ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
That is the question– Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous
fortune, Or to take arms against a seas of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep–
No more– and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is
heir to–'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished! To die to sleep" (3.1.56–64).
In this scene Hamlet essentially is reflecting on what afterlife holds and if it will be easier to escape
the world which he exists in. Hamlet decides that the only reason that people choose to live is
because of their fear of what they will find in the afterlife.
Hamlet's feeling of betrayal from his mother, Queen Gertrude, and his uncle, Claudius is what
sparked the main cause of his actions. As he says, "So long? Nay then, let the devil wear black, for
I'll have a suit of sables. O heavens! Die two months ago and not forgotten yet" (3.2.117–119).
Hamlet is stating how he feels betrayed that his father died just two months ago, and his mother has
already so easily moved on with his uncle. The combination of already being upset about the death
of his father and the betrayal from his mother and uncle are what cause Hamlet to become a
murderer and surrounded by

Act 3 Scene 1 Of William Shakespeare 's Hamlet Essay
In act 3 scene 1 of William Shakespeare "Hamlet" the main protagonist, Hamlet, recites a soliloquy
"To be, or not to be." Throughout his lines Hamlet explains the concept of suicide and why people
choose to live long lives instead of ending their suffering. The main point he speaks on is the
mystery of one's afterlife, they never know for sure what happens when they die. For this reason, his
speech does a good job highlighting the plays underlying themes of pervasiveness of death, and
tragic dilemma, and tragic flaws.
One major theme within the play is the pervasiveness of death; death is everywhere within hamlet's
life and is a driving factor of the plot. This theme can be found in many parts of the play; for
example, in Act 5 scene 2 of the play hamlet sends two players to their death in England
(Shakespeare 1181). This shows how death is a mundane occurrence in hamlets time, this is shown
in how hamlet shows almost no remorse for his actions and the subject is quickly overlooked.
Within the soliloquy "To be, or not to be" hamlet comments on this theme and shows the audience
his own ideas on the subject. One of his ideas is stated as "to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep (Shakespeare 1127)." In this line hamlet relates death to
a peaceful sleep; by connecting the two terms hamlet conveys a certain familiarity in death as in
sleep. Maybe in reducing death to nothing more than a sleep, hamlet is stating that dying is as
simple

Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead And Hamlet Analysis
Shakespeare and Stoppard were one of most well known playwrights during their respective
centuries they lived in. Shakespeare's publication of Hamlet became a very popular play to read and
watch. In Hamlet, the main character, Prince Hamlet, is in a great dilemma. His father is killed by
his uncle Claudius, so then Claudius is able to take the throne and become the King of Denmark.
Hamlet finds this out from the ghost, and Hamlet is not sure how to avenge his father's death or
whether he should even attempt to. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, the main characters,
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, engage in philosophical conversations about the afterlife and free–
will vs fate. In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Stoppard ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Guildenstern says, "...–it would be presumptuous of us to interfere with designs of fate..."(Stoppard
110).They cannot have their way in life. They have a talk with the actor and the actor tells them that
they can just follow the script. The Player says,"Follow directions–there's no choice involved"
(Stoppard 80). So both of the plays share the same concept with the theme of fate vs. free–will. In
both plays, the main characters believe that they can't control their destiny and that they are born to
follow instructions. Both of the main characters accept their fate, but there is a huge difference in
how they accept their fates. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern do a coin toss and coin lands heads 156
times in a row. Rosencrantz doesn't question this and just blindly accepts it. The characters have no
wit and just think everything is controlled by fate. On the other hand, Hamlet analyzes what his fate
is and actually understands his fate. He understands his duty towards his family, and does not
happily accept his fate, but yet he accepts it. He questions what the ghost tells him to do. He
questions validity of the ghost's statement by putting Claudius in that mousetrap.After he finds out
the ghost was speaking the truth, he then accepts his fate. In Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern Are Dead, the theme of fate vs. free–will is incorporated from Shakespeare's of
Hamlet. Both the novels depict the theme similarly by expressing that fate is

Theme Of Violets In Hamlet
attery. Ophelia gives these two flowers to Claudius as a symbol of his betrayal and his engagement
in an incestuous marriage. She then hands both Claudius and the queen daisies that are
representative of lies and deceit. Indeed, both characters betrayed King Hamlet, were unfaithful, and
lied to the public (Blincoe). As she hands the queen a daisy, Ophelia also tells her that she would
have given her violets if they had not withered when her father died (Shakespeare). While daisies
are a symbol of false appearances, the violets are representative of faithfulness. Although there are
no violets, some critics hold the view that Ophelia could have offered Horatio the violets since, at
this point in the play, Horatio is the only one in whom she retains her faith. Further, despite not
realizing it, Horatio also remains the only person Hamlet also has faith in and trusts (Stegner).
Ophelia hands the queen some rue and keeps some herself. These are a symbol of repentance and
were usually worn in the church as a way of gaining the mercy of God (Alsaif). Such symbolism, in
this case, is entirely appropriate as the queen was deceitful and was not faithful towards her late
husband. As such, Queen Gertrude was in undoubted need for repentance. Ophelia giving out
flowers is uncannily fitting despite being so grief–stricken that it is virtually impossible to reason
with her. Indeed, she hands each a flower that most suitably represents his or her situation.
Primarily, the flowers serve as an appropriate way of bringing out and accentuating the different
qualities that the distinct characters express at a point in the play. The flowers also gain extra
meaning advancing the theme of death later after Ophelia drowns during her attempt to put up her
flowers on a tree. After her drowning, she becomes the one 'being handed' the flowers as they are
spread all over her grave. As the queen places flowers on the grave, she observes that she always
imagined that she would be spreading flowers on the wedding beds of Hamlet and Ophelia instead
of on Ophelia's grave (Graf). The ghost also serves as a critical symbolic feature towards proving
the theme of death because of its immortality (O'Connor). In fact, the ghost's manifestation

Hamlet Themes
In his play, Hamlet, William Shakespeare invites his audience into a multi–layered tragedy that
encapsulates many motives, deaths, and moments of deceit. Shakespeare utilizes a variety of themes
to communicate important insights and to give emphasis to various important messages of the play.
Hamlet encapsulates many themes, such as revenge, appearance versus reality, sanity versus
insanity, decay and corruption, family dynamic, and gender, that all mingle together throughout the
plot to emphasis the main ideas. Throughout the scenes, the reader meets Prince Hamlet, the son of
the late King Hamlet. Prince Hamlet returns home for his father's funeral when he realizes that his
mother has already remarried his uncle, Claudius. It is not too long after all of this information is
revealed to Prince Hamlet that his late father's ghost arrives in the castle and asks him to avenge his
death on the murderer, Prince Hamlet's uncle. This unravels a plethora of twists and turns that
strategically accentuate each theme to a different degree. Throughout Hamlet, by William
Shakespeare, it is evident that revenge is the most significant theme to the play as it is strongly
emphasized in many instances throughout the plot, most significantly, Hamlet's journey to kill
Claudius and Laertes' drive to seek vengeance on Hamlet, his father's murderer. To explain, in the
play, revenge is very prominent and crucial in many aspects of the play. The theme itself, as
portrayed in Hamlet,

Hamlet Theme Essay
Theme is the underpinning element of all literature. That makes a story, a good story. It is inherent
in the characters' struggles and therefore to the story itself to help make a story. In William
Shakespeare's play hamlet, the theme of revenge develops plot and character. This is best
demonstrated through three different characters in the play. Prince Hamlet, whose father has died
from an unnatural cause. Laertes, son of Polonius, who is also exterminated unnaturally. Lastly,
Prince Fortinbras, whose father gotten himself eliminated in battle. They each develop the plot and
the theme in their own ways but for the same reason.
The theme revenge was well developed by a character named Hamlet. It all started when Horatio,
friend of hamlet, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He goes insane with the information he has come upon, making people worry about his mental state.
But before he took revenge, he had to make sure the ghost was telling the truth. Hamlet is
introduced to actors, by which he requests for them to act out the murder in front of the new King to
see how he reacts. The king, knowing what he has done, is outraged as he watches the re–enactment.
That resulted in Hamlet believing the ghosts' information. Developing the plot further, Hamlet
becomes more desperate to avenge his father's death, causing him to accidentally kill Polonius while
trying to kill the new king with the poison sword manufactured by Laertes himself. Causing
Polonius' daughter, Ophelia, to commit suicide because of her father's death. Hamlet, becoming
insane with his father's unnatural death, goes completely outraged about what happened to his love
of his life. Developing his character more with the theme of revenge. The tension escalates between
the King and Hamlet, making the King plan to eliminate hamlet with Laertes through another use of
poison, but instead kills the Queen that turned Hamlet into a murderous monster and kills Laertes in
the process of killing the King. In the end, Hamlet did get to avenge his fathers unnatural death,
taking his own life in the process. All these event happened because of the act of getting vengeance
and that's how the character of hamlet developed the plot and the theme of

The afterlife plays a critical role, in key decisions made throughout the play Hamlet. This can be
prominently seen in the character Hamlet, and the influence his dead father, has on him. As well as
the influence that death itself holds over Hamlet, through ideas of suicide and the effect it will have
over him, whether he will go to purgatory or heaven. Hamlet also suffers from a fear of the
unknown, focused on by Shakespeare, through the themes of death, and what happens when we die.
Through these ideas and themes found under the idea of death, Shakespeare creates a masterpiece in
which death is both feared and adored, and the concept of the unknown has been ever present.
The first theme of death, found in Hamlet can be seen in Act 1, through Hamlet's famous soliloquy.
"To be or not to be." The connotations behind this rhetorical question, stated by Hamlet, are whether
he should end his life, through a means of suicide. This theme showcases, Hamlet's personality, and
his emotional behaviour as well as, showing the audience the hold that religion holds over the world
at the time of Shakespeare's writing, and Hamlet himself. This is again seen through Hamlet's
soliloquy in the line, "Thus Conscience makes cowards of us all." This quote, towards the end of
Hamlet's soliloquy, is a result of Hamlet deciding against suicide due to the idea that he does not
know what will happen to his soul, in the "Undiscovered land." or rather, whether heaven and hell
exist or are merely

Poison Motif Within Hamlet By William Shakespeare
Poison Motif throughout Hamlet
The concept of poison is all around society: poisonous people, poisonous ideas, and poisonous
environments; however, the poison in society cannot be avoided, it's inevitable some would say. As
Michael Uhl once put it "you've got to pick your poison", and hope for the least of the evils, which
unfortunately is not always the case. In Shakespeare 's Hamlet, the motif of poison functions to be
the symbol of corruption throughout the play that highlights the theme of death, madness, and the
power of language.
The use of poison within Hamlet showcases the theme of death through the falling of a myriad of
characters in the play. At the beginning of the play, the ghost of King Hamlet illustrates to Hamlet
the nature of his death "the porches of my ears did pour/ the leprous distilment" (Shakespeare 1.5
70–71). The murder of King Hamlet through the use of this "distilment" showcases the first instance
of the motif of poison within the play. It is evident the method King Claudius, the
"incestuous...adulterate beast" (Shakespeare 1.5 49) as the Ghost called him, uses the poison to take
over the crown of Denmark. Furthermore, at the end of the novel the extensive use of poison is
evident through the deaths of Queen Gertrude, Laertes, Hamlet, and ironically King Claudius. The
tragedy of the mass casualties at the end of the play can be summarized best by Laertes:
It is here, Hamlet. Hamlet, thou art slain.
No med'cine in the world can do thee good.
In

Theme Of Morality In Hamlet
Character's often at times play a major role in developing themes throughout many sources of
literature. Shakespeare's play Hamlet serves as an optimal example of this as he enhances the
themes of revenge, morality, and deception though various personalities of his character's.. The
author presents the theme of morality through many characters. The theme of morality is present
with characters such as the ghost of King Hamlet, Laertes and Hamlet. Also, in many scenes of the
play, the audience witnesses the theme of revenge. The audience observes revenge with the
protagonist of the play, Hamlet. Furthermore, Deceit is another theme from the beginning until the
end. Deception plays a major part in the play with many of the character's such as Polonius, King
Claudius and Hamlet as they deceive their peers. In the play, Hamlet, the themes of revenge,
morality, and deceit are portrayed within the characters. Shakespeare expresses the theme of
morality through the ghost of King Duncan, Laertes, and Hamlet. Hamlet discovers that his father's
ghost has been roaming around and decides to speak to it at once. Hamlet encounters the ghost of
king Hamlet, and they speak of what truly happened during King Hamlet's death. As they speak the
ghost says, "A serpent stung me–so the whole ear of Denmark/is by a forged process of my death/
rankly abus'd– but know, thou noble youth,/ the serpent that did sting thy father's life/now wears his
crown"(I,v, 35–40). The ghost of King Hamlet explains how there are false rumours about the way
he died and informs Hamlet that he should not believe them. The ghost later clarifies that Claudius
is the man who murdered him. Claudius' act of betrayal introduces the theme of morality which will
become central to the plot of the play. After this encounter, audiences feel a sense of revenge, lack
of ethics and honesty amongst the characters. Another key example of morality comes as Hamlet
and Laertes prepare to fight in a fencing match. Laertes cheats as his sword is sharp, and coated with
poison in order to kill Hamlet. As both individuals fence, Laertes tells himself, "And yet it is almost
against my conscience."(V, ii,292). Laertes feels guilty for what he is about to do even though
Hamlet

The Enigma of Death
At one point you start to read a book, at the end point it is over; this is also the case with people's
lives. The history of our civilization is surrounded by the veil of time. Hamlet, a play by William
Shakespeare is about a family intercourse set in Denmark. The play highlights and dramatizes the
revenge of Prince Hamlet; he is called to murder his uncle, Claudius, by the ghost of Hamlet's
father, also known as King Hamlet. Claudius had murdered his own brother with poison and seized
the throne; he was also marrying his deceased brother's widow Gertrude. That's why most people are
going to argue that death is the main theme of the play, and I would agree with this, but I'm going to
add to that argument to suggest that there is a big question behind death, different reactions and
relations to death and that death is mediating a statement.
Why is the statement which is mediated by the death the main theme of the play? This thematic
analysis center surrounds many different questions: Why do people think that death is the main
theme of the play? What does death mean? What is the enigma of death? How do they react to
death, in the example of Hamlet, Horatio, and Laertes? What is their relation to death, in the
example of Claudius and Hamlet? What is the statement behind death? Why is the statement the
main theme of the play?
First, I want to talk about the public opinion, why do people think that death is the main theme of
the play instead of think about the statement which is illustrated by the death. The play revolves
entirely around the topic of death; it was the death of Hamlet's father that becomes the important
point of the play. Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, murdered his father and married his mother, Gertrude.
She died when Claudius tries to kill Hamlet with poison. Hamlet gets poisoned by Laertes, he kills
Laertes and Claudius. Ophelia commits suicide. Everybody dies instead of Horatio. That's why
many people think that death is the main theme of the play; Yes, it's an important theme but not the
main theme.
What does death mean; is death just the biological function of living? Death means different things:
A person or an organism is dead when all his biological functions go off; It

Ophelia Foil To Hamlet
In a play filled with despair and suffering, love can still play an important role. Hamlet, Prince of
Denmark by William Shakespeare, is a play about revenge with eight deaths. Despite this, the
relationship between two characters, Hamlet and Ophelia is extremely vital to the theme of the work
and influences how the characters in the play act. It does this through how Ophelia acts like a foil to
Hamlet, how the pair views each other, and what themes present in the play the relationship
emphasizes..
One of the important points in the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia is how Ophelia acts like
a foil to Hamlet. One of the ways Ophelia dos this is through her madness. While Hamlet fakes
madness, Ophelia is actually mad. Hamlet spends the

Hamlet's Recurring Messages
What is Hamlet About? What are its Recurring Themes and Messages?
Hamlet by William Shakespeare is yet another one of his successful tragedies. The plot consists of
the protagonist, Hamlet, seeking revenge on his new step–father, his love for Ophelia, his conflicts
with his mother, and inner conflicts about death. The plot is introduced when the Ghost of his father,
the king, tells Hamlet to seek vengeance on his uncle Claudius who has murdered him to steal his
wife and power. Hamlet agrees with the plan because he is already infuriated at Claudius and his
own mother. Through the entire play Hamlet deals with his plan of seeking the truth and committing
murder. Doing so causes the conflict of his sanity accompanied by depression over his

Betrayal In Hamlet Essay
Picture yourself in the position of trying to solve a murder by yourself, but not only a murder; you
are trying to solve the murder of your father. The cruelness and coldness of the crime is enough to
send someone to the brink of insanity. Meanwhile, Prince Hamlet is a student who is attending the
University of Wittenberg, also full of contradictions and cynical actions. Hamlet, written by William
Shakespeare in 1599, is a play centered around a theme of death and betrayal. The play takes place
in Denmark, where Hamlet currently resides.King Hamlet's death is a mystery to all besides Hamlet.
Hamlet Jr. is determined to expose his uncle Claudius for the murder of his father. Throughout the
play, Shakespeare accurately portrays Hamlet Jr. as a depressed, cynical, and vengeful male.
Obviously, Hamlet Jr. is deeply depressed after his father's death. Hamlet mourns his father for
months, while his mother, the queen, has moved onto marry Claudius, Hamlet's uncle. Also, Hamlet
takes offense to his mother marrying so soon after Hamlet Sr.'s death. The play begins with rumors
of Hamlet Sr. killing King Fortinbras, the king of Norway. Fortinbras Jr. wants to get revenge for his
father's death, similar to Hamlet. Hamlet's devotion to his father's death is significant from the start,
where Claudius demands that Hamlet seizes his mourning and thinks of Claudius as his father now.
At this point, Hamlet ponders his father's death and questions it, leading him to infer about the

The Theme Of Death In Hamlet

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The Theme Of Death In Hamlet