Essays On Play

The way in which Aphelia’s emotions are portrayed differs between the 1996 Branch film and the original text, with both versions emphasizing the same ideas but through varied means. The opening scene of the film sees Aphelia lying curled in the fetal position in a straitjacket, conveying her vulnerability and weakness. The use of this […]

Watch the 1991 movie version of Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson, and discuss the movie as an Oedipal interpretation of the play. Refer to Jone’s essay, the text, and the movie in your paper. Many argue that oedipal complex has been presented in the play Hamlet. Through the essay of Ernest Jones and the theory of […]

Hamlet: “When our deep secret plans do chills; and that should larn us. There is a deity that shapes our terminals. Rough-hew them how we will-” (V. 2. 9-11) There are uncertainties to the deity as Hamlet explores this thought. During the drama, prince Hamlet frequently inquiries about his being. In one of his monologues, […]

In dramas, soliloquies are often used to reveal the most intimate thoughts of a character. In the “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” by William Shakespeare, the title character has seven key soliloquies. Through careful analysis of the soliloquies, one can trace the spiritual crisis that Hamlet underwent. Thus, the seven key soliloquies in […]

With the fact that the main story line of the play entitled Dr. Faustus, by Christopher Marlow, tells about the struggle of a man to gain extra ordinary powers and dominance against other people regardless of the means through which these capabilities are acquired, it is obvious that such tale depicts various sins that most […]

The definition of “savagery” refers to violent and cruel acts. Undoubtedly, Hamlet (H) and The Revenger’s Tragedy (RT) both depict numerous instances of extreme savagery, including torture, poisoning, murder, and rape. However, the question arises as to whether there is room for moments of comedy and humor in plays featuring such gruesome acts. While there […]

The play ‘Hamlet’ conforms to the typical ingredients that make up a revenge tragedy of the Elizabethan era. It conforms to certain guidelines and similar features, these are; a hesitating avenger, a villain who is to be killed in revenge, complex twisted plots, sexual obsessions, treachery, a play within a play, lust and greed which […]

A soliloquy is the act of talking to oneself, silently or aloud in drama. It is a convention. Playwrights use this device as a convenient way to convey to the audience information about a character’s thoughts, motives, and state of mind. Shakespeare was a great user of the soliloquy, the best known of his being […]

By starting the play off with a question, Shakespeare makes the audience feel nervous and uncertain about what is going to happen. By using the question who’s there? Makes the audience think, why can’t he see him? Maybe it is because it’s dark or foggy. Darkness and fog is a convention of horror films, writers […]

Over the years many differing interpretations of hamlet have come to the forefront. The audiences over time have experienced immense themes with deep internal and external meaning. It is apparent that over time all relevance has remained the same and thus allowed the creation and recreation of ‘Hamlet’ to remain as relevant as it was […]

William Shakespeare, who lived from 1564 to 1616, is considered a distinguished dramatist of the sixteenth century. One of his enduring tragedies is ‘Hamlet’, which has received considerable acclaim from both critics and audiences. Although he adhered to Elizabethan beliefs, his dramas convey timeless messages that address themes relevant to humanity in any era or […]

At the end of Act Five, Shakespeare has re-established Hamlet as a traditional Elizabethan revenge tragedy through the bloody catharsis at the end of the play, the purpose of this being to cleanse Denmark of the corrupt and to restore order, although it is doubtful whether Hamlet’s revenge achieves this aim. It is during Act […]

At the beginning of the play, an ominous atmosphere is established as the changing of the guard takes place at Elsinore. There is a sense of tension and fear, created by conversation and descriptions. When an unknown figure approaches Bernado, the first question asked is “Who’s there?” Francisco hesitates to reveal his identity, but assures […]

In Hamlet, Shakespeare carefully develops themes and characters in order to achieve the desired dramatic intensions. As Hamlet is a tragedy there is a strong sense of foreboding from the very beginning. This is fully intentional and is dependent on the development of relevant themes and characters. A final important factor of the dramatic significance […]

Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564, the eldest son of John and Mary Shakespeare, and lived until 1616. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway and later became father to two daughters and a son. Hamlet was written around 1601-1602 in a time of great political turbulence. It has been commented that much of the […]

At the beginning of the play, it takes place at a castle which is bitterly cold and the time is midnight. The guards are being switched as Barnado takes over for Francisco. The conversation begins with Barnado posing the question, “Who’s there?” and Francisco responding by demanding, “Answer me. Stand and reveal your identity.” This […]

The play, Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is widely considered the most famous play ever written. It has been translated into many languages and continues to be performed globally, sparking extensive critical discussions. The play’s popularity stems from its central character, Hamlet, who offers different interpretations for different people. The purpose of this essay is […]

To understand a play fully, we must understand the setting and context in which it is set. To understand Hamlet fully, we must analyse its contextual setting through language, events and its characters. The first instance through which we begin our understanding of the social situation in Denmark is through thee first scene of Act […]

One of the focal aspects within the play is a dilemma he is forced to face. This dilemma is whether or not he should murder his uncle to revenge his father’s death. In Act 1 Scene 5, Hamlet comes face to face with the ghost of his father, who is doomed to suffer eternal damnation […]

The first three scenes of Hamlet, gives you an extremely dramatic and interesting insight into most of the themes continued throughout the play. Shakespeare manages to create the suspense and drama necessary to keep the audience enthralled and expectant. He does this through the use of imagery, mystery and language, some unusual, unifying themes, and […]

Any movie based on a well-known piece of written work will inevitably be critiqued and compared to the original story, and Zeffirelli’s version of Shakespeare’s Hamlet is no exception. Viewers who have read the play will scrutinize the director’s interpretation of the film and judge whether the changes made in the movie do the play […]

Appearances is one of the key themes in ‘Hamlet’, and it occurs throughout the whole play, each character has been seen to put on an appearance, even Horatio who can be seen as someone who doesn’t put on an appearance, yet he does for Hamlet’s sake. The effects, appearance has on the audience vary, as […]