“Hamlet” by William Shakespeare Essay Example

gloomy play, despite its significant closure. Together, these three subplots help us understand Shakespeare's perspective on vengeance. In Aristotle's definition of plot in tragedy as "The respectable actions and the actions of honorable people" (Aristotle 35), Hamlet is expected to be an exceptional individual who only engages in noble deeds. Aristotle questions Hamlet's decision to refrain from killing Claudius during prayer, which serves as a pivotal moment in Hamlet.

It is crucial because if he could achieve his revenge by then, Claudius' spirit may have been perfect. He wants to get exact retribution when Claudius' "Spirit might be accused and dark as damnation, where it goes (Shakespeare 3, 3, 94 - 5). By waiting for the perfect time, Hamlet misses his chance to achieve exact retribution. This disgraceful act contributes to the theme of appropriate punishment, not in the main plot, but when all three revenge sub-plots are considered together. Aristotle also believed in heroes that are "Most importantly high (Aristotle 51)." Although Hamlet spends a lot of time contemplating good and evil, and what the ultimate good is, when the time comes, he cannot act. Laertes acts, but he acts recklessly and cannot perform good either.

Fortinbras embodies the type of legend that would have been favored by Aristotle. Despite the fact that from Fortinbras' perspective, the play is not disastrous, it is rather a satire where other characters run around and ultimately Fortinbras gains the power of Denmark without any fault of his. These plot events, which Aristotle disagrees with, contribute to the overall theme of Hamlet. Shakespeare utilizes the plot to create a sense of tragedy in Hamlet by incorporating various subplots and having

his tragic hero perform heroic actions. Village's treatment of Ophelia is particularly harsh. Similarly, Ophelia's unwavering loyalty to her father and her treatment of Hamlet causes us to question which of the two is more deserving of blame. Both of their actions are equally shocking.

Aristotle might have questioned Hamlet's treatment of Ophelia in light of his belief in the saint-like character traits. Among the key characters, Horatio and Fortinbras stand out for their gallantry and loyalty to Hamlet. These two characters are the only ones who survive, while the rest perish or are left dying. As we witness the bodies strewn across the floor, lifeless and bleeding, we come to understand the repugnance of Hamlet's actions. This would undoubtedly contradict Aristotle's expectations and evoke a strong reaction.

Shakespeare's characters in Hamlet's outline of the topic of the dramatization. However, Aristotle would have opposed Shakespeare's decisions. To understand character regarding the subject, one must examine the characters. Samuel Johnson describes Village as "throughout the piece an instrument instead of a specialist." This gives too much importance to the dialogue when Village contemplates and not enough credit to the fact that he sent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths without hesitation and that he was the first on the pirate ship when attacked at sea.

It is Village's demand for reprisal that shapes his character and fuels the violence at the end of the play. In the final scenes, characters are not meant to die, but rather be left bleeding on the stage.

References

• Rozett, Martha Tuck. "The comic structures of tragic endings: The suicide scenes in Romeo and Juliet and Antony and Cleopatra." Shakespeare quarterly

36.2 (1985): 152-164.