Title of the play: Hamlet
Setting
The play’s setting depicts a set of the fourteenth or fifteenth century in the place of royal place in the city of Elsinore in Denmark. There is a tinge of religion in the concept of Hamlet, which marks the theories of Protestants that link the drama to religious affiliation.
Plot
The plot of Hamlet is depressed in nature. Personal conflict and painful surprises are the basic elements of the plot from the beginning. Prince Hamlet is shown to be called to Germany with the news that his father has passed. Upon arrival, he was astounded to see that his mother Gertrude had already married his father’s brother, Claudius. Hence, not only was it the grief of his father’s death but also the distress of his crown being snatched by his uncle. Hamlet suspected foul play which was later confirmed by the arrival of his father’s ghost telling him that his brother killed him. Hamlet’s father’s ghost insists on taking revenge on his brother. Hamlet spent days and nights in agony. He even tried to spy on the activities of the palace to get clues or evidence but got confused, further thinking that the ghost might be a devil, making him fall into his trap. Confused, he planned a play by the title ‘The Murder of Gonzago’ in which he portrayed the death scene that was told to him by the ghost. He wanted to observe Claudius’s responses to this play of the true story. Claudius, watching the play, grew pale and went outside to grasp air. Hence, the suspects of Hamlet were established making it clear that Claudius has played the villain. Hamlet intended to kill Claudius for his act, but in his endeavors, he killed six innocent lives. The death of Polonius was most evident who was killed in suspect of spying. Claudius calls his friends from England to spy on him and later exiles Hamlet as punishment for his conduct. He also made them agree to hand over Hamlet to the king of England for execution, but Hamlet was smart enough to get his friends killed instead. Ophelia and her brother Laertes, the children of the man killed are distressed by the murder of their father and vow Claudius also becomes a part of his quest, and a sword fight takes place between Laertes and Hamlet in which Hamlet succeeds in killing Laertes. However, the same poisoned sword cutter Hamlet, too. Gertrude watches from a distance and, with the thought of his son’s success, drinks the poisoned toast left for Hamlet by Claudius. Enraged Hamlet kills Claudius with the poisoned sword and makes him drink the poisoned drink He dies leaving the throne for Fortinbras of Norway, his friends uttering his last words, “ The rest is silence.” The play ended with the view of the grand royal funeral for Hamlet.
Character Analysis
The protagonist (Hamlet):
The character of Hamlet is a deep mystery. It greatly depends on an individual’s perception of how one views and comprehends his character. He is shown as a loving son but a rational individual. He is enraged for Claudius but holds a soft corner for his mother who was also a part of the murder. He is shown to make his friends die but mourns the death of Ophelia. Thus, the character of Hamlet is the junction of contradictions. However, strength and brave conduct are the fundamentals of this character.
Antagonist (Claudius):
Claudius’s character is shown to be that of an individual who beholds charisma and is witty. Getting the mother of Hamlet involved in his plan was evidence of his attributes.
Theme
Mortality, emotional distress, the attitude of women, and political manipulations are the basic themes of this play. The theme of mortality focused on the complexity of life and the suffering of death. The play’s theme is also the emotional distress resulting from confusion and sorrow. The political manipulations have been the paper of the plot since the beginning. Likewise, the attitude of women in love and quest for power is depicted in the characters Gertrude and Ophelia.
Evaluation
The factors of social and political determinants could be regarded as the basic points of evaluation. The accuracy of the depiction of the sequence of events and the use of dialogues instilled life into the play. The complexity of each theme is defined with a clear pattern of events and defined attributes of characters that make one believe the logic of utterings. The exact nature of humans in response to happening has been depicted in the play with all its clarity. The truth of the meaning of life and the uncertainty of life after death are the core factors that have made the play interesting in a unique way. Hence, it can be regarded that the play added value to literature by offering insight into the conduct and responses to identified events.
