Title of the play: Hamlet
Setting
The play’s setting depicts the fourteenth or fifteenth century in the royal palace 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 depressing in nature. Personal conflict and painful surprises are the basic elements of the plot from the beginning. Prince Hamlet is shown to be called from Germany with the news that his father has passed away. Upon arrival, he is astounded to see that his mother, Gertrude, has already married his father’s brother, Claudius. Hence, not only is there the grief of his father’s death but also the distress of his crown being snatched by his uncle. Hamlet suspects foul play, which is later confirmed by the arrival of his father’s ghost telling him that his brother killed him. Hamlet’s father’s ghost insists that he take revenge on his brother. Hamlet spends days and nights in agony. He even tries to spy on the activities of the palace to get clues or evidence but gets further confused, thinking that the ghost might be a devil making him fall into his trap. Confused, he plans a play with the title ‘The Murder of Gonzago,’ in which he portrays the death scene that was told to him by the ghost. He wants to observe Claudius’s responses to this play of the true story. Claudius, watching the play, grows pale and goes outside to grasp air. Hence, Hamlet’s suspicions are confirmed, making it clear that Claudius has played the villain. Hamlet intends to kill Claudius for his act, but in his endeavors, he kills six innocent people (Shakespeare, 1603/2003; Greenblatt, 2001). The death of Polonius is most evident; he is killed on suspicion of spying. Claudius calls Hamlet’s friends from England to spy on him and later exiles Hamlet as punishment for his conduct. He also makes them agree to hand over Hamlet to the king of England for execution, but Hamlet is 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 revenge. Claudius also becomes a part of this quest, and a sword fight takes place between Laertes and Hamlet in which Hamlet succeeds in killing Laertes. However, the same poisoned sword cuts Hamlet, too. Gertrude watches from a distance and, with the thought of her 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 and uttering to his friends his last words, “The rest is silence.” The play ends 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 by 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 possesses charisma and is witty. Getting Hamlet’s mother 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 focuses on the complexity of life and the suffering of death. The play’s theme is also the emotional distress resulting from confusion and sorrow. (Royal Shakespeare Company, n.d.) Political manipulations have been part of the plot since the beginning. Likewise, the attitude of women in love and the 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 utterances. The exact nature of humans in response to happenings 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.
References
Greenblatt, S. (2001). Hamlet in purgatory. Princeton University Press. https://press.princeton.edu/books/paperback/9780691160245/hamlet-in-purgatory
Royal Shakespeare Company. (n.d.). Madness in Hamlet. https://www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet/about-the-play/madness-in-hamlet
Shakespeare, W. (2003). Hamlet. Folger Shakespeare Library. Original work published ca. 1603. https://www.folger.edu/explore/shakespeares-works/hamlet/read/
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