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ter> How does Shakespeare influence the audiences response to the character of Hamlet? There are many scenes within the play of Hamlet, which can alter the audiences perception of the main character, Hamlet. So much of Hamlet is an attempt to deceive the audience; Hamlets madness, his antic disposition is a prime example. Others include Act Three Scene one, where Hamlet is incredibly, viciously rude toward Ophelia, his alleged lover. This impression of Hamlet depicts a ghastly picture, one of tribulation and inclemency. Personally, I believe that the image portrayed by Shakespeare of Hamlet is one of aptitude for guile and justice.
Many things during this complex play indicate that this is certainly the case. Hamlets plan with the Players is one of cunning and coyness; a play to damn his fathers killer, during Act Two Scene Two, The plays the thing wherein Ill catch the conscience of the King. Although he is hell-bound on avenging his fathers death, this destructive rage within him is, nevertheless, overcome by his intelligence, forcing him to be sure himself of his fathers killer. This action shows us, the audience, of Hamlets mentality, and his overall mental predominance over his other acquaintances. Another scene tells the audience that Hamlet is also a man of justice, a willing to discover the truth. Act three scene three is when Hamlet passes up his first, and as far as he knew, his only chance to kill his uncle.
His reason was one of integrity, but also could be considered one of cruelty and vengeance. His procrastination of his uncles inevitable murder evidently displays an image of Hamlet doing what is right, or an image of arrant repugnance Hamlet is not an evil man. It is quite understandable that he has a hatred for his uncle, but what is alarming is his absolute unforgiving frame of mind toward his mother. Presumably, Gertrude is oblivious to all wrongdoing, and should not be blamed as much as Hamlet seems to. All Gertrude is guilty of is being nave and foolish to the faults of new husband.
He insults her as though she were his uncle; at your age the heyday in the blood is tame. , during Act Three Scene Four, Questioning her love for Claudius, presuming that it wasnt the sex, as she was too old! Hamlet was arguably one of the greatest dramatic characters Shakespeare created, and extremely contradictory in his actions, being reckless, but also cautious. A good example of this awareness is when Hamlet is raging about the discovery of his Fathers murder, and is irate for revenge, but also keeps a cool head, by asking his friends not to say a word concerning what they have seen that night. The turning point of Hamlet has got to be when Gertrude marries his uncle. For once, Hamlet loved his mother dearly; this occasion rips the heart of Hamlet, thus the beginning. Shakespeare shows us this in Act One Scene Two; .
So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a Satyr, so loving to my Mother that he might not between the winds of heaven visit her face too roughly Hamlet obviously is fantasizing over the past, and cant bear to see his Mother loved, and being loved by another man. This is when his detest for Claudius really begins. Hamlets fathers death affects him deeply. His mood swings are abrupt throughout the play, as he acts mad when hearing of foul play.
He says wild and harebrained things during this time; Why, right, you are Ith right. And so without more circumstance at all I hold it fit that we shake hands and part In Act One Scene Five. There is obviously a contrast between the two Hamlets. One, is the ideal sensitive prince, and the other is the wild, barbaric madman who slays Polonius with no remorse whatsoever, curses his own mother, and will stop at nothing to avenge his Fathers death. Shakespeare does this to promote a representation of Hamlet, a person who feels so passionately, fervently about his Father and the treason performed against him, that he is willing to sacrifice everything to put it right, literally. Shakespeare's depiction of Hamlet is a man whose behaviour is inconsistent.
A good example of this is his behaviour toward s Ophelia. Firstly, we hear of Ophelia receiving notes from Hamlet, presumably Love letters, but Hamlet denies this. Ophelia is dumbstruck with his profound denial of something which is, quite blatantly, true, He then admits that he did love her, swinging his rudeness to kindness, before absolutely, utterly insulting her with phrases such as, . Get thee to a nunnery within Act Three Scene One. At the time, this would have been an immense insult to any woman, implicitly calling her a liar, a breeder of sins. He also insults her paintings, saying that God had made it that way, who are you to change it.
Inevitably, Ophelia deems that Hamlet is mad. His plan has worked. This is how Shakespeare makes Hamlet appear intensely clever. Hamlet also jumps into her grave at the end of Act Five Scene One, and fights with Laertes, professing his love for her; Forty thousand brothers. could not, with all their quantity of love make up my sum It is here that Hamlet confesses an interesting twist; Hamlet explains to Laertes that he has something in me dangerous, Which let thy wireless fear. also within Act Five Scene One.
Hamlet has confessed that he is dangerous, which is a great hint toward him becoming actually mad. Deep down, Hamlet is feeling the pains and pressures of this terrible tragedy, and is warning Laertes away, for he might not be in control of himself. Shakespeare has down this to show the strain on Hamlet, and perhaps alter the audiences perception of the prince, allowing Hamlet to appear more human to them. However, the audience is not likely to have thought this about Hamlet beforehand. The scene Act Three Scene One, in which he is cruel to Ophelia sets the rest of Hamlets cruelty towards people, women in particular. His outbursts at Gertrude; What Devil wast that thus hath cozened you at hoffman-blind?
in the course of Act Three Scene Four, and Ophelia; Ill give thee this plague, is more likely to put the audience off Hamlet. Conversely, this is because Shakespeare is also trying to fool the audience, as well as the obvious, fooling the characters. To make the audience feel that Hamlet is mad, considering that they know that he is acting, is a very hard thing to do. Shakespeare accomplishes this, amazingly. It could be considered that Hamlet goes too far in acting mad, that he could have killed Claudius secretly, without anyone knowing, but he wants to achieve the ultimate in punishments for Claudius; eternal damnation. To kill him while he is at prayer could be a way of avoiding this, and Hamlet does not wish to take this chance.
It is here that we see Hamlets cruel side. Shakespeare sends out many signals to the audience regarding Hamlet, and what they should perceive of Hamlets personality; cold, heartless, clever, warm, considerate, loving? We have, within this play, scenes which depict all of these persona. Act three Scene four is a hint toward Hamlets cold and heartless side, by killing Polonius, without a shred of sorrow or guilt. In fact, he compares this dreadful crime with the acts of his mother, with his uncle; A bloody deed- almost as bada's kill a king and marry his brother. It is here that we find out about Gertrude's innocence of any Foul Play as she repeats Hamlets accusation.
Hamlets heart-felt spilling of his emotions, to his mother, causes her so much grief she admits to her stupidity and errors without further ado. This could be a show of Hamlets consideration toward his Mother, or viewed as pure and simple vengeance. Perhaps he genuinely desires his mother to know what he is feeling, to explain why he has been acting so strange recently. Or, perhaps it is to cause his mother more grief and anguish, knowing that she could be the perpetrator of all this trouble.
As mentioned before, there are many scenes in which Hamlet is publicized as clever, but, by far the most interesting scene is Act five Scene two, where Hamlet tells Horatio of his inexorable death escape, switching his death warrant, and bargaining his life with pirates during the Sea Battle. This impressive acuity from Prince Hamlet is remarkable. How did he know...
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