Figurative Syntax In Hamlet

36. The difference in Hamlet’s behavior while in the presence of the players or Horatio stands in stark contrast to that he displays towards Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencrantz, or Guildenstern. He speaks to his friend and the players with great patience and respect, displaying a sound mind. However, when Hamlet speaks to other characters he is wild and rash, either further displaying signs of madness or speaking to them in distaste or a mocking manner.

The use of descriptive language is important for the writer to entertain, persuade and teleport the reader into their work. Descriptive use and imagery allow the reader to experience the setting, sound, taste, and mood as if they can live through it. Which takes us to Shakespeare's play Hamlet. Not only does he use exceptional details and imagery throughout the play between the characters, but the way he uses word allows us to put ourselves into the play as if we can feel what they feel. It also allows us to experience and go through the play as if we are in it also. So in this paper, I would like to focus on a few major moments where I believe Shakespeare descriptive language is the strongest.

When Shakespeare introduces Claudius and Hamlet in his play Hamlet Shakespeare uses diction, syntax, and imagery to distinctly characterize them to the audience. Using long, complex sentences and stately diction reinforces the image of Claudius as a cold, rehearsed politician to the audience, while Hamlet’s sputtering sentences, diction, allusions, and imagery reflect his passionate nature. By having Hamlet’s soliloquy follow Claudius’ monologue Shakespeare solidifies their characters by contrasting these literary elements.

Does Hamlet stand alone? Does this magnate of English literature hold any bond of fellowship with those around him, or does he forge through his quandaries of indecision, inaction and retribution in solitude? Though the young Dane interacts with Shakespeare's entire slate of characters, most of his discourse lies beneath a cloud of sarcasm, double meaning and contempt. As each member of Claudius' royal court offers their thickly veiled and highly motivated speech Hamlet retreats further and further into the muddled depths of his conflict-stricken mind. Death by a father, betrayal by a mother, scorn by a lover and abhorrence by an uncle leave the hero with no place to turn, perhaps creating a

In the play, Hamlet (1603), William Shakespeare creates a character, Hamlet, that feels overwhelmed by the weight he puts on himself while seeking vengeance for his father’s murder. Shakespeare is able to illustrate Hamlet’s fragileness through the use of vivid imagery, negative attitude, and aggressive diction. Shakespeare’s purpose in this piece is to show Hamlet during his lowest time in order to reveal a significant portion of his character.

In Shakespeare 's Hamlet, the construction of the joined at the hip characters, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, is based off of the ideas of determinism and passivity. Within the text, they have proven to be nothing more than young Hamlet’s former friends who mindlessly act on the orders of the king. Shakespeare writes them as transparent character at the hand of Hamlet’s mockery and pen. The idea that Hamlet hesitates to kill Claudius who arguably deserves it, but easily writes Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to death further exemplifies the idea that they are simply pawns of Denmark’s royalty; slaves to the orders of those above them, mere puppets under the manipulation of Hamlet’s hand.

In any historic piece of writing, there are going to be discrepancies in how the text is interpreted, which leads to differences in how it’s portrayed to the audience. One of the most diversely interpreted pieces of writing is Hamlet, and through no fault of our own, more so Shakespeare who didn’t quite give the full disclosure in any of his writings. In order to isolate the differences of interpretations amongst the famous “To be or not to be” speech, we watched four different films about Hamlet, and isolated a single scene where Hamlet delivers this speech. Each director tries to send their own message in how they interpreted the text through character, setting, diction, and tone. Amongst the four versions, starting at Sir Lawrence Olivier

Hamlet’s best friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are prime examples of the foils that hinder Hamlet in his struggle to discover his father’s fate. Claudius, the king, sent Hamlet’s best friends to be nosy and find out what exactly was bothering Hamlet. When the two friends arrive in Denmark, Hamlet is immediately aware that something about their presence doesn’t seem right. Hamlet starts to question why the two friends were in Denmark. Through Hamlet’s suspicions we learn that he is very quick to recognize sketchy behavior.

Modern films have more action, better quality of sound and image, and relates to the modern time incorporated into the movie, which appeal to teenagers these days. To create a modern film adaptation of Hamlet for a contemporary teenage audience, one may use different film devices, production elements and more modern allusions.

William Shakespeare has written books and plays of literary merit. One great play Shakespeare has written is Hamlet. Hamlet is full of famous lines that will get you thinking about the meaning. The passage being analyzed is act 4 scene 3 lines 53-63. In this passage William Shakespeare sets the tone by using diction.

Hamlet essentially feels betrayed because his mother is now with a subordinate man. Hamlet not only thinks she married someone of lesser worth, but he thinks she herself is of lesser worth now too because, according to Hamlet’s mentality, since she is no longer with a virtuous husband, she too is no longer virtuous. Hamlet doesn’t understand how Gertrude could ruin the consecrated bond she shared with the late king; he rhetorically asks her who could have possibly tricked her. Hamlet would have never thought that Gertrude would consider marrying Claudius because her late husband was, according to him, much better in many aspects. Hamlet questions his mother and the decision she makes because he can’t accept or even comprehend that his mother

Hamlet’s long-winded rambles are so deeply hooded to the characters because each character takes each his or her portrayal literally. He is fully aware of how each hooded phrase is like a dagger, in such a twisted way, that experts are left trying to untangle each of Hamlet’s quotes. His game of wits will leave readers wondering who will

Hamlet is obscure and surprising, and, therefore, confounding because he subverts others’ expectations and never reacts with a predictable response to his own emotions or the expectations of other characters. In addition, it is worth noting that it is not only Hamlet’s curious speech that alienates others. Hamlet’s obsessive pessimism also begins to affect all of his relationships and becomes a large part of who he is as a character. In an otherwise superficial conversation with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet insists that the world has become a prison with “Denmark being one o’ th’ worst” (2.2.265), and he presses the men to explain why they would want to visit him in the place that torments him. Hamlet’s relationship with his mother is also troubling. While he is justified in questioning her decision to marry Claudius before her husband’s corpse has even cooled, Hamlet is sarcastic and demeaning towards her, provoking her to ask “What have I done, that thou darest wag thy tongue/In noise so rude against me?” (3.4.47-48) These brief and often sarcastic interactions with other characters help define Hamlet as a pessimistic character and cause the reader to anticipate that his perceptions of events will be, almost always, clouded with this characteristic darkness of

“To be or not to be – that is the question…” (III, I, 56-) so starts Hamlet’s most famous and well-known soliloquy. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, written in the very late 1500’s, the audience is introduced to two “comical” characters at the beginning of the play; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. These two characters, clearly, had no clue of what is going on throughout the play; in addition, they followed orders without questioning them. Therefore, their role in the play was not clear. Ultimately, their role in the play was to support, as well as spy, on Hamlet, hence them taking orders from greater characters like Claudius. However, the comic duo serves a deeper purpose than just assisting their old childhood friend. Arguably, their role in the play is also to forecast ideas, bring out character traits to help readers understand them more, and come up with solutions to some of the questions that the play has left the readers to deal with. They are capable of accomplishing that due to their disloyal behaviors towards other characters.

Creating such an ironic filled scene, Shakespeare uses language, form and structure in Hamlet to create such a dramatic piece. In Act 2, Scene 2, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern visit Hamlet. Shakespeare takes advantage of this encounter to highlight the on-going hatred Hamlet has for his uncle. The uses of dutiful language through Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’s dialogue emphasises dramatic tension, furthermore the constant repetition of questions from Hamlet underline the dramatic effect of uncertainty. The consistent use of enjambment to link these lines together highlight that the characters have a lot to say, however the monophonic use of short sentences, counteract that. The use of second person noun creates tension, as it makes the reader desire to know more. Finally the inevitable use of alliteration for emphasis, is repeated throughout this piece. In the following essay I will affirm these points and explore other ways in which Shakespeare uses language to create such a dramatic scene.