English Notes Latest Questions

In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The ghost of dead King Hamlet sets the plot of revenge in motion. Seen by Horatio, Barnardo, Marcellus, the ghost only ever speaks to Prince Hamlet. It informs the prince about the murder perpetrated by Claudius and entreats him to seek justice and revenge. Even though, Hamlet remains confused aboutRead more

    The ghost of dead King Hamlet sets the plot of revenge in motion. Seen by Horatio, Barnardo, Marcellus, the ghost only ever speaks to Prince Hamlet. It informs the prince about the murder perpetrated by Claudius and entreats him to seek justice and revenge.

    Even though, Hamlet remains confused about the veracity of his visions, he ends up doing just the same when he puts Claudius to death after the fencing match with Laertes.

    See less
    • 3
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The confusion in the head of Hamlet and his inability to decide what is real and what is just an act provides the struggle for sanity in Hamlet. The ghost only speaks to Hamlet and this makes him suspicious of his own ability to understand reality. This internal battle to judge between reality and iRead more

    The confusion in the head of Hamlet and his inability to decide what is real and what is just an act provides the struggle for sanity in Hamlet. The ghost only speaks to Hamlet and this makes him suspicious of his own ability to understand reality.

    This internal battle to judge between reality and imagination isolates him and makes him hurt the people who truly love him like Gertrude and Ophelia.

    He evens delays taking revenge of his father’s death and only murders Claudius after his own death is assured. After her father’s death, even Ophelia loses her touch with sanity and ends up committing suicide.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Death is the central theme of Hamlet. Driven by the death of King, the play is festered with violence and ends up in death of the entire royal family. There is also philosophical musings on the eventuality of death and the frailty of life as discussed by Hamlet. The best example is his ‘To be or notRead more

    Death is the central theme of Hamlet. Driven by the death of King, the play is festered with violence and ends up in death of the entire royal family.

    There is also philosophical musings on the eventuality of death and the frailty of life as discussed by Hamlet. The best example is his ‘To be or not to be’ monologue in the Nunnery scene in ACT III.

    Even though death becomes the reality for most of the characters in the play, the true understanding of physical and spiritual death is left unanswered to the audiences throughout the text.

    See less
    • 0
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The theme of friendship is portrayed by Horatio and Hamlet. Horatio comes to Denmark to mourn the death of his friend Hamlet’s father. He is the first person the guards inform when they see the ghost of the dead king. Hamlet also trusts him immensely and reveals the desire of seek revenge by killingRead more

    The theme of friendship is portrayed by Horatio and Hamlet. Horatio comes to Denmark to mourn the death of his friend Hamlet’s father. He is the first person the guards inform when they see the ghost of the dead king.

    Hamlet also trusts him immensely and reveals the desire of seek revenge by killing the new king Claudius. Even at his final breath, Hamlet instructs Horatio to tell his story to the world which he does honorably.

    In contrast, Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are examples of disloyal friends who are willing to spy on their friend Hamlet when asked by King Claudius. They eventually are murdered when they reach England while Hamlet is able to escape back to Denmark.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Hamlet is instructed by the ghost of his dead father to avenge his murder by Claudius. Since Hamlet is the only person to hear the ghost speak, he is never too sure about his sanity and delays exacting revenge. He gets multiple opportunists like when Claudius is praying etc to finish the job but heRead more

    Hamlet is instructed by the ghost of his dead father to avenge his murder by Claudius. Since Hamlet is the only person to hear the ghost speak, he is never too sure about his sanity and delays exacting revenge.

    He gets multiple opportunists like when Claudius is praying etc to finish the job but he hesitates. His hesitation is two fold- he does not know if Clausius is truly guilty and if he is sane enough to rely on his thoughts.

    Secondly, Hamlet does not know whether murder is the right course of action, This mental struggle is depicted by his hesitation to act one way or the other.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The theme of supernatural in Hamlet is portrayed by the ghost of the dead King Hamlet. The ghost is seen by multiple people including Horatio and the guards but it speaks only to Hamlet the prince. The ghost provides the audiences with the real motive and plot of the play which is revenge and justicRead more

    The theme of supernatural in Hamlet is portrayed by the ghost of the dead King Hamlet. The ghost is seen by multiple people including Horatio and the guards but it speaks only to Hamlet the prince.

    The ghost provides the audiences with the real motive and plot of the play which is revenge and justice. It also foreshadows Hamlet’s insanity when it warns Hamlet to no taint his mind.

    Hamlet even contemplates that the ghost could be the devil trying to persuade him toward evil  which is another supernatural signifier.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The theme of delay is exhibited by Hamlet in his indecisiveness to put the murderer of his father to justice. After being visited by his father’s ghost, Hamlet struggles to discern between reality and hallucination. This confusion makes him incapable of thinking with clarity and he finds it difficulRead more

    The theme of delay is exhibited by Hamlet in his indecisiveness to put the murderer of his father to justice. After being visited by his father’s ghost, Hamlet struggles to discern between reality and hallucination.

    This confusion makes him incapable of thinking with clarity and he finds it difficult to act. The delay in action is highlighted by the fact that he only kills Claudius after being stabbed with the positioned sword first. It cones down to fate and destiny finishing its course than Hamlet seizing his own.

    See less
    • 4
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Hamlet and his dead father share a strong bond so much so that even through the veil of death they continue to communicate. The ghost of dead king visits the prince and tells him about his uncle’s betrayal for power. He accuses Gertrude of immoral lusts but advises the prince of not harm her. TheirRead more

    Hamlet and his dead father share a strong bond so much so that even through the veil of death they continue to communicate. The ghost of dead king visits the prince and tells him about his uncle’s betrayal for power.

    He accuses Gertrude of immoral lusts but advises the prince of not harm her. Their relationship becomes the bedrock of all the action that happens in the rest of the play.

    Another father and son relationship is seen in Laertes and Polonius. Even though they are not as close but Laertes does rush to avenge his father’s murder as soon he learns about it. Eventually he dies trying to avenge the same.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    Oedipal complex is indicated between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude. Hamlet is frustrated by his mother’s marriage to his uncle Claudius who he suspects murdered his father. Hamlet’s constant fixation with his mother’s sexual desires and conduct reveals a possible fascination for her physically. HerRead more

    Oedipal complex is indicated between Hamlet and his mother Gertrude. Hamlet is frustrated by his mother’s marriage to his uncle Claudius who he suspects murdered his father.

    Hamlet’s constant fixation with his mother’s sexual desires and conduct reveals a possible fascination for her physically. Her words and opprobrium may suggest an unfulfilled lust for her.

    Hamlet’s comments do read more live unrequited lamentation than moral sanctions. He seems to be more upset about his mother sleeping with Claudius than Claudius murdering his father.

    See less
    • 1
In:
  1. Lucifer
    Lucifer better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

    The two grave diggers exquisitely provide comic buildup to the climax of the play. Before the entrance of Hamlet and his fight with Laertes, the two gravediggers discuss the theme of death with a tone of jest and comicality. They joke about the inevitability of death and that the gravediggers are thRead more

    The two grave diggers exquisitely provide comic buildup to the climax of the play. Before the entrance of Hamlet and his fight with Laertes, the two gravediggers discuss the theme of death with a tone of jest and comicality.

    They joke about the inevitability of death and that the gravediggers are the last to die. They remember Yorick, a clown known for his jokes whose skull lay bare in the ground.

    The theme leads to an intense moment when Hamlet confronts the same skull and wonders how even the mightiest of emperors like Alexander find their own mortality inescapable.

    See less
    • 1