Hamlet Lecture 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hamlet Lecture 1 - Essay Example The watchmen sense that there is something of significance in the appearance of the ghost of the late king; therefore they inform Hamlet about it, who immediately decides to find out the purpose of the appearance of his father’s ghost. Claudius announces his marriage to the Queen within two months of Hamlet’s father’s death. He justifies the urgency of his decision by saying that the kingdom is in a war-like state; therefore, he had to take this step in the interest of his people, and to send a strong message to the enemy that they are still strong. â€Å"With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage.† (Shakespeare 1; ii, 12) The language in Hamlet, as in other plays by Shakespeare is used as a tool to create dramatic effects. Symbolism and imagery play a very important role in narrating the dramatic effects and characterization. The purpose of speech or dialogue is not only to express inner feelings but to draw a live and vivid picture in the minds of the readers or the audience about the characters and the plot of the play. When Hamlet awaits the ghost of his father, he proclaims: â€Å"The air bites shrewdly; it is very cold.† (1; iv, 1) The ghost commands him to take revenge of his murder from his uncle, Claudius the king. He also instructs Hamlet not to harm his mother, and let Fate deal with her. Hamlet promises the ghost of his father: â€Å"Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation or the thoughts of love, / May sweep to my revenge.† (35) This is a very important pledge of Hamlet upon which his life and the purpose of his life depend. Unfortunately, failure to fulfil his promise on time will lead to his tragic death. As the play shall progress, we shall see that there is an internal war being waged in the mind and soul of Hamlet. However, he could not decide how to go about things and delays the matter. During the course of procrastination, he delves deeper and deeper into madness. His madness has actually resulted from rage, disbelief, sorrow, melancholy, and his inability to take action. He wants to die and put an end to his life; he realizes that Fate has put him in a very complex situation by assigning the responsibility of avenging his father. He finds it extremely difficult to decide the course of his actions and keeps on delaying his decision. His soliloquies are a manifestation of his melancholy, despair and philosophical nature. â€Å"O cursed spite, / That ever I was born to set it right!† (1; v, 209-210) The dialogues between the King, the Queen and Hamlet are full of under tones. Hamlet is sarcastic- â€Å"Good mother† means just the opposite. He is the only person who has not recovered from the death of this father. The grief is obvious in his appearance. The concept of â€Å"play within play† is introduced in this scene; as Hamlet says to his mother: â€Å"These indeed seem, / For these are actions that a man might play.† (1; ii, 86-87) Hamlet is gradually descending in the state of madness. He has started doubting his relationship with Ophelia and even his friends sense that he has lately not been himself. â€Å"And yet to me what is this quintessence/ of dust? Man delights not me—no, nor woman neither.† (II;ii, 312-313). Hamlet is also highly aware of the voice of conscience. He plans to stage a play depicting the characters of his mother, his father and Claudius. He does so in order to awaken the conscience of his uncle and is quite successful in it because Claudius gets deeply