Section A Paper3 : Hamlet

Shakespeare organized his plays and characters so audiences could easily gather all the information
they need to know about them and their circumstances. Therefore in “Hamlet” there is tragic flaw and
Catharsis where there is release of pent-up emotions , following which there is a flooding sense of
relief as Hamlet kills Claudius before he dies which shows that he completed his father’s last wish of
taking revenge from his uncle.

There is theme of betrayal and power just like in Julius Ceasar and “Hamlet” is a masterpiece by
Shakespeare which explores how revenge affects the human psyche and endangers chaos amidst
interpersonal relationships. Shakespeare is able to create flair into the opening scene, through the use
of choice of words and stylistic devices which leave audiences or readers questioning the importance,
relevance and appropriateness of this initial scene. There is deep reflection on life and death which
attract reader’s attention and push each other to form an interpretation.

A favourite Shakespearean theme is the discripency between appearance and reality. Claudius’s
opening scene speech appears relaxed, eloquent and persuasive. But Shakespeare signals to the
audience, long before they hear Claudius confess it, that the king’s public mask conceals an evil mind
and the speech is so carefully structured that it is evidently rehearsed. Hence the audience get to learn
that his evil deeds corrupt the estate and at the same time is much more in accordance with the time
“Politician” described in Shakespearean time as Machiavellian. It is an aspect of the court of Claudius
which Marcellus was referring to when he speaks of something “being rotten” in the State of
Denmark and this reference would have instantly recognised by Shakespeare immoral.

The first soliloquy of Hamlet gives the audience their first glimpse of him as a character and he tells
of his father’s death and then his mother’s quick remarriage. He says, “It is not, nor it cannot come to
good” ( Act 1, Scene 2), when referring to the marriage of his mother. This gives the audience a hint
of foreshadowing because it is the first time when Hamlet mentions the future. It also says that his
mother is frail because she is a woman as he is embarrassed and ashamed by her behaviour. Therefore
this shows the audience that his heart is breaking not only for the loss of affections towards his mother
but the fact that she does not really care about this loss.

Shakespeare engages with audiences through his exploration of human frailty; a theme that is
common throughout time and like all humans, Hamlet is trapped by his emotions and must “unpack
his heart with words and fall cursing like very drab, a scullion.” In conclusion, Shakespeare’s Hamlet
is able to resonate with all audiences despite varying contextual values through its strong
characterisation and exploration of human nature. The play explores the abuse of power that leads to
corruption. Hamlet’s revelation of this corruption that has initiated the betrayal of those closest to him
results in his feeling of disappointment with the world around him, as well as his descent into a
melancholy state. Through this exploration of human frailty, Hamlet is able to engage both
Shakespearean audiences and contemporary audiences.