What do you think contributes to the power and enduring value of Shakespeare's Hamlet?
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The nature of a powerful and enduring text is that it cannot be manifested by simply providing superficial entertainment. A timeless text aims to please the general audience while simultaneously posing universal, philosophical questions. These metaphysical enigmas are present in William Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Hamlet, which thoroughly explores the thematic concerns of mortality, moral corruption and indecision in addition to its base revenge plot. The coalescence of characterisation, symbolism and dramatic literacy, supplemented by Shakespeare's shrewd outlook on the intricacies of the human condition saturate Hamlet with a rich textual integrity. Paramount to the perennial values of Hamlet is its form as a play, allowing for the many complexities of the chief protagonist, Hamlet, and his humanist concerns, to be thoroughly appreciated.
The dynamic exploration of mortality contributes significantly to the enduring value of Hamlet. Shakespeare's deliberate variation of language structures inherently reveals aspects of meaning and purpose, demonstrating his control over the responses of audiences. As seen in Hamlet's most famous soliloquy, a detailed observation of the antithesis "to be, or not to be, that is the question" reveals a deliberate feminine ending in its unaccented eleventh syllable. As the soliloquy continues, "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", repetition of this technique can be observed, with the feminine ending in the blank verse highlighting the uncertainty of Hamlet's words. Additionally, the use of the rhetorical question as featured in the first line of the soliloquy aims to redirect Hamlet's concerns towards the viewer, forcing them to formulate their own theories on this controversial philosophical matter. Rhetoric is again apparent in the equally renowned scene involving Yorick's skull; "Where be your gibes now, your gambols, your songs, your flashes of merriment?". Here, the more colloquial prose is preferred by Shakespeare to contrast with the solemnity of Hamlet's realisation about the implications of death, whereupon the symbolism of the skull and the anaphoric use of 'your' further intends to acknowledge the inevitability of death and the inescapable disintegration of one's nobility after death. The connotations of both scenes cause the reader to consider their own mortality, which in itself is a powerful quality characteristic of a great text. Shakespeare's masterly ability to control the use and flow of language thereby aims to address the notion of mortality whilst maintaining textual integrity.
The overwhelming moral corruption that Hamlet endures further contributes to the ageless quality of Shakespeare's Hamlet by raising several ethical dilemmas for the audience to consider. His residence within the paradigms of a corrupt, yet ironically religious society raises the question as to whether Hamlet is carrying out a noble cause. Hamlet develops the "unweeded garden" metaphor into a motif through his verbal barrage on Gertrude; "do not spread the compost on the weeds to make them ranker", whilst Horatio's initial foreshadowing that "this bodes some strange eruption to our state" combines with Claudius's theatrical profile as the opportunistic antagonist to empower Marcellus's warning that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark". These dramatic manipulations allude to and emphasise the moral atrocities of incest and murder that have occurred in Elsinore and consequently shifts attention onto Hamlet in anticipation of his reaction. Himself a protestant, Hamlet holds his own reservations on revenge by conceding that "this is hire and salary, not revenge" despite his previous concession that "this is most brave, that I, the son of a dear father murder'd/prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell". His indecision to decipher whether it is a greater crime to commit murder or disobey his deceased father eventually prompts the death of several, arousing an even greater moral predicament; whether Hamlet's humanist concerns and supposed moral superiority results in a greater ethical atrocity. Shakespeare's didactic representations of moral corruption and righteousness create a philosophical enigma that is once again reflected towards the reader for them to deliberate the consequences. His construction of the ingrained ambiguities in human nature through the moral entrapment of Hamlet equally contributes to Hamlet's rich textual integrity by combing form and purpose.
By delving into Shakespeare's Hamlet, an appreciation of the human trait surrounding indecision can be seen to significantly advance the enduring value of the play. As previously discussed, whilst Hamlet does not fully appreciate the root cause of his delay, it can be dwindled down and identified as caused by his humanist traits to overanalyse otherwise simplistic duties. Despite the inaugural approval Hamlet displays to his fate, "Now to my word...I have sworn't", he quickly becomes disheartened "O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right". The subplot involving the strikingly similar circumstances of young Fortinbras seem to serve simply as a foil to exemplify Hamlet's continuous fluctuation of mental resolve. Only after viewing Fortinbras's steely determination first hand to "go to gain but a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit" despite the loss of "two thousand souls" does Hamlet conquer his delay, "oh from this time forth / my thoughts be bloody or nothing worth". As opposed to Hamlet's musings on mortality, his final soliloquy features a masculine ending, with the tenth syllable deliberately accented to instead emphasise the confidence in his mind. From this point on Hamlet begins to proceed referring to himself in third person; which in addition to the lack of soliloquies suggests that the only way he is able to face his indecision is to disembody himself from his thoughts. Such dramatic techniques aim once again to stimulate critical thinking from the reader to consider the impossibility of certainty in our world. The uncertainty of Hamlet in his world supplemented by Shakespeare's mastery as a playwright contributes thoroughly to the power of the play.
In my appreciation of the text it is Shakespeare's controlled use and flow of language that grants Hamlet a powerful and enduring value that permits it to transcend time. His dynamic portrayal of universal thematic concerns involving mortality, morality and indecision is supported thoroughly by use of symbolism, characterisation and literary devices so as to retain a strong textual integrity. It is, however, ultimately Hamlet's inherent skill to entertain and also philosophically question the human condition that permits it to retain its appeal to audiences of all times and ages.
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Any possible feedback much appreciated. In the past I've been told my expression is bad in previous essays. Also I feel in the third paragraph im 'retelling' the story too much, just curious on how I may be able to fix this while still maintaining fluency.
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The nature of a powerful and enduring text is that it cannot be manifested by simply providing superficial entertainment. A timeless text aims to please the general audience while simultaneously posing universal, philosophical questions. These metaphysical enigmas are present in William Shakespeare's revenge tragedy Hamlet, which thoroughly explores the thematic concerns of mortality, moral corruption and indecision in addition to its base revenge plot. The coalescence of characterisation, symbolism and dramatic literacy, supplemented by Shakespeare's shrewd outlook on the intricacies of the human condition saturate Hamlet with a rich textual integrity. Paramount to the perennial values of Hamlet is its form as a play, allowing for the many complexities of the chief protagonist, Hamlet, and his humanist concerns, to be thoroughly appreciated.
The dynamic exploration of mortality contributes significantly to the enduring value of Hamlet. Shakespeare's deliberate variation of language structures inherently reveals aspects of meaning and purpose, demonstrating his control over the responses of audiences. As seen in Hamlet's most famous soliloquy, a detailed observation of the antithesis "to be, or not to be, that is the question" reveals a deliberate feminine ending in its unaccented eleventh syllable. As the soliloquy continues, "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", repetition of this technique can be observed, with the feminine ending in the blank verse highlighting the uncertainty of Hamlet's words. Additionally, the use of the rhetorical question as featured in the first line of the soliloquy aims to redirect Hamlet's concerns towards the viewer, forcing them to formulate their own theories on this controversial philosophical matter. Rhetoric is again apparent in the equally renowned scene involving Yorick's skull; "Where be your gibes now, your gambols, your songs, your flashes of merriment?". Here, the more colloquial prose is preferred by Shakespeare to contrast with the solemnity of Hamlet's realisation about the implications of death, whereupon the symbolism of the skull and the anaphoric use of 'your' further intends to acknowledge the inevitability of death and the inescapable disintegration of one's nobility after death. The connotations of both scenes cause the reader to consider their own mortality, which in itself is a powerful quality characteristic of a great text. Shakespeare's masterly ability to control the use and flow of language thereby aims to address the notion of mortality whilst maintaining textual integrity.
The overwhelming moral corruption that Hamlet endures further contributes to the ageless quality of Shakespeare's Hamlet by raising several ethical dilemmas for the audience to consider. His residence within the paradigms of a corrupt, yet ironically religious society raises the question as to whether Hamlet is carrying out a noble cause. Hamlet develops the "unweeded garden" metaphor into a motif through his verbal barrage on Gertrude; "do not spread the compost on the weeds to make them ranker", whilst Horatio's initial foreshadowing that "this bodes some strange eruption to our state" combines with Claudius's theatrical profile as the opportunistic antagonist to empower Marcellus's warning that "something is rotten in the state of Denmark". These dramatic manipulations allude to and emphasise the moral atrocities of incest and murder that have occurred in Elsinore and consequently shifts attention onto Hamlet in anticipation of his reaction. Himself a protestant, Hamlet holds his own reservations on revenge by conceding that "this is hire and salary, not revenge" despite his previous concession that "this is most brave, that I, the son of a dear father murder'd/prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell". His indecision to decipher whether it is a greater crime to commit murder or disobey his deceased father eventually prompts the death of several, arousing an even greater moral predicament; whether Hamlet's humanist concerns and supposed moral superiority results in a greater ethical atrocity. Shakespeare's didactic representations of moral corruption and righteousness create a philosophical enigma that is once again reflected towards the reader for them to deliberate the consequences. His construction of the ingrained ambiguities in human nature through the moral entrapment of Hamlet equally contributes to Hamlet's rich textual integrity by combing form and purpose.
By delving into Shakespeare's Hamlet, an appreciation of the human trait surrounding indecision can be seen to significantly advance the enduring value of the play. As previously discussed, whilst Hamlet does not fully appreciate the root cause of his delay, it can be dwindled down and identified as caused by his humanist traits to overanalyse otherwise simplistic duties. Despite the inaugural approval Hamlet displays to his fate, "Now to my word...I have sworn't", he quickly becomes disheartened "O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right". The subplot involving the strikingly similar circumstances of young Fortinbras seem to serve simply as a foil to exemplify Hamlet's continuous fluctuation of mental resolve. Only after viewing Fortinbras's steely determination first hand to "go to gain but a little patch of ground that hath in it no profit" despite the loss of "two thousand souls" does Hamlet conquer his delay, "oh from this time forth / my thoughts be bloody or nothing worth". As opposed to Hamlet's musings on mortality, his final soliloquy features a masculine ending, with the tenth syllable deliberately accented to instead emphasise the confidence in his mind. From this point on Hamlet begins to proceed referring to himself in third person; which in addition to the lack of soliloquies suggests that the only way he is able to face his indecision is to disembody himself from his thoughts. Such dramatic techniques aim once again to stimulate critical thinking from the reader to consider the impossibility of certainty in our world. The uncertainty of Hamlet in his world supplemented by Shakespeare's mastery as a playwright contributes thoroughly to the power of the play.
In my appreciation of the text it is Shakespeare's controlled use and flow of language that grants Hamlet a powerful and enduring value that permits it to transcend time. His dynamic portrayal of universal thematic concerns involving mortality, morality and indecision is supported thoroughly by use of symbolism, characterisation and literary devices so as to retain a strong textual integrity. It is, however, ultimately Hamlet's inherent skill to entertain and also philosophically question the human condition that permits it to retain its appeal to audiences of all times and ages.
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Any possible feedback much appreciated. In the past I've been told my expression is bad in previous essays. Also I feel in the third paragraph im 'retelling' the story too much, just curious on how I may be able to fix this while still maintaining fluency.
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