We have no idea what Hamlet's relationship is with Gertrude and/or Hamlet Sr. before the play begins. ... (II.i.77-82) A third symptom of depression is shown when Hamlet questions his self-worth and expresses self-reproach when he says "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I" (II.ii.570) and "How all occasions do inform against me and spur my dull revenge" (IV.iv.32-33). ... One could quote many passages that argue to the contrary. ... Shakespeare is poising deeper questions for his audience to ponder: what is the nature of madness; where does madness come from; how is madness a part ...

• Word Count: 1100
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

Alfred Prufrock also deals with this same foible just as much, or more, than Hamlet does. ... Hamlet has a way of dealing with his problems. ... An example of Hamlet's questioning becomes evident in Act 3, Scene 3, when Hamlet is in the Chapel with Claudius. ... Next, Hamlet procrastinates, putting off the killing of his uncle: To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? ... Prufrock questions, procrastinates, then rationalizes. ...

• Word Count: 802
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; And how his audit stands who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought, 'Tis heavy with him: and am I then revenged, To take him in the purging of his soul, When he is fit and season'd for his passage? ... The question remains: was Hamlet truly mad, or did he feign it the entire time? ... "How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself- (I.v.171). ... Later events make us question Hamlet's sanity even more closely. ...

• Word Count: 1991
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

When they question Hamlet about his father, Hamlet goes on a speech to show how the death of his father has affected him. ... How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty, in form and moving how express and admirable in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god ---- The beauty of the world, the paragon of animals! ... Despite this Hamlet still question what these humans are to him, he even goes so far as to call man the "quintessence of dust" or the most refined form of dust, and that no matter how refined dust is dust will always remain dust. ... He soon starts discu...

• Word Count: 1475
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

In William Shakespeare's "Hamlet," the title character's love for Ophelia comes into question. Throughout the play, Hamlet's emotions and feelings for Ophelia are never publicly made known, which lead many to question if he is merely using her or loves her. ... Throughout the play there are key passages and actions that demonstrate Hamlet's affinity for Ophelia. ... Soon after he tells Ophelia "get thee to a nunnery," Hamlet talks about breeding and how it would be bad to bring a child into such an evil world (III.i 131). This might imply that Ophelia is pregnant...

• Word Count: 499
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Analysis In this passage Hamlet realizes that if he kills him in prayer, Claudius will be forgiven for his sins and will escape hell. This demonstrates how clever Hamlet is as he does not kill Claudius despite of having the upper hand. ... Thus, Hamlet can arguably be proven sane as he thinks logically and reasonably before proceeding with his plan. ... For instance, if he were to be insane, he would start a fight with the army completely out numbered and possibly die, however Hamlet only questions the army's reason for passing. ... He fakes insanity completely and acts irrational around...

• Word Count: 799
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

I do know, When the blood burns , how prodigal the soul- (1.3.115). ... "I came to see your father's funeral" (1.2.176) is the direct and clear answer to Hamlet's question about the reason for his visit. ... Against these passages, his description of the ghost appears more dubious. ... In comparison of the passages, when he is apart from him, another facet of his personality evolves. When he is not with Hamlet, he appears more eloquent and active. ...

• Word Count: 1209
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Hamlet discusses the various issues of mortality, in particular, suicide, provoking responders to question their own mortality. ... Mi Zhou articulates how Hamlet is an "exploration of fundamental human questions", which has expanded my study of Hamlet from a religious and social criticism, to a psychoanalytical and philosophical medium which responders can relate to. ... However, it is later juxtaposed with the doubt he exhibits, "the spirit I have seen may be the devil." While various interpretations deem Hamlet morally ambivalent, Robert Ornstein's The Moral Visio...

• Word Count: 1105
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

The tragedy of Hamlet provides insight into the human thought processes and behaviors when confronted with a dramatic realization. ... The frustration over how much time he has wasted thinking and not acting is evident when Hamlet refers to his revenge as a "dull revenge". ... There is a passage that Pope rewrote that examines the greatness of fighting over the smallest arguments when honor is involved. ... The cause of the attack is a small plot of land in Poland that is not even worth fighting for, and Hamlet questions the armies willingness to die for something which can not be seen ...

• Word Count: 782
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Hamlet is not a straight answer to the question of whether retribution should or should not be taken; it is an insight into what the positive and negative effects may be when it is taken. ... The play is almost an exact replication of how Hamlet's own father was murdered for his crown and is meant to inspire enough reaction in Claudius to show his guilt. ... The king is praying, and Hamlet does not want Claudius to have the chance his father never did, to be "fit and seasoned for his passage" (III,iii,86) before his death. ... Claudius' unscrupulous actions continue as he comes up...

• Word Count: 683
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

The question of Hamlet's lucidity is perceptible throughout the play. ... In this passage, he inquired to the ghost to inform him about his father's murder so it will anger him into revenge. ... The question arises, what did he hope to accomplish by the timing of it. ... He is vehement about his question "Do you see nothing there?" ... In reality, this play explored the idea of how a person reacts to human responsibility, and choices between justice and revenge....

• Word Count: 1015
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

As May notes, these people more that other people questioned matters beyond their vision (39). ... Although the court sometimes pressured his into including some form of the supernatural in his plays that had nothing to do with his themes, he rarely allowed Elizabethans' demands to affect his own conception of how the supernatural should be used. To understand how far Shakespeare exceeded other writers, a comparison of their supernatural characters is necessary. ... The passage of years replaced it with seriousness and later with pessimism. ... Hamlet reveals that his mind is darkened by...

• Word Count: 1725
• Approx Pages: 7
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

In this passage Hamlet is still talking about that death he wishes to impose on himself. ... That is how Shakespeare conveys an existential viewpoint in Hamlet's most famous speech. ... How easy it would be just to kill himself. ... Hamlet then continues by saying, "how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world.... Is there really a difference between these two questions? ...

• Word Count: 1407
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

It is with this very important fact in mind that one can first begin to interpret the question, why does he wait so long to kill Claudius? It is a question of morals and ethics, both of which can pose many of life's greatest challenges. ... He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May; And how his audit stands who knows save heaven. But in our circumstance and course of thought "Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul...

• Word Count: 1772
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: High School

It illustrates how the need for status supersedes integrity and ethical values. ... Hamlet is in the church with Claudius about to kill him: To take him in a the purging of his soul, When he is fit and season'd for his passage? ... Laertes is teaming up with Claudius to make plans against Hamlet to kill him a in dual with poison on his sword. ... The very fact that Laertes questions Hamlet about his father's death, shows just how difficult it is for Laertes to trust Hamlet. ... It shows how people resort to killing their own family member to get what they want but, do not deserve it...

• Word Count: 1278
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The strong imagery Shakespeare uses in this passage shows the near hate of Hamlet towards his mother. ... Hamlet illustrates the love he has for his deceased father, and then wonders the question "Must I remember?" ... Hamlet uses the idea of tears to show how shortly his mother mourned. ... How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable, Seem to me all the uses of this world! ... O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! ...

• Word Count: 1185
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The general gist of lines 25-40 is that if a person has one fault, no matter how virtuous they may be in other ways, they are soiled by "the stamp of one defect." ... (2.2.174-186) Even so, there is a purpose behind his ridicule - in this passage he refers to Polonius' daughter, and later he mocks Polonius' age. ... Rozencrantz and Guildenstern say that Hamlet was eager to ask questions, but not so eager to reply. ... Hamlet comes to speak with her and scolds her terribly about her morals. ... She must be quite frightened by this stage, with Hamlet adamant that he saw a ghost. ...

• Word Count: 1952
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School

He also questions the purpose of his role-madness or vengeful son? ... Clearly, in this most famous Shakespeare soliloquy, Hamlet displays thoughts of self that questions the worth of living. ... These passages further Hamlet's ambiguous nature-he seems to support role playing at one moment, then denounce it the next. ... It becomes intriguing that Hamlet's uncle is to be judged upon how he acts during the play. ... At this juncture, he is still uncertain as to how to proceed. ...

• Word Count: 2118
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: High School