Hamlet Essay
In addition, Claudius tries too hard to act like a loving father and fails, for Hamlet does not want to replace the one he has lost by a fraud named Claudius. Undoubtedly the most amusing part of the play is the intellectual debate between two gravediggers, who discuss legal and theological issues. Another significant role of comedy in Shakespeare’s tragedy is to subdue. At one point, when the time has come for the truth about the murder to be revealed, the audience is kept in great suspense. When Claudius calls Hamlet his “cousin and son”, Hamlet swiftly replies, “A little more than kin, less than kind. These are just some examples of Polonius’ numerous speeches in which he demonstrates his self-absorbed nature. The first character, whose essential personality traits are unfolded through comedy, is Polonius. Polonius’ meddlesome character becomes apparent in the scene, when Polonius instructs a spy named Reynaldo, how to secretively inquire about his son Leartes, who is in Paris. The comedy in Hamlet not only serves as a mental breather for the viewers, but also exposes the personality traits of some characters and allows Prince Hamlet to ridicule particular people in their presence. Hamlet does not approve of Claudius’ actions of marring his brother’s wife just a few weeks after his brother’s funeral. Despite the fact that Hamlet is a tragic play, William Shakespeare allows comic elements to play a role in this drama as well. If the man go to this water
and drown himself, it is, will he nill he, he goes,
mark you that. He does this for variety of reasons. Therefore, his use of humour is effective in gaining the audience’s acceptance for this, sometimes nasty remarks. The first comic episode in Hamlet is located in Act 2, Scene 2, where Prince Hamlet mocks the royal counsellor through riddles. There is further evidence displaying Osiric’s flattery:
Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes – believe
me, an absolute gentleman, full of excellent
difference, of very soft society and great showing. Secondly, via humour and riddles, the prince, Hamlet, is able to mock other people, in their presence. To break the tense air, Hamlet asks silly questions: “ Lady, shall I lie in your lap? Their conversation, starting with, “Do you know me my lord? Polonius starts a conversation with Hamlet, who quickly realizes the true purpose of it and calls Polonius a “fishmonger” ( II,ii. When Osiric enters the play for the first time, as a carrier of Claudius’ serious message to Hamlet, Hamlet teases him by starting a conversation about the weather conditions and whether it is needed to wear a hat inside or not. During a Royal assembly, King Claudius and his wife, Gertrude, openly criticize Hamlet for his inappropriately long mourning after his father. A worthy example of this is found at the beginning of the play. By inserting these humorous scenes, William Shakespeare retains the viewers’ continual interest. The third important role that comedy plays in the tragedy of Hamlet, is character exposure. You are a fishmonger” (II.ii, 173-4), provides a short distraction after the earlier melancholy incident when Hamlet learns the painful truth regarding his father’s sudden death. /Do you think I meant country matters?” ( III.ii, 110,115). He cares a great deal about his spotless reputations and won’t allow anyone, including his daughter, to blacken it. /my lord, I am too much in the sun” (I. Here
stands the man-good. In exceedingly long speeches, Polonius informs the majesties about Hamlet’s relationship with his daughter Ophelia. As a result of this, Shakespeare incorporates bits of humour in-between the most intense and gloomy scenes. Instead of expressing his own opinion, Osiric agrees to whatever Hamlet says, no matter how ridiculous it may sound. Their first humorous argument deals with Ophelia’s mysterious drowning:
Here lies the water-good. Comic episodes often allow the audience to have a closer look at the personality of the speaker who unintentionally creates comedy by using an unusual way of verbal expression. Osiric noticed that King Claudius is a good ally to Laertes so he uses his outwardly verbose to appraise Laertes excellent qualities and flatter the king. / Excellent well. Clear evidence of this is his remark to the royal couple,
But what might you think,
When I had see this hot love on the wing-
As I perceiv’d it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me- what might you
Or my dear Majesty your queen think,
If I had play’d the desk or table-book,…(II.ii,131-6 ). Indeed, to speak feelingly of this, he is the card or
calendar of gentry (V.ii, 106-108). Overall, Hamlet is another of Shakespeare’s excellent works, which’s exceptional characters and events capture the hearts of viewers across the whole world. Through these speeches Polonius proves to be a very long-winded man, who likes to show his extensive knowledge of all subjects. Behind these riddles are hidden Hamlet’s feelings for Claudius – he dislikes him. Another character whose personality is exposed through comedy is Osiric, a young courtier, who carries Claudius’ message to Hamlet, proposing the duel between Laertes and Hamlet. Hamlet is a brilliant play that explores the highly complex personality of the title character, the crown prince of Denmark, and demonstrates themes of honour and revenge. This fact was especially important during the Elizabethan times when the most frequent visitors of theatres were people of the lower society. Another excellent example of a passage that serves as a mental breather for the audience is the sex-related talk between Hamlet and Ophelia, who is his sweetheart, when the play “The Murder of Gonzago” is about to begin. Posted in Essay Tagged: Essay, essay example, free essays, hamlet essay, sample essay, shakespeare essay As a result of this, the suspenseful atmosphere returns as the audience anxiously awaits for the upcoming conflicts and the outcome of the play. Although Hamlet prominently displays the main characteristics of a tragedy – the eminent death of the leading characters – Shakespeare also incorporates a number of comic elements. Hamlet, one of world’s most appraised tragedies, was written in 1601 by William Shakespeare, an English playwright and poet, considered to be the greatest dramatist of all time. This proves that Osiric is self-centred man, who does everything to please his masters, in order to enhance his own reputation and position on the court of Denmark. Another case when Hamlet uses his humour and wit to express his empathy is in Act 2, Scene 2, where the trusted advisor, Polonius takes on the task of unfolding the truth regarding Hamlet’s strange behaviour. 134). William Shakespeare, as a clever dramatist, knew that if a play is completely filled with melancholy events, the audience will easily lose interest. This comic conversation is followed by one of the most significant scenes of the play, where Claudius, the new king, shows his guilt in front of the entire royal court by panicking and running out. Another humorous situation, that reveals Polonius’ personality, is his discussion with the King and Queen regarding the “true cause” of Hamlet’s mad behaviour. Hamlet’s intelligence and wittiness surpasses the level of his acquaintances, thus the true meaning of his remarks pass by them unnoticed. First of all, the occasional use of humour allows the audience to take a brief pause from the monotony of a depressing storyline. But if the water come to him and
drown him, he drowns not himself. The use of humour allows Hamlet, to directly and truthfully tell another person what he thinks of him without causing a notable conflict. In each of these examples, the audience recognizes Hamlet’s humour, even thought the characters may not. ii, 65,67). These simple folks, who came to theatre to forget their every day’s ordeal, preferred comedy to tragedy. This demonstrates that Polonius is a distrusting and controlling man – he spies even on his own children, believing that if they are given their freedom, they will prove to be corrupt. This debate provides the viewer with necessary comic relief, since it is inserted between scenes loaded with the shocking deaths of, the royal advisor Polonius and Ophelia and the hideous plans between Claudius and Laertes, both of which lead to the largest tragedy of the play. By calling him a “fishmonger”, he accuses Polonius of using his daughter, Ophelia, as bait to lure Hamlet in revealing if his strange ways are caused by his unfulfilled love for Ophelia. Although Osiris is a minor character, who appears only in the concluding scenes of the play, his exaggerated, amusing speeches provide a good insight into his character. Polonius demands of Reynaldo to regularly report all his son’s activities, no matter how intimate they are, “Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, /Quarrelling, drabbing- you may go so far.”(II.i, 25-26). Argal, he that is
not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life (V.i, 15-20). Finally, the comical scenes provide a valuable insight into some of the characters’ personalities.