Preview

Examples Of Turning Points In Hamlet

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
993 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Examples Of Turning Points In Hamlet
William Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, documents one character's continual development. From a hesitant youth to a ruthless revenge-seeker, there are three major turning points that propose the start of Hamlet's wicked evolution. In dealing with his father's passing, Hamlet's grief burdens him to be overwrought with emotion and causes him to contemplate the irrational, even murder. The Players' scene, Prayer scene and Closet scene all present possible key turning points for this change. Although Hamlet's sanity remains questionable throughout the play, these three scenes suggest possible points in which Hamlet becomes particularly vicious. Beginning with the vision of his father's ghost relaying the notion of his own murder by Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, Hamlet's mind becomes increasingly flooded with impulsions. The Players' scene seems to be a very critical moment that causes the greatest change in Hamlet's character. In this scene, the re-enactment of King Hamlet's alleged homicide triggers a visual reaction from Claudius, thus causing Hamlet to realize the validity of the ghost's story. Initially Hamlet has his hesitations and uncertainties of Claudius' innocence. It is after the Players' scene that Hamlet is …show more content…
Upon encountering Ophelia, Hamlet is cruel towards her and snarls at her to "go to a nunnery". Hamlet becomes paranoid and has no one to trust but Horatio. Yet, though Hamlet acts viciously towards Ophelia, it is obvious that he still loves her as he grieves for her death in the cemetery. Prior to the Players' scene, Hamlet had described himself as "pigeon livered". Following the Players' scene, Hamlet claims to be able to "drink hot blood and do such bitter business". In order to ensure the successful execution of his revenge, his attitude towards Claudius' murder becomes focused and
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Agamemnon, Hamlet and ALfred prufrock compasion essay
    • 1618 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Agamemnon, Hamlet and ALfred prufrock compasion essay

    Detail 1: To begin with, Prince Hamlet in “Hamlet” is considered to be a scholar, a thinker, and the kind of person who would not act without thoroughly analysing the circumstances. Hamlet’s flaws as a central character become evident when the intrigue begins to take shape. The intrigue in “Hamlet” shows Hamlet’s father coming to him, as a ghost, and pleads revenge for his death. Hamlet becomes aware that his uncle, Claudius,…

    • 1618 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    O What A Rogue And Peasant Slave Am
    • 244 Words
    • 1 Page

    O What A Rogue And Peasant Slave Am

    In the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, is that a tragedy played about complicated protagonist; hamlet who is involved in the misfortune death of his father. Hamlet throughout the play pretends to be insane; hence, Hamlet acted to achieve his ambition of killing his father's assassin. Moreover, Hamlet shows his desires and feelings towards the unjustified death of his father and unfaithfulness of his mother by marrying her late husband’s brother. Therefore, Hamlet’s soliloquy, “now I am alone. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am,” portrayed him as a coward because he feels he has done nothing to take revenge on his uncle. Throughout the play, hamlet’s persona, broke down into an emotional roller coaster while he equivocates on avenge…

    • 244 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hamlet Critical Lens
    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hamlet Critical Lens

    Throughout the play Hamlet faces many conflicts that an everyday person might not. When the play begins we learn that Hamlet’s fathers had been slain by his own brother. Hamlet’s meets his father’s ghost and…

    • 463 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Shakespeare Major Paper
    • 2842 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Shakespeare Major Paper

    In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet himself is a difficult character to figure out. With his elegant intensity and reckless but cautious attitude, he is able to keep his readers entertained as the play progresses. Through his irrational decisions, emotional madness and admirable qualities, Hamlet becomes a character with whom readers will continuously empathize. Our first impression of Hamlet sets the tone for the entire play. We are brought to one of the beginning scenes where Hamlet is…

    • 2842 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet - Textual Integrity
    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hamlet - Textual Integrity

    William Shakespeare's famous tragedy 'Hamlet' follows a young prince of Denmark who after his father's death, is confronted by his fathers ghost and sets out to prove his uncles participation in killing his father and marrying his mother, "the serpent that did sting thy father now wears his crown". For over 400 years, Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' has been studied and examined countless times by scholars and students alike, all of whom have had different interpretations on the dramatic piece as a consequence of the texual integrity of the play. The plays exposure of life's fundamental and timeless questions in which are still relevant today, allows for the continual study and reinterpretation of the dramatic piece.…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet Laertes Character Analysis
    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hamlet Laertes Character Analysis

    Although Hamlet is characterized as relatively rational in his acts, he nonetheless still possess a strong desire to enact just vengeance on those who have wronged him. While Hamlet arrives at a propitious opportunity to kill Claudius in Act III, while the unknowing murderer sits in prayer while Hamlet, dagger in hand, watches, he ultimately chooses not to, postponing the act until his uncle “is drunk asleep, or in his rage / Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed / At game a-swearing, or about some act / That has no relish of salvation in ’t” (III.iii.90-94). Hamlet wishes not only for his uncle to pay the ultimate price for his sins – his life – he wants Claudius to suffer in eternal damnation, reflecting the intensity of Hamlet’s feeling (Bloom 20). Only now do audiences realize the full extent to which Hamlet wishes for vengeance. Even among Hamlet’s wit and the guise of his “antic disposition”, passion and hatred…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet Act Ii Close Reading
    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hamlet Act Ii Close Reading

    William Shakespeare uses many types of literary devices to describe the very principle of Hamlet’s true battle. Hamlet compares himself to a “peasant slave” and to the talented actor, whom could give a convincing performance without feeling the true emotion. After his visit with the ghost (his supposed father), he has been dedicated to the idea of plotting revenge of his uncle-father. Although, it is difficult for Hamlet to perform this horrific act, because of his disgust of the emotionless scheming revenge. Lastly, for Hamlet to try and convince himself to follow through with this scheme, he arranges a trap to have Claudius unknowingly reveal that he is guilty.…

    • 663 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Hamlet's Capacity For Self-Sacrifice
    • 1723 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Hamlet's Capacity For Self-Sacrifice

    One single moment or event during the course of an individual’s life can effectively alter their priorities and transform their identity drastically. In The play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare introduces the readers to the protagonist Hamlet who is draped in anger and emotions and has a new-found mission in life. Initially, Hamlet is portrayed as an individual in mourning over his father's death and his mother's haste in remarrying to her brother-in-law and Hamlet's uncle, Claudius. However, Hamlet’s character and personality were drastically altered after meeting the Ghost and discovering the true nature of his Father’s death. Hamlet is now a man with a lust for revenge and a willingness to do anything that will enable him to accomplish this goal. When burdened with the task of killing Claudius, Hamlet chooses to sacrifice all he holds dear by transforming his identity in a noble effort to avenge his father’s death.…

    • 1723 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Examples Of Turning Point In Hamlet
    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Turning Point In Hamlet

    The specific turning point in Hamlet occurs in act III of the play where Hamlet hesitates and decides against killing Claudius where he was sat defenseless. If Hamlet had rather not hesitated in killing Claudius, Hamlet would have had the potential to convince the kingdom to see his deed as something honorable due to his evidence from “the mouse trap” and would as a result, gain his fortune back. However instead, Hamlet’s flaw for over-thinking immobilizes him causing him to allow Claudius the upper hand throughout the continuation of the play coupled with Hamlet’s rapid downfall and later demise. Irony is additionally shown within this scene through Hamlet believing that Claudius was praying when in actuality Claudius’ “thoughts never [went]…

    • 251 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Dramatic Irony In Hamlet
    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Examples Of Dramatic Irony In Hamlet

    By Ophelia thinking that Hamlet has gone mad, really shows how serious Hamlet is with this plan to get revenge for his uncle killing his father. Hamlet had planned to pretend to be crazy, so that no one would find out that he was plotting to kill his uncle Claudius and get revenge for the lose of his father. Ophelia has gotten the impression that Hamlet is crazy in love because of how she saw him acting, and what her dad told her. Hamlet's plan is to stage a play which will re-enact the murder of his father and then to discover whether Claudius is guilty of the murder or not based on his reaction to the play. As the play goes on it develops that…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Sanity of Hamlet
    • 1066 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Sanity of Hamlet

    Hamlet’s mind at first glance is not all it appears to be. One would believe Hamlet to be completely insane with everything that had transpired against him. The loss of his father and his mother’s hasty marriage should have driven his mind to utter desolation and insanity, but on the contrary these events only enhanced the fortitude of his mind and intellect. Hamlet’s ability to form coherent thoughts and his clear use of diction express his sanity; the weight of avenging his father’s death and woes over his mother’s betrayal have affected his emotions, but have not corrupted his mind.…

    • 1066 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Hamlet´S Commentary
    • 1258 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hamlet´S Commentary

    carries out his revenge on his uncle Claudius who murdered King Hamlet, Prince´s father, and who holds the usurper crown and marriage to Gertrude, Hamlet´s mother. The play takes place vividly over madness (as real as feigned), and the course of deep pain to the excessive anger. Moreover, it explores secondary issues such as treason, incest, and moral conflict.…

    • 1258 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Why Is Hamlet's Second Soliloquy In Now I Am Alone
    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Why Is Hamlet's Second Soliloquy In Now I Am Alone

    He has been told to avenge his father, and yet, this man is unable to do so. Hamlet has been unable to devise a plan in which he can trap Claudius and exact the revenge required by the phantom King Hamlet. He, Hamlet, a prince and son to a dead, disgraced father cannot sum up the energy to exact revenge, but a mere common player can stand before a group and blanch, weep, and go hoarse all for the sake of entertainment. Hamlet thinks it “monstrous” that this is so.…

    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Turning Point In Shakespeare's Hamlet
    • 192 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Turning Point In Shakespeare's Hamlet

    The turning point in the play was most likely Claudius expressing his guilt, because it not only shows Hamlet that he is the killer allowing further plot in that direction, but as well as giving more character development and setting up for the rest of the play. If not this scene being the turning point, I would say it was Polonius’s murder by Hamlet. It could demonstrate how insane Hamlet has become, due to the carelessness he has for his death, “How now? A rat! Dead for a ducat, dead.”(Act 3, Scene 4, 23) Just before this scene it shows Hamlet being unable to murder his uncle out of revenge for his father, due to his morals, but in an act of rage, immediately stabs through the arras just from hearing a slight noise, shows that maybe hamlet does not truly wish to go through with the murder of Claudius.…

    • 192 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet as a Tragic Hero
    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hamlet as a Tragic Hero

    Hamlet lived the normal life of a prince until his father passed away. But what really caused him to go over the edge was finding out his father was murdered in cold blood by Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. This caused Hamlet to become a very hateful person, “Haste me to know’t that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge.” (I, V, 35-37). Later in the play Hamlet did avenge his fathers death, but at a hefty price.…

    • 708 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics