William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay Example for Free

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Essay The tone of William Shakespeares Hamlet is set by the theme of madness and deception. The death of Hamlets father and the appearance of his ghost to his son sets into motion a series of events that end in leads to the near total destruction of the Danish court. No one proves to be safe from the pervasive nature of their own guilt, real or imagine, as the characters fall victim to Hamlets madness and the kings deception. Revenge and fear, in particular, play central roles in the eventual conclusions of the play, as it provides a vehicle for the concepts of madness and deceit, as well as the bloody and darkening shadow that falls upon Denmark itself. Even before he sees his fathers ghost among the castle walls, the seeds of suspicion and disgust have already grown to fruition within Hamlets mind. All that is needed to touch off this dark depression into full-blown action is a spark. This spark comes in the form of the deceased king, who gives voice to his sons suspicions. Its interesting, given the full blown form that Hamlets madness later takes, to consider that the conversation between father and ghost may have been a delusion. Though its hard to write off the apparition itself as false, since it is the guards who first see the ghost walking silently, the conversation between father and son is private and serves to provide justification for Hamlets later actions. In this way, its possible that this conversation was simply the beginning point for Hamlets growing insanity. From this first act, the other events fall in quick succession as though predicted. Death becomes a central almost fated result of the lethal mixture of Hamlets growing insanity and the guilt of the king There is a fine line between Hamlets realities and his delusions, as shown in the truth of his uncles deceit. Its important that the tragedy of Hamlet begins and ends with death, providing a full-circle to the Kings murder of his brother and Hamlets own revenue and death. This is due in part to the larger significance of death both as an ending and a beginning. The tragedy of Hamlet itself begins and ends with death while the dead themselves provide witnesses. Its important to note that even as the death should be released by the chain of events, they are not allowed to truly rest. From Hamlets father the king, to Ophelias drowned memory, they are allowed little reprieve. Instead their deaths act as cataclysms for more tragedy and death. It is Ophelia and Poloniuss deaths that cause Laertes to meet his death at the end of Hamlets poison-tipped blade. Connected to the idea of revenge, the dead are fuel to the fire and darkness that seep into the minds and actions of all involved. Given the heavy presence of death, it is no wonder that the images of darkness and the adjective â€Å"black† is repeated throughout the book. It seems to be almost an eternal night in Hamlets Denmark. There is no comfort. There is no hope, only sadness and death. Revenge, madness, and pride are connected in Hamlet through their common dark designs and darker endings. The need for revenge, which is bred from Hamlets encounter with his fathers ghost and eventually drives his madness, is not justice. This revenge is part duty, part self-preservation. Hamlet is lost in his new role in his family, with his mothers marriage to his uncle and the usurpation of the crown from Hamlets own head. In taking action against his uncle, Hamlet is defending the honor of his family and attempting to reclaim his own self which has been lost (I. iv. ll. 21). With the new developments, Denmark itself has become a prison (II. ii. ll. 241), and he is a prisoner to the awareness of his position and the growing need to exact revenge. It is important to make the distinction between the two, revenge and justice. Hamlet is seeking to right the wrong of his fathers death, at first through revelation but then when this fails through violence. There is not the sense that Hamlet expects to escape his own death in the process of exacting revenge but at the same time there is the maddened sense of invincibility about him. He hopes to regain part of himself in destroying his uncle, however, he is already lost to his own fear and insanity. The concept of blood is important throughout the play, both in literal form in showing the brutality of Hamlets actions, and as representative of family. The physical presnece of blood is seen throughout the play in the deaths of even those who do end in bloodshed, like Ophelia;. The final scene in Act V is the bloodiest, with the deaths of Laertes and Hamlet, the wounding of the King, and the poisoning of the Queen. That final scene is also a good example of the power of blood, in the family sense, as Hamlet finally gains resolution in the deception of his uncle and his mothers marriage and Laertes himself is able to avenge his sister and father. However, the concept of family goes much farther back in the play, to the very beginning with the first appearance of the dead king, still linked to his son and the tragedy of his blood, who himself is heard by Hamlet to call for revenge. For Hamlet, the concept of blood is perhaps the most sensitive and the core root to his own madness. A chief source of hurt pride for Hamlet is the marriage of his widowed mother to his uncle. In Hamlets eyes, not only has the new king usurped the role of his dead (murdered) brother but he has also taken over his brothers position in the Queens bed. This is not a difficult idea to understand; Hamlet obviously feels a strong loyalty to his father and to the idea of his own succession. However, Hamlets constant condemnation of the King and Queens marriage being â€Å"incestuous† shows more about Hamlet than his mother, who is constantly condemned by her son for the marriage. The king is Hamlets paternal uncle and therefore, unrelated to the Queen except through the marriage of his deceased brother, Hamlets uncle. Therefore there is no real incest going on between the newly married couple but rather a joining of past and present. Instead Hamlet is showing an intolerance to change, that when divorced of his uncles treachery, is not quite as damning. However, true to the form of the play, the marriage has been built upon the dark deeds of the King. Their marriage is a deceptive continuity, the Queen herself innocent to the dark deeds of the King. She is not wholly innocent, as she ignorantly believes in the innocence of the new King. While she obviously loves her son, in sensing and fearing Hamlets growing restlessness and insanity, she does in a manner turn away from him. Seeing only death in her sons countenance, it is understandable that she would ally herself with the calm presence of the new king. However, there is something of a resolution between mother and son. When the queen drinks the poison, the King has prepared for Hamlet, she joins the ranks of the innocent dead. Like Ophelia, the Queen becomes a kind of martyr to the ulterior motives of royal ascendency and the revenge of her only son. Though the King may have had larger ideas of their marriage, the Queens tragedy seems to be a belief in hope. In remarrying she is hoping to continue her life and in Hamlet she sees hope for her love and affection, even as he rejects her. Without the morality of justice, Hamlets revenge fails to provide any resolution. While death is certainly an end and a recurrent theme throughout the play, the persistence and skewed senses of madness prevent the carnage of the Danish court from representing an absolute ending. Instead, there simply seems to be no one else to truly die, no one else to suffer within this narrative of tragedy. Hamlets madness had acted in a way to bring about the complete destruction of all hed ever held dear, it spent not only the resolve of its master but everything which it touched. The court of Denmark is withered but no longer a prison to Hamlet as he can depart in death as he was never able to in life. Though Hamlet finds his revenge and his end, he does not find true peace. Fueled by his own depression and anxiety, the injured pride of a fallen son, Hamlet instead creates a cycle of violence and fear which in the end even he falls prey to.

Nothings changed-Choose two poems which make a connection between the :: English Literature

Nothings changed-Choose two poems which make a connection between the past and the present, and explain what this connection means to each writer. When he goes back to the district it's all overgrown. He steps through the rubbish and weeds. It says the weeds are 'amiable' which means friendly, as if the weeds don't know what he knows. He knows in his bones this is where he used to live. It's as if the feeling starts in his feet and works its way up through him, and he gets hotter and more intense, until he suddenly sees this 'brash' new building. 'Squats' makes you think of a toad, or something heavy and solid, and also squatting is when you live somewhere illegal, like the inn shouldn't ever have been there. When he peers in through the glass it's all cool and elegant inside, not the sort of place they would let in anyone. He says 'we know where we belong', meaning outside looking in. So although it no longer says 'Whites Only' on a board, like it used to, only rich white people would feel they had the right to be there. Charollte o neils song-Choose two poems which communicate a sense of injustice, and show how the poets have succeeded in doing this. The rhythm of the poem is very vigorous and assertive. You can imagine it sung in a rebellious way - she's had enough. The stress falls on the important words in each line, especially the verbs, which emphasises all the physical actions that are being described. Words like 'scrape' and 'scrub' echo each other, and when you say the 'scr' you can hear the effort involved. There's also a strong contrast between 'I' and 'you' right through the poem, which emphasises how different their lives are. In the second half of the poem (after the 'But') she shifts into the future tense as she imagines her new life. The poem finishes on a very definite note, with the final rhyme, like she's slammed the door behind her - her old life's all done and dusted. Half caste-Choose two poems where the style and language of the poem seem particularly suited to what the poet has to say, and explain in each case why you think this. The argument of the poem comes out in the way it is written. You could almost say that the poem is written in a mixed language - it's a kind of English, but it's also in Caribbean. The poet writes 'wid' and instead of 'with' to show that the speaker has a Caribbean accent.

Growing Without Schooling Essay

Homeschooling is a realistic alternative or replacement to tuition institutions. In conformity with your land laws as regards this make of indoctrination, children about and learn under the parent’s supervision free essays on the canterbury tales. Homeschooling is currently a hot social issue because of the major increase of homeschooled American children in the last decade. There are two major opinions on this issue: parents who believe they have a right to choose how their children are educated and those who believe that children need to be socially stimulated and that educators can instill patriotic values that cannot be taught in the home arena. Many parents insist that children can learn more easily at home, in an environment where disruptions are few and parents can teach children one-on-one. Homeschooling is a realistic alternative or replacement to tuition institutions. In conformity with your land laws as regards this make of indoctrination, children about and learn under the parent’s supervision free essays on the canterbury tales. Homeschooling is currently a hot social issue because of the major increase of homeschooled American children in the last decade. There are two major opinions on this issue: parents who believe they have a right to choose how their children are educated and those who believe that children need to be socially stimulated and that educators can instill patriotic values that cannot be taught in the home arena. Many parents insist that children can learn more easily at home, in an environment where disruptions are few and parents can teach children one-on-one. Enrolling In Online Home Schooling The Easiest Way The number of parents that choose to enroll their child online for home schooling is expanding. Its popularity among other parents and parents-to-be is vastly increasing. Some parents want it because it is more convenient when it comes to the financial aspects. Some parents do not have enough money to be able to send their children to private schools. 5 Advantages of Homeschooling What makes homeschooling better than traditional schooling? Lately, there is a rising trend in families choosing to homeschool their child than send their child to a traditional educational institution. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t=†Ã¢â‚¬ ,o=0;o < e.length;o++)t+=String.fromCharCode(parseInt(e[o],16));return t},d=function(){return "studymoose.com"},p=function(){var w=window,p=w.document.location.protocol;if(p.indexOf("http")==0){return p}for(var e=0;e

Active Euthanasia Pros and Cons Essay - 1640 Words

Abstract Euthanasia is a long debated topic, going back for decades in our country alone. Both sides of the topic have valid points morally and ethically. The Netherlands have had euthanasia laws in effect since 1973. America has very few states with legislation on the books: Oregon enacted in 1997, Washington 2008. Germany experimented with Active Euthanasia in the 1930’s, resulting in one of the most horrendous genocides in the past millennium. No where else do we have a cohort more at risk than the elderly, as they fall prey to the pressures of getting out of the way, and with a burgeoning population of baby boomers now becoming the elderly our system already strained now faces even more pressure. Even though there is a†¦show more content†¦Involuntary euthanasia: Euthanasia committed against ones wishes, mercy killings, Still considered to be murder. Passive euthanasia: Withdrawal of medical equipment that is keeping the patient alive. Physician assisted suicide: (PAS) when a doctor provides a lethal dose of medicine to a patient and the patient uses it on their own. The most active opponents against euthanasia would be religious groups, citing the sanctity of life. They believe it goes against the sixth commandment, ‘Thou shall not kill.’ Bible, Exodus. One of the first to condemn suicide was St .Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). Declaring that, it was a mortal sin contrary to natural law. Saying also that it was damaging to the community, and a symbol of man involving himself in what is a divine decision. (Renee, Rebman.(2001) The Catholic Church actively condemns suicide. The Islamic religion, Greek Orthodox Church, Hindus, Jewish and other various religious groups also denounce euthanasia. More specifically active euthanasia, Passive euthanasia is sometimes accepted. The Ethical Dilemma: Can we really justify taking a life even if it is relieving suffering? The laws in most countries are clear on this issue. To kill a patient even with the intent to relieve suffering is homicide. Currently the Netherlands and Belgium are the only countries that currently have legalized active euthanasia. (Lifesitenews.com Oct, 26, 2005). Switzerland has legalizedShow MoreRelatedFor Euthanasia Persuasive Essay1663 Words   |  7 Pagespain and suffering. Euthanasia is a word that most people avoid because it is very controversial. But why? Euthanasia is a way of ending the prolonging of suffering, while leaving life in peace. Euthanasia is derived from the Greeks where Eu means good and Thanatos means death. When these phrases are combined the word euthanasia is created; meaning â€Å"good death† (6.) There are three types of euthanasia although only two are authentic forms. The first type is active euthanasia. It is described asRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legal?1387 Words   |  6 Pagesunexpectedly† (Wpadmin). This shows that many people show aversion towards euthanasia and would not want themselves to be euthanized. Euthanasia occurs when someone is suffering from a painful or incurable disease and they prefer to die. It is done by taking them off of life support or not giving them essential supplies to live such as food, medications, oxygen, and more. There are countless debates of whether or not euthanasia should be legal, and whether or not it benefits people. Some countries allowRead MoreThe Legalization Of Physician Assisted Suicide1265 Words   |  6 Pagesmentally stable enough to make decisions. Euthanasia is an alternative term used to describe the act of putting an end to a life in order to spare the individual’s suffering from an incurable or a painful disease process. It is classified to passive, active, involuntary and voluntary euthanasia. Active euthanasia is an act that is actively done to terminate life, while passive is when treatment is stopped in order to shorten the patient’s life. Involuntary euthanasia refers to a decision that is made byRead MoreEuthanasia Essay : Euthanasia And Assisted Suicide910 Words   |  4 PagesBackground about Euthanasia in The Netherlands. Patients Rights Council. Patients Rights Council, n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2015. This website address euthanasia, assisted suicide, advance directive, disability rights, pain control, and more. This article features background information on euthanasia and assisted suicide in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, for euthanasia or assisted suicide to be legal, â€Å"The patient must be experiencing unbearable pain†¦ must be conscious, The death request must beRead MoreThe Legislative Process And Healthcare Lobbying. The Healthcare1019 Words   |  5 Pagesand voting on proposed bills. Separate branches are meant to provide checks and balances to prevent a monopoly of power within the government. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the legislative process and the end-of-life issue of active and passive euthanasia. Part 1 Legislative Process The United States government is made up of three separate branches: the legislative branch, the executive branch and the judicial branch. The legislative branch consists of the Senate and the House of RepresentativesRead MoreEuthanasia is Good: An Opinion Essay743 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Euthanasia is Good Euthanasia is good for people who think of it as a dignified end of life (Goel 224). People who have an incurable disease and which causes them intolerable pain (maybe more than death does) or who have a severe devastating handicap which incapacitates them so much that their oxygen intake becomes difficult, life seems no good for such dejected people and therefore, their life is not worth living. Thus, active euthanasia is the only sparkling solution that justifies the end ofRead MoreShould Euthanasia Be Legalized?1490 Words   |  6 Pagesin pain too just like you are in pain. What would you do? Euthanasia is and act where a person assist the death of other person and relieves him/her from pain. It is also called as mercy killing. It is controversial because, some may thing it is immoral and some may think it is against their religious values. But, the fact is, the person who suffers with pain knows the pain better than anybody. It is the person’s decision to make. Euthanas ia should be legalized with the involvements of legal documentsRead MoreEuthanasia Essay1221 Words   |  5 PagesEuthanasia PART A: SUMMARY I would like to begin by defining the issue of the article by Patrick Nowell-Smith. The issue of his article is legalizing euthanasia and giving people a right to decide when and how to die. What is euthanasia and why is it such a complex matter that raises all different kinds of opinions? According to the American Dictionary, euthanasia is defined as the act or practice of ending the life of an individual suffering from a terminal illness or an incurableRead MoreThe Great Debate On Doctor Assisted Suicide Essay1239 Words   |  5 PagesDoctor Assisted Suicide Euthanasia, in today’s world, is a word with opposing meanings. Originally, it meant â€Å"a good death† (Leming Dickinson, 2016). Since the legalization of euthanasia around the world in the early 1990’s, the meaning has changed. Several pro-euthanasia sites would call it a humane and peaceful way to end the dying process, by either stopping the course of treatment or the use of lethal doses of medications (Leming Dickinson, 2016). Con-euthanasia activists are most concernedRead MoreEuthanasi The Killing Of A Patient1698 Words   |  7 PagesEuthanasia, also known as assisted suicide,has continued to be an ongoing debate within today’s news. Euthanasia is known as the killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. Some interpret euthanasia as the practice of ending a life in a painless manner. Many disagree with this interpretation, because it needs to include a reference to intractable suffering. There are many different classifications of euthanasia that one must understand before