Why is this question from Hamlet still “famous”???
Because the play (it’s characters, events, attitudes
and conflicts) has “textual integrity”…
It has continuing and enduring appeal to new
audiences
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• Agreement
• Harmony
• The way it
“fits”
together
Clear
Rational
Consistent
Reasonable
Believable
relevant
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Method
Play
Script
Structure
construction
O The unity of a text; its coherent use of form and
language to produce an integrated whole in terms of
meaning and value. (p 100)
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Language features
Literary devices
Dramatic techniques
Style
Register
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Believable
Realistic
No inconsistent actions or
reactions
Complete narrative
Everything “fits” and makes
sense – even the
ambiguous bits 
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Ideas and their importance
Worthiness of knowing the
characters
Relevance of the actions
and consequences
Merit
usefulness
O the features and elements of a text =
Language features
Poetic devices
Structure
Hamlet’s soliloquy
Religious symbolism and laws
The “delay”
Elizabethan (religious conflict) values and context
A play-within-a-play
A supernatural element Vs God = contrasting images /
characters
O Characterisation
O Dramatic techniques
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O the extent to which it may possess an overall unity =
• Believable events
– when they’re all
put together..
How important are
all these things…
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• Consistent and
“realistic & human”
characters
• Relevant & “timeless”
themes and issues
Language features
Poetic devices
Structure
Themes / events / settings
Hamlet’s soliloquy
Religious symbolism and laws
The “delay”
Elizabethan (religious conflict)
values and context
A play-within-a-play
A supernatural element Vs God =
contrasting images / characters
Characterisation
Dramatic techniques…
…in giving
the play
it’s…
• Valid, interesting,
controversial and
ongoing appeal to
different audiences,
directors and actors
So…
O Literary students and academics – people who are
educated and “cultured” – people who like to go to the
theatre – English teachers – historians – play and film
directors – actors – and, other people who like to argue
over what things (texts) “really” mean – all these people
- they all…
…LUUUUUURRRRVE TO ARGUE… (and sound very intelligent)
ABOUT WHAT THEY EACH THINK ABOUT
THE “REAL”, TRUE NATURE OF
THE CHARACTERS AND EVENTS IN HAMLET!!!
In simple 21st-Century-teenage, non-board-of-studies,
non-English-syllabus-jargon and plain-English-terms…
Think of Shakespeare’s Hamlet as being the cause
of arguments between readers (-- audiences –
directors – and, actors) in the same way that 21st
Century texts cause you to “argue” with a friend (or
frenemy) about things like:
Sparks “discussions” / arguments /
debates about things like:
O The book is so much more
“believable” and powerful
than the film
O The film is not consistent
with the book!
O Katniss seems like a total
b*%@ in the film – whereas,
in the book, that’s not her
character at all!
O Team Peter!!!… tots 
Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates about things like:
O
Kristen Stewart is a hopeless actress and is
nothing like how Bella should be portrayed!
O
Team Edward!
O
All the characters are so superficial and onedimensional!! None of them are believable at all!
O
I hate how all the supporting characters
(especially the teenagers) are so stereotyped and
“predictable”…
Hamlet… ???
Shakespeare uses dramatic and language techniques to make responders
develop and form their own opinions, reactions and conclusions about the
“true” nature (interpretation) of:
• The characters: their “true” natures
and agendas;
• the events;
• the consequences of the events;
It would seem that Shakespeare has
deliberately and carefully
written the play (and… a play-within-a-play)
so that the “truth” is ambiguous…
this ambiguity is the thing that ensures that
• the conflict between the Christian
values and the human “flaws” and
superstitions;
you – and other readers - actors – directors –
artists – students…
• the sexual desires and relationships
among the characters;
…will continue to “argue” about the play for a
• Etc..
This is the thing… “the play is the thing”… that
long time to come!
ensures its lasting appeal!
O A writer needs to have a lot of skill with:
O language
O narrative structure
O characterisation
O motifs
O lexical chains
O imagery
O irony – juxtaposition – connotation – metaphor and
symbolism… etc…
to be able to develop lots of levels of ambiguity (and
certainty of “truth”). If a composer isn’t skilled at doing
this – there will be NO textual integrity!
Sparks “discussions” / arguments / debates
about things like:
O Hamlet is “acting” the whole time… he’s not mad at
all!...
O Hamlet is mad! He’s so paranoid and “messed up”
in his grief about his Dad being murdered that he
completely looses the plot! (pardon the pun )…
O Hamlet is “in lust” with Gertrude… and she’s “in
lust” with Hamlet…
O Hamlet really does love Ophelia – and just
“pretends” to hate her in an attempt to protect
her…