Through a critical analysis and evaluation of techniques, themes and structure of Hamlet discuss your
informed personal understanding of the play.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet has evoked many personal interpretations of the character of the protagonist,
Hamlet, where differing contexts have helped to shape different responses throughout time. Through
personal interpretation of the structure, themes and techniques of the play, I feel there is a sense of
empathy for this character as his world has been thrown into chaos after the death of his father. The
hastiness of his mother’s marriage to his uncle, during the mother, during the traditional period of
mourning for his father, was the beginning of his winding road to tragedy. This chaos colours the mood
of the entire play.
Hamlet’s melancholy state is a result of his troubled surroundings as shown by numerous techniques
and the theme of the revenge tragedy. Hamlet’s beliefs are under question. He is caught between two
developing worlds, the medieval and the renaissance. Brought up in a time where science was extending
the knowledge of man and humanism (considering humans to be the primary focus) came about. Careful
logic and reasoning was what society began to rely on. As opposed to the belief that God was the
controller of all things and man had no hand in his own fate. As a result, Hamlet is indecisive, whether
he should follow his morals or follow his duty as a son and the Prince of Denmark to avenge his father.
In Hamlet’s ‘to be or not to be’ soliloquy, along with the several soliloquies that follow, is a structural
technique that assists in conveying his contemplation and therefore illustrating his ability to come to a
valid conclusion. The American philosopher Mary Salter (1988) has stated “Hamlet’s nature is
philosophical, reflective, prone to questioning and therefore is aware of larger moral implications in any
act.” She agrees that Hamlet is a ‘man of thought’ who is aware of his situation, thinking with logic and
reason. An example of his cautiousness is reflected in the structure of the play. His ponderous
soliloquies that illustrate the inner thoughts of this modern man to the audience “to be or not to be”,
“..that this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into dew...”, and “o what a rogue
and peasant slave am I!” all contribute to how Hamlet confirms the decay of Denmark under Claudius’s
rule, all of which he believes is his duty as the Prince of Denmark. All this contemplation is a technique
to convey Hamlet’s indecisive nature as a thinking man and this results in theme of revenge tragedy
where his eventual down fall is due to his world of chaos and disloyalty.
The audience is provided insight into Hamlet’s reasoning through the use of soliloquies. Considering act
three scenes two, “to be or not to be” soliloquy, we begin to understand Hamlet’s situation. He is deeply
troubled, resulting in his melancholy discussion about death. By using the metaphors “sleep of death”
and the “undiscovered country”, Hamlets compares ‘death’ to sleep, as a peaceful and mysterious
(undiscovered) place. Thinking deeply before he acts, he questions whether he should ‘sleep’ or “suffer
the slings and arrows ..sea of troubles.” The tone of the soliloquy is bleak and sad. His ponderous nature
discusses the issues of death, fate and whether death is painful. While some audiences may be
frustrated by this indecision, my reading sees the placement of this ponderousness between wrongs, as
courageous. Taking in account of the situation he was placed in.
Hamlet can be seen as a victim of his society. William Alice 19th century critic states “Hamlet’s self
questionings are more pretexts to hide his lack of resolve.” Opposing this interpretation, my reading of
Hamlet is his self questionings are only a result of the chaos engulfing him. The soliloquy “to be or not to
be” is placed between two contrasting scenes. This structure allows the audience to visualise the
betrayal on both sides of the play allowing the audience to sympathise with Hamlet. At the beginning
the audience sees Claudius talking to Hamlet’s school chums, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, perceiving
them as betraying Hamlet. The King has provided these men with a task “get from him, why he puts on
such confusion” and both men reply “we shall my lord” conveying their ultimate reason. Their own
personal benefit – praise from the king. On the other hand, Ophelia is working with her father, this time
for Hamlet’s welfare. She sympathises him “o what a noble mind has been o’ver thrown”. However
hamlet coldly declines “get thee to a nunnery”, knowing that she is working for her father. He has
become misogynistic from his mothers betrayal, this betrayal thus twists Hamlets’ perceptions of
women in general “frailty thy name is woman”. Empathy is drawn from this scene as the audience is
aware of the betrayal shown by his friends, lover, and family. Acting as a technical feature to
demonstrate the deceitful world overwhelming him.
The conclusion of this scene conveys Hamlet as an intelligent, yet depressed character. As a result of
Shakespeare’s genre, revenge tragedy, it is imprisoned into the genre’s conventions evoking sympathy.
His madness is only an antic disposition as a response to the uncertainty around him. Shakespeare’s
theme, madness, in not a cause of Hamlet’s downfall. He wants to resolve his relationship with Laertes
“very sorry, I forgot myself” knowing her killed his father and pushed Ophelia into insanity. Hamlet talks
to Laertes about madness “his madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy” conveying that he is aware of his
depression. He is the hero and Osric becomes the device to establish Hamlet’s position. Mocking and
speaking pompously. The removal of all characters is the restore order in society. Although Hamlet is
conveyed as a noble and intellectual man he could not outrun his fate R. Richmond says “man of painful
sensitivity... troubled by the crassness of the world.” Hamlet’s eventual downfall was due to the injustice
overpowering him. Fortinbras says “bear Hamlet like a solider on stage... to have proved most royal”
establishes Hamlets royalty, even in the eyes of the enemy. To his loyal friend Horatio he acts a device
to portray the audiences feeling “now cracks a noble heart. Goodnight sweet prince.” Hamlet is a loss to
the world. This quote reinforces this loss of a noble, modern man, depicting the tragic hero that suffered
the slings of imperfection. Portraying another technique to present a specific reading.
We can not disagree that Hamlet is a noble character who evokes empathy from his audience. Through
Shakespeare’s use of literary techniques and devices – soliloquy – his downfall was a result of his
surrounding affairs. However due to contexts and the constant change on values, different perspectives
of the characterisation of Hamlet is always portrayed. My personal response is sympathetic to the
character of Hamlet as his downfall was a result of his deceitful and imperfect world.