Hamlet Study Guide

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark is one of William Shakespeare’s best-known works and one of the most widely-read plays in the English language. Estimated to have been written between 1599 and 1602, Hamlet was one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays at the time of its release, and has remained hugely influential since its creation. Fast Facts: Hamlet Full Title: The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkAuthor: William ShakespeareYear Published: Between 1599 and 1602Genre: TragedyType of Work: PlayOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Appearance vs. Reality; Revenge and Action vs. Inaction; Death, Guilt, and the AfterlifeMajor Characters: Hamlet, Claudius, Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, Gertrude, Fortinbras, Horatio, The Ghost, Rosencrantz GuildensternFun Fact: Shakespeare’s son, who died at age 11, was named Hamnet; he may have been an inspiration for the tragic character Hamlet. Plot Summary Hamlet is the story of the events that take place after the king of Denmark is found dead. His son, Hamlet, is visited by the kings ghost, who tells him that Hamlet’s uncle Claudius was the murderer. Hamlet resolves to kill Claudius and avenge his fathers death, but he struggles with the morality of his decision and finds himself unable to act. To fool Claudius into thinking he knows nothing about the murder, Hamlet pretends to be insane; however, Hamlet’s actual mental state becomes less and less certain throughout the play. Meanwhile, when Claudius begins to realize Hamlet knows more than he lets on, he plots to kill him. Hamlet, though, is smart; much of the play depicts his brilliant wordplay and cunning outmaneuvers of the king’s courtiers—until, of course, the play’s tragic ending, which sees most of the royal family killed. Major Characters Hamlet. The protagonist of the story, Hamlet is the prince of Denmark and the son of the murdered king. Possessing a melancholy and depressive disposition, he struggles throughout the play with his inability to act on his desire for revenge. Claudius. The current king of Denmark and the brother of the king, Hamlets late father. Claudius murdered the former king and married his wife Gertrude, stealing Hamlet’s right to succeed his father. Polonius. The father of Ophelia and Laertes and advisor to the king. Obsequious, pedantic, and scheming, Polonius is killed by Hamlet. Ophelia. Hamlet’s love interest and Polonius’s daughter. She aims to please her father and is deeply troubled by Hamlet’s madness, but goes mad herself by the end of the play. Laertes. Polonius’s son. He is a man of action, in direct contrast to Hamlet, and is ready to take his revenge as soon as he discovers Hamlet’s hand in the destruction of his father and sister. Gertrude. The queen of Denmark, Hamlet’s mother, and Claudius’s wife. She was married to the old king, but was unfaithful to him with Claudius. Fortinbras. The prince of Norway, who eventually becomes king of Denmark after Hamlets death. Horatio. Hamlet’s best friend from university, who serves as a foil to Hamlet. The Ghost. Hamlet’s dead father, the former king of Denmark. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet’s childhood friends, whom Hamlet outwits at every turn. Major Themes Appearance vs. Reality. Is the ghost really Hamlet’s dead father? Is Claudius lying? Hamlet must continually grapple with his inability to trust his own interpretation of events, which keeps him in a state of inaction. Death, Guilt, and the Afterlife. Hamlet frequently wonders about the mystery of death. Tied to these thoughts is always the question of guilt, and whether or not his soul—or the soul of another, like Claudius—will wind up in heaven or hell. Revenge and Action vs. Inaction. Although the play is about revenge, Hamlet continually delays the act. Connected to this theme is the question of the afterlife, doubts about which seem to stay Hamlet’s hand. Literary Style Hamlet has had remarkable literary significance from its first performance, which is estimated to have taken place between 1599 and 1602, influencing writers as varied as John Milton, Johann Wilhelm von Goethe, George Eliot, and David Foster Wallace.  It is a tragedy, a genre with roots in classical Greek theatre; however, Shakespeare ignores Aristotle’s injunction for a play to focus primarily on action, not character. Instead, the play follows the twists and turns of Hamlet’s moral struggle much more through soliloquies than plot. The play was written during the reign of Elizabeth I. There are numerous early versions of the play still in existence; each, however, has different lines, so it is the job of the editor to decide which version to publish, and accounts for the many explanatory notes in editions of Shakespeare. About the Author William Shakespeare is arguably the highest-regarded writer in the English language. Although his exact date of birth is unknown, he was baptized in Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1564 and married Anne Hathaway at age 18. Sometime between the ages of 20 and 30, Shakespeare moved to London to start his career in theatre. He worked as an actor and a writer, as well as a part-time owner of the theatre troupe the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, later known as the King’s Men. Since little information about commoners was retained at the time, not much is known about Shakespeare, leading to ongoing questions about his life, his inspiration, and the authorship of his plays.

William Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet - 1243 Words

Should one of Shakespeare s most famous plays, Romeo, and Juliet, be removed from the freshman English curriculum? Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare and is a tragic play about two star-crossed lovers. Romeo and Juliet, the two main character, deny their family’s feud and choose to fall in love, but the choices they let others and themselves make lead to their untimely death. The classic play was written in mostly sonnets, a form of poetry and contains most of the English literature devices like figurative language, foreshadowing, imagery, etc... Also, Romeo and Juliet has part of the English curriculum for decades. Romeo and Juliet should still be part of Niles West learning curriculum since it’s still relevant because†¦show more content†¦Lady Capulet enters Juliet s room and thinks that she’s still crying over Tybalt’s death, but Juliet tries to explain that she’s actually grieving over Romeo’s exile in contradict ory words. Juliet says, â€Å"Indeed, I never shall be satisfied With Romeo, till I behold him—dead— Is my poor heart for a kinsman vexed. Madam, if you could find out but a man To bear a poison, I would temper it, That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof, Soon sleep in quiet. Oh, how my heart abhors hearing him named, and cannot come to him. To wreak the love I bore my cousin Upon his body that slaughtered him!† (III.v.93-102). In the quote, Juliet says one thing while her mother hears another showing even parents and children sometimes don t understand each other. Romeo is in Friar Lawrence’s cell after the prince had banished him. He draws his sword to kill himself thinking he had cause Juliet grief but Friar stops him and says, â€Å"Hast thou slain Tybalt? wilt thou slay thyself? And slay thy lady, too that lives in thee, By doing damnà ¨d hate upon thyself† (III.iii.17-18). From Romeo s viewpoint the Friar is unable to understand his grief a nd for the Friar, Romeo is being away to overdramatic. All of the evidence shows the difficult relationships between parents and children. Romeo and Juliet should still be taught since it’s relevant because there still are rebellious teenagers. Juliet thinking that she

Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty free essay sample

Death Penalty versus Life Imprisonment In the United States, if one is found guilty of a crime of the highest degree, then one faces one of two consequences of utmost severity, the death penalty or life imprisonment. Either way, a life is taken away, literally or figuratively speaking. Through sentencing of the death penalty, life will come to an end by lethal injection, electrocution, the gas chamber, hanging, or firing squad. Through sentencing of life imprisonment, life will come to an end and mere solitary existence within the walls of a prison will replace it until death eventually comes.The magnitude of these two punishments for crimes committed is without question, as are the similarities and differences that exist between the two practices. Capital punishment, also called the death penalty, is the pre-meditated and planned taking of a human life by the government in response to a crime committed by the convicted person. We will write a custom essay sample on Life Imprisonment vs Death Penalty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The United States has limited use of the death penalty to cases of aggravated murder and on rare occasion to felony murder.On the other hand, life imprisonment can be the sentence for crimes involving not only murder but also high treason, severe or violent cases of drug dealing or human trafficking, or aggravated cases of burglary or robbery resulting in death or grievous bodily harm. Once convicted, an individual serving life imprisonment will remain in jail for the rest of his or her life until his or her death. Prosecutors state that imposing the death penalty is a crime deterrent. Prosecutors are also in support for the death penalty because it gives them a bargaining tool in the plea bargain process.Even if one believes that the defendant deserves life in prison, without the threat of a death sentence, there may be no way of getting him or her to plead guilty. Law enforcement agencies reject the notion of the death penalty being a crime deterrent. They advocate that its cost far outweighs its benefit and consider it to be one of the least efficient uses of taxpayers’ money. Instead, they feel that life imprisonment is among the best ways to reduce violent crime, and if there is no life imprisonment, then crime would become uncontrollable.The death penalty is undoubtedly a permanent solution to stopping a single person from committing any further crime. The death penalty gives closure to the victim’s families and loved ones. Losing a loved one is hard for anyone and for most it is not enough to simply have the perpetrator locked away for life. Family members and loved ones want and need closure in order to move on in their lives. Life in prison is often thought to be a more humane sentence than the death penalty. Death is the end, period. Life in prison may still offer a person chances at reconciliation for their actions, while providing them time to mature and change.This is a part of the problem†¦when a person is kept in prison for life; the person who is sentenced is not the person that’s in prison 20, 30, or even 40 years later. People change, regardless of where they are. Some individuals believe in the old saying, â€Å"Eye for an eye. † It is often said that the punishment should fit the crime and the death penalty is a clear illustration of that belief especially in regards to murder. However, some individuals believe that the death penalty is nothing but an act of revenge that has nothing to do with justice. For them, the assertion is that life imprisonment offers the best resolution for the crime itself, the person responsible for of the crime, and the victims of the crime. Reported costs of the death penalty and life imprisonment differ depending on the source. Some estimates claim that each execution of the death penalty costs about 2 million dollars to that state’s taxpayers. The assumption is that life in prison is more expensive than the death penalty. If a person is dead, then there’s no charge to feed them, house them, or to deal with their medical problems.Their account is closed and they’re no longer a burden on the system. The most alarming difference between the death penalty and life imprisonment emerges in the cases of failure to convict the right person for the crime. In a variety of capital crimes in the United States, it’s been seen that people have been unjustly imprisoned for years. This being said, the fact that some people may be unjustly charged with the death penalty is not far fetched. Only with the recent advance of technology has evidence been uncovered that proves these people didn’t commit the crimes they were going to be sent to prison or put to death for.So this is really the crux of the question of the death penalty versus life in prison question. Are we as a people ready to admit that our system will be sending at least some innocent people to death? Or would we be willing to shoulder the financial burden of caring for prisoners, some of whom may still be innocent of any wrong doing, for their entire lives? Is there a way to fix the system so that this uncertainty can be eliminated from the equation? These are questions that people should be asking, as well as whether or not either of these two options is serving th e goals of both punishment and fairness.

Terrorism in Political Protest

Terrorism can be defined as a premeditated, politically motivated violence directed against noncombatant targets, by sub-national groups to achieve political, economic or religious ends.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International terrorism can be considered as the one which involves citizens or a territory of more than one country (Cottle 34). In many instances, the aims of terrorists are similar to those of political groups whose views have to be dominant over those of their opponents. Terrorism is used to achieve progress within a short time than the pace in their current political atmosphere. It can also be said that terrorism is a more advanced stage of failed political process that starts with inequities and injustice. It moves from frustrated attempts of reform that breeds fear and temper, to confrontations related to politics that erupts in violence. They can be used to rationalize the use of any type of violence against any target (Sanders 95). Flashpoint (para.3) states that there are several forms of terrorism in existence. In urbanized countries, the traditional guerrilla warfare is mostly not appropriate. The reason behind is that rebels when attacked by superior forces cannot achieve and get hold of control over territory. In addition, they can not manage employing hit and run attacks effectively without having large losses. This resulted to formation of a new doctrine known as the urban guerrilla warfare which used terrorist tactics. In the 1990s a new form of international terrorism was formed. The group appeared to be less rational, not focused, deadly, and more international. This form of terrorism was known as Islamist Terrorism (Flashpoint para.4). An example of a recent terrorism attack is the one that happened in Southeast Asia in the year 2005. Since September 2001, the Australian prime minister had dra wn significant political progress. The political progress was a result of well-worn clichà © that changed the world on that tragic day (Club De Madrid para4). Force was needed to do away with the growing frustrations in politics, existential temper, and logistic ability for the hijackers to plan and implement the plots that had been evident for long. This was growing incrementally to anyone who was prepared to listen to the voices ignored from official avenues of political authority. The modern international politics took very little attention on the marginal voices (Club De Madrid para.8).Advertising Looking for essay on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Australia’s commitment to Southeast Asia rose up to governmental level since 1970s. Even after the rise, contacts were only confined to the elites. Out of fearing antagonizing authoritarian regimes, Australian governments and diplomats cut their rela tionships with groups and individuals who were not from their regional political establishments (Club De Madrid, para.9). Taking advantage from the observations, a wider set of affairs which constituted formal and informal voices from the opposition reduced the distress which was as a result of attacks by terrorist in Bali after 11th September 2001. Club De Madrid asserts that the of effects of the attacks on September 11, and attacks at Bali which left many people dead was the beginning of a deep feeling of insecurity within Australian society (para.12). The conservative government of Howard preyed on public confusion that was caused by attacks on September 11 and the attacks at Bali. Their intention was to demonize seekers of asylums who came to Australia from Muslim countries (Club De Madrid, para.13). Works Cited Club De Madrid. Terrorism in Southeast Asia: Australia as part of the problem. 22nd Feb 2005. Web.13th Mar 2011. Cottle, Sarah. Reporting demonstrations and protest: pu blic spheres, public screens, in: mediatized conflict: developments in media and conflict studies. Berkishire: Open University Press, 2006. Print. Flashpoints. ‘Terrorism political violence: Guide to world conflicts. N. d. Web.13th Feb 2011.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Terrorism in Political Protest specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Sanders, Karen. communication in opposition, protest and violence, in: communicating politics in the twenty-first century. Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, Hampshire, 2009. Print. This essay on Terrorism in Political Protest was written and submitted by user Angelica Wilkerson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.