Hamlet

1. Hamlet Critical Essay Technique

2. Themes • Introductions • Paragraph structure • Using quotations • Conclusion

3. Themes • Themes are the ideas presented by a text • Theme is not a technique • Techniques such as plot, characterisation and setting are used to convey the play’s theme. • Most plays will have several themes • Even if your question does not explicitly ask you to, you should discuss the text’s themes.

4. Themes in Hamlet • The Impossibility of Certainty /The difficulty in distinguishing between reality and appearances. • The moral legitimacy of suicide in a world of suffering • The nature of revenge • The nature of madness.

5. Task • Choose the two themes which you feel are the most important in Hamlet. • On your mind-map, make a note of where they may be discussed.

6. Introduction • Respond to the task without simply repeating it • Brief outline of what your argument will be • Do not include ‘In this essay, I will discuss . . .’ • Do not include a list of techniques

7. In ‘Hamlet’, William Shakespeare depicts his tragic hero as tormented by both internal and external conflicts. Hamlet is torn between the need to revenge his father’s death and his contemplative, intellectual nature. This conflict frames the development of Hamlet’s character, leading to a series of conflicts with other characters, and ultimately the tragic death of the eponymous hero.

8. Paragraph Structure • Point / Topic sentence • Brief expansion/ explanation (not retelling large chunks of the plot) • Evidence (Quotations/ dialogue or stage directions) • Analysis (Including identification of techniques used by Shakespeare where appropriate) • Evaluation (Giving your personal response/ saying how effective Shakespeare has been)

9. Topic Sentences • Clearly introduce your paragraph’s topic • Should contain linkage to previous paragraph • Some should link to your task • Should demonstrate the logical development of your argument

10. Topic Sentences • For me, the play’s most important conflict is the clash between Hamlet’s contemplative nature and his desire to revenge his father’s death. • In the play’s most famous soliloquy, Shakespeare depicts the conflict between the passive and active aspects of Hamlet’s character. • In addition to his internal struggles, Hamlet is depicted as suffering a series of conflicts with other characters.

11. Quotations • At least two per paragraph. • Lots of short, embedded quotations. • Some longer quotations but not too many.

12. Embedded Quotations • Less than two lines. • Form part of a sentence • In Hamlet’s first soliloquy, Shakespeare reveals that his tragic hero worships his recently deceased father. He compares him to ‘Hyperion’- the Titan god of light. He also reflects on the corruption in the ‘unweededgarden’ that Denmark has become under Claudius’ rule.

13. Longer Quotations • For quotations of two lines or more. • Colon to introduce quotation. • Take a new line. • Use quotation marks. • Write out the quotation exactly as it is in the play, including where the lines start. • Include analysis after your quotation, explaining the importance of your quotation to the point you are making and discussing the effectiveness of any relevant techniques.

14. This conflict is exacerbated by his uncertainty over the Ghost’s identity: “Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable,” (Act One, Scene Five) Shakespeare uses antithesis here to highlight the ambiguous nature of the Ghost: Hamlet is unsure if it really is his father’s spirit and not an evil spirit instead. This relates to one of the play’s most important themes: the difficulty in distinguishing between reality and appearances.

15. Conclusion • Keep it brief • Respond to your task • Reiterate your essay’s main points