Hamlet Themes

Question 1

Revenge

Answer 1

Evident as these characters are seeking revenge:

• Hamlet to avenge his father’s death
• Laertes to avenge his father’s death
• Fortinbras to avenge his father’s death

Question 2

Tragedy

Answer 2

Tragedy is a key theme in Hamlet, due to the key character’s downfall at the denouement of the play.

Question 3

Thought v Action

Answer 3

Particularly prevalent, due to Hamlet’s ability to think heavily rather than act without thinking, which also leads to procrastination to murder King Claudius. Contrastingly, the stereotypical and more traditional men, act rather than think, due to their ruthlessness, and therefore lack of fear.

Question 4

Love

Answer 4

Weakness of love is evident, due to Claudius’ use of it for personal power, due to his selfishness. Also, the weakness of love is evident, in Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship, when Hamlet only uses their relationship, to get closer to murdering Claudius and achieving his task of murdering him, due to his treatment of her being “useless and cruelty”.

Question 5

Madness

Answer 5

Madness is a key theme in Hamlet, due to the ‘antic disposition’, or façade of madness Hamlet puts on, in order to seek revenge for his father’s death. Which consequently, leads to true madness and not a façade anymore.

Question 6

Power

Answer 6

Power is a key theme of Hamlet, evidently reinforced by Claudius’ main intention to gain power, by murdering his brother, and marrying Gertrude, and also to do anything in his power to maintain his reign of Denmark. He even uses his closest allies, to act as spies to watch Hamlet, to ensure he doesn’t expose his potentially destructful hidden truth, from ruining his ruling of Denmark.

Question 7

Manipulation

Answer 7

Manipulation is a key theme in Hamlet, and arguably is evidently portrayed through Gertrude’s actions towards Hamlet, and her intent to make Hamlet feel out of place, following his father’s death. Similarly, Claudius’ s presented to be manipulative by lying to the whole of Denmark that a snake bit King Hamlet, when in fact it was Claudius who poured poison into the kings ear. Also, he manipulates Hamlet into thinking his continued grieving is “unmanly”, intentionally done to make Hamlet feel out of place, and to move on from his father’s death.