Diction, Phrases, and Words

1) "Graveyard": Shakespeare uses the word "graveyard" in his final act to foreshadow death.  This word perfectly fits the context because it creates a gloomy atmosphere, which sets the stage for the death of Hamlet, Laertes, and King Claudius.


2) "The play's the thing": Shakespeare uses the play "The Murder of Gonzago," to reveal Claudius' evil deed.  While Claudius is watching the play, which has a very similar story line to "Hamlet", Hamlet takes note of how Claudius reacts.  Hamlet realizes that the King is greedy, power hungry dictator, and feels uneasy when watching the play.  These words should be spoken in delight because it reveals the truth to Hamlet.


3) "To be, or not to be": In Hamlet's soliloquy, Hamlet is disheartened by the sudden death of his father.  In this speech, Hamlet contemplates on weather he should live and "be" or commit suicide and "not be".  These words should be said with a little bit of caution/nervousness since it is a matter of life or death.  

4) "Give me some light": In this scene, King Claudius demands to be alone.  However, this phrase brings light to the fact that the Claudius is human and begs for forgiveness for his sins.  Consciously, Claudius wishes to live the rest of his life in peace, but his committing of one sin has forced him to do another, and Claudius is forever cursed to live shrouded in evil and darkness. These word should be said in a begging tone since Claudius' corrupt and blackened soul is hopelessly searching for light. 

5) "Loose" and "fishmonger":  These two words refer to how Polonius sees and treats her daughter.  Polonius almost has complete control of her, like a "monger",  and almost like an animal, releases her, or let "loose", into flirting with Hamlet.

Imagery and Figurative Language

Imagery is when a verbal expressions appeals to any of the five senses.  By appealing to the five senses, imagery can help readers obtain a clear image of the surrounding. Figurative language, also known as metaphorical, explains or expands on ideas by comparing them to something else.  Figurative language can be further broken down into metaphor, simile, personification, analogy, hyperbole, understatement, paradox, and irony.  Metaphors make implied comparisons. Similes explicitly makes comparisons using like or as.  Personification is when an object or animal is given human characteristics.  Analogy is a figure of speech that helps explain something strange or complex by comparing it to something familiar or simple.  Hyperbole is when something is exaggerated, as opposed to an understatement.  A paradox is a statement that seems contradictory, but reveals a truth.  Lastly, irony is when a speaker says one thing, but actually means something else.  In Robert Frost's "Out, Out--," Frost personifies the buzz-saw, which transforms the simple tool to a monstrous, uncontrollable beast.  

Claudius: The Mind Controller

Claudius is slyly plotting to kill Hamlet, so his illegitimate ascension to the throne will never be exposed.  Through the use of language, Claudius masterfully uses deceit to try trick people to carry out his will.   This is a very advantageous skill for Claudius because it allows him not to be directly involved in the murder.  Laertes is very susceptible to King Claudius' trap because he is emotionally unstable, due to the recent deaths in his family.  Claudius' clever use of diction and his soft tone seems to comfort Laertes, while fueling his hatred towards Hamlet.  Claudius' deceitfulness is evident in how he deals with the sons of fathers who have just passed, Hamlet and Laertes.  When Hamlet is mourning the death of his father, Claudius claims it to be "unmanly grief" and tells Hamlet to move on.  The motive for this statement can be found in Claudius' desire for Hamlet to not snoop around in the past, which may expose Claudius' evil deed.  As opposed to Claudius' stance when dealing with Laertes, where he questions Laertes love for his father by stating, "Laertes, was your father dear to you?/Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,/A face without a heart," (IV.VII. 105-107).  Claudius wants to convince Laertes he must show his love for his father by taking action and getting vengeance on Hamlet.

Click Clack: Sound

Literary devices such as rhyme, meter, alliteration, enjambment, and caesura help to create sound in a poem.  Sound is often used to set the mood and tone of a poem.  Rhyme is when words have sounds that correspond to one another, and it helps create melody.  Meter counts the measure, stressed and unstressed syllables, in a line, and represents how words are supposed to be pronounced.  Alliteration is the repetition of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent words, and also adds melody.  Enjambment is the continuation from one line to another without a pause, and creates a rushed feeling.  Lastly, caesura is a pause in a sentence, and slows down the tempo of a poem.  In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses iambic pentameter to define natural speech for the characters.  In "Out, Out" Frost personifies the buzz-saw through sound, and makes it come to life as a vicious animal. Finally, in Pope's "Sound and Sense" Pope uses couplets to create a light melody to the poem.

Symbols and Themes

Themes are the main messages in literature works, which are carried throughout the writing.  An example in Hamlet is the air of lies and deceit that run through the castle.  Hamlet, is trying to plot his revenge for his father, while trying not to get caught, and King Claudius is trying to cover his tracks.  

Symbols are an integral to many literary works.  Symbols are either objects, places, or people that represent an ideal.  Symbols are used to help the reader possess a deeper understanding of the text by bringing the context of the entire work together.  In The Second Coming, Yeat's choice of using the word "revelation," (9) alludes the reader to the new testament Book of Revelations. This connection represents that the world is coming to an end and chaos will ensue.  The "shape with lion body and head of a man," (14) that emerges is supposed to represent Christ.  However, holy and sacred image correlated with Christ is shattered with the monstrous figure that appears before the narrator.  The hideous creature adds to the image of the doomed fate of the world.