Characterisation of Hamlet

Characterisation of Hamlet

ShakespeareЎ¦s Hamlet was first staged approximately 400 years ago in London. It is a revenge tragedy set in Elizabethan times during the 7th century; however aspects of the plot were relevant to the 1580Ў¦s so that the audience of the day could better understand the characters. For example, the character central to the plot Hamlet studied at a University of the time at which the play was produced, even though the context of the drama was set in the 7th century. It is the most widely critiqued of ShakespeareЎ¦s plays.

Characterisation was different in ShakespeareЎ¦s time to what it is today. In the 16th century, little importance was focused on ensuring characters remained consistent in personality throughout a play. That is why we see Hamlet change and take on so many different roles and personality traits.

Non-verbal Techniques

- Costume

What costume was Hamlet wearing when he was first introduced to the audience?

Hamlet was first introduced to the play halfway through the second scene. He was described as a ЎҐsolitary figure in black.Ў¦

What did this reveal about his mood?

The dark costuming revealed to the audience that Hamlet appeared to be in mourning, and it was assumed that he was grieving over the loss of his father.

- stage direction/blocking

Further, when Hamlet was first introduced to the play, how was he positioned? (Was he socialising in a group or alone?)

Hamlet was alone and away from the other characters when first on stage. His attitude and position on the stage made him appear unpromising to the audience at first glance, revealing that he was emotional and sullen.

- actions

Throughout the play, Hamlet assumes the roles of various personalities.

Can anyone give me an example of one role that Hamlet adopts? (There are three)

-An example is that he enacts the role of madman to those he wishes to evade; particularly to Claudius, his mother and Ophelia.

-He takes on the role of moral castigator when talking to his mother

-When associating with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Hamlet assumes the character of a point scoring academic.

The deliberate action to take on different roles helps to reveal aspects of his character; that he is able to manipulate people to his advantage by leading them to believe he is not the person he appears to be.

The only time Hamlet does not assume different character roles is when he speaks to the audience through soliloquies.

Verbal Techniques

What Hamlet Says:

- Soliloquies

All of HamletЎ¦s soliloquies are concerned with moral behaviour, his need for truth, the value of living, the struggle to accept and combat personal failure and the elusive search for a personal identity.

HamletЎ¦s first soliloquy was presented in Act 1, Scene 2. Many characteristics of his personality were revealed through the speech.

Can anyone remember what the first soliloquy was about?

Act 1 Scene 2

1st soliloquy

-reveals HamletЎ¦s true character and changes our view of him

-prior, all that is known is from what others said/body language and costuming

-shown to be emotional as he expressed a sense of moral outrage, he was a man of strong moral sensibility

-he also had a strong religious awareness of right and wrong, words such as Ў§wicked, unrighteousness, incestuous and goodЎЁ show this.

-In the line Ў§Frailty thy name is woman,ЎЁ he was searching for a general truth, showing his philosophical attributes

-learn that his grief for his father is not as strong as the disgust with which he regards his motherЎ¦s behaviour

-changes our sense of villains/heroes, sympathise with Hamlet

-made aware of the difference between pretence and reality; this is exposed as a tormenting preoccupation of Hamlet

HamletЎ¦s second soliloquy