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Exploring Emotions, Deception, and Revenge in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”
Introduction
When interpreting the following line: “The play’s the thing /Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the King,” I try to keep it as literal as possible and maintain its contextual relation. I believe that he’s telling the reader that King Claudius will see himself in the play that Hamlet arranged for him, triggering the memory of his actions and opening his guilty conscience. He arranged the play the way he did to make King Claudius possibly open up his secrets to the people and catch him red-handed. His plan takes shape as the play progresses, and as expected, Hamlet becomes more emotional. He is split because he does not want to seek revenge if it isn’t reasonable. Even though Hamlet is confused by what the ghost told him, he still wishes to seek revenge and wants justice for his father, whom he loved so dearly.
Body
The Power of Theatricality and Deception
At this point in the play, it’s safe to say that Hamlet is having trouble expressing himself and is letting his emotions seep through. He has a deep hatred for the King and Queen but hates King Claudius more than anyone. He is being bothered by this mental conflict during the play, thus making the play reenactment not as he hoped it to be. He is confused as to whether his uncle (King Claudius) is guilty or not and is trying to fully understand his father’s murder. His language during the play becomes more enigmatic, and he is going insane, and the players notice. Polonius, one of the main characters, already thinks that because he asked his daughter Ophelia, the love of Hamlet’s life, to stop seeing Hamlet.
Emotions and Conflicts
This love may also have an influence on his insanity, and Shakespeare maps the playout for the reader to see this.
What I make of the following line: “What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba/That he should weep for her?” is taken similarly literally. I believe that the line means that the player is capable of faking emotions. Also, why can’t Hamlet take action and get revenge on his uncle, and the player knows nothing about this woman he speaks of but is crying over her. Hamlet is amazed that a player can fabricate such emotions for Hecuba. He wonders how he can do it without experiencing the story. As seen in his play (The Murder of Gonzago), he has his emotions breaking through his onstage persona, so the art of playing with and faking emotions as a player would be interesting for someone like Hamlet.
Conclusion
Overall, Hamlet is fascinated that a player’s emotions can be so controllable and versatile, and he wishes that he could portray the emotions he wants when participating in the play.
References
- “Hamlet’s Enemy: Madness and Myth in Hamlet” by Theodore Lidz
- “Shakespearean Tragedy and Its Double: The Rhythms of Audience Response” by Kent Cartwright
- “Hamlet: Poem Unlimited” by Harold Bloom
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