Essay Four

INTRODUCTION

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet exposes the unfortunate yet universal eventualities that arise when one attempts to find truth in a world full of deceit. In particular, Shakespeare’s intense, motivic imagery of corruption and surveillance cultivates a stark disparity between a world of appearances and the true reality.¹ Though Shakespeare uses a variety of literary devices to portray these challenging ideas of truth and deceit, it is ultimately his imagery, heavily influenced by the Elizabethan era during which Shakespeare lived, that emphasises the societal realities of Hamlet and the vicissitudes² of fact and fiction.

1. This thesis is pretty specific to the given question, so may not be flexible enough to use if you were given a completely different question. Although adaptable ideas and contentions are useful, it’s also good to practise crafting these more specific approaches in case you get a prompt that offers a more narrow focal point.

2. Vicissitudes: alternating between opposite or contrasting ideas.

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The corrupt and deceptive nature of Shakespeare’s contrived world is representative of the ambiguity of the truth in contemporary societies. In the Elizabethan era, the burgeoning concept of the ‘body politic’ meant that³ a monarch’s emotional state was inextricably⁴ tied to the country’s wellbeing, as witnessed through disruption in Claudius’ emotional state infecting the rest of Denmark. Claudius, through his "incestuous sheets" is the epitomic symbol of the metaphoric "contagion" of corruption. The disease of power has rotted away the court so much that ironically, many of the protagonists deceive each other and commit high treason, as murder only begets murder. Hamlet’s search for truth and his obsession with corruption is accentuated by the extended metaphor ‘tis an unweeded garden / That grows to seed, things rank and gross in nature” and the imagery of “rot” which dominates his contemplative observations.⁵ One disturbing imbalance wrought by corruption imagery is the constant evocation of an Oedipal connection between Hamlet and Gertrude, perhaps indicative of Hamlet’s own penchant⁶ for deception. Hamlet’s argument with his mother in Act 3, Scene 4 is pivotal to the exploration of the Oedipus complex, where Hamlet furthers his contrast between his dead father and Claudius, using imagery of the “Hyperion,” and the regicidal “satyr” to juxtapose the virtues of the two men: “the counterfeit presentment of two brothers." Hence, it is the understanding of these intense human relationships, through various images of corruption and disease, which provides perplexing perspectives of the truth that are at the core of Hamlet.

3. Note that we are explaining this key term, rather than just including and brushing past it. Remember: if an idea or allusion is important enough to mention in your essay, it’s important enough to explain!

4. Inextricably: in a way that is impossible to untangle or separate from something else.

5. This is a clear link from some high-level analysis to the core of the essay question.

6. Penchant: tendency, or inclination.  

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Another predominant series of images that portray challenging ideas and epitomises the disparities between truth and deceit are those pertaining to appearances and facades. The entire play is characterised by the hazy distinction between how things appear and how they actually are. This is demonstrated by the metaphorical masks worn by many of the characters, particularly Hamlet. As a result of his mother’s betrayal and his filial obligation to his dead father, Hamlet imitates an “antic disposition” to construct the appearance of insanity. His soliloquies allows him to convey his grasp on the truth while still following through with his deceitful plans. Dramatic irony is used to further emphasise Hamlet’s deceit and withholding of the truth from the Danish court. However Hamlet’s quest to find the truth of his father’s death is somewhat futile, and it seems to be something he can never truly be sure of. This originates from Shakespeare’s subjective framework, influenced by Sceptical Humanism; a subversion of Renaissance Humanism that focused on the unobtainability of certain abstract truths in life.⁷ It is this obscurity of the truth that makes Hamlet believe he is not suitable for this revenge role, “O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right.” Hence, Shakespeare transforms Hamlet’s emotional state into one of contemplation and delay, as manifested through the mise-en-abyme of The Mousetrap. Aiming to put a “mirror up to nature,” Hamlet wishes to expose “the conscience of the king” by physically manifesting Claudius’ duplicitous crimes. Thus, Shakespeare successfully draws a parallel between art, imagery, and reality as he exposes the corrupt truth of Denmark, allowing the subject matter to transcend his personal zeitgeist⁸.

7. An effective link to Shakespeare’s milieu/social context will add depth to your analysis.

8. This closing sentence directly answers the question while summarising the paragraph’s theme, and incorporates a remark about textual integrity

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Additionally, the espionage that Hamlet’s characters engage in form patterns of behaviour that are heightened by the strong visual imagery Shakespeare uses to convey deceit to his audience. From the play’s opening line, he establishes an ominous sense of uncertainty and mistrust when Bernardo rhetorically says, “Who’s there?” whilst on guard of the castle grounds. This particular scene is set at midnight, with dark imagery foreshadowing the hidden truths and deceit that takes place over five acts. The corruption is also established through the fratricidal actions of Claudius.⁹ Based on the Divine Right of Kings of the Elizabethan era, the monarch is all-powerful and knows all, which goes some way to explain why the the “leprous distilment” Claudius poured into Old Hamlet’s ear went largely undiscovered, as not only was Old Hamlet believed to have been infallible, but the new King Claudius would also then be seen as someone above reproach. Hence, Shakespeare’s use of imagery subtly undermines the certainties underpinning both Elizabethan and Danish society. Moreover, this ear imagery¹⁰ reflects the fact that Claudius’ words can also be poisonous as well; his ideas infect the minds of everyone in Denmark. Furthermore, various visual stage cues would convey the imagery of surveillance to the audience – for instance, Polonius deceitfully spying on Hamlet and Gertrude from behind the tapestry provides a metaphorical barrier between the truths that he believes in and the realities that exist though are difficult to find. Therefore, the depth and breadth¹¹ of Shakespeare’s imagery assists him in portraying challenging truths that are difficult to unearth in an untrustworthy world.

9. Here, we are also jumping between several different symbols and examples, but notice how the analysis threads them all together? This smooth progression of ideas is ideal, as it helps assessors see how strong a case you are making for your thesis.

10. Another example of transitioning between different pieces of evidence to make the paragraph cohesive.

11. To neatly tie up the variety of examples we have used in this paragraphs, it’s important to broaden the focus of the final few sentences and take the discussion back to the prompt by making more general statements about the thematic ideas, authorial intent, or audience interpretation.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, the portrayal of universally challenging ideas through imagery facilitates the audience’s transcendent understanding of truth and deceit. Shakespeare’s Hamlet consistently reveals motifs of corruption, madness, and disease as a means to communicate notions of revenge and secrecy. Its articulate form is demonstrated through an Elizabethan perspective, but still allows contemporary responders to form their own opinions due to the dualistic nature of such images.¹² Modern readings evoke empathy for Hamlet, who is critically aware of such ambiguity and deceit in life but is unequipped with the tools to deal with it effectively. This coherent and truthful exposure of life’s uncertainties is why Hamlet has remained an enduring part of the literary canon.