William Shakespeare created some of the best known tragic plays around the world, among which is Hamlet. Hamlet, the son of the King of Denmark, reminds his readers pride leads to self-destruction and in most cases nothing good coms out of it. Avenging King Hamlet’s death proves to be a challenge to Hamlet, but as time goes on, murdering people who have done nothing to him becomes an easy task for Hamlet to manage. Hamlet’s prideful attitude eventually leads to a destructive ending, which could have been prevented easily. William Shakespeare’s tone of voice, symbolism, and use of irony shapes “Hamlet” into a story of revenge that ultimately leads to destruction.
Although Hamlet proves to be a tragedy, William Shakespeare creates a light atmosphere with Hamlet’s ability to laugh in the worst situations. The tone of voice aids the reader in understanding why Hamlet was thought to be crazy. Hamlet uses sarcasm in many of his lines such as when he first appears in the play when he says to King Claudius, “A little more than kin, and less than kind (I, ii, 65).” Hamlet replies to King Claudius after he calls him “son”. Hamlet also uses this wordplay while talking to Horatio and Marcellus saying, “I’ll make a ghost of him that lets me! (I, iv, 85)” Hamlet wants to see the “ghosts”, but Horatio and Marcellus urge him not to. Hamlet then comes back to say if they will not allow him, he will make them a ghost themselves. Shakespeare incorporates wordplay and sarcasm into Hamlet’s character, so he can portray a character that has gone mad and to lighten up the mood.
Symbolism also plays an important role in Shakespeare’s writing. Ever since Hamlet’s father passed away, Hamlet’s fixation with death and his vengeance was evident. Hamlet would hold onto the skull of an old friend, Yorick, and stopped all of his madness just for a little while. He knew Yorick as a kid and recalled the relationship they had saying:
Let me see. Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath bore me on his back a thousand times, and now has abhorred in my imagination it is! My gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? Your gambols, your songs, your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar? Not one now, to mock your own grinning? Quite chopfallen? (V, i, 161-168)
Hamlet reminds himself of how well Yorick treated him, but now Yorick lay on the ground being hit by a dirty shovel and thrown around. The skull symbolizes that death takes every single person, no matter how rich or how poor they are, and oblivion is inevitable. Each person will face death in their lifetime. Deuteronomy 32:35 says “Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.” The Lord can and will repay all of the evil that is done to someone so why waste the time one has on the earth looking for vengeance? When Polonius dies, Ophelia becomes crazy as well. She hands out flowers and also gives them meaning herself. When handing out flowers, she says, “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrances; pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies; that’s for thoughts. (IV, v, 177-178)” Ophelia shows the meaning of these flowers while handing them out, which symbolizes her desire and need to be remembered. She longs for being noticed and thought of, as she no longer has a father and her brother just returned from France.