Module B – Sample Hamlet Essays

Resource Description

Essay 1
William Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet,’ is a timeless play which remains relevant across all generations due to its engagement with universal concepts of what constitutes a ‘man’ and rational thought over rash action. Within the medieval context, to be subservient to one’s patriarch in vengeance was a noble cause. However, prince Hamlet struggles with his avenger role as his moral conscience forbids him from the misguided act which is corruptive and a mere ‘trick of fame’. Thus, I view him as an embodiment of Renaissance Humanist values of rational thought conflicting with medieval ideologies where honour was revered. Although Hamlet is self-deprecating due to his failure to uphold his filial duty, I believe Hamlet’s decision to refuse his avenger role was the most ethical response. This is apparent upon juxtaposing him to his foils, Laertes and Fortinbras, whose failure to reach the same level of enlightenment corrupted their nobility. Shakespeare’s creation of such a complex and wondrous character allows the play to achieve textual integrity and makes it a highly appreciated and endearing text. (Redo textual integrity part)

Essay 2

The inevitable tensions between the individual and society are the foundations for the most engaging moments in Hamlet.
Through an introspective dialogue of binary oppositions, in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet Prince of Denmark, individuals seek to reconcile their identity and moral conscience with a variety of competing societal expectations. Confronted by the disparities of a world in figurative decay, characters experience internal conflict as they search, largely in vain, for definitive answers to questions of duty, authenticity and mortality. By portraying the human experience as a series of tensions between the individual and society, Shakespeare explores his protagonist’s tragic self-awareness. In doing so, he lays the foundations for scenes of moral uncertainty and metaphysical anguish that I believe are the most universally engaging moments in Hamlet.