Hamlet Essay

Words allow us to portray ourselves or who were aspire to be, which can turn each spoken word into a place to hide. At times, words are like masks. We are able to see and hear the individual, but yet we still don’t know who they truly are, so we judge them based on what they are provoking. In Hamlet, Hamlet gains the reputation of being absolutely bonkers from the other characters in the play due to his random outbursts and disheveled appearance, but in reality there is a method to his madness. He uses his actions to show the blueprints of his plot of revenge against Claudius in a interesting yet twisted way while his soliloquies express his true emotions of anger, sadness, and hopelessness. Now, the old cliche about how actions speak louder than words can be a fallacy. Words are incredibly influential to not only ourselves, but to also the others around us. Our own words can cause others individuals to act even if that wasn’t their intention. Hamlet is a perfect example of this due to the fact that his actions cause the others around him to feel various emotions, which influences their future actions and words. Often time we don’t realize how words or the repetition of words can be so powerful in both literature and in life. Each word spoken, written, or sung can symbolize more than was originally intended.

“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” The plot of Hamlet is based around the character Hamlet’s thirst for revenge against Claudius for the murder of his father. He acts psychotic in order to provide those around him with clues of his sub rosa plans. “The spirit that I have seen; May be the devil: and the devil hath power; To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps; Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me.” This quote shows Hamlet worries how maybe his madness isn’t justified and wonders if the ghost is a reincarnation of the devil, who is picking on him due to his vulnerable emotional state. This emotions show how Hamlet is unsure of his actions at times despite his strong, powerful language. “O, it offends me to the soul to hear a robustious; periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatter, to; very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings, who; for the most part are capable of nothing but; inexplicable dumbshows and noises: I would have such; a fellow whipped for o’erdoing Termangant; out-herods Herod: pray you, avoid it.” This particular quote spoken by Hamlet is directed towards the actors, who are reenacting the murder of Hamlet’s father. He is basically saying how they must be convincing, but not obvious or over the top. I found this to be quite interesting because it is almost as if Hamlet is convincing and giving advice to the actors and himself. Hamlet has been acting mad for quite sometimes and he must remember to keep his act up in order to make the others around him believe that is madness is legitimate if he wants to achieve his plans for revenge. Due to his false actions, the only time we truly see the uncensored emotions of Hamlet are during his soliloquies in which he is able to let release his thoughts, concerns, and feelings without the influence of other around him despite the fact that they can be a burden at times (“Let me not think on ’t; frailty, thy name is woman!”). 

“To be, or not to be--that is the question” After memorizing this speech the “to be or not to be” speech, the words had developed meaning instead of being a bunch of words scattered on a page. When I memorize, I always use the techniques of self-overhearing because it allows me to see the words in a totally different life. As each word rolls of my tongue, I am not only able to say the words, but I’m also able to feel then due to the fact that I make personal connections with  various words and verses. Now, self-overhearing doesn’t just apply to the memorization. This concept is used in every day life whether we realize it or not. For example, last year I was trying to get recruited to play volleyball in college and I would spend hours on the computer sending dozens of emails to colleges all across the country some of which I had know idea, who or where they were. After a while, the emails became an endless stack of words, but things soon changed after I began to read the responses to those emails out loud. Each response was like an adrenaline rush and seemed almost unbelievable. I would read them over and over again until I could picture the words in my head. For me, each email I read out loud symbolized an opportunity to make my dream of playing college volleyball a reality.

Words are extremely powerful and can influence various aspects of the world around us. Each spoken word can have various meanings that can show your true feelings or  provide lies in which were created to fool those around you. We must never underestimate the power of language and its influence on others including ourselves. Hearing ourselves use words can create new meanings in which we would have never found if we read it on a page or hear it from another. Words can speak louder than actions.