Hamlet’s Minor Characters :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Hamlet

Hamlets Minor Characters   Hamlet   It is reasonable to wonder what Shakespeare had in mind while makeup Hamlet. After all, Shakespeare wasnt a philosopher or historian, or even a literary critic. He was a playwright. He didnt leave us critical essays examining his work. It is left to us to examine his work and decide for ourselves, if we care to, what Shakespeare was thinking. Did he know that he was writing a drama of deep psychological significance, a play which would last be viewed and read the world over, produced many times over hundreds of years, taught in schools, and thought of as one of the worlds greatest plays? I, for one, imagine him crossing the t in the last word of the play, putting down his pen, and saying I hope it runs a year. Yet Hamlet is an extremely complex play. To appreciate the imagination which went into the human beings of this tragedy, lets first delve into what is putatively Shakespeares most complex tragedy, King Lear. Lear has three d aughters Cordelia, who is faithful and unappreciated by Lear, and Regan and Goneril who receive everything at his hands and betray him. These themes of misplaced bed and filial betrayal are mirrored in the subplot of the play, the relationship between the Earl of Gloster and his two sons, Edmund, who is supported and approved by Gloster and betrays him, and Edgar, who unjustly becomes a fugitive from his fathers wrath. The mirror is whole. In it we view Cordelias reflection and chance Edgar, while Regans and Gonerils reflections, which are of one face, show us Edmund.   In the main plot of Hamlet, Hamlets father has been murdered. Hamlet swears revenge, just feigns madness and delays. In the subplot, the chamberlain, Polonius, is murdered by Hamlet. One of Poloniuss children, Laertes, swears revenge, while the other, his daughter Ophelia, goes mad.  Here, the mirror is cracked. Hamlets reflection is splintered. We see one part of him, his revenge motive, in Laertes action , and we see his pretended madness in Ophelias piteous condition. More than this, Hamlets image is dimmed compared to those of his counterparts. Hamlet speaks of revenge, but procrastinates Laertes instantly raises and army and attacks the kingdom, but he must be satisfied over his fathers murder. Hamlet only acts mad Ophelias madness is too real. Besides production, full-house ticket sales, and royalties-the playwrights typical goals, what was Shakespeare reaching for?