Personification in Hamlet: a Literary Device that Deepens The Tragedy

Introduction

So, let’s dive into one of Shakespeare’s big hits, Hamlet. It’s a major piece in English lit that everyone talks about, right? All the complex characters and twisty plotlines? It’s a lot. But one thing that really stands out is how Shakespeare uses personification. What’s personification, you ask? Well, it’s when you give human traits to non-human things or ideas. Sounds simple, but it's pretty deep when you think about it. In Hamlet, this literary trick helps ramp up the emotions and themes. Wanna know how it works? Keep reading as we dig into some examples and see how these human-like qualities add to the tragedy and drama.

Personification's Role in Hamlet's Soliloquies

You can’t talk about personification in Hamlet without mentioning those soliloquies. You know the ones—where he goes on about death, fate, and his conscience like they're people he's chatting with. Take the "To be, or not to be" speech for example. He calls death "the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns." Cool line, huh? Makes death sound like some mysterious place on a map that nobody comes back from. By doing this, Shakespeare gives Hamlet a way to sort of debate these heavy ideas with himself. It adds layers to his internal drama and makes it all feel relatable to us watching or reading along.

The Personification of Fate and Fortune

Now let's talk fate and fortune. Throughout the play, Hamlet often talks about fate like it’s this whimsical thing calling the shots in our lives. Remember in Act 4 when he says, "There's a divinity that shapes our ends"? Here, fate's painted as some divine force doing its own thing no matter what we try. This really brings out how helpless the characters feel against life’s randomness. It's like life just throws stuff at them and they have to deal with it. Giving fate these human traits amps up the suspense because it feels like everyone’s just pawns in a bigger game they can't control.

Personification of Conscience and Moral Struggles

The play also gets into moral stuff through personification—like conscience being portrayed as a guiding voice within Hamlet himself. Think back to Act 2 when he says "The play's the thing / Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." Here, conscience isn’t just an idea; it acts more like something active that can be caught or pinned down. This shows Hamlet's struggle between wanting revenge and battling his own morals. Shakespeare uses this human touch to make these ethical conflicts more vivid for us sitting there soaking in all this drama.

Conclusion

In wrapping things up, using personification in Hamlet really spices things up by adding layers of emotion and meaning. By making abstract ideas like death or fate feel almost alive, Shakespeare gives us deeper insight into what makes humans tick—their fears, uncertainties, and moral challenges are right there for us to see. This clever use of language helps make those internal battles more tangible for audiences past and present alike! Pretty cool how even small literary tricks can leave such lasting impressions!

References

• Mowat, B.A., & Werstine P., (1996). The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark.
• Pappé R., (2007). Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet.
• Cohen D., (1985). The Politics of Shakespeare's Plays.