The Use of Juxtaposition in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Table of Contents

• Hamlet's Madness vs. Polonius' Foolishness
• Fortinbras' Action vs. Hamlet's Inaction
• The Dead King vs. The Living Court
• Conclusion
• References

William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, wow, it's a real masterpiece, right? It's famous for its tangled-up characters, twisty plot, and deep themes that make you think. One cool thing about it is how Shakespeare uses juxtaposition, which is like putting two different things side by side to really show off how they’re different—or maybe the same. This trick helps ramp up the tension and bring out the big ideas in the play. Here, we’ll dig into some examples of juxtaposition in Hamlet and see why they matter so much.

The Use of Juxtaposition in Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Hamlet's Madness vs. Polonius' Foolishness

You know, one of the clearest contrasts in Hamlet? It’s between Hamlet’s fake madness and Polonius’ actual foolishness. Hamlet pretends he's lost his marbles as a sneaky way to uncover what happened to his dad. Now compare that with Polonius, who’s just naturally silly and clueless most of the time! The gap between Hamlet’s clever act and Polonius’ real foolishness shows the theme of appearance versus reality.

This whole act-mad thing is part of Hamlet’s plan to get to the truth about his dad's murder and serve up some revenge. But Polonius, oh man, his foolishness is genuine—he can’t see past what's right in front of him. This mix-up really hits home the idea that what you see isn’t always what you get; looks can be totally misleading.

Fortinbras' Action vs. Hamlet's Inaction

Another spot where we see this contrast is with Fortinbras being all action-packed compared to Hamlet who just... well, he sits around thinking a lot! Fortinbras is ready to avenge his father by getting back land lost in battle. And then there’s Hamlet—he’s got all the reasons for revenge but keeps questioning himself instead.

This really shines a light on action versus inaction. Fortinbras doesn’t waste any time; he gets down to business fast while Hamlet is stuck pondering everything and delaying his revenge game plan. This makes us wonder about the consequences—what happens when we act quickly or don’t act at all? And what about getting back at someone? Is it right?

The Dead King vs. The Living Court

You also can’t miss how Shakespeare sets up King Hamlet (the dead guy) against the living court in Denmark. The king’s death kicks off all this drama as his ghost spills the beans about his murder to Hamlet. By comparing this ghostly king with the lively but kinda corrupt court, Shakespeare points out all that's gone wrong in Denmark.

The late king stands for an era full of honor and stability—sounds nice, huh? Meanwhile, today’s court is drowning in deceit and betrayal. It stresses how things used to be ideal but now are so messed up—it reflects on moral decay and unchecked power running wild.

Conclusion

So wrapping it up: using these contrasts or juxtapositions gives Hamlet more layers than an onion! By throwing characters, actions, and settings into stark relief against each other like this, Shakespeare pulls our attention towards key themes such as appearance versus reality or moral corruption—and boy does it pack a punch dramatically too! This keeps audiences hooked even today because everyone loves diving deeper into juicy topics raised by such masterful storytelling techniques!

References

• Mowat, B.A., & Werstine P., Eds., (2003). Hamlet. Folger Shakespeare Library.
• Kliman, Bernice W.. (1988). “The Enfolded Hamlets: Multiple Scripts and Critical Perspectives.” University Press of America.
• Bate J., Rasmussen E., Eds., (2006). The RSC Shakespeare: The Complete Works.
• Bloom H.. (1998). "William Shakespeare's Hamlet." Chelsea House Publishers.
• Dawson A.B.. (1994). “A Case Study in Madness: William Shakespeare's ‘Hamlet.’” Mellen University Press.
• Mack M.. (1952). “The World of Hamlet,” Yale Review 41(4), 502-523.