Irony in Shakespearean literature reveals the unexpected and is highly valued. William Shakespeare masterfully employed three different types of irony: dramatic, verbal, and situational, each lending its own distinctive taste to his literary works. Shakespeare often uses dramatic irony to…
Tag: hamlet
Hamlet
Introduction to Hamlet Hamlet is one of the best plays of all time written by William Shakespeare. According to literary scholars, there has never been such a play by his predecessors and successors alike. It is known as The Tragedy…
Hamlet Themes
‘Theme’ is an overarching idea, philosophy, and belief used in the literary works by a writer to show these concepts directly or indirectly. However, in the case of Hamlet, this single idea sometimes fail to cope with the issue in…
Hamlet Characters
Characters are people used by authors to present their stories, ideas, beliefs or doctrines. Characters make up the whole world of a literary piece. Hamlet’s famous characters have given births to various other characters, beliefs, and ideas in the world…
Hamlet Symbolism
Symbolism means an artistic and poetic expression or style using figurative images and indirect ideas to express mystical ideas, emotions, and states of mind. The reader will find significant symbolism thought the play ‘Hamlet’ which shows a variety of connotations…
Hamlet Quotes
Quotes are golden words uttered by characters in a literary piece. Hamlet is considered a masterpiece on this account that it has hundreds of golden quotes. Hamlet’s famous quotes, or quotations are used in every part of the world for…
10 Examples of Irony in Shakespeare
Shakespeare is one of the prevailing masters of irony – he uses dramatic, situational, and verbal irony in such a way that few others have been able to replicate. Truly, when one talks about irony, if they do not talk…
Hamlet Act-I, Scene-III Study Guide
Plot Overview This scene takes place at the residence of Polonius, in a room in the castle of Elsinore. His son, Laertes, offers overprotective advice to his sister, Ophelia, who is in love with Prince Hamlet. His tone shows that…
Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark
Origin This phrase is taken from William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet. The speaker is Marcellus, a guard, who talks to his philosophical comrade, Horatio, saying, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark …“ (Act-I, Scene-IV). The reason of saying this…
Hamlet Act-I, Scene-II Study Guide
This scene opens in the court of King Claudius. The king is engaged in preaching ethics to his family members and courtiers regarding balancing life between sorrows and everyday preoccupations. He vows to combine and sustain the grief he feels…
Hamlet Act-I, Scene-I Study Guide
Plot Overview In the first scene of Hamlet, Barnardo, a guard, comes to relieve Francisco, who is his colleague. They are performing their duty as guards on the platform in the castle of Elsinore. Barnardo asks Francisco about his identity.…
To Sleep, Perchance to Dream
Origin of To Sleep, Perchance to Dream This phrase occurs in the most celebrated soliloquy of Prince Hamlet in the Shakespearean play of the same name, Hamlet. It starts with another famous phrase, “To be or not to be,” in…
Lady Doth Protest too Much
Origin of The Lady Doth Protest Too Much Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother says this popular phrase when watching the play, The Mousetrap, staged within William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In Act -III, Scene-II of the play, Queen Gertrude says, when speaking to…
Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be
Origin of Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be This is a famous phrase said by Polonius in Act-I, Scene-III of William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. The character Polonius counsels his son Laertes before he embarks on his visit to Paris.…
Alas, Poor Yorick!
Origin of Alas, Poor Yorick! This phrase occurs in Hamlet, a popular play by William Shakespeare. The main character Hamlet says this phrase when he is with Horatio, speaking to the gravedigger. He looks around the dead bodies and finds…
Frailty, Thy Name is Woman
Origin of Frailty, Thy Name is Woman Hamlet, the hero of Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet, utters this famous phrase in Act 1, Scene II. In fact, he is recalling the beautiful memories of his mother and deceased father. He mourns the…
To Thine Own Self Be True
Origin of To Thine Own Self Be True This phrase is one of the countless famous quotes coined by William Shakespeare. In Act 1, Scene III of the famous play, Hamlet, Polonius says: “This above all: to thine own self…
Brevity is the Soul of Wit
Origin of Brevity is the Soul of Wit It is one of the countless phrases coined by William Shakespeare. It appears in his play, Hamlet, in the second act, where Polonius says, “Since brevity is the soul of wit /…