Reflections in Hamlet

*realizing the parallels all throughout act 5 got me like*

Shakespeare continues to reflect aspects of human life through Hamlet. He explores complex family relationships as well as the contradictory desire for revenge and religious fulfillment. However, he does not solely reflect elements of human life. Throughout Act V of Hamlet, Shakespeare reflects earlier events of the play in a way that emphasizes the foils he employs and the overall theme of revenge.

Ophelia’s madness serves as a powerful parallel to earlier scenes of Hamlet’s madness. She is described as being “divided from herself and her fair judgement” making her equivalent to “pictures or mere beasts” (IV.v.92-93). Hamlet has a similar statement only a scene before, stating “what is a man if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more” (IV.v.37). The parallel description of what truly defines humanity further reveals the complex desire for revenge Hamlet feels contrasted against the poignant grief Ophelia undergoes. Hamlet’s description establishes his desire for revenge as a noble one, while Ophelia’s description is one of dehumanization due to her perceived madness. This contrast further emphasizes both the differing expectations of women and men in the play, but also reveals the dichotomy Shakespeare explores between self perception and perception from others. While Hamlet perceives his desire as noble, Ophelia is perceived as equivalent to an animal.

Laertes also reflects Hamlet’s convoluted family life in describing the death of Polonius that “cries cuckold to my father, brands the harlot” (IV.v.132). Laertes’ statement is a direct reference to Hamlet’s complex family relationship. Hamlet’s father was betrayed by his mother, and Hamlet continually describes his mother as impure. This direct statement of similarity establishes Hamlet and Laertes as foils of each other. Laertes desires to be “revenged most thoroughly for [his] father,(IV.v.154)” much like Hamlet’s statement that his “thoughts be bloody or nothing worth” in only the scene prior (IV.iv.69). While the similarities seem endless in the fifth act, The stark difference between the two lies in Claudius’ treatment of the both of them. In the first act, Claudius describes Hamlet’s reaction as one of “unmanly grief” (I.ii.198) in contrast to Claudius promising Laertes “our crown, our life, and all that we call ours (IV.v.232). Claudius’s line parallels the structure of his earlier justification for why he murdered his brother stating “my crown, mine own ambition and my queen” (iii.iii. 59). The small differences between the two further emphasize Claudius’ upstanding treatment of Laertes in contrast to his harsh treatment of Hamlet. The two are clear foils of one another, chosen to legitimize Hamlet’s intense desire for revenge as well as Claudius’ complex character in his dichotomy of morality and pride.