Intro Hamlet

Speech patterns on the page seem artificial: they are simply put into place by an author to organize thoughts and ideas, right? Although many argue that dictation is meaningless in dissecting a work of literature and one must look much deeper into abstract thoughts, Shakespeare’s Hamlet proves that diction not only provides a meaning to the words themselves, but also creates a personal connection between the reader and character: a type of bond over emotion through words. This is seen when comparing two very typical characters seen through everyone’s eyes: an indecisive follower and an overbearing manipulator. Hamlet is a boy who has gone through a terrible lost, leaving him in a vulnerable state of mind, easily persuaded by the authoritative Claudius who is very willing to tell Hamlet how to think and act. While at first it may appear that Hamlet and Claudius speak with the same conviction and purpose, closer examination reveals Hamlet’s deep uncertainty and therefore Claudius’ clever use of manipulation.