An analysis of Shakespeare's Hamlet Plan: Introduction to Hamlet

Analysis of Literary Devices in Hamlet

1. 
   Alliteration: A play written in blank verse, Hamlet has many examples of the use of alliterations. A few examples are given below:
   

• 
  What we have two nights seen. (Act-I, Scene II, Line 32)
  
• 
  To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy (Act-III, Scene-III, Line, 47)
  
• 
  Look you lay home to him. (Act-III, Scene-IV, Line, 1)
  

The above-given lines taken from different acts show the use of alliteration that means the use of consonant sounds in quick succession in a line. For example, /w/, /l/ and /h/ sounds are used in the above lines.

2. Allegory: Hamlet is an allegory that shows the universal problems a man faces on this earth. These are the problems of good and evil in every era and generation. Hamlet faces both of these issues and reflects on himself whether he is doing good or bad. His final words to Horatio that he should justify his cause to the world show this allegorical nature of the play.

• 
  Assonance: The play, Hamlet, shows good use of assonance as well. For example,
  For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come (Act-III, Scene-I, Line, 64)
  
• 
  A mote it is to trouble the mind’s eye. (Act-I, Scene-I, Line, 112)
  
• 
  Why, then, ’tis none to you, for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison. (Act-II, Scene-II, Lines 245-247)
  

In the above examples, vowel sounds appear after some pauses creating a sort of melodious impact in the verses. The sounds of long /e/, /i/ and /oo/ are used in the above examples.

4. Antagonist: Claudius is an antagonist in the play, as he weaves a plan to kill the protagonist, Hamlet, who is the representative of good, as compared to Claudius, the representative of evil in the play.

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