Theme: the description of truth and issue in shakespeare's histories plan

§ “This is th’ impostume of much wealth and peace,
That inward breaks and shows no cause withoutthe man dies.” (IV:4 lines 28-30).
Hamlet is talking to Fortinbras’ captain about the land, which has been symbolically given to Norway to prevent them from invading Denmark. This statement is however, also descriptive of Hamlet's own condition. The events that have caused his madness fester inside him like an abscess or tumor. The cause is unseen by others though it is destroying him inside.the following examples from Shakespeare’s sonnets that use the metaphor of eye (which also include the use of metonymy - a special type of metaphor where the one phrase or word substitutes for a larger concept):
§ Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed. (sonnet 18, lines 5-6);
§ Lo, in the orient when the gracious light
Lifts up his burning head, each under eyehomage to his new-appearing sightwith looks his sacred majesty. (sonnet 7, lines 1-4);
§ Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war
How to divide the conquest of thy sight. (sonnet 46,lines 1-2).
Whether eye is meant to be the sun, or a concept of vision greater than the speaker’s ocular capability, Shakespeare shows the power of figurative language. While we may not speak in a poetic pentameter in everyday speech, metaphor is predominant in our conversation. We cannot speak long or well without metaphor.Simile may be regarded as an expanded Metaphor, or the Metaphor as a condensed Simile [25]. To illustrate this, when Romeo says of Juliet, -
“O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!beauty hangs upon the cheek of night,a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear”;
Here we have two metaphors, and also one simile. Juliet cannot be said literally to teach the torches any thing; but her brightness may be said to make them, or rather the owner of them ashamed of their dimness; or she may be said to be so radiant, that the torches or the owner of them may learn from her how torches ought to shine. Neither can it be said literally that her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night, for the night has no cheek; but it may be said to bear the same relation to the night as a diamond pendant does to the dark cheek that sets it off. Then the last metaphor is made one of the parts in a simile; what is therein expressed being likened to a rich jewel hanging in an Ethiop’s ear.occasionally builds a simile on the same plan; as in the following from Measure for Measure, I:3:
“Now, as fond fathers,bound up the threatening twigs of birch,to stick it in their children’s sightterror, not to use, in time the rodmore mock’d than fear’d; so our decrees,to infliction, to themselves are dead;liberty plucks justice by the nose;baby beats the nurse, and quite athwartall decorum.”
Disguise is one of Shakespeare’s favorite devices, found in many of his works. Through it he alters the identity of an individual, which creates an elevated irony, a developed theme, and an enhanced comic element to the story. In As You Like It, Shakespeare, by having characters in disguise, creates an outlet for new ironies and comic twists throughout the work. The shepherdess who is in love with the “shepherd” Ganymede who is really a girl (Rosalind) is one of the comic twists, as well as Orlando sharing feelings of love to Ganymede who is really Orlando’s love Rosalind in disguise. Once again the hidden and mistaken identity constructs this plot and furthers its comedy. The entire purpose of mistaken identity can only be accomplished when a disguise is shown in the way to say and experience things in the one identity that can only be accomplished by the altar identity: this is what composes the comedy within the words. For example, in Measure For Measure, the Duke uses disguise and mistaken identity to reveal the truth about Angelo, while simultaneously providing comic moments when Lucio speaks of the Duke to the Duke unaware of his true identity.