Does The Pattern Fit
Does The Pattern Fit?Does the Pattern Fit?
It has been said that Shakespeare follows a pattern when writing his tragedies that consists of eleven distinct steps. These steps explain how Shakespeare organized his works from beginning to end. There are, however, slight variations from play to play. The question is, does this pattern fit the tragedy of Hamlet? Shakespeare�s play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark does fits the mentioned pattern.
The first step is establishing the enveloping situation and the environment or world in which the action takes place. The atmosphere frequently involves or is accompanied by supernatural occurrences. Within the first couple of lines, it is evident that the story involves royalty. �Long live the King!� (A I, SI, L3) There is conversation among the guards involving a strange, recent occurrence. They have seen a ghost and are wondering if it will return. The very moment they are discussing it is the very moment that it appears to them again. �How now, Horatio? You tremble and look pale. Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on�t?� �Before my God, I might not this believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes.� (AI, Si, L64-69) This is where the supernatural occurrence is presented. It is thought by the guards to be the ghost of the newly dead king, Hamlet�s father.
The next step, which is the establishment of the political realm, comes directly after. Focusing on the main characters that will have an important part in the plot does this. Shakespeare puts emphasis on these characters by giving them an abundance of lines that are important to the overall story line. Claudius, the new king of Denmark since his brother�s death, says �Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother�s death the memory be green, and that it us befitted to bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom to be contracted in one brow of woe, yet so far hath discretion fought with nature that we with wisest sorrow think on him together with remembrances of ourselves. Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen�� (AI, Sii, L1-8) By giving Claudius these lines Shakespeare has let the reader know that this character is important. His speech was pertinent to the theme of the play. The political realm is now brought to the forefront. The main characters, mainly royalty, have the highest quantity of lines along with quality of content.
The tragic protagonist, Hamlet, is next to be introduced. The qualities of his character that will ultimately destroy him are now boldly exhibited. ���tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed, things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come [to this]! But two months dead, nay, not so much, not two�O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned linger---married my uncle, my father�s brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules.� (AI, Sii, L137-140; 152-155) Here Hamlet�s passionate hatred...
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