Meaning Of The Word Nothing In Shakespeare's Hamlet

Words: 965

Pages: 4

Open Document

Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare emphasizes the many meanings a word can contain through his usage of the word “nothing” in various different contexts.
Shakespeare’s uses the word “nothing” with regard to Hamlet and Ophelia to reveal Hamlet’s feelings towards Ophelia, Ophelia’s innocence, and Hamlet’s disdain towards his family. Preceding the “Mousetrap Play”, Hamlet and Ophelia have a brief exchange wherein Hamlet rejects his mother’s company and goes to Ophelia, deliberately to show his affection for her. After a brief exchange of where Hamlet asks her, implying sexual innuendo, “Do you think I meant country matters?” (III, ii. Line 123). Ophelia’s responds saying “I think nothing, my lord.” (III, ii. Line 124). In the early 1600’s, the word …show more content…
After the death of Polonius, the news reaches Ophelia, his daughter. She is distraught and does nothing but mutter to herself, prompting a line from the Gentleman “Her speech is nothing,/Yet the unshaped use of it doth move/The hearers to collection.” (IV, v. Lines 9-11). In this instance the word nothing means “In vain, to no purpose” according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The Gentleman is saying that Ophelia has lost all reason and can essentially no longer function. While in previous instances, “nothing” has held different meanings at different times, later in the scene, Laertes uses the same definition of the word as seen here. He says “This nothing’s more than matter.” (IV, v. Line 198). He to, is referencing her nonsense, however while his is using the same word and meaning, it conotes a different sense. He is defending her, saying that there is substance in her nonsense. The capacity for nuance and wordplay shown by Shakespeare to have the same word, with the same meaning, but to result in a different result is one of the many reasons he is considered one the greatest wordsmiths of all

Hamlet's Fault Essay

Prince Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Prince Hamlet’s overpowering fault is that he is highly indecisive but despite this it can be said that Hamlet is a fascinating character. When one looks past this overpowering fault Hamlet can more prominently be seen as witty, scholarly, and philosophical. The first of these fascinating characteristics is Hamlet’s wit. William Shakespeare demonstrates Hamlet’s immense…

Words 1230 - Pages 5

Hamlet Analytical Essay

had a genius full of strength and fertility, natural and without any spark of good taste and any knowledge of the rules.”-Voltaire Shakespeare’s Hamlet reflects 1601; a period of great change, political tensions and uneasiness affiliated with the attempted monarchal usurping. Hamlet holds profound resonance throughout generations.The construction of the world of Hamlet creates its value and relevance as a text; Shakespeare creates extensive atmosphere through characters, symbols and the juxtaposition…

Words 1288 - Pages 6

Parental Pressure In Hamlet

society today is only beginning to accept the LGBTQ community. Shakespeare’s time was completely unaccepting of anything except heterosexuals. That time period had a strong patriarchal society, even stronger than the one that exists today. This creates conflicts for the two main characters in the play. Hamlet struggles with finding his identity, while Ophelia struggles with gender inequality in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Although Hamlet and Ophelia both experience parental pressure, this is ultimately…

Words 1857 - Pages 8

taking the ghost's word Essay examples

Taking the Ghost's Word: Transcendence and the Rationale of Hamlet's Choices in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet HAMLET. Angels and ministers of grace defend us! Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell, Be thy intents wicked or charitable, Thou com’st in such a questionable…

Words 8438 - Pages 34

Essay on A Melt of Success

quote brought upon during English Class. “To be, or not to be, that is the question” a famous line from Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in which Hamlet contemplates life, if one should continue to live and suffer or to just end one’s life to no longer suffer, in other words suicide. I grasp this quote in a meaning I can use in life; instead of using it as the direct meaning of suicide I interpret it as a way if one should ever even aspire to be anything in this world. I am…

Words 512 - Pages 3

Young Fortinbras Search For Justice In Shakespeare's Hamlet

justice can neither be too rash nor too cautious. In Hamlet, Young Fortinbras manages to successfully respond to an injustice (his father’s death) without being rash or overly cautious, showing Shakespeare’s message that a balance between impulse and rationality is needed in order to achieve justice. Young Fortinbras’ search for justice is similar to Hamlet’s search in the sense that they both wish to avenge their father’s deaths. When King Hamlet was alive, a battle ensued between him and Old King…

Words 1147 - Pages 5

Hamlet confrontation Essay

higher cause Plan An inherent tension between confrontation and resolution is revealed through characterisation in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. To what extent does your interpretation align with this view? What is the Inherent tension? Define Confrontation and resolution Macro Micro Which confrontations/lack thereof will you discuss? Hamlet and Ophelia Gertrude and Hamlet Hamlet and Claudius What confrontations do these…

Words 2030 - Pages 9

Essay on Hamlet and Play

Hamlets Revenge William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet, is the story about the Prince of Denmark’s struggle for revenge against his murderous uncle, who is now the new King of Denmark. Hamlet is stricken blind with revenge and has even been considered mad. Hamlet’s fall into insanity is a result of many different, tragic reasons. Throughout the entire play, Hamlet seems to be a loner, with a lack of true companionship. Most everyone seems to be against him throughout the play. They mistrust…

Words 2097 - Pages 9

hamlet research paper

Dwight Tucker March 11, 2013 English VI Ms. Morrell Hamlet Research Paper In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, prince of Denmark has been interpreted in numerous ways. Throughout the play Hamlet takes on different roles, making it hard to define him as only one character type. Hamlet gave off the image he was insane at times when his mind was really at ease. Though it seems Hamlet is insane, there is evidence showing he is not a mad man. Hamlet says he is not mad almost throughout the whole book…

Words 1621 - Pages 7

Existentialism 2 Essay

2010 11 March 2015 Hamlet and Existentialism The earlier themes of existentialism often dwell and focus on human beings as individuals and conscious subjects, the senses of nothingness and meaninglessness in human life, and the angst or anxiety and depression which are ever-present in all of our lives. Although existentialism officially emerged around the early and mid 1900s, many authors expressed such ideas centuries before. One such author is William Shakespeare. Shakespeare’s longest piece of…

Words 1366 - Pages 6