HAMLET: Themes
The main themes in Hamlet – click for detailed analysis.
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Revenge
The driving force of the plot, exploring the moral and psychological consequences of vengeance.
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Madness
The line between feigned insanity (Hamlet) and genuine breakdown (Ophelia) in a high-pressure world.
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Deception
The pervasive spying, performance, and hypocrisy that masks the truth in Elsinore.
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Hesitation
The famous delay in action, analysing the paralysis caused by excessive contemplation and doubt.
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Mortality
The obsession with death, the inevitability of physical decay, and the uncertainty of the afterlife.
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Corruption
The moral and political sickness of Denmark, symbolised by imagery of poison, disease, and rot.
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Gender
The restrictive roles of women, exploring patriarchal control, misogyny, and the lack of female agency.