“There’s a divinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will” Act 5, Scene 2.
With reference to the quote and the closing scenes, to what extent does your response to this insight inform your interpretation of Shakespeare’s tragedy as a whole?
The denouement of William Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy ‘Hamlet’ effectively illuminates the tragic hero’s realisation of the effect of divine providence upon fate, achieved as a result of his mental transition from disillusionment to an ultimate state of clarity and resolution. As a Renaissance humanist, Hamlet’s introspective dilemma between considerations of Christian ethics and the filial duty of vengeance is ultimately resolved through his adoption of a fatalistic perspective, emboldening him to achieve divine justice. The dubious morality of the surrounding characters and Hamlet’s own loss of moral integrity reflects the period of political uncertainty and instability during the Jacobean era. Hence, Shakespeare’s dramatic delineation of Hamlet as a moral avenger, along with his conflicted conscience is present in the play’s conclusion.
I'd be taking on the ideas of the quote more directly in my introduction, if I were writing this. Everything you have written is stellar, very clear and well expressed. But, I would explicitly reference the quote, even if not in its entirety, to put it at the forefront of your analysis right from the beginning. Markers, in the HSC, will look for your direct and unique response to the quote. You could comment on textual integrity here (a term from the rubric), by talking about how the ending is only as powerful as the coherency of the rest of the text - because the textual integrity is so high, the ending prompts... Just an idea, not a necessity for the top marks Not so much the kind of concept statement we would see in a discovery piece, but I think a sentence here about the ideas you'll explore would be powerful. What aspect of divinity, power, ascension, morals, or politics will you be approaching here? This is another opportunity to set you apart frmo other students, but expressing an idea concisely and uniquely, so the rest of the paragraph works as a testament to the thesis. You can have this sentence mention the text or not at all, it can simply be about the idea itself. The following sentence jumps right into textual detail and doesn't give the reader time to appreciate the originality of any ideas you put forward. The moral corruption of Elsinore, manifested by Claudius’s regicide and Gertrude’s swift descent to licentiousness consequently leads to Hamlet’s disillusionment and struggle with religious ethics and chivalric duty. This
in turn results in Hamlet’s reluctance to take revenge. Shakespeare portrays Elsinore’s corruption through the image, “Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed things rank and gross in nature.” Through metaphor, Shakespeare signifies Hamlet’s discontent with the Kingdom’s decay into a garden infested by evil due to the unnatural death of his father and the incestuous and prompt remarriage of his mother.
Wonderful analysis! Hamlet’s struggle to confront the Machiavellian Claudius’s regicide is expressed through the religious metaphor, “O cursèd spite, that ever I was born to set it right!” Shakespeare effectively portrays Hamlet’s disillusionment towards life and the conflict that arises between his desire to commit suicide and the overarching Christian concern about purgatorial punishments which will strip off his nobility. Samuel Coleridge in his ‘Criticism of Shakespeare’ similarly pinpoints Hamlet’s problem as excess “intellectual activity, and the consequent proportionate aversion to real action.” As a result, Hamlet morally struggles between religious conscience and the necessity of revenge, demonstrated through soliloquy “O what a rogue and peasant slave am I” Hereby, Shakespeare elucidates the intensity of prince Hamlet’s private struggle as a result of his irresolution. Hamlet juxtaposes himself to a bonded slave, the most inferior being in the Elizabethan hierarchical order, as his inaction defies the contextual honour code for immediate revenge. The political tension in Denmark and Hamlet’s vividly striking, conflicting conscience is effectively
...? This paragraph works well because your analysis of the text is great, but it still has potential to be better. Without the conceptual statement at the start, the paragraph doesn't have direction. Moreso, the direct response to the question and quote is absent. Your analysis is great, but will be even stronger with explicit links to the question. The ending quote hasn't been tied in enough yet to satisfy the first criteria, in my opinion. The shift in Hamlet’s psyche, from hesitation and tentativeness to clarity and belief in the influence of divinity, results in the loss of his moral integrity
after the startling murder of Polonius and the determination of his foil Laertes. Your next sentence gives this information, and it ties it in with a quote His accidental murder of Polonius as a result of his antic disposition, “Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool! Farewell!” Hamlet’s contemptuous, unfeeling tone reflects his consequent moral descent, with his disrespect to death and” Polonius death is a turning point that spurs Hamlet on to vengeful action. As a foil to Hamlet from a different spectrum, Laertes’ rebellion and eagerness in his revenge, expressed through the compelling word play “There’s special providence in the fall of a sparrow... If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now.” Hereby, Hamlet realises the importance of decisive action, in spite of his moral considerations and as well as a possible reason as his attempt to delay fate. in turn stimulates his transformation. Furthermore, Hamlet demonstrates his faith in the ubiquitous presence of divine providence. Consequently, Hamlet’s shifting psyche from irresolution to assertiveness is demonstrated in his final soliloquy, through the determined tone of his outcry, “My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!” Shakespeare demonstrates the change of Hamlet’s mentality and his utter desperation to restore order.
Again, the personal response that this module demands isn't as prominent as it could be here. Again, you have a great paragraph! It's just lacking the personal voice, delivered through the unique response to the question. Hamlet is ultimately emboldened to act by his epiphany towards the inevitability of his death, and through his execution of divine justice, both his morality and the hierarchical Great Chain of Being in Denmark are restored. Through his epiphany, Hamlet’s newfound fatalistic outlook on life is illuminated by the symbolism of Yorick’s skull, paired with the stage direction, “Hamlet takes the skull.” The proleptic irony signifies Hamlet’s acceptance of ‘Memento Mori’, the inevitability of death for all humanity and foreshadows Hamlet’s actions in the denouement. This epiphany ultimately frees Hamlet from his contemplation, as Shakespeare further depicts the idea of Vanitas through Hamlet’s religious connotation “Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander was returneth to dust, the dust is earth”. Shakespeare’s anaphora based allusion to Alexander the Great provides Hamlet with the greater understanding that no amount of wealth and power can make a man immortal, and death is neither divine nor humble. The anaphora of ‘Alexander’ emphasises Hamlet’s attempt to come to terms with the inevitability of his fate. His realisation is followed with the declaration, “I am Hamlet, the Dane!” With his proclamation, Hamlet asserts his pride in his identity as both a citizen of Denmark and the rightful King. Shakespeare characterises Hamlet as a noble avenger through Laertes’ sincere tone, “exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet,” as his Humanist moral convictions are finally reconciled with his filial duty of revenge. Consequently, Hamlet’s fulfilment of vengeance comes as a result of his transition from reluctance and disillusionment to in the denouement.
Ultimately, the conclusion of Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy illuminates Hamlet’s freedom from his intellectual and emotional struggle and humble acceptance of divine providence’s influence and its impact on his fate. The play explores the blurred line between divine providence’s influence, and the subsequent loss of his original morals. The Renaissance humanistic values and concerns on death and revenge remain. Consequently, Hamlet’s acceptance of divine influences splinters his stasis in order to achieve divine justice in the play’s denouement.
Wonderful conclusion!