Use of Imagery in Hamlet Essay

Hamlet, a play by William Shakespeare is an intricate part of history, which uses imagery in several different ways. Imagery is a significant part of the play Hamlet. Feeding and eating are main parts in the story, which can lead to many things that occur in the play through imagery. Feeding used as nourishment, feeding used as celebration, life and death, Hamlets anger, and love and lust are all connected to feeding through the use of imagery.

Feeding used as nourishment helps the play develop. One way in which feeding is used as nourishment is how Hamlets mother, Gertrude feeds off of the new king Claudius in order for her to gain power. Feeding is used here because Gertrude feeds off of Claudius for only her own nourishment. This happens at the beginning of the play when Hamlet is having a tough time with his fathers death. Hamlet is upset that his mother married Gertrude so early, instead of mourning King Hamlets death. Gertrude feeding off of Claudius sets the tone for the rest of the play. Feeding through nourishment can help link other parts of the play through the use of imagery.

Feeding through nourishment makes a key connection to the feeding of celebration in Hamlet. During the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude, a big meal is fed to everyone in celebration of them. Hamlet does not like this because he feels that Gertrude is feeding off of Claudius instead of feeding off of Hamlets recently deceased father, King Hamlet. Hamlet thinks that she should still be mourning the death of King Hamlet. He thinks that it is too soon to be marrying Claudius if she truly loved King Hamlet. Claudius gets drunk here, which may symbolize his not caring for Hamlet throughout the play. The ironic part about this is that drinking ultimately leads to Claudius death. Claudius drinks the poisoned wine which leads to his end. Another way in which feeding is used in celebration is through the funeral meats. Everyone is mourning, but it is still a celebration because everyone knows that King Hamlet is in a better place. These imageries through the use of feeding and celebration contribute a big factor in the play Hamlet.

Through the feeding of contribution, imagery is shown through life and death. The worm, a big figure throughout the play teaches us several things. A man may fish with a worm that hath eat of a king, and eat of the fish that hath fed of that worm.(Act IV, Scene 3, 28-30). This significant quote by Hamlet shows how life itself is repeated through a worm. A man may fish with the worm that has eaten a worm while living underground. After the fish has been caught, a king may feast on a worm through which the fish has eaten. This complex quote shows how Shakespeare uses imagery in Hamlet. Another way in which feeding is connected to life and death in the play Hamlet is how the worms portray the image of life. Worms portray the image of life and death when Hamlet sees one in the graveyard. It represents the image of death because Hamlet is in the graveyard after Ophelia just committed suicide. It also represents the image of life because it shows how a worm can be underneath the ground eating a rotting corpse, or being used to fish in order to give life. Life and death is shown in Hamlet by imagery through feeding.

The worms eating away at that corpse is like Hamlets eating away of how angry he is. Hamlet is consumed with his anger towards Claudius and his mother. He is angry at Claudius for murdering his father and his mother because of her inability to love. Hamlet believes that his mother cannot love because she married Claudius right after king Hamlets death. "What is a man, if his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed?" (Act IV). This quote by Hamlet says that he now must act on getting revenge on Claudius and avenge his fathers murder. Hamlets anger consumes him and eventually leads to his death. He acts on his feelings, which causes the death of Polonius. The death of Polonius eventually leads to the death of most of the Kingdom of Denmark. Hamlets anger causes many problems and demonstrates imagery in the play Hamlet.

Love and lust is another major part of imagery in the play Hamlet. Gertrude cause several problems with her lust for Claudius. She acts like a worm and goes behind peoples backs for her own lust. Hamlet says to Laertes, I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.(Act V, scene I). This demonstrates the true love that is taking place in the play. At first, Hamlet denies his love for Ophelia, but later he confesses how much he cared for her. Hamlet uses feeding as love for Ophelia, while Gertrude uses feeding as lust from Claudius. Love and lust play a major role in Hamlet and demonstrate much imagery.

Hamlet, a classic by Shakespeare uses imagery to portray feeding through nourishment, contribution, into life and death, Hamlets anger, and love and lust. Shakespeare uses a significant amount of imagery during the play Hamlet which teaches his readers many life lessons about love and death. We can all gain something from the great play Hamlet.