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بسم هللا الرحمن الرحيم

Republic of Sudan

Ministry of Higher Education &Scientific Research

Nile Valley University

College of Post Graduate Studies

A comparative Study of

"" and ""

A Thesis submitted in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of M.A. in ELT

By: Gada Khadir Ahmed Alkaik

Supervised by: Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Al. Faki

January 2007

أتت فكرة ىذا البحث كنتيجة الىتمام الباحث بأعمال شكسبير الدرامية خاصة المأساوية . يقوم الباحث بمقارنة إحدى مأساويات شكسبير وىما قصتي ماكبث وهاملت .

تقوم ىذه المقارنة بتحميل بعض المواضيع التي تناولتيا كل من القصتين ىذا باإلضافة إلى تحميل إنشاء وصياغة القصتين .

تقوم الدراسة أيضاً بتحميل بطمّي القصتين وبقية الشخصيات اليامة في القصتين .

تحتوي الدراسة عمى خمسة أبواب حيث يناقش الباب األول مشكمة وأىداف الدراسة ىذا باإلضافة إلى الفروض التي وضعتيا الدراسة .

يعطي الباب الثاني الفرصة لمتعرف عمى حياة الكاتب وأعمالو الدرامية . كما يقوم

الباب الثالث بتحميل قصة ماكبث متضمناً تحميل بعض موضوعات القصو وتحميل شخصية ماكبث وبعض الشخصيات في القصو . يقوم ىذا الفصل أيضاً بمقارنة قصة ماكبث وشعر ارستو .

يعتبر الباب ال اربع شبيياً لمباب الثالث حيث يقوم بتحميل قصة ىاممت.

أما الباب الخامس فيعتبر خاتمة ىذه الدراسة حيث يناقش وجو الشبو واالختالف بين كل من القصتين .

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To the soul of my father, To my mother

for her encouragement and support,

To my brother and sisters

I dedicate this study

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I gratefully acknowledge the efforts of my supervisor Dr. Ibrahim Mohamed Al.faki who has supported with his valuable advice and patience.

Thanks also are extended to all who offer their help and support and to the staff of the library of college Education in Atbara.

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Table of Contents

Page Dedication I Acknowledgements Ii English Abstract Iii Arabic Abstract iv Table of Contents v-vi Chapter One Introduction 1-0 Introduction 1-2 1-1 statement of the problem 3 1-2 significance of the study 3 1-3 Objectives of the study 4 1-4 Questions of the study 4 1-5 Methodology of the Research 4 1-6 structure of the study 5 Chapter Two: Shakespeare's Biography 2-1 Shakespeare Early Life 6 2-1-1 His Birth and Education 6 2-1-2 His Ancestries and parents 7 2-2 His life in London 9 2-3 Shakespeare`s mind and opinion 10-11 2-4 Shakespeare as a and a poet 12-16 2.5 The influence of Shakespeare's plays 17 2-6 Shakespeare's Language 18 2-7 The Previous Studies 19-20 Chapter Three: Analysis of the story of Macbeth 3-0 Introduction to the 21 3-1 Macbeth plot summary 22-24 3-2 Plot Structure 25-26 3-3 The correlation between the plot in Macbeth and 27-28 's "" 3-4 Analysis of the major characters 29

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3-4-1 Macbeth 29-30 3-4-2 31-32 3-4-3 The Witches 33 3-5 The major themes of the play 34 3-5-1 “Fair and foul” 34-36 3-5-2 Blood 37-39 3-5-3 King Ship 40-43 3-6 Macbeth as a tragic hero 44 3-6-1 The murder of Duncan 45 3-6-2 Macbeth as a king 46 Chapter Four: Analysis of Hamlet 4-0 Introduction to the play 49 4-1 Hamlet plot synopsis 50-53 4-2 Plot Structure 54-56 4-3 Hamlet Pot as Aristotle's 57-58 4.4 Analysis of major characters 59 4-4-1 Hamlet 59-61 4-4-2 62-63 4-4-3 Claudius 64-65 4-5 The major themes of the story 66 4-5-1 Disease and poison 67-69 4-5-2 Fortune, fate and Providence 70-73 4-5-3 74-77 4-6 The true world of Hamlet 78 4-6-1 Hamlet as a tragic hero 79 4-6-2 Hamlet as a weak revenge 80 4-6-3 Hamlet as a political misfit 80 Chapter Five: Conclusion 5-0 Introduction 83 5-1 The construction of the two stories 83-84 5-2 Hamlet and Macbeth as Aristotle's 85-87 5-3 The themes of the two stories 88 5-4 The construction of the two stories 89 5-5 The use of Supernatural in the two stories 89-92 Bibliography 93-94

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Chapter One Introduction 1-0 Background Shakespeare can be regarded as the greatest writer of all times and he occupies a position of the world of literature. In fact Shakespeare’s art cannot be compared with other . This because his reputation as a writer, unlike others, is still alive. Although his plays are written in the late of 16th and early of 17th centuries for a small repertory , are now performed and read in many countries than ever before.

Shakespeare’s plays are divided into: Comedy, History and Tragedy. His career is divided into three periods; the early period up until his company acquired the in 1599; the middle period, from that time until they acquired the Black Friars in 1608 and the final period until his death.

In the early period Shakespeare wrote four plays about the war of Roses. In the middle period he wrote four tragedies: Hamlet, , and Macbeth. In these plays both character and fate have an influence on the outcome. Shakespeare’s finest characterization and his most profound vision of the nature of evil and struggles of human soul are to seen here. While in the final period what is left for Shakespeare to write is the area of romance, which was popular in his time both in fiction and drama.

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Since the days of Shakespeare the English language has changed and so have audiences, theatre, actors and even the thoughts and feelings. In other words Shakespeare’s language like that of the king James’ version of the Bible has had a profound influence on every day speech.

In fact Shakespeare has had influence on the world of literature. That is though his plays were written many centuries ago, they still performed in most of the world. His influence has also been witnessed in English theatre as well as dramatist, theatre directors and actors out of his own country.

It is also worth mentioning that Shakespeare was a man of theatre. His theatre was not like the presenting one. The spectators surrounded it on three sides and there was no Scenery in the modern Sense the audiences of Shakespeare were not given printed programs listening the time and place of each scene.

With a few exceptions, Shakespeare did not invent the plots of his plays. Sometimes he used old stories (Hamlet). Some plays deal with rather remote and legendary history (King Lear, Macbeth).

The plays which are the subject of this study are Hamlet, a play in which Shakespeare draws on the effect of an a strong bad man (Claudius) on a weak good man (Hamlet and Macbeth,

2 which is basically intended by Shakespeare to interest the new monarch James VI of .

1-1 The Statement of the Problem

The problem which this study tries to tackle is that many people ignore Shakespeare`s dramatically works and the literature in general. Shakespeare in all of his plays addresses the nature of human being. The thing which makes his stories have great role in many countries. Accordingly this study tries to analyze two of Shakespeare tragedies. In other words the study analyses the literary genres of the story of Macbeth and the story of Hamlet. It also tries to echo some of the ideas and the concept that Shakespeare reveals through these stories.

1-2The Significance of the Study The idea of this study comes from the researcher`s interest in Shakespeare works. The study analyses two of the Shakespeare`s great tragedies: Macbeth and Hamlet. It analyses these stories in order to show the similarities and the differences.

The aim of this comparison is them to give some evidence that Shakespeare has different ideas about the nature of people and the society in general. In addition Shakespeare has the ability to write the plays in different forms and structures.

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1-3The objectives of the study 1-3-1 To investigate differences between two of Shakespeare`s

tragedies; Hamlet and Macbeth.

1-3-2 To give evident that Shakespeare`s tragedies addresses the

human nature through ideas that echo.

1-3-3 To highlight aspects of the culture of the outer world.

1-3-4 To draw attention to the moral problems that cause a

destruction in human life.

1-3-5 To encourage reading Shakespeare`s drama.

1-4 The Questions of the Study 1-4-1 What are the similarities between the story of Macbeth and the story of Hamlet?

1-4-2 What are the differences between these two stories?

1-5 The Methodology of the research

The researcher follows the analytical approach through critical analysis.

The researcher chooses two of Shakespeare`s tragedies and compares the construction, characters and themes. The researcher also compares the use of super natural in the two stories.

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1-6 The Structure of the Study: The study contains of five chapters. Chapter one is an introduction of the study. Chapter two offers background of the writer. Chapter three analyses the story of Macbeth and illustrates the plot, characters and themes. Chapter four is similar to chapter three. Chapter five shows the similarities and the differences between the two stories.

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Chapter two Literature Review

2-0 Introduction This chapter sheds some lights on Shakespeare's life and career. It gives the factual knowledge about Shakespeare's private life at Stratford and London. It also offers some information about the writer's works. Moreover the chapter discusses Shakespeare as a poet and dramatist. Most of the information is taken from the literary books, websites and encyclopedia.

2-1 Shakespeare's Early life 2-1-1 His Birth and Education For the last three hundred and fifty years, has been regarded as the greatest of all the writers in .

Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in Stratford – on Avon, then a small country town of less than 2,000 inhabitants, in the country of Warwickshire. However the actual date of Shakespeare's birth is not known, but traditionally, April, 23rd 's day has been Shakespeare's accepted birth day, and a house on Henley Street in Stratford, owned by Shakespeare's father is accepted as Shakespeare's birth place.

According to encyclopedia Britannica (616:1943),

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Shakespeare probably began his education at the age of six or seven at Stratford grammar School. The Stratford grammar school had been built some two hundred years before Shakespeare was born and in that time the lessons taught there were directed primarily by the beliefs of the reigning monarch.

Encyclopedia Britannica (616: 1943), adds that Stratford enjoyed a grammar school of good quality, and the education there was free, the school master's salary was being paid by the borough. The boys education would consist mostly of Studies – learning to read, write and speak the language fairly well and study some of the classical historians, moralists and poets.

2-1-2 His ancestries and parents There are many families with the name of Shakespeare in and around Stratford during the sixteen century.

Genealogists claim to have discovered one man related to Shakespeare who was hanged in Gloucestershire for a theft in 1248, and Shakespeare’s father, in an application for a coat of arms, claimed that his grandfather was a hero in the war of the Roses and was granted a land in Warwickshire in 1485 by Henry VII.

No historical evidence has been discovered to corroborate this story of the man who would be William Shakespeare`s

7 great-grandfather. But luckily there have been information regarding his paternal and maternal grandfathers.

The Bard`s paternal father was ; a farmer in Sniterfield– a village four miles northeast of Stratford. There is no record of Richard Shakespeare before 1529. But details about his life after that time reveal that he was a tenant farmer.

Shakespeare’s maternal grandfather, Robert Arden, was the son of Thomas Arden of Wilmecote, Shakespeare’s maternal great grandfather who probably belonged to the aristocratic family of the Arden`s Park Hall. He was Catholic and married more than once and he fathered no fewer than eight daughters.

With regard to his parents, Shakespeare`s father John came to Stratford from Sniterfield before 1532 as an apprentice glover and tanner of leathers. prospered and began to deal in farm products and wool. Because John Shakespeare owned one house on Greenhill Street and two houses on Henley Street, the exact location of William`s birth place cannot be known for certain. John Shakespeare was elected to a multitude of civic position, including ale-taster of the borough in 1561, alderman in 1565, high boiliff, or mayor in 1568, and chief alderman in 1571.

On the hand – between 1556 and 1558 John Shakespeare married Mary Arden the daughter of the wealthy Robert Arden.

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In 1599 John Shakespeare was reinstated on the town council but died a short time later in 1601.

Mary Shakespeare died in 1608 and eight children were born of whom William was the third child and the oldest son.

Concerning his marriage and children, in 1582 Shakespeare married Ann Hathaway. She was twenty six. Eight years older than Shakespeare. Ann was the eldest daughter and one of the seven children of Richard Hathaway.

Ramj (2:1998) says, based on the mocking references to marriage made by the characters in Shakespeare`s plays and on the fact that he left his wife and family and went to London, it is generally alleged that the marriage was hasty and unhappy one.

Again Ramj (2:1998) approves that such internal evidence is untrustworthy. There are quite a number of references in his plays to happy side of love and marriage. Accordingly, one can see that Shakespeare’s marriage was happy.

2-2 His life in London

According to Ramj (1998:2) Shakespeare went to London in 1587 where he joined Burbage’s company of actors. But nothing is known of Shakespeare’s life in London from 1587 to 1611. It was the period of greatest literary activity. Shakespeare entered London with the same perfect sympathy and understanding which he had shown among the simple folk of his

9 native Warwickshire. He came to be known of his followers as “the gentle Shakespeare”. Johnson said of him “I love the man and do honor to his memory on this idolatry, as much as any”. He was indeed honest and of an open and free nature.

In fact Shakespeare`s life in London differs from that in Stratford. This means, the relationship between Shakespeare and the Society can truly be realized during his life in London.

Ramj (1998:2) says, the earliest three plays of Shakespeare, Love`s labor’s, lost, Comedy of Errors and Two Gentlemen of Verona shows that the first five years of his life in London gained him an entrance to the society of gentlemen and Scholars. Moreover Shakespeare`s knowledge, observation and genius enabled him to depict the whole stirring life of the English people in his plays.

Encyclopedia (1829:653) states that there is no information about Shakespeare’s life between the christening of twins and his first appearance in in London as actor and play Wright. This means that the period between 1584 to 1592 was blank so far as the records go.

2-3 Shakespeare`s mind and opinion According to encyclopedia (1829:661) Shakespeare`s mind and opinions were not so strange as some 19th century critics supposed them to be.

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Arnold writes a romantic point of view:

“Other abed our questions,

Though art free we ask and ask,

Thou smilest and art still,

Out-topping knowledge”

Modern investigation has yielded a credible picture of the man Shakespeare, however elusive the explanation of his genius remains. Shakespeare shows remarkably little interest in purely contemporary aspects of his age. It is surprising to find in all of his work no reference to the watermen who plied their boat for hire across the Thames and were a common and colorful feature of London life.

In the plays of Shakespeare, references to the contemporary events and persons have been combed. There is a reference to Queen Elizabeth in Amid Summer Night’s Dream”. But Shakespeare doesn’t comment on her death in 1603. There is a reference to Essex in one of the choruses of King Henry the fifth, but it expresses a hope that was sadly disappointed.

Even Shakespeare’s political sympathies are conservative. He is most eloquent in praise of degree and rank: [ I scene 3], of the dirty of Kingship [King Richard the second, of feudal loyalty and devotion [King Henry the fifth] and of little [King Richard the second]

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2-4 Shakespeare as a writer and a poet According to encyclopedia (1829:653 – 654, by the end of 1592 Shakespeare became an actor, wrote plays, attracted the jealousy of a university trained poet and won the respect of chatted and drivers of workshop for his civility, honesty and excellent as player and writer.

However, the reason for leaving Stratford and his wife and children for London, and how he got start in the theatre is unknown.

Encyclopedia [1829:653 – 654] adds. There is a well known legend that Shakespeare began by holding gentlemen's horses at the play house door. Other legends say that; he was first a servant in the theatre; a prompter's assistant or a call boy.

From 1592 to 1594 the theatrical companies were disorganized, and Shakespeare presented himself as a poet. His two narrative poems "Venus and Adonis and "The Rope of Lucrece" were something on which Shakespeare was intending to base his reputation with the public. These poems were certainly the most popular of his writing with the reading public and impressed them with his poetic genius. In addition, these poems give evidence for the growth of Shakespeare's imagination. "Venus and Adonis" is full of vivid imagery of the country sides’ birds, beasts, the hunt, the sky and the weather. Lucrece is more rhetorical and elaborate than Venus and Adonis

12 and also higher. Its disquisition on night, time opportunity and last, anticipate brilliant speeches on general themes in the plays; on mercy in the merchant Venice, in Hamlet, and "degree in Troilus and Cressida. The poems were published in 1593 and 1594.

According to encyclopedia – (1829:660) Shakespeare’s sonnets appeared in 1609. At this date Shakespeare was already successful author, a country gentle man and an affluent member of the most important theatrical enterprise in London. Shakespeare`s sonnets in fact don’t give the impression of an ordered sequence as it exists in Sidney, Sensor, and other. Shakespeare wrote about 154 sonnets in 1609. The sonnets attract the reader very great. They win the admiration of readers by a variety of virtues. Moreover they have a density of thought and imagery that makes the reader seem the quintessence of the poetical experience.

As Brace (1973:100-101] states, Shakespeare’s dramatic development can be divided into four period: Early, Balanced, overflowing and final.

The most important plays of the early period are Richard III (1542), The Taming of the (1593). Richard II (1595), Amid summer Night’s Dream (1595), and (1594).

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With (1596), the Early period merges into the balanced period. The most popular plays belongs to this period are : Henry IV (1597), Much, Ado About Nothing (1598). (1599). (1599), Hamlet (1600), and Othello (1604).

By the end of this period. Shakespeare had achieved a full sense of character, and he could write speeches and dialogue that are not only by their full of meaning but also by their choice of vocabulary and rhythm, can express the whole nature of the speaker.

Later, as his feelings became deeper, Shakespeare passed into a period when his thoughts and feelings came too thickly and powerfully for controlled logical expression. To this overflowing period, belongs two of his finest tragedies – king Lear )1605) and Macbeth (1605)

At the end of his career, Shakespeare passed into a final period in which he achieved perfect poise between expression and deep thought. The greatest plays of this period is (1611).

On the other hand .Brace [1973:100] comments, that in 1594. Shakespeare became a sharer in the Lord Chamberlain’s company of actors, writing plays for the company as well as them. Shakespeare’s early plays were performed in the play houses, known as the theatre and curtain. In 1500 the

14 company built the Globe theatre”, where most of Shakespeare’s greatest plays were performed. By 1598 it was widely acknowledged that Shakespeare was the greatest of English dramatists.

And accordingly, his plays were popular and book sellers prints them sometimes in stolen version. The chamberlain’s men prospered and were often summoned to act the court of queen Elizabeth/1/, but their greatest prosperity came after her death in (1603).

Brace [1975:101] adds. Shakespeare learned to write plays in the best of schools. He soon learned to develop his natural skills and to the end of his working was still words to express his meaning.

A.C Ward (1962:xxxvii)argues that, the date of the production of a new of Shakespeare’s plays is known, but for others there is only internal evidence that as he progressed his work, developed different characteristics which enable early, middle and late plays to be distinguished from each other. That is to say, in the early plays there is more rhyming verse than he used later, the blank verse is more regular and mechanical in the later, the blank verse is more regular and mechanical in the later plays the verse has a freer rhythm. On the other hand, plays of the middle period have a larger proportion of prose than either early or late plays.

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According to A.C Ward (1962:xxxvii), there is doubt concerns the actual order of the date of Shakespeare's plays. But the following list may give the approximate dates of his plays:

1590 Henry VI 1592 – Richard III 1593 – The Taming of shrew. 1594 The two gentlemen of Verona-lovers labor's last Romeo and Juliet.

1595 Richard II – Amid Summer Night Dream 1596 - The Merchant of Venice. 1597 1599 As you like it – 1600 Hamlet 1601 Troilus and Cressida 1602 All's well that ends well 1604 - Othelo 1605 King Lear- Macbeth 1606 Anthony and Cleopatra – ( 1607 Timmons of Athens) 1608 Pericles, prince of Tyre 1009 1600 The writer's tale 1611 The Tempest 1612 Henry VIII

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2.5 The influence of Shakespeare's plays According to encyclopedia (1943:632 – 633), Shakespeare plays had influenced the English theatre.

All of Shakespeare's plays are performed out the world today, and all kinds of new, experimental work finds inspiration in them. , the innovative theatre director said that they were forced with infuriating fact that Shakespeare was still their model.

Shakespeare's influence on English theatre was evident from the start. John Webster, Philip Massinger, John ford are among the better known dramatists who borrowed openly from his plays. Moreover, his influence was evident on Restoration dramatists, especially Thomas Otway, John Dryden and William Congreve. Among 20th century writers in whose works echo Shakespeare's are: , Harold Pinter, Samuel Beckett and .

Shakespeare has also influenced dramatists and theatre directors outside his own country.

On the other hand, Shakespeare influence on actors has been widely spread. Many European and American actors have had their great success in Shakespearean roles. In England for instance, few actors or actresses reach preeminence without acting in his plays. This is not because Shakespeare has created only outlines for others to fill but because he left so many and

17 varied invitations for the actor to call upon his deepest, most personal resources.

2-6 Shakespeare's Language Concerning Shakespeare's language. There is a saying that Shakespeare's language is old and so difficult that many readers find it difficult to understand its meaning.

Encyclopedia (1829:652) says that Shakespeare's language like that of the king James version of the Bible, has had a profound influence on every day English speech and speakers of English use expressions like "that's the rub" or "in one fell swoop" without being conscious that they are quoting Shakespeare. For a while, in the 18th century. English poets seemed to feel that it was not Shakespeare's language but Milton's, that was the language of poetry, and they wrote in the English of Milton as much as they could.

In fact John Keat was one on the most sensitive appreciation of Shakespeare. And those who failed to appreciate his finest passages can be classified as being virtually tone-deaf and imaginatively blind.

Encyclopedia (1829:652) mentions that, it is not only his language but also his insight into human character that capture attention. His Hamlet, Lear, Othello, and Brutus are all tragic heroes of magnificent structure and nobility. His clown and

18 humorists and Touch stone, Bottom the weaver and Launce with his dog are irresistible. And his woman, Juliet, Cleopatra, lady Macbeth, Miranda- Dryden had a saying that Shakespeare, "of all modern and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul".

To conclude this section, Shakespeare died at the age of 52, and the date of his death is based on two styles. The old style is on the 23rd April 1616, while the new one is the 3rd of May. The nature of his final illness is unknown. However there is a legend that Shakespeare died of fever. William Shakespeare is buried in the chancel of the church of the Holy Trinity in Stratford.

But Shakespeare's opinions and beliefs are still alive. Through his work one can realize that Shakespeare intends to preach the world and help the human being to take the right way. There is an invitation to the virtue in all of Shakespeare's plays and poems. For this reason, many believe that Shakespeare is prophet of his age. And his work suit all the people at every time and place.

2-7 The Previous Studies In fact the researcher has searched for previous studies on Shakespeare's works.

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Many of these studies include books, articles and written about Shakespeare. And information of the literature review is take from these sources. But these studies do not compare two of Shakespeare's stories.

However. Mohamed Nayef from Khartoum University carries out a thesis (1994) for the degree of M.A. His thesis is about "The tragic themes in Thomas Hardy's Novel". In spite of the differences between the two thesis, some of the similarities remain. This because, the tragic novels of Thomas Hardy can be compared with the works of Shakespeare. The study attempts to describe and illustrate the tragic themes in Thomas Hardy's four great tragic novels separately: The return of the native (1877), The Mayer of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d' urbervilles (1991) and jude the absure (1895).

Yassir from Khartoum University (2004) discuss the moral themes in Graham Greene's novel. The thesis also tries to discuss the moral themes in Graham novel, exploring his four novels.

Majed from Nile Valley University presents a thesis on: Hamlet as a tragic hero". The study focuses on problems and reasons of his madness. It also investigates the play as being a revenge story. The thesis in unpublished.

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Chapter Three Analysis of the story of Macbeth 3-0 Introduction to the play Macbeth, a tragedy by William Shakespeare, properly written in 1606 and published in the first book of 1623. Macbeth is the last Shakespeare’s four tragedies. It is not only the shortest of all his tragedies but also the darkest and most powerfully dramatic.

According to Bevington (1997: 1219), Macbeth is the last of four great Shakespearean tragedies that examine the dimension of spiritual evil, as distinguished from the political strife of Roman tragedies.

As stated in Encyclopedia (1829:10) the dominant source for Macbeth is the second edition (1587) of ’s Chronicle’s of England and Ireland. But the witches in the play, whom Holinshed described as “the weird sisters that is the goddesses of destine or else some nymphs or fairies, induced with knowledge of prophesy”, were also based on current witch-lore and quite possibly on Reginald Scot’s.

In addition, one can say that Macbeth is not a conventional morality play and is not concerned primarily with preaching against sinfulness.

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Brace (1973:129) mentions. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a powerful drama of a man whose weakness first brought him power then defeat. As a play for acting, it outdistances most because of its admirable construction and its many scenes that are theatrically powerful as well as inherently dramatic. The story is based on historical fact; Shakespeare adapted it from two episodes related in a contemporary history book, Holinshed’s Chronicles (1577), a work frequently used by Shakespeare for his history plays.

To conclude this area, the researcher throughout this chapter is going to introduce some of the literary genres of the play. These genres which include; plot, theme, characters will be explained in detail, in order to help comprehending the text.

3-1 Macbeth plot summary The play opens when plan to meet Macbeth, a Scottish general and the of . They agree to gather again at twilight upon a health that Macbeth will cross on his way home from the battle, which held between and the rebels led by the . King Duncan is delighted when he hears that Macbeth and performing valiantly I the battle, compel the Thane of Cawdor to be surrendered. He accordingly hands over the Thane's title and all his land to Macbeth. Macbeth and his friend Banquo come across the three witches, who meet on the dark and lonely

22 health. They address Macbeth as Glamis, Cawdor and King of Scots. Their prophecy to Banquo is that he will beget future kings of Scotland. Macbeth is informed that King Duncan has appointed him Thane of Cawdor-when he reaches the king castle, the king praises him for his loyalty and soon announces that he will visit Macbeth's castle at . Lady Macbeth learn by letter from her husband of witches' prophecies of Macbeth. When Macbeth arrives, she attempts him to murder the king while he is a guest at their castle. A first Macbeth doesn't accept her suggestion but lady Macbeth succeeds to convince him to commit the murder after threatening to take away her love for him if he doesn't. The night falls over the castle. Banquo and his son are out of the castle. Banquo is anxious about the witches prophecies. When they meet Macbeth at the courtyard. Banquo tries to discuss the subject with Macbeth, but he refuses to discuss the subject about the witches. In an empty room Macbeth sits waiting his wife to ring the bell to signal that the murder start. After minutes moans of torture are heard coming out of the Duncan's quarters. Macbeth, then return a murderer; his hand dripping in blood of his victims.A knock at the castle door is heard and a porter walk slowly to open it. and Lennox arrive to visit King Duncan. Macbeth, comes down to greet the two noblemen, pretends that their early morning knocking has awaken him. Macduff who precedes to the king's chamber, re-enters screaming that the king

23 has been slain. The alarm bell is rang. Macbeth kills the innocent guard, reporting that they murder the king. The king's sons agree to flee Scotland and the throne of the king turn to Macbeth. Fearing of his activities, Macbeth pointed two men to murder Banquo and his son. The murderers report that Banquo is died while his son has escaped. The three witches gather o a lonely health to meet Macbeth while and Macduff meet in England and gather an army to fight Macbeth. When Macbeth meets the three witches in a dark cave, they show him three apparitions. The first warm him that Macduff is coming back to Scotland to ruin him. The second tells him that no man born of a woman can do harm him. While the third tells him that he shall never vanquish'd be until Great Birnam wood to high hill shall come against him.

Macbeth decides to kill Macduff and his whole family as punishment for his betray. When Macduff knows that his family has been murdered he vows revenge and agree with Malcolm to attack Scotland. Lady Macbeth becomes alone in Dunsinane since her husband assembling his men to fight Malcolm. She begins to walk in her sleep. A doctor comes in the castle to treat her. The doctor observes that she reveals the events of that un pleasant night. He leaves the castle after he reports that her illness cannot be treated. On the battlefield Malcolm orders his men to cut a branch of a tree from Birnam castle to provide camouflages as they attack the castle. A cry is heard to

24 announce that lady Macbeth is dead. A messenger enters to report the woods are moving toward the castle. This news disturbs Macbeth who soon becomes conscious and vows that if he must die he will die a valiant soldier in battle. Macbeth is killed while he is fighting Macduff. The throne of the kingdom is therefore turned to Duncan's son, Malcolm.

3-2 Plot Structure According to htt/pinkmonkey. Com/booknotes/pm Macbeth: 2004, in writing Macbeth, Shakespeare created an almost perfect plot line with an introduction rapid rising action, a climax that occurs half away through these followed by rapid and intense falling action and a brief conclusion. The first two scenes of the play serve as an introduction. The second scene introduces the character of Macbeth through conversation. He is depicted as a brave, intelligent and noble warrior, who just honoured by good king Duncan with a new title. In scene three Macbeth meets the evil witches. When they prophecy that he will become the king of Scotland, he immediately, thinks of murdering the king. By the opening of act II, Macbeth is already wrestling with his though the evil deed is not done. He sees bloody daggers in front of his face. The second scene in act II reveals the aftermath of the execution and Macbeth be meaning the blood in his hands which can never be cleansed. The rest of act II opens with a scene of . Its purpose is to slow the frantic, chaos of play for a brief interlude, to relax

25 the audience after the tension of the murder and it's after math and to allow the reader, to catch its breath before the next rush of action. Early in the act, Macbeth's deterorating mind is clearly developed. He plants the murder of Banquo in scene two and has it accomplished in scene three. By scene four Macbeth has become irrational in response to his fear of discovery and guilt. At the royal banquet, he sees he of Banquo sitting in his chair, he clearly incriminates himself by saying " canst sav I did it". These words mare the moment of climax or turning point in the play. Macbeth spends the rest of the play pathetically fighting his fear and guilt and trying to protect his stolen crown. The failing action that follows the banquet scene continues at the same breath-taking speed of the rising action. Macbeth consults the evil witches again to learn his future and is warned against Macduff. Macduff, however, flees to England in act Iv and joins Malcolm preparing an attack on the "mad tyrant". In relation for this light, Macbeth murders the family of Macduff. Macbeth also loses his own family when lady Macbeth kills herself in act V.

In response to his wife's death, Macbeth cries out about emptiness of life but promises to fight until the end. Malcolm and Macduff attack and easily over take the King's castle. Then in the final scene of the play Macduff fights Macbeth. The short conclusion of the play occurs when Macduff carries Macbeth's

26 head in on a pole and hails Malcolm as the new King of Scotland.

3-3 The correlation between the plot in Macbeth and Aristotle's "Poetics"

It seems that there is apparent relevance between Aristotle's poetics and Shakespeare's tragedy "Macbeth"/ According to Aristotle's poetic tragedy is defined as the recreation, complete within it self-of an important moral action. Therefore, the similarity between both Aristotle's optical and Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth defines the making of a dramatic tragedy and presents the general principles of the construction of this genre.

According to 123helpme.Com/view-asp: 2005 Aristotle's attention throughout most of his poetics is directed towards the requirements and expectation of the plot. Aristotle refers to the plot as an imitation of a noble and complete action. On the other hand Macbeth has what Aristotle identifies as a beginning, middle and an end

An excerpt from Aristotle’s Poetic’ states: “The separate parts into which tragedy is divided are: prologue, Episode, Exodus, choric songs, this last being divided into Pardos and Stasimon. The prologue is that entire part of a tragedy which precedes the Pardos of Chorus. The Episode is that entire part of a tragedy which is between complete Choric songs.

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The Exodos is that entire part of a tragedy which has no Choric song after it. Of the Choric part of the Parodos is the first undivided utterance of the Chorus. “To tell his story of Macbeth Shakespeare follows this precise arrangement of Macbeth Shakespeare follows this precise arrangement of parts. Macbeth is divided into five acts. It contains a progogue. Episode, Parodos and Stasimon, but is the only one of Shakespeare plays that does not include Choric songs. This does not dismiss Macbeth as a tragedy in the Aristotelian sense, because it still follows Aristotle’s fundamental component of a plot. The ideal arrangement of actors into a plot is : Exposition, Inciting Action, Rising Action. Turning Point (Climax), falling Action, and Denouement.

www.123helpme.com./view:2005states. “To make Macbeth’s plot a complete action, according to Aristotle, the story must contain an activating circumstance, a disclosure, and a reversal of action. The activating circumstance in Macbeth is the three witches. Macbeth and Banquo meet the three witches that posses supernatural powers and predict the two men’s future. It is part of the wicked sister’s role in the play to act as the forces of fate. These hags lead Macbeth on to destroy himself. They tempt Macbeth to commit the murderous acts. Their prophecies don’t give direct order to commit the murderous acts. But stimulate his desire for king ship and intensify his ambition which is the characteristic that led to his down fall.

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The disclosure is the point in the play in which the reader finds out something he doesn’t know before, that enable him to put the pieces of tragedy together. It is the point of realization. In Act v scene I, lady Macbeth is found sleep walking muttering the lines of reassurance she gave her husband after the murder of Duncan and Banquo. “What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account”? and “I tell you again, Banquo’s buried”. The Plot of the tragedy un folded for the reader in that scene and it becomes apparent that it was Macbeth’s and lady Macbeth’s own evil action that destroyed themselves. The reversal of action on the other hard occurs when Macduff kills Macbeth. Throughout the play Macbeth, driven by his corrupt ambition, went after what he desired most. Macbeth’s life ends in the same way he took the other lives, through murder.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth, then, follows Aristotle’s expectation. That is, Macbeth is an imitation of a noble and complete action which creates the foundation of the plot of a tragedy.

3-4 Analysis of the major characters 3-4-1 Macbeth Macbeth is Scottish general and the thane of Glamis who is led to wicked thought by the prophecies of the three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of

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Cawdor comes true. The first impression of him is that, he is a brave and powerful soldier. This perspective is complicated, however once he interact with the three witches.

In fact Macbeth is tempted into murder. His ambitions to the throne encourages him to commit this crime.

As www.com/spark Notes: Macbeth 2005 approves, it seems that his physical courage is joined by a consuming ambition and a tendency to self – doubt. The prediction that he will be king brings him joy, but also creates inner turmoil. These three attributes bravely, ambition, and self – doubt struggle for mastery of Macbeth throughout the play. Shakespeare uses Macbeth to show the terrible effects that ambition and guilt can have on a man who lacks strength of character. Macbeth may be classified as irrevocably evil, but his weak character separates him from Shakespeare’s great villains – Ego in Othello, Richard III in Richard III, in King Lear-who are all strong enough to conquer guilt and self doubt.

Bernard Lott (1975:xvii) proves this idea. He says that before Macbeth appears, he is spoken of as a brave and noble and Duncan Willingly honors him as a trusted lord: he calls him “Valiant cousin”. But his character, like the day he speaks of when he first appears, is “foul and fair” and his figure is truly tragic, for he is a man, not wholly bad, against whom the forces of evil are too strong, and their temptations are too attractive.

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He is ambitious, and the witches he suddenly comes upon when he first appears in the play are an image of the evil forces which encourage this ambition. He lusts for power and they prophesy he will be king. To Macbeth these prophecies can be neither good or bad; for if bad, how could they so soon begin to come true? And if good, why do his thought so soon turn to the idea of murdering King Duncan and taking his place on the throne of Scotland? Throughout the play Macbeth continues to give serious thought to the moral aspects of his actions and he is no sense an unfeeling villain without sense of nobility. www.com/spark Notes.Macbeth :2005states;before Macbeth kills Duncan, he is plagued by worry and almost abort the crime. It takes Macbeth’s steely sense of purpose to push him into deed. After the murder, however, her powerful personality begins to disintegrate, leaving Macbeth increasing alone. He fluctuates between fits of fevered action, in which he plots a series of murders to secure his throne, and moments of terrible guilt. These fluctuations reflect the tragic tension within Macbeth: he is at once too ambitious to allow his conscience to stop him from murdering his way to the top and too conscientious to be happy with himself as a murderer.

3-4-2 Lady Macbeth According to spark Notes Macbeth character list. She is Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power

31 and position. Early in the play she seems to be strong and ruthless, as she argues her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, however, lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband. Her conscience affects her to such as extent that she eventually commits suicide. She and her husband are presented as being deeply in love. She is then one of Shakespeare’s most famous and frightening characters. She is stronger, more ruthless and more ambitions than her husband. She pushes her husband into committing murder. It seems that Shakespeare use her and the witches to undercut Macbeth’s idea that “undaunted mettle should compose nothing but males”.

Lady Macbeth manipulates her husband with remarkable effectiveness overriding all his objections, when he hesitates to murder, she repeatedly questions his manhood until he feels that he must commit the murder to prove himself. Lady Macbeth’s remarkable strength o f will persists through the murder of the king.

Afterword however, she begins a slow slide into madness. Just as ambition affects her more strongly than Macbeth before the crime, so does guilt plague her strongly afterward.

Bernard Lott (1975:xxv) mentions; by the end of the play she appears with a taper in her hand, walking in her sleep and reliving her experience and thoughts at the murder of Duncan.

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She is unable to sleep in peace. Again she speaks word of encouragement to her husband; she speaks her thoughts on the old man’s bleeding, but mostly she thinks of the blood on her own hands which no water has been able to wash off:

“All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand”.

The death of lady Macbeth occurs when Macbeth is preparing to defend his castle. To Macbeth, life seems puzzling and without value. He has lost his best support and from now on he must fight alone.

3-4-3 The Witches According to www.com/spark Notes Macbeth character list: 2005, they are the three “black and mid night hags” who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the death of Banquo and his son, and to blind believe in his own immorality. Apart from the fact that they are servants of , no one knows their place in the whole universe.

www.com/sparkNotes-Macbeth-analysis of major character: 2005 adds; throughout the play, the witches lurk like dark thought and unconscious temptations to evil. In part, the mischief they cause stems from their supernatural powers, but mainly it is the result of their understanding of the weakness of their specific interlocutors.

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The Witches’s beards, bizarre, and rhymed speech make them seem slightly ridiculous. Shakespeare has them speak in rhyming couplets throughout, which separates them from the other characters, who mostly speak in blank verse. ’s words seem almost comical like malevolent nursery rhymes. Despite the absurdity of their “eye of newt and toe of frog” recipes, however, they are clearly the most dangerous characters in the play, being both tremendously powerful and utterly wicked.

3-5 The major themes of the play In this section the researcher would like to investigate about the major themes that regularly developed throughout the story of Macbeth. In fact in the story of Macbeth, Shakespeare introduces some ideas that are not shown directly but are inferred from Shakespeare’s tragedy after considerable thought as messages t o all people. Below are a number of themes of the story of Macbeth.

3-5-1 “Fair and foul” This is the first theme which will be introduced in this area. The weird sisters as they go to wait for the battle to be over chant the following seductive prophesies to Macbeth:

"fair if foul, and foul is fair

Hover through the fog and filthy air"

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The above expression "fair is foul and foul is fair" is translated by translators; "to be good is bad and to be bad is good". In other words, it refers to the fact that there found no distinctions between the right and wrong. Shakespeare therefore wants to reflect the mystery that exist in the human world. That it is difficult to understand which is good and which is bad. What people think of as good other bad things appeared within it. Thus this expression shows that both good and bad are confused; there is an evil influence.

"so from that spring whence comfort seem to come dis- comfort swells"

The above is the sergeant speech who tells about Macbeth's battle the rebels: The speech shows that when the coming of spring makes people think that the weather is going to be fair and gives them "comfort", foul weather can bring "discomfort". That is just as Macbeth had defeated one enemy, a new one attached. Shakespeare, here reveals the fact that trouble usually comes where good is found. Thus the source of evil is almost the good.

"so foul and fair a day have not seen"

These are Macbeth's words in the first scene in which the witches deliver their prophecies to him. The speech implies that the day has brought things; good and evil. Good because the battle has been won and bad, with the thunder of witches

35 weather. The witches bring good and evil together. Again the same idea is repeated; good and bad occur at the same time.

"Often times to win us to our harm,

The instrument of darkness tells us truths,

Win us with honest, trifles, to betray's

In deepest consequences"

Here Banquo warns his friend Macbeth from the three witches prophecies. He tells him that the witches could attract him to great evil by telling small truths.

The message that Shakespeare wants to reflect here is that evil usually harm, though they tell the truth.

King Duncan, after receiving a report on the execution of th Thane of Cawdor, comments on the fact that he really trusts the Thane of Cawdor and that he had no idea he would become a foul rebel.

"There's no art

To find the mind's construction in the face"

Similarly, Macbeth is pointed the new Thane of Cawdor. Thane of Glamis and the King has no idea that he will become his murderer.

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Shakespeare, truly wants to reflect a very important fact in the world. That the truth of human being really lies inside their bodies. The appearance, therefore doesn't show the reality of human being and may sometimes cause a betray.

Thus the inner of people usually remains ambiguous.

3-5-2 Blood Blood is the second theme that is inferred from this play.

"What bloody men is that?"

These are King Duncan words in reply to the sergeant's speech about Macbeth's heroic victories over Macdonwald and the King of . In fact the story of Macbeth is in itself heroic, because his loss of blood has made him weak. Thus his blood and heroism enhances the picture of Macbeth as a tragic.

"make thick my blood

Stop up the access and passage to remorse"

Lady Macbeth planning to kill king Duncan calls upon the spirit of murder to become poisonous in order to kill the King Duncan calls upon the spirits of murder to become poisonous in order to kill the king. Thin blood was considered wholesome, and it was thought that poison made blood thick. So, lady Macbeth wants to poison her own soul so that she can commit the murder without a remorse.

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As Macbeth stars at the dagger of mind before he kills king Duncan, thick drops of blood appear on the blade. He says to the knife:

"I see thee still

And on they blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,

Which was not so before"

However, he has not so far gone that he doesn't know what's happening to him.

"There is no such thing.

It is the bloody business which informs

Thus to mine eyes"

By the expression "bloody business", Macbeth refers to the murder he is going to commit. Thus the signs of blood according to Shakespeare are an indication of murder.

"This is a sorry sight"

Moments after murdering King Duncan, Macbeth delivers this speech as he is looking at his bloody hands. Macbeth is really shocked. The blood in his hand is really shocked. The blood in his hand is a sign of his live murder and the murders that follows. His wife arguing him for not to be so foolish and

38 order him to take the dagger to the king's chamber. But Macbeth who still stands and stares asks himself.

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this?

Blood clean from my hand?"

He answers his own question:

"No, this my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas in carnadine,

Making the green one red"

The above speech indicate that a sin is a aspect that is no easily be removed. The sin that Macbeth commit isn't like those which can be mended by performing or doing honorable deeds. Thus Macbeth truly believes that God cannot forgive him. For he does an immoral deed.

Contrarily, his wife thinks little water can clear their hands. She says so when she feels that her husband becomes coward. She dips her hand in the King Duncan body and covers the grooms with that blood. This act from lady Macbeth shows that both of them becomes guilty. Her feeling towards the crime is absolutely different from Macbeth. For this reason she believes that little water can remove their bloody hands.

"The spring the head, the fountain of your blood

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Is stopped; the very source of it is stopped"

Macbeth's words when he addresses Malcolm and of their father's murder, implies that the blood is symbolized as life-giving essence. The primary meaning of "your blood is your family".

A second later, the blood is spoken of as a sign of guilt. Lennox says that the king is murdered by his grooms because:

"Their hands and faces were all badged with blood"

3-5-3 King Ship The last theme which will be discussed here is "kingship". King Duncan when he first appears, performs two of the basic duties of a king punishing the bad and rewarding the good. Upon learning of the treachery of Cawdor and heroism of Macbeth, he says:

"No more that thane of Cawdor shall deceive

Our bosom interest: go pronounce his resent death

And with former title greet Macbeth"

This speech shows that the relationship between the king and Macbeth is suggested to be exist.

Soon after the witches hail him as "Thane of Glamis, "Thane of Cawdor" and king, Macbeth receives the news that he

41 has been named Thane of Cawdor. This news throws him into a reverie, in which he says to himself

"two truths are told

As happy prologues to the swelling act

Of the imperial theme"

He seems to be imagining himself as making a grand entrance as king or may be as an emperor, a king of kings.

Just as the king is commenting on the treachery of the former Thane of Cawdor, in, comes the new Thane of Cawdor, Macbeth. The king greets him as:

"Worthiest cousin"

And always in several different ways that he can't thank him enough. Macbeth answers with heroic modesty that

"The service and the loyalty lowe,

In doing it, pays itself"

Macbeth declares that it is the payment that enforces him to do this right thing as a loyal servant of the king. Then Macbeth adds:

"Your highness' part

Is to receive our duties; and our duties

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Art to your

Thorne and state children and servants,

which do but what they should, by doing everything

Safe toward your love and honor".

This idea shows that it is every subject's duty to do everything for the king both to keep the king safe and to earn the king's love and respect.

When lady Macbeth receives her husband's letter about the three witches' prophecies. She is only worried that her husband is:

"Too full of the milk of human kindness

To catch the nearest way"

Holding the letter, lady Macbeth addresses her absent husband:

"Hie thee hither,

That may pour my spirits in thine ear;

And chastise with the valour of my tongue.

All that impedes thee from the golden round".

It appears that lady Macbeth is going to nag him Macbeth but she believes that she is going to enable him to reach his

42 potential. She will criticize everything in him that prevents him from being evil enough to be king.

When Macbeth arrives at the castle, he tells his wife that king Duncan will visit them that night. Lady Macbeth declares that king Duncan will never leave their castle alive and advises him to be good hypocrite. Macbeth showing a little reluctance says:

"He that is coming

Must be provided for : and you shall put

This night's great business into my dispatch;

Which shall to all our nights and days to come

Give solely sovereign sway and masterdom"

Lady Macbeth is telling her husband that if he will only do as she tells him, they will be king and queen with power over all. To her essence of king ship is ruthless power.

When King Duncan is greeted by lady Macbeth, he makes a little joke about the social difficulties of being king. He says to her:

"See see; our honour’s hostess!

The above that follows us some times is our trouble,

Which still we thank as love. Here in I teach you

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How you shall bid God' ield us for your pains,

And thank us for your trouble".

Duncan's whole speech is based on the ancient custom of a guest saying something like "I don't want to trouble you", and the host replying with some version of "It's my pleasure." By saying that his people's love is sometimes his "Trouble". King Duncan is saying that his loving people go to a great deal of trouble for him, and he's troubled by the fact that they take all that trouble. Nevertheless, when people take trouble for him, he knows that they do it because they love their king and so he thanks them for their love. Next, referring to himself as "us", the king jokingly tells lady Macbeth that he's saying all of this so that she will thank God and him for giving her trouble.

3-6 Macbeth as a tragic hero Macbeth's story is obviously a tragedy in the formal sense. At the beginning of the play, he is a very successful and greatly respected man. He has a loving wife and a secure hone in his castle at the Inverness. As the play opens he is known of heroic actions in defense of the kingdom. He is highly regarded by the king Duncan and makes friendship with other nobles. At the end of the play Macbeth is totally alone. He has lost all his friends, he universally despised, and his wife is dead. And all his most eager hopes have been disappointed. He is a man without a place in the social community. He has become totally isolated.

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He is seen at the end of the play stand alone in his castle to fight the entire army coming to kill him, one by one.

3-6-1 The murder of Duncan No doubt that the ambition is considered as the main reason for killing king Duncan. This means that Macbeth's ambition lets him commit the action of murder. It is Macbeth's sin and he is punished for that sin. But it worth asking for the charge of ambition. It appears from the following speech that Macbeth wants to become king and he refers to that desire as ambition:

"I have no spur

To pick the sides of my intent, but only

Vauting ambition which o'er leaps itself

And falls on th' other" (1.7.25.28)

Macbeth's great desire to be a king then makes him act the deed without being aware of the result . But from where does this desire come?. It is true that the witches put the suggestion into the play, but there is a strong hint from lady Macbeth. That is, lady Macbeth has talked with her husband about the matter- well before the beginning of the play.

"What beast wasn't then

That made you break this enterprise to me?" (1-7-48-49)

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This indicates that the appearance of the three witches is only a response to his inner imaginative desires.

On the other side, Macbeth's struggles between his desire to be king and the sense of morality, make him change his mind constantly. So his apparent hesitation does really reflect his full awareness of the consequences of the murder. In this respect one can say that Macbeth's actions are a result of his own free decision. He is not forced to do this bad deed, and he isn't deceived by either human or non human agents.

3-6-2 Macbeth as a king The tragic element of Macbeth's character., clearly appears from his career after the killing of Duncan. Based on his immoral murder, Macbeth decides to continue in the same course of action even though it may bring greater suffer than the killing of Duncan.

Macbeth is considered the least admirable tragic hero of all. That is unlike the character of Othello, Hamlet, Romeo, he is a mass murderer who kills friends colleagues, women and children without a convincing reason other than his own desires. Therefore he doesn't enjoy his new position as a king. He soon becomes over whelmed with fear, horror and inner pains.

It is also be noticed that after murdering King Duncan, the relation between Macbeth and his beloved wife becomes

46 estranged. Before Duncan's murder, they are very close, and Macbeth shares all his thoughts and feelings with her. But right after the coronation of Macbeth, they are changing in different directions. And his further crimes are committed without having her learn them. Moreover, the murder of both Banquo and secures Macbeth's throne and make his mind uncomfortable. The emphasis is then totally psychological rather than political.

His famous speech in act (5) scene (5) (16-27) emphasized the emptiness of his life. That is, his life becomes an insane farce, not because he no longer has any power, but because he ceases to care about anything. It is not surprising that immediately after this speech, Macbeth decides to end his life in a final battle, once her hears about the moving wood. This is not because he desires to win, but because he wants to take charge of his own death.

Conclusion No doubt, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's plays that address directly the inner of human beings. It states simply the evil effect on human beings. More over it symbolizes Macbeth for people who have the desire to rise without being aware of the result. Thus Macbeth's destruction is a definite consequence of his actions to gain his desire.

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To state this issues and ideas, Shakespeare employs his characters to display what he intends to mention underneath their speeches. The lessons that Shakespeare wants to send are therefore inferred from the characters.

It is certain that Shakespeare is regarded as a prophet of his age, who sends his messages of virtue for those who doesn't have the ability to distinct between bad and good.

Therefore it is agreed that Macbeth is a play which completely fight against evil and immoral and consolidate the virtue and good.

Finally the structure of the play indicates that Shakespeare uses a simple and understandable a story with truly very effective characters and enjoyable themes.

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Chapter Four

Analysis of Hamlet

4-0 Introduction to the play

The story of Hamlet is considered as one of the greatest tragedies and one of the best known plays in the world of literature. In other words, Hamlet is regarded as Shakespeare's most successful play. It has a theatrical validity and the character of Hamlet himself has become a figure of literary mythology.

Hamlet was published in two quite different versions. The "Bad" (1603) and the "Good" Quarto (1604).

Encyclopedia Britannica (1943:744) states that the play was probably written in something close to its present form as early as 1600, although it has been suggested that Shakespeare may have been involved in another Hamlet being performed as early as 1589, and referred to as the "Ur.Hamlet" to distinguish it from Shakespeare's extant version.

The text now is considered the longest of Shakespeare's wrote.

On the other hand, the researcher, throughout this chapter deals so much with literary genres of the story of Hamlet. These genres of critical analysis of plot, themes and characters.

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Furthermore, the researcher discusses some of the ideas which, Shakespeare echos through the character of Hamlet. as the role of Hamlet himself.

4-1 Hamlet plot synopsis

According to www Shakespeare-online.com/plots/hamlet htm:2005, Hamlet opens with the Sentry Francisco, keeping watch over the castle at Elsinore. He is relieved by Barnado, who is joined shortly by and Marcellus. Barnardo and Marcellus reveal that they have witnessed an apparition. Horatio says "it is but our fantasy, and will not let belief take hold of him".

The ghost of the king of appears and promptly withdraws into the night. Horatio recognizes the armor covering the ghost and remarks that it is the very armor that the king wore. They suspect that the appearance of the ghostly king is an ominous message to all of Denmark, as they prepare for war with Norway. Horatio pleads with the apparition to reveal its intentions. The ghost, however refuses to speak and disappears. , who now rules Denmark has taken King Hamlet's wife, Queen as his new wife and queen of Denmark. He sends two of his countries to Norway as peace keepers, and he grants , who has come to Denmark specially for the king coronation, permission to return to his studies in France. The new king of Denmark denies Hamlet

51 permission to return to his studies in . Hamlet remains alone to express his disgust at "The place of Macbeth" his mother's hasty and incestuous remarriage. Horatio comes to tell Hamlet that the ghost of his father has appeared on the castle wall and they plan to join the watch that night. Laertes, the son of Lord , about to leave for Paris, warns his sister Ophelia not to fall in love with young Hamlet. Polonius gives his son parting advice and orders his daughter to reject Hamlet's advances. That night the Ghost returns, and he demands privately, that Hamlet must revenge his murder by Claudius who had poisoned him as he slept after his middy dinner. King Hamlet Ghost also tells Hamlet not to punish Queen Gertrude for her marriage Hamlet makes Horatio and the guard swear not to reveal these supernatural events nor to indicate that the "antic disposition" he may assume is anything but real madness. Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet has acted very strangely towards her. Polonius decides that the prince has been driven mad by her rejection.

Meanwhile, Claudius, worried by Hamlet's changed disposition, has sent for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, friends of Hamlet at Wittenberg, to find out what caused it.

When Hamlet is tested by the two, forces them to admit that they had been sent for by Claudius. Queen Gertrude reveals that only Hamlet's father death and her recent marriage could be

51 up setting Hamlet. Polonius on the other hand, believes that Hamlet transformation is caused by his love to his daughter Ophelia. Hamlet plans to use a play to test whether King Claudius did really kill his father as the Ghost told him. A company of players now enters, and Hamlet has the chief player deliver a speech on the murder of Priam by Pyrrhus and 's passionate reaction to it. Hamlet arranges for a court performance of "the Murder of Gonzago", a play that closely parallels his father's murder as described by the Ghost. Alone, he soliloquizes on the contrasts between the player passionate action and his own apparent inaction and decides that Claudius' response to the play will be at once the test of the veracity of the Ghost and of Claudius' guilt. Claudius and Polonius eavesdrop on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. Fearing for his own safety, Claudius decides to send Hamlet away to England with Rosencrantze and Guildenstern and Polonius suggests an interview with Gertrude on which he will eavesdrop again. The play within the play follows. And at the poising scene Claudius reacts in a way that convinces Hamlet that Claudius is guilty and removing any doubts Hamlet has had about the justice of revenge. The King is now aware that Hamlet knows his secret, and that he is no longer safe in his own castle. He soliloquizes on the crimes that he has committed, and falls to his knees to pray for forgiveness. Coming upon Claudius a prayer, Hamlet's first impulse is to kill him at once, but he fears that he might

52 send the soul of the seemingly penitent Claudius to heaven, and so defer revenge. Hamlet's interview with Gertrude begins with his killing as he thinks. Claudius spying from behind the arras is devoted to an attempt to persuade Gertrude to repent off her sins which turn out not to have included complicity in the murder of old Hamlet. The Ghost appears to Hamlet alone, telling him to be gentle with the queen . Gertrude is only more convinced of Hamlet's lunacy. Hamlet is sent to England in the company of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. King Claudius plans to kill Hamlet in London. On his way to England. Hamlet meets who marches through Denmark to invade negligible Polish territory. Hamlet laments that he does not have in him the strength of young Fortinbras who fights only to maintain honor. The death of Polonius leaves its mark on Ophelia becomes mad from the grief on losing her father. Laertes return to Elsinore and demands an account for the death of his father. A letter from Hamlet to his friend Horatio informs Hamlet surprising return to Denmark alone. Gertrude comes to report that young Ophelia falls off a willow tree branch and drowns. Claudius and Laertes plot to kill Hamlet by trickery. Hamlet and Horatio enter a graveyard and discuss death and dissolution and with two clownish . Ophelia's funeral procession appears. When Laertes leaps into the grave to embrace his sister's corpse, Hamlet jumps in after him and they wrestle. Later, Hamlet Tells Horatio how he had discovered the plot to have him put to death

53 in England and how he had turned it against Claudius' agents. A foppish countier informs Hamlet of the king's wager on a proposed fencing match between the prince and laertes.

As the match begins. Claudius has poisoned wine set out for Hamlet. Hamlet scores two hits, and Gertrude dying as she drinks from the poisoned cup Hamlet and Laertes are stabbed with tip poisoned swords. When Laertes confesses his and the king's guilt, Hamlet kills Claudius with the same poisoned sword.

Hamlet dying , tells Horatio to tell his story and not to commit suicide. He recommends youg Fortinbras as the next king of Denmark.

4-2 Plot Structure

According to www.geocities.com/Shakesp.mrlowe/indexhtm: 2006 When reading the next of Hamlet attentively it has bee realized that Shakespeare include in it something quiet different from what has been traditionally interpreted.

The text shows that was not a son to king Hamlet, King Hamlet has never been poisoned, pregnant Ophelia was drowed by prince Hamlet's half-brother.

There are multiple contradiction of the plot of Hamlet. Even the age of the hero is not known for sure : Hamlet in act (1) is around twenty while in the act (v) he appears to be thirty

54 years old. In fact the contradictions in the story of Hamlet must be treated as composition means intended by Shakespeare as integral part of the structure of Hamlet. More over the contradictions reflect a sophisticated structure with two plots both containing the same list of character factually possessing with different biographies.

www.geocities.com/Shakesp-mrlowe/index.htm:2006 say that,

Although the real plot of Hamlet as it was intended by Shakespeare can be comprehended without employment of any theory, it is necessary to develop a theory that address the problems of decoding and describing the inner structure of special class of fiction called "menippeach"

The nature of the contradictions is explained with the fact that the text of Hamlet contains two different plots; the one showing the real events in Elsinore, and the other being the text of drama staged in the castle. The plot of the staged pentameter drama features that the real persons with changed biographies. That is the prince's age is twenty within the plot of the staged drama, while the real Hamlet who instructs the actors is thirty. Moreover, it appears that he is king Hamlet's son only within the plot of the inner drama. In reality he is a son to king Forinbras killed by his brother on the very day prince Hamlet was born. www.geocities.com/shakesp-marlowe/index.htm:2006 adds

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In spite of the great efforts in the four centuries of the existence of Hamlet. There has hardly been achieved any significant success in the apprehension of its content. The plot of Hamlet does not exist as a singular entity. So, due to wrong comprehension of what is believed to be the plot of Hamlet, even the simplest contradictions have not yet been explained. One of them is the famous discrepancy concerning Hamlet's age.

Alfred (2003) confirms: " I would like to outline here one more starting paradox which I am afraid has never been scrutinized in scholarly essays. It goes on the scene with the .

"From the episode with 's scull it is evident that Hamlet and the Gravedigger must have been acquainted since Hamlet's early childhood. The gravedigger recalls the case when yorick the poured Reinish on his head. It should be taken into consideration duties only among peers, and only in the presence of monarch. As the Gravedigger alluded royal receptions and was treated there as a peer, he must have possessed with considerably higher social status than that of a mentions having kissed Yorick's lips. The estimations of these biographical details lead to an inevitable conclusion: The grave digger and Hamlet must have met when Hamlet was a boy. And yet, despite the compelling situation neither of them would mention their past acquaintance.

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Another starting moment hardly mentioned by commentators of Hamlet is that having got to the church yard where his assassinated father must have been buried only few months before that, Hamlet demonstrates no sentiments. Such behavior greatly contracts with Hamlet's mourning in previous acts. It seems as if he had two fathers: the one whose recent death he mourns and another one when he does not remember".

4-3 Hamlet Pot as Aristotle's Tragedy

Tragedy is one of the oldest and most important of literary genres. And one of the foremost Elizabeth tragedies in the canon of English literature is Hamlet by William Shakespeare. One of the earliest critics of tragedy is Aristotle. Hamlet is one of the most recognizable and most quoted tragedies in all of English literature.

Aristotle, is concerned with the proper presentation of tragic plays and poetry, According to Aristotle definition of tragedy, it is:

……………………"a representation of an action that is worth serious attention, complete in itself and of some By this definition, Hamlet should be a noble person, who does only noble things. Aristotle would have objected to Hamlet's refused to kill Claudius during prayer which from the turning point of Hamlet. This is significant because if he were to have achieved his revenge at that point. Claudius' soul may have been clean.

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Hamlet wishes to get revenge when Claudius "soul may be damned and black/As hell, where to it goes" By waiting for the right time, Hamlet loses his chance to achieve. The ignoble act adds to the theme of proper revenge, but when all there revenge subplot are considered together, Aristotle also behaved in heroes that are first and foremost good (Aristotle 51). Although Hamlet spends much time deliberating good and evil and what the greatest good is, he cannot act laertes does act, but he act rashly, and cannot perform good either. Fortinbras is the type of hero that Aristotle would have preferred. Although from fortinbras' point of view the play is not tragic.

Moreover, www.studyworld.com/new sit/Report

Essay/Literature/shakespeae%5 c Hamlet: 2006

Confirms that Shakespeare uses the plot to help create the mood of Hamlet by incorporating subplots and by having his tragic hero do things which are particularly barbaric. By the same token Ophelia's unstinting devotion to her father, and by that her poor treatment of Hamlet causes to question which of the two is not the worthier, but the least evil. Both of their actions invoke disgust. Aristotle would have objected to Hamlet's treatment of Ophelia because of his belief in the tragic hero. The only characters who act heroic are Horatio, who is devoted to Hamlet, and Fortinbras. These are the two characters who survive when the bodies of the characters are seen lying on

58 the ground, one can realize the futility of Hamlet's actions and that evokes disgust. So, it is the evocation of this emotion that Aristotle would have disagreed with.

4.4 Analysis of major characters 4-4-1 Hamlet

According to www.shakespere.com . One line.com/Hamlet cha-htm2003, Hamlet is arguably the greatest dramatic character. From the moment of his appearance, he enraptures the people of his elegant intensity. He is a man of radical contradictions he is reckless yet cautious yet uncivil, tender yet ferocious. He meets his father's death with consuming outrage and righteous indignation, yet shows no compunction when he himself is responsible for the deaths of the deaths of the meddling Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and lord Chamberlain, Polonius. He uses the queen, and cannot comprehend that his own vicious words have caused her . However, Hamlet remained a demigod of sorts- his faults having been quashed by his virtues. This mean that there are many good qualities in the character of Hamlet, and that seemingly negative quality can enhance his position as a tragic hero.

The first impression of Hamlet sets the tone of the whole play. Even without Shakespeare providing an elaborate description of Hamlet's feature, it is easily to envisage his pale face, tousled , and intense brooding eyes. Dressed totally in

59 black, Hamlet displays all the forms, moods and shapes of grief. Hamlet cannot forget his father, even when all those around him have resumed their merry lives, content to offer the occasional conciliatory words of wisdom. Hamlet's tremendous grief is intensified by the lack of felling by those around him, and more significantly by the cold-hearted actions of his mother, who married her brother-in-law within a month of her husband's death. In fact the treachery of Gertrude rips the very fabric of Hamlet's being and he tortures himself with memories of his father's tenderness towards his mother. The following lines show Hamlet respect and owe towards his father:

"So excellent a king, that was to this

Hyperion to satyr, so loving to my mother,

That he might not between the winds

Of heaven visit her face too roughly;

Heaven and earth,

Must remember?" (1.ii.141-145)

It is apparent that Hamlet great admiration is enhanced by the comparison of Claudius to Hyperion's antithesis, the satyr, a creature half-goat and half-man, known for its drunken and lustful behavior.

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In fact, the actions of Claudius and Gertrude have tainted forever Hamlet's thought and feelings towards women. This causes great misery to the innocent Ophelia, who loves her and feels the same feelings that his father felt for his mother.

Hamlet at the beginning of the play that arranged to test King Claudius, show a different tone with Ophelia. His different tone therefore indicate that he is mad.

Hamlet is responsible for his treatment of Ophelia. In his destruction of his beloved creature Hamlet it brilliant, fueled by range and thoughts of Gertrude's betrayal. Ophelia is the only out let for Hamlet's hostility towards the king, The belief that Hamlet still loves Ophelia and that his deep sensitivity and hunger for justice compel him to behave the way he does, allows to say that Hamlet is at once so heartless and yet so virtuous. Hamlet recognized his love for Ophelia when he realizes that she is dead and free from her tainted womanly trappings.

Hidden beneath Hamlet's cruel words is a desire to embrace those that fate dictates he must despise. This mean, when he speaks with his mother with a relentless way, he want to show her affection, to comfort her and to be comforted by her. So, love, pleasure and tenderness have disappeared behind Hamlet's depression.

Hamlet's continual introspection helps him to overcome his great anxiety. When he return from exile, her returns

61 different Hamlet. He is calm, and less afraid of death. He has come to the realization that destiny is ultimately controlling all human lives.

Hamlet is ready to meet the paradoxical truth that to avenge his father's death he must commit the same act for which seeks revenge. When Hamlet finally dies, it is his princely qualities that make the last mark in people's mind. Hamlet remains.

"The courtier's. Soldier scholar's, eye, tongue, sword.

The expectancy and rose of fair states

The glass of fashion, and the mould of form

The observed of all observers (III-i-153-56).

4-4-2 Ophelia

As stated in www.Shakespeare-online .com/Ophelia char- htm:2003, Ophelia of all the pivotal , is the most static and one dimensional. She has the potential to become a tragic heroine, but she instead, crumbles into insanity, becoming merely tragic. Ophelia's distinct purpose is to show at once Hamlet's warped view of women as callous sexual predators, and the innocence and virtue of women. Hamlet's feelings of rage against his mother is directed towards Ophelia. Moreover, Hamlet's evaluation that all women are whores is witnessed through Ophelia.

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But away from cruel views, Ophelia represents something different. She is an example of goodness. Like Gertrude, she is childlike and native. She is very young and she has lost her mother at birth. Her father Polonius and her brother Laertes love her very great. She is not involved with matters of state; she spends her days engaged in needle point and flower gathering. She returns the love shown to her by Polonius and Laertes ten- fold, and couples it with complete and sure loyalty. She obeys her father when tells her not to see Hamlet again or accept any letter from him. Her heart is pure, and when she is obliged to tell lie-it is out of real fear. She always remembers Hamlet's kind treatment and she never forgets his respect and tenderness. She loves him to the very end though he is brutal. Ophelia is in capable to defend herself, though the following responses show her intense suffering:

Ham: I did love you once.

Oph: Indeed, my lord. You made me believe so

Ham: You should not have believed me…..

I loved you not

Oph: I was the more deceived

Her frailty and innocence work against her because she cannot cope with the unfolding of one traumatic event after another. Throughout the play, Ophelia's darling Hamlet causes

63 all her emotional pain and when his hate is responsible for her father's death, she goes insane.

But even in her insanity she symbolizes incorruption and virtue.

Broadly (1986:123-3) says, "In her wanderings we hear from time to time on under tone of the deepest sorrow, but never the agonized cry of fear or horror which makes madness dreadful or shocking. And the picture of her death, if our eyes grow dim in watching it, is still purely beautiful."

The bawdy songs that she sings are somber reminders that the corrupt world has taken its toll on the pure Ophelia. They show that only in her insanity she lives up to Hamlet's false perception of her as a lustful woman.

4-4-3 Claudius

As ww.Shakespeare-online.com/Claudius char-htm:2005 mentions, Claudius is not developed to his full potential. His primary role in the play is to produce Hamlet's confusion and anger, and his subsequent search for truth and life's meaning. But Claudius is not static character. While his qualities are not as thoroughly explored as Hamlet's, Shakespeare crafts a whole human being out of the treacherous, usurping king of Denmark. He is first introduced as an intelligent ruler. He gives a speech to

64 make his court and country proud, addressing his brother's death and the potential conflict with Norway.

He can concentrate on his kingly duties, and he takes immediate and decisive action by sending two of his countries to appease the Norwegian king. He also deals skillfully with Laertes' request to leave for France. But Claudius, in private, is a very different person. The Ghost refers to him as "That incestuous, that adulterate beast", and his crime is what "rotten in the state of Denmark". This king has committed fratricide and and had bedded the Queen with "the witchcraft of his ". Claudius represents the worst in human/nature: lust- greed corruption and excess.

However, Claudius is not a total sociopath devoid of moments of guilt and regret.

His deeds weigh heavy on his heart:

()"O,'tis true1.

How smart a lash that speech doth give my conscience!

The harlot's cheek, beautied with…………

O heavy burden"(III-1-49-53)

He tries to ask God's forgiveness in a moving soliloquy but he realizes that he still reaps all benefits of his crimes and can not give them up.

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Claudius can also be described as sensitive and gentle. He is genuinely sorry for Polonius' death and he truly loves Gertrude. He refuses to kill Hamlet with his own hands for Gertrude' sake. He also like Ophelia and treat her with great kindness. But he uses the grief Laertes to what ever ends necessary and he denies Rosencrantz and Guildenstern the knowledge of the content of the letter to England. And Claudius does not stop Gertrude drinking from the poisoned cup during duel between Hamlet and Laertes because it will implicate him in the plot. This indicate that Claudius' ambition and desire are above his sense.

It is clear that Claudius is seen as murderous villain but a multi-faced villain. He is not a monster; he is morally weak, content to trade his humanity and very soul for a few prized possessions.

4-5 The major themes of the story

The themes which will introduce below are inferred from the characters' speech in the tragedy of Shakespeare "Hamlet" within this area the researcher chooses a number of useful themes which will help understanding the text well. It may also add additional ideas and believes.

These themes are illustrated below separately:

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4-5-1 Disease and poison

According to ww.chicknotes.com/hamlet/Disease./htm 2005, the theme of disease and poison is apparent in the following speechs:

In the opening moment of the play Francisco says:

"This bitter cold,

And I am sick at heart"(1-1-9)

Horatio, as he describes the conditions in Rome' just before the murder of Julius Ceasar says the moon:

"Was sick almost to doomsday with eclipse"

He believes that the appearance of the Ghost is a portent to Denmark, as the sick moon was a portent to Rome.

In his first solidloquy, Hamlet says of the world.

"things rank and gross in nature posses it"

(1-2-136-137)

Hamlet feels that the whole world is diseased

"For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion"

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Says Hamlet, in the midst of making a series of bitter jests at Polonius. The general idea is that even the life-giving, sun can give life to disgusting disease.

Hamlet says after he has discovered that both Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have come to see him because they were sent by the king, not because they are his friends. He says he will explain how he feels, thus saving Rosencrantz and Guildenstern the trouble of figuring it out:

"this most excellent canopy, the air ……….

This majestically roof fretted with golden fire,

Why, it appears no other thing to me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors"

(2-2-299-303)

Hamlet says of the king:

"For me to put him to his purgation would perhaps plunge him into far more choler" (3-2-305-307)

After Hamlet has frightened the king with the performance of the Murder of Gonzago, Guildenstern tells Hamlet that the king is "distemp'red ….. with choler." So Guildenstern wants to say that, Hamlet has made the king angry, and Hamlet's word/reply to Guildenstern shows that the state of the king is

68 really sickness. Furthermore, Hamlet adds, his cure for thing's sickness would make him sicker and Angier.

"This physic but prolongs thy sickly days"

Hamlet says to the king though not so the king can hear him. Hamlet has just put his sword and decided to take his revenge when he is sure the king will go to hell.

"Sure, He that made us with such large discourse,

Looking before and after, gave us not,

That capability and god-like reason

To Fust in us unused" (4.436-39)

Says Hamlet in his fourth soliloquy as he again berates himself for not taking revenge on King Claudius

Speaking of the King. Hamlet asks.

"isn't not to be dann'd,

To let this canker of our nature come

In further evil"? (5.2.68-70)

Hamlet sees the king as a kind of disease who will make other people worse and destroy their faith in human nature.

"But thou wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart: but is no matter"(5-2-2-212-213)

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Hamlet suddenly says, just after agreeing to the fencing match with Laertes. He quickly passes off his second thoughts but dies of poison in the fencing match. In the end, he turns the poison on its source, the king, stabbing him with throat-with his dying breath, Laertes says of the king

He justly served;

"It is a poison tempered by himself"

(5-2-327-328),

And Laertes admits that it is his own poison that is killing him.

4-5-2 Fortune, fate and Providence

As stated in www.clicknotes-com/hamlet Fortune. htm/2005, the other theme of Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet is; Fortune, fate and Providence.

When Horatio cries out to the Ghost:

"If thou art privy to the country's fate,

Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid,

O,speak! (1-1-133-135)

The above suggest that fate isn't inevitable. A little before however, Horatio is certain that the appearance of the Ghost is a terrible portent, similar to that time in Rome, just before "The

71 mightiest Julius fell", Horatio conceives of "fate" as a disaster that threatens a whole country.

In the course of commenting about how just one fault can ruin man's reputation. Hamlet says that the fault can be:

" nature's livery, or fortune's star"(1-432).

In other words, the man can either be born with fault or pick it up later. Hamlet's thinking seems to be that the fault is something that happens to the man, rather than something that deliberately chosen.

When Hamlet's friends try to keep him from following the Ghost, because they believe, it may be an evil of spirit. He exclaims:

"My fate cries out,

And makes each petty artery in this body

An hardy as Nemean lion's nerve".

So Hamlet says that it is his fate to follow the Ghost and that gives him great courage.

"To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether' it's nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of out rageous fortune, or

To take arms against a sea of troubles,

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And by opposing end them?" (3-1-55-59)

These are famous lines of Hamlet's third soliloquy.

They suggest that the randomness of fortune is not only painful, but steals the sense of self.

Just before the performance of the Murder of gonzago, Hamlet takes a moment alone with Horatio to praise him as :

"A man that fortune's buffets and rewards

Hasttalen with equal thanks" (3-2-67-68).

As he goes on, saying that those are blessed who are not " a [musical] pipe for fortune's finger" to play on, it seems that Hamlet is praising a quality that he wishes that he had, and that he feels himself to be " slave," unable to maintain a steady sense of who he is.

After he has stabbed through the arras, Hamlet says to the body of Polonius;

"take thy fortune; Thou find's to be too busy [mossy] is some danger"

(3-432-33)

In Hamlet's view, Polonius' "fortune" is not just a matter of bad luck; Polonius has earned his death. Later; speaking of Polonius', Hamlet says:

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"for this same lord,

I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so

To punish me with this and this with me,

That must be their scourge and minister" (3-4-172-175)

According to this view, Polonius' death is not an accident at all, but part of heaven's plan.

In the last scene of the play, Hamlet tells Horatio how he found his own death warrant. In the dark, he slipped into Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's cabin and searched their pocket. He say that it was an act of rashness and then comments:

"let us know,

Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well,

When our deep plots do pall: and that should

Teach us

There's a divinity that shapes our ends,

Rough-hew then how we will" (5-2-7-11)

Thus Hamlet's speech indicates that what looks random,

Such as an "indiscretion," many turn out to be part of a divine play for one's own good.

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Later, Hamlet tells Horatio how he wrote a new warrant, commanding that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern be put to death, and Horatio asks him how he made it look like it came from the king Hamlet replies:

"Why, even in that was heaven ordinant" (5-2-48),

Hamlet goes on to explain that he happened to have his father's signet, and used that to make the impression in the sealing wax.

4-5-3 Revenge

The last theme which will be discussed here, is "revenge". Accordingtowww.clicknotes.com/hamlet/Revenge/htm/:2005,H amlet says to the Ghost, "Speak; I am board to hear." He means that it is his duty to listen to the spirit of his father. The Ghost replies that it is also his duty to take revenge:

"So art thou to revenge,

When though shalt hear." (1-5-7)

A moment later, the Ghost repeats the message, but more strongly. He says that if Hamlet ever loved his father, he will "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder" (1-5-25).

Hamlet promised to prove his love and do his duty. He tells the Ghost to tell the story of the murder, and the revenge will follow:

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"Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift

As meditation or the thought of love,

May sweep to my revenge (1-5-29-31)

By the time the players come to Elsinore, it's been a while since Hamlet promised the Ghost that he would take revenge. Then the first player weeps as he tells the story of Queen Hecuba's grief for her murdered husband. This makes Hamlet ask himself why he hasn't carried out his revenge. To Hamlet it seems that first player feels more strongly about Hecuba than Hamlet does about his father. Hamlet then calls himself a coward, and tries to work himself up into the white heat of hatred. But as he is calling King Claudius a "bloody, bawdy villain," Hamlet realizes that he's still talking rather than doing:

"Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,

That, the son of a dear father murder'd,

Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hall,

Must, like a whole, unpack my heart with words,

And fall a –cursing, like a very drab,

A stallion! Fie upon't foh (2-2-581-587)

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Despite all of this, Hamlet decides that instead of taking revenge right away, he will find out if the Ghost is really telling the truth.

"I am very proud, revengeful, ambitious" (3-1-123-124)

These are Hamlet words to his beloved Ophelia, when he is trying to persuade her that she can't trust any man and should never marry. His point is that he himself is an example of the faults of men. One of those faults is being "revengeful".

Standing behind the kneeling Claudius, Sword in hand, Hamlet says to himself:

"Now might I do it pat, now he is praying:

And now I'll do it. And so he goes to heaven;

And so amI revenged" (3-3-73-75)

But given this opportunity, Hamlet thinks rather than acts, what he thinks is that he'll wait until he can catch Claudius in the middle of a sinful act, and take revenge then. Then Claudius will go to hell, not to heaven, so the revenge will be perfect.

Upon Laertes' return from France he proclaims that

"both the words I give to negligence,

Let come what comes, only I'll be revenged

Most thoroughly for my father"(4-5-135-137)

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By "both the words", Laertes means this word and the next. He is determined to have revenge even if he dies in this world and is dammed in the next.

At the moment, Laertes thinks that king Claudius is the object of his revenge, but the king asks:

"it's writ in your revenge,

That, swoopstake, you will draw both friend and foe

Winner and loser?" (4-5-142-144)

The king then starts to tell Laertes that he is innocent of wrong, but just at this moment mad Ophelia enters. Seeing Ophelia, Laertes exclaims:

"Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge,

It could not move thus "(4-5-170).

He means that if she were same, and tried to persuade Laertes to take revenge, it would be less effective than this. The sight of his sister's madness makes him more revengeful than ever.

After king Claudius has persuaded Laertes that hamlet if responsible for Polonius' death and Ophelia's madness, Laertes promises that "my revenge will come". However, the king apparently thinks he needs to make sure that Laertes will go

77 along with his plan to kill Hamlet by underhanded means Before he reveals to full plan, the king asks:

"Laertes, was your father dear to you?

On are you like the painting of a sorrow,

A face without a heart?" (4-7-107-109)

The Ghost said something very similar to Hamlet

"If thou didst ever thy dear father love…..

Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder

Thus the king, like the Ghost, says that taking revenge proves that a man loves his father. The king then asks Laertes what he would do to prove his love for his father. Laertes replies that he would cut Hamlet's throat in a church, and the king approves, saying:

"No place indeed, should murder Sanctuariz;

Revenge should have no bounds"(4-7-127-128).

Of course the king approves because now he can get Laertes to accept a sneaky and cowardly way of taking revenge.

4-6 The true world of Hamlet

According to Allfreessays/com/student/ is Hamlet a tragic hero-a weak revenge or a political misfit'. Shakespeare's Hamlet is at the outset a typical . However, it is possible to

78 see Prince Hamlet as a more complex character as he can be seen as various combinations of a weak revenge, a tragic hero and a olitical misfit. In order to fully understand the world in which Hamlet finds himself, it is necessary to examine all three of these roles:

4-6-1 Hamlet as a tragic hero

As a tragic hero Hamlet displays many typical qualities of a traditional hero in a Elizabeth .

Hamlet is the prince of Denmark and therefore belongs to a social elite. Hamlet can described as being too noble to take revenge. Because Hamlet is well educated, he has to think extensively before taking revenge. It is a clear that Hamlet doubt the Ghost. So he doesn't want to revenge his father's murder without a considerable thought. Hamlet constantly rationalizes and stops himself from acting with any degree of passion. Hamlet can and is frequently described as a man with a tragic flaw, this being that his tendency to contemplate his actions is not a positive quality but that instead this brings about his down fall. Hamlet also seems to be a victim of bad luck. The accidental killing of Polonius in his mother's bedroom as well as the interception of Hamlet's ship by Pirates, and his subsequent return to Denmark are two such examples.

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4-6-2 Hamlet as a weak revenge

Allfreessays.com/student/Is Hamlet a tragic hero- a weak revenge or….2006states that, it is possible to consider that Hamlet is a weak revenge with comparison to the traditional revenge who is a man of action. The traditional hero in revenge story comprises most of the qualities that Hamlet possesses.

In fact Hamlet in may ways is typical of a traditional revenge. As all plays of the time the central characters would have been a member of he aristocracy, and as a prince who is well educated, Hamlet fits he traditional role of revenge.

Hamlet can be seen as a weak revenge, a weak willed coward who lets his family name before tarnished and who allows his uncle to outsmart him. This would have been controversial at the time as family reputation, dignity and honor were one of the most important values.

4-6-3 Hamlet as a political misfit

Allfreessay.com/student/Is Hamlet a tragic hero-a weak revenge of … 2006 continuous to state that both Hamlet and his mother are spied on by Polonius. This is an example of the unbalanced political situation and a justification for Hamlet's paranoia.

Hamlet's situation is made worse as no-one else in the court apart from Horatio knows the murder of King Claudius.

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Claudius is a popular leader, who makes Hamlet's position more dangerous and lead to a great deal of isolation with his native Denmark. A part from Horatio, Hamlet cannot trust anyone. This increases his sense of isolation.

Allfreessays.com/student/ is Hamlet a tragic hero. A weak revenge or 2006 concludes, "Hamlet in fact fits all three categories well and that not one of the views: weak revenge, tragic hero or political misfit, classifies him accurately. He is a combination f all three and at times vacillates between weak revenge and tragic hero, making him particularly venerable and open to attack. The political problems in Denmark are contributing factors which lead Hamlet to his death but have bearing on his ability to be either a tragic hero or a weak revenge".

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Conclusion

To conclude this chapter, it is clear that Shakespeare's tragedy "Hamlet" is the most famous play of all of Shakespeare tragedies. When analyzing its plot, one can find that Shakespeare uses one that is truly different from other of Shakespeare's tragedies. Critics have stated that the plot which Shakespeare used in his tragedy seems odd. On the other hand, the themes that are picked from the play can help straightening the way of human life. That is, the play introduces the inner of human being since all the themes reflect the issues of human life. These themes include, revenge, fate, death. In fact, the analyses of the major characters of Shakespeare's story of Hamlet shows that; Hamlet is arguably, the most complicated character. He is courteous yet uncivil. He is also classified as a mixture of; tragic hero, revenge and a political misfit. Claudius on the other hand, represents the worse of human nature i.e.: greed, lust, corruption. But he is not totally bad- since he shows his regret and asks God for forgiveness. It also results that Ophelia of all of the character is the most static and one dimensional. She is childlike, loyal and obedient.

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Chapter Five Conclusion 5-0 Introduction The study compares the story of Macbeth and the story of Macbeth and the story of Hamlet. So this chapter deals with the ways in which the two plays are similar or different.

5-1 The construction of the two stories In fact in writing the story of Macbeth Shakespeare provides a perfect plot. This means that the story has an introduction, rabid rising actions, a climax, rabid following action and a brief conclusion. In the first two scenes Macbeth is shown a brave, intelligent warrior, who is honored by the new title. The next scene shows Macbeth as a murder. The first half of the play is then serves as an introduction in which the character of Macbeth is described as being brave. He encouraged by his power as a warrior and the meeting of the three witches to kill king Duncan while he is a guest at the castle. The climax of the story in fact occurs in act III scene III where Banquo is killed by the murderers employed by Macbeth. The events after this climax then ranged against Macbeth quickly. In England, King Duncan's son is promised and in his fight against Macbeth, while in Scotland the people are shocked at the Cruelty of Macbeth for his killing of Macdull's family. Furthermore, the castle itself becomes into lerable. Lady

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Macbeth as a result of her evil deed lost her mind and becomes insane she reveals her evil acts while she is sleeping. Out of the castle, people join forces against Macbeth.

In the final scene Macbeth and Macduff are met face to face. Macbeth is killed and Malcolm, King Duncan's Son is declared the new king of Scotland.

The illustration shows that the story of Macbeth can be considered as one of the easiest stories to follow. This means that it is constructed in a way that every event related directly to Macbeth, the main character of the story.

So one can say that in writing the story of Macbeth, Shakespeare uses only a primary plot.

Whereas the story of Hamlet is written in a text that approximately more complex than the story of Macbeth. Shakespeare includes in it interpreted. The text of Hamlet has a multiple contradictory plot which reflects a sophisticated structure with two plots both contain the same list of characters within the text Hamlet, one understands that prince Hamlet was not a son to king Hamlet has never been poisoned and pregnant Ophelia was drowned by prince Hamlet's half-brother. Even the age of the hero is not known for sure. In the first act he is around twenty but in act five he appears to be thirty years old.

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Thus one can see that there is a difference between the stories, while the text of Macbeth is almost distinguished by its simplicity, plainness and enjoyment, Hamlet is intended by Shakespeare to be more complex contradictory and ambiguous.

5-2 Hamlet and Macbeth as Aristotle's tragedies According to Aristotle, the tragedy is defined as "The recreation, complete written in itself, of an important moral action". In fact Aristotle refers to the plot as an imitation of a noble and complete action. The plot of the story of Macbeth is evidently considered as an equivalent genre to Aristotle's poetics. That it has a beginning, middle and an end. Another way of the resemblance between Macbeth's plot and Aristotle's poetics is that, the plot of the story of Macbeth contains an activating circumstances, disclosure and a reversal of action. The activating of circumstance is the three witches, disclosure is lady Macbeth's lines in which she says:

" …………….. what need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account?

"I tell you again, Banquo's buried

The reversal of action on the other hand occurs when Macduff kills Macbeth.

On the contrary, Hamlet doesn't resemble the Aristotle tragedy. Shakespeare in writing Hamlet, uses the characters, plot

85 and the setting to create a mood of disgust and a theme of proper revenge as opposed to and fear. This ranges the play in non- Aristotle's point of view.

The plot is also the another way of showing Aristotle's disapproval of Hamlet. That is, the necessity for the unity of the plot that Aristotle state for a proper revenge, leave no room for subplots which are important for the theme of Hamlet. Moreover, Aristotle definition of the plot as the noble action and the doing of noble person implies that Hamlet must be a noble person who does only noble things. But Hamlet's refusal to kill king Clauduis while he is in prayer, and his bad treatment to his beloved Ophelia make Aristotle regard his unheroic. Accordingly, Hamlet is classified as none Aristotle's poetics tragedy.

Thus, the difference between the two stories is shown with reference to their resemblance to the Aristotle's poetics.

The characters of the two stories

Although the two stories are written by a single writer, one can realize that the characters used in each play have special characteristics and attitudes that add something important to the play. For instance : Macbeth, the hero of the story of "Macbeth is first introduced as a warrior, brave soldier who fights to gain the respect from the king. His first introduction then, gives false tone to the whole play. While Hamlet's first impression really

86 sets the whole tone of the play. Even without being directly introduced, his feature indicates that he is sad and his pale face, tousled hair and black dressing are signs of his deep grief. So Hamlet displays all the forms, mood and shapes of the grief. This is considered as one of the immense difference between the two characters. Another feature of the inconsistency between the character of Hamlet and the character of Macbeth concerns their feeling. This means that Hamlet's love to Ophelia can be clearly appeared at her funeral day. Also his speech and deep grief show his real love towards Ophelia, where as Macbeth has no feeling towards his wife even when she becomes mad and lost her mind as a result of her evil deeds. And even when she dies there is nothing mentioned which reflects his sad and grif.

Referring to their sin, one can say that Hamlet is not responsible for his murderer. This because of his desire to revenge for his father's death. But Macbeth is considered to be completely guilty, for he is not forced to commit these crimes. His inner desire to become a king and the three witches prophecies cause his bad end.

No doubt, both of Hamlet and Macbeth face the same end. Macbeth is killed at the end of the story because of his evil deeds. Hamlet on the other hand is killed as a result of his search of the truth.

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On the other hand lady Macbeth, the evil female urgues her husband to murder the king while staying at their castle. But Ophelia, the female character in the story of Hamlet behaves the opposite. She is introduced as innocent, loyal and obedient. Her love to Hamlet lasts till she dies. King Duncan is killed because of his too much trustfulness. He is betrayed and this may due to his weak character. It can also be said that Macbeth's ambition and desire to be in the main reason of killing king Duncan. But king Claudius on the other side is murdered because of Hamlet's desire to revenge for his father's death. He is described as dishonest and he betrayed his brother to be a king of Denmark. His kingdom is therefore based on greed and corrupt.

5-3 The themes of the two stories No doubt Shakespeare in both plays tries to reflect some issues and ideas that may help the human being. In other words Shakespeare though out all of his works intends enjoy and preach the audience at the same time.

Referring to the story of Macbeth one can infer many themes from the speech of the characters. These themes include Fair is Foul and Foul is Fair, Kingship and the Blood. It is obvious these themes affect the life. The theme of Blood for instance represents the crime or the murder. The theme of king ship may also means or relate to the murder. This means that the desire to be a king may lead to do wrong things such as killing.

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And the theme of Fair is Foul" indicates that there is no difference between.

5-4 The construction of the two stories In fact in writing the story of Macbeth Shakespeare

Good and bad and all the things are the same. Thus the story of Macbeth reflects many useful and moral problems that affect the life. In addition to the story of Macbeth Shakespeare also in his play Hamlet addresses the human nature. The story echo's idea of good and evil. According to the story of Hamlet the nature of human being is a mixture between good and evil.

In fact the themes of "Revenge", "Disease and Poison" and "Fate and Providence" are similar to the themes which are inferred from the story of Macbeth. For example the theme of Revenge refers to the murder that leads to the death.

In general, Shakespeare in these stories tries to reflect some of the ideas and views that affect the human life and the society.

5-5 The use of Supernatural in the two stories It is true that the supernatural elements play a very important role in the two stories of Macbeth and Hamlet. In the story of Macbeth the supernatural appears in many forms. At the beginning of the story the three witches met Macbeth after his victory. Also after killing Banque, Macbeth is frightened by his

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Ghost, Macbeth sees a floating dagger in front of him before killing king Duncan, and a prophetic apparitions. Where are the supernatural in the story of Hamlet only appears in the form of a Ghost. It appears in the form of Hamlet's father.

The use of supernatural in Shakespeare's stories usually plays great role in the structure of the plot and in the theme. In fact the supernatural occurs during the course of Macbeth for four times. But the witches are perhaps the most important supernatural phenomenon. They represent Macbeth evil aspiration. Their prediction prompt him to murder king Duncan, to order deaths of Banquo and his son.

Macbeth believes the witches and he appeals them to know about the future. So after the Banquet he seeks them out at their cave.

Macbeth wants answers to his own questions. The witches promise to do so and soon show him three apportions. The first apportion is Macbeth's head. The second apportion informs Macbeth that he cannot be harmed by no one born of a woman, while the third apportion which gives Macbeth a false sense of security says that Macbeth will not be defeated until the wood of Burnham moves to the hill of Duns inane. The appearance of banquet's Ghost in fact provides insight into Macbeth's character-when he sees the Ghost he reacts with horror and he upsets the guests.

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The final image of the supernatural in this story is the air drawn dagger which leads Macbeth to his own victim- when the dagger appears to him, Macbeth finally becomes victim to the delusions of his fevered brain. The dagger points to Duncan's room and appears to be covered in blood.

On the other hand, a Ghost which appears in the form of Hamlets father makes several appearances in the play. It first appears to the watchmen, Marcellus and Bernando along with Horatio never the guard men's post. The Ghost says nothing to them and is perceived with fear and apprehension. The Ghost doesn't speak until Hamlet appears. At this moment Horatio expresses his fear about Hamlet who follows the Ghost because it is own desire.

The conversation between the Ghost and Hamlet serves as a catalyst for Hamlet's later actions and provides insight into Hamlet's character. The information, which the Ghost reveals incites Hamlet into action against a situation he was already uncomfortable with. Hamlet is not quick to believe the Ghost. He has no suspicion of the Ghost after the production by the players and the encounters of it next in his mother's room. Hamlet is then convinced of the Ghost and he no longer harbors any suspicion.

The supernatural, thus represents the guiding force behind Hamlet. The Ghost asks Hamlet to seek revenge for the king's

91 death and Hamlet therefore is propelled into action a series of events that end in his death.

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Bradley, A.C (1904). Shakespeare's tragedy, MACMILLAN Education LTD, Hong Kong.

Encyclopedia Americana (1829), USA, Grolier Incorporated.

Encyclopedia Britannica (1943), USA, Library of congress catalog card.

Jovanovich B. (1963). Adventures in English Literature , University Press.

Lott,..(1958). Macbeth:Hong Kong, Dai Nippo printing co. (H.K) LTD

Ramji, B. (1916) Shakespeare's Enland III : Grea Britain, , Amen House.

Word, a.C (1962): Twelfth Night, Great Britian Longmans, green and Co. Ltd. http://www.123helpme-com/view:2005 http://www.com/sparkNotesMacbeth character list: 2005 http://www.pinkwonkeycom/booknotes/pmMacbeth 2004 www.Shakespeare online-com-2005 www.Shakespeare online – com – 2005

93 www.sparkNotesMacbeth.com/analysisofmajor character: 2005. www.fieldoftheme.com/ Shakespeare essays/E supernatural. www.geocities.com/Shakespeare-marlowe:2005 www.studyworld-com/newsite/ReportEssay/literature/ Shakespeare -on line. Com/hamlet chara:2003 www.Allfreessay.com/student/isHamlet tragic hero- a weak revenger or a political mislit]

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