Hamlet: Literary Terms
Explication Line by line analysis of the literary text Line by line analysis of the literary text Includes larger meaning as well as a discussion of such elements as diction, style, symbolism, parallelism, figurative language, irony, etc Includes larger meaning as well as a discussion of such elements as diction, style, symbolism, parallelism, figurative language, irony, etc
Conventional Symbol Symbol accepted by tradition to have a particular meaning Symbol accepted by tradition to have a particular meaning Skull Skull Rose/other flowers Rose/other flowers Poison Poison Disease Disease
Irony Verbal: puns, sarcasm, hyperbole, understatement Verbal: puns, sarcasm, hyperbole, understatement Dramatic: Claudius’ prayer, the duel, Hamlet’s kindness to Laertes Dramatic: Claudius’ prayer, the duel, Hamlet’s kindness to Laertes Situational: Ophelia’s madness Situational: Ophelia’s madness
Genre Drama Drama Poetry Poetry Tragedy Tragedy Revenge tragedy Revenge tragedy
Diction Poetic Poetic Levels reflect characters Levels reflect characters Ironic Ironic Figurative Figurative
Circumlocution Speaking indirectly Speaking indirectly Polonius: windy; has trouble getting to the point Polonius: windy; has trouble getting to the point Osric Osric Hamlet (Shakespeare) perceives this to be superficiality which he consistently mocks Hamlet (Shakespeare) perceives this to be superficiality which he consistently mocks
Tone Through diction Through diction –Irony: puns, sarcasm; situational (hoist with their own petar) –Metaphors & symbols Polonius to Ophelia (leash) Polonius to Ophelia (leash) Hamlet to Gertrude/Horatio (cankered rose vs rose in May) /R&G (springes to catch woodcocks) Hamlet to Gertrude/Horatio (cankered rose vs rose in May) /R&G (springes to catch woodcocks) –Allusions –Soliloquies
THE END