Symbol
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Yorick’s Skull
Hamlet’s lamentation of the life Yorick once lived, the positive effect he once had on others, and his inability to do so currently due to his current physical state reveal the skull’s significance as a symbol of the inevitability of death and the decay it brings. The inevitability of death the skull represents relates to the fate that befalls Hamlet and the futility of free will to escape it.
Hamlet’s lamentation of the life Yorick once lived, the positive effect he once had on others, and his inability to do so currently due to his current physical state reveal the skull’s significance as a symbol of the inevitability of death and the decay it brings. The inevitability of death the skull represents relates to the fate that befalls Hamlet and the futility of free will to escape it.
Motifs
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Disease and Decay
The motif of disease and decay highlights both the inevitability of death as well as the wealth of wrongdoings that occur around Hamlet. The inevitability of death relates to the theme of fate versus free will while the wrongdoings relate to the theme of appearances versus reality as those around Hamlet outwardly express a desire to help him while many times having more sinister motives.
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Misogyny
The beliefs of the majority of the men in Shakespeare’s Hamlet are undoubtedly misogynistic: Polonius’s obsession with the chastity of his daughter, Hamlet’s verbally abusive attitude toward his mother, etc. This motif relates to the theme of appearances versus reality because the male characters in the play often express these misogynistic views under the guise of upholding the honor of women and maintaining their well-being.
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Uncertainty of the Afterlife
The uncertainty of the afterlife is a common motif revisited throughout the play. From Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy to Old Hamlet’s intimidating refusal to describe it, it is continually returned to and its uncertainty makes it even more alarming. The uncertainty of the afterlife relates primarily to the theme of fate versus free will as Hamlet laments the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of the afterlife that he will eventually be forced to face regardless of his actions.
The uncertainty of the afterlife is a common motif revisited throughout the play. From Hamlet’s famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy to Old Hamlet’s intimidating refusal to describe it, it is continually returned to and its uncertainty makes it even more alarming. The uncertainty of the afterlife relates primarily to the theme of fate versus free will as Hamlet laments the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of the afterlife that he will eventually be forced to face regardless of his actions.
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Deceit
The concept of deceit pervades the play as Hamlet’s lover, friends, and family lie to him in order to spy on him and learn his true intentions. This motif most obviously relates to the theme of appearances versus reality as characters adopt guises seemingly in an attempt to aid Hamlet while often hiding ulterior motives and Hamlet himself dons the guise of insanity to hide his own.