Death in Hamlet

Hamlet is a play that is dominated by the theme of death. The play also discusses different people should cope up with death. This play is made up of about 20 characters. There are different death cases, and the characters are forced to react in a different way to each fatality. Eight of the characters involved in this play met their death before the play ended. It is correct to say that the death count in the play is high as almost half of the characters involved died.

The basic level of the plot is fused to death. Death is discussed at least in each scene. The death described may involve one of the characters or even people who had died earlier like Yorick. Death is encountered in the form of ghosts at the beginning of the scene. After this, the death rate among characters increases as they meet their untimely end. Most death cases that are mentioned in the play are as a result of the death of other characters. This means that the death of one character makes the other characters to react in a way that causes more fatalities. An example of this is the case where Ophelia’s father died which made Ophelia mad, and as a result, she died after drowning. This is followed by a chain of deaths where the King is killed by Ophelia, due to vengeance Polonius is killed by Hamlet, Laertes kills Hamlet, Hamlet kills Claudius, and Ophelia kills herself hence completing the circles of death in the play.

In conclusion, death contributes significantly to shaping the play as the characters that are alive are greatly influenced by those who had died already. Hamlets start the play by mourning his father plays an essential role in shaping the play.

Work cited

MacCary, W. Thomas. Hamlet: A Guide to the Play. Greenwood Guides to Shakespeare. Westport, 1998. CT: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-30082-8.