Shakespeare Hamlet Maturity Essay

Words: 634
Pages: 3

Elaborating on Barthes’ outlook on literature, narratives often must delve deep into questions that bear answers more complex than previously thought. For instance, in Hamlet, Shakespeare, through his detailings of character relationships, idealisms towards death, and coping mechanisms towards grief, inquires of what it truly means to mature. Moreover, the way in which Shakespeare frames this investigation of maturity allows for both its futility and necessity to spring to the forefront. In particular, one of the focal points for Shakespeare's analysis of maturity stems from his criticism of the ideal marriage, one supposedly requiring all parties to be both emotionally and psychologically developed. The author mocks this concept through the juxtaposition of the political, formal marriage between Claudius and Gertrude with the young, passionate love between Hamlet and Ophelia. Under normal interpretations, the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude obviously …show more content…
Hamlet's use of this “bloody deed” to pivot towards reprimanding Gertrude highlights two conflicting understandings of his development (Act 3, Scene 3, Line 29). The quick acceptance of Polonius’ death hints at Hamlet’s growth in accepting of death as a part of life, while also indicating his expectation to be blocked from the consequences of his actions, which assert his immaturity. One unequivocal moment of development led to two contradictory, yet simultaneously occurring outcomes. Outcomes that Hamlet reaffirms in tandem, as he jokes of the “politic worms” that consume Polonius in death, both in understanding death’s finality and in using such topics for the purpose of childlike humor (Act 4, Scene 1, Line 26). Such instances mark the futile nature of maturity as both Claudius and Hamlet exemplify immaturity in their