Comment on the dramatic significance of any 3 scenes in Hamlet Essay Example

Comment on the dramatic significance of any 3 scenes in Hamlet Essay Example Comment on the dramatic significance of any 3 scenes in Hamlet Paper Comment on the dramatic significance of any 3 scenes in Hamlet Paper has been one of the most remembered names in the world of ancient literature. He was well known for his romantic comedies and tragedies , which gained a lot of fame , and recognition. As we see , in Hamlet , how he has made use of different techniques in order to bring out the dramatic significance in the play. In Elizabethan times , revenge was considered to be manly , and courageous. They believed , society would function in a better manner if man could control his passion , and this has been beautifully shown in the play . Hamlet has been one of Shakespeares most remembered plays. Through this play , Shakespeare once again told that era of his deep insight into the human mind , and the rich use of language , reveals a lot about the Elizabethan era . His passages , reflect philosophical thoughts , which were usually spoken in rhyme or verse . Since there was no effective back drop , the essence and style of Shakespeare was created only through his words. In the opening scene of the play, the reader begins to guess what is going to happen. The first line itself creates a sense of curiosity , and it is in the form of a question , Whos there? . The use of certain details creates an eerie atmosphere , phrases such as struck twelve and , bitter cold , are just some examples. The use of questions , such as Has this thing appeared again tonight? , tends to hint at future events. In this particular scene , we are introduced to the main character , Hamlet . It is as if other characters , such as Horatio , introduce us to Hamlet by saying that the apparition that is dumb , may speak to Hamlet . The use of imagery , and the specific mention of a ghost tends to create excitement and horror in the reader , and the contemporary audience took interest in scary manifestations. This scene also tells us how past events effect the present and the future. The very mention of a ghost , and its silence sows the seeds of tragedy . The reader gets more and more involved in the play , and this curiosity is sustained through out the play. The reader is not shocked , when the ghost first enters for the others players have already spoken about it to the audience. The audience are immediately told whos ghost it is for , In the same figure like the King thats dead. The arrival of the ghost creates a dramatic tension , and Horatios next words , fear and wonder , tend to amaze the reader , keeping the curtain unveiled. The ghosts silence arouses excitement in the audience , and the bewildered characters make the scene look very natural. The ghostly night , has been associated with the preparation of War with Norway. It emphasizes on the awaiting tragedy , and strengthens the confusion in the reader. Once again , we see there is use of gruesome imagery , lines and phrases such as , The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead.. and , Stars with trains of fire and dews of blood. The language over here is very direct , and expressive. Words such as blood and dead horrify the reader , introduce the basic theme of the play , which is revenge. Shakespeare also believed in using supernatural elements in his play , No fairy takes ; nor witch hath power to charm. Marcellus says this when the young men talk about the , Saviors birth. Normally , in Greek plays , the chorus was used. In Elizabethan plays , the prologue was used , but in this play , Hamlet uses the opening scene to express his views and ideas. The next scene which once again dramatizes the play , is act 3 , scene 2. In this scene , we see Hamlets state of mind. Shakespeares language tends to intensify the turmoil that he is going through , and the audience seam to appreciate this. Basically , in this scene Hamlet instructs the actors , and his instructions reveal his fondness of drama . He makes important points on an actors performance , we see this in line such as , Let your own discretion be your tutor. Here we see , a number of contrasts ,such as Horatios balanced temperament contrasted to Hamlets violent and unexpected mood swings. In this particular scene , we are exposed to a more sentimental , and emotional side of Hamlet. We see , that he believes clowns are the saddest people. His thoughtful views on friendship , show us his admiration for Horatio . Here it is seen , that friendship is one of the themes in the novel as well. Once again , Shakespeare shows his deep insight into the human mind in the line , Give me that man that is not passions slave , and I will wear him. Hamlets abrupt dismissal of Rozencrantz and Guildenstern shows the dramatic contrast to his whole hearted praise for Horatio. It tells us that a person who is balanced , and does not over dramatize is always appreciated. Hamlet deliberately procrastinates , and this shows us that even though he is brave and courageous , he does not really wish to kill his uncle. Hosting the play is just one of the ways of procrastinating , Hamlet was hoping that the King would not show guilt , and the ghost would be proved wrong. Having a play , in the play adds to the dramatic significance of the novel , making Hamlets desperation more credible and comprehendible. In Shakespeares plays , one would find a lot of repetition or lists. It helps to make the dialogue more strong , effective and emphasizes on the state of mind of the character. For instance , in the play , The Murder of Gonzago , we come across the line , Whether love lead fortune , or else fortune lead love. It has a highly philosophical tone , and the repetition of the same words , and the letter L makes the line more memorable. In this scene , we also come across a number of similes , one which is from Ophelia to Hamlet , You are as good as a chorus , my lord. At the end of the play , when Hamlet is successful in bringing out guilt onto Claudiss face , there is a line with the same word repeated three times to show his guilt , fear , and nervousness. Lights ,lights , lights! Shakespeares settings always tell the reader of what is coming up next . Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn , and the hell itself breathes out. In this particular line , we see that the atmosphere tells the audience that something unpleasant is awaiting the main character. A metaphor has been used , for hell is given the human quality of beathing. Another very dramatic technique of Shakespeare is using cross reference . I will speak daggers to her , in Macbeth a similar image is created in the readers mind. Hamlets soliloquies enables the audience to see Hamlets feelings about himself , and other characters in the play. It basically aims at seeing the main characters inner feelings , and his confused state of mind is usually seen only through his soliloquy. We also meet a new phase of Hamlet as he exposes a new sentimental and emotional side , that is new to us. The scene ends with a short soliloquy of Hamlet , and the line , Now could I drink hot blood. This particular line talks of the revenge that Hamlet wants to avenge. Animals are part of the Elizabethan natural order in the universe and are parallel of the characters. It is very relevant to the audience , as it relates to the scene , emphasizing on the evil side of it. Another very dramatic scene is Act 5 , scene 2. The very beginning of the scene , talks of old memories a t sea , and he finds actual proof that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are really not his true friends. It stated that Hamlet should be executed immediately on his arrival in England , and the idea of making them taste a bit of their own medicine , teaches the audience that Hamlet was ready to take revenge. Hamlet , once again justifies his idea of taking revenge in these lines , giving four reasons. He hath killed my king , and whored my mother, Popped in between thelection and my hopes, Thrown out his angle for my proper life. In this particular scene , we see that Hamlet has grown stone hearted , and even after his 2 schoolfellows have died , he has no feelings of remorse or sorrow whatsoever. In his conversation with Horatio , it is seen he is a different person , and is now confident of avenging his fathers murder. The language over here has a consistent cold tone , and it is not very difficult to understand. In certain lives we see that forceful words have been used , such as , Grinding of the axe and , My head should be struck off. The mention of weapons , tells the reader that something unpleasant is awaiting the characters in the play. Shakespeare , creates an atmosphere with the trumpets and drums , making the particular moment in the scene memorable. In this scene , we meet a new person , Osric. We learn a lot about this character , through what Hamlet thinks of him . We see , that Hamlet does not particularly like him , and in his sarcastic and casual ton e , we see that he considers him to be a person of no great substance or morals. Claudius hosts a fencing match , between Laertes and Hamlet , and we see that Hamlet accepts it , and is ready to undertake anything that fate has in store for him . Even though , Laertes accepts Hamlets apology , we see that he really doesnt forgive him , and still looks forward to murdering him. The audience sense victory , the King orders for vine and music in case Hamlet wins . Claudiuss slow and conniving moves , of slipping a poisoned pearl into the cup , tell the audience what is really in his mind. It excites them , and baffles them at the same time. Another theme in the novel , is a mother-son relationship. We see this time and again , when Gertrude tries her level best to encourage her son , and wipes the sweat of his face in intervals . We see that Gertrude may have also been guilty , of re marrying and may be her sons words may have convinced her to take her own life. It is here when Hamlet realizes what is really going on and he coaxes the king to drink the rest of the poison. Claudiuss melodramatic line , It is too late , shows his selfish nature , telling us that he did not really value his wifes life. Once again over here we see repetition and lists , in Hamlets lines to the King , Here , thou incestuous , murderous , damned Dane. We see that even Laertes in successful in killing Hamlet , and so is Hamlet. The unexpected death of all the characters makes the end very emotional , and frightening. Hamlets last words to Horation tell us of his dedication to him ,Now crack a noble heart. Goodnight sweet prince. This line has a double meaning and does not clearly tell the audience of what Hamlet is actually trying to say. I truly enjoyed reading the play , and it was not only exciting , but very moralistic as well. The saying , Procrastination is the thief of time , is proved right for Hamlet is so reluctant to kill his uncle , and in the end , he has to give up on his own life as well. It dealt with many themes , and it is easy for everyone to relate to it. The change in Hamlets character at different intervals remind anyone of his/her very own state of mind . The play has given revenge a very positive side , and it once again shows the confused and rebellious side of any human.

The History of the Invention of the Telegraph

The History of the Invention of the Telegraph When British officials wished to communicate between London and the naval base at Portsmouth in the early 1800s, they utilized a system called a semaphore chain. A series of towers built on high points of land held contraptions with shutters, and men working the shutters could flash signals from tower to tower. A semaphore message could be relayed the 85 miles between Portsmouth and London in about 15 minutes. Clever as the system was, it was really just an improvement on signal fires, which had been used since ancient times. There was a need for much faster communication. And by the middle of the century, Britain’s semaphore chain was obsolete. The Invention of the Telegraph An American professor, Samuel F.B. Morse, began experimenting with sending communications via electromagnetic signal in the early 1830s. In 1838 he was able to demonstrate the device by sending a message across two miles of wire in Morristown, New Jersey. Morse eventually received funds from Congress to install a line for demonstration between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore. After an abortive effort to bury wires, it was decided to hang them from poles, and wire was strung between the two cities. On May 24, 1844, Morse, stationed in the Supreme Court chambers, which were then in the US Capitol, sent a message to his assistant Alfred Vail in Baltimore. The famous first message: â€Å"What hath God wrought.† News Traveled Quickly After the Invention of the Telegraph The practical importance of the telegraph was obvious, and in 1846 a new business, the Associated Press, began using the rapidly spreading telegraph lines to send dispatches to newspaper offices. Election results were gathered via telegraph by the AP for the first time for the 1848 presidential election, won by Zachary Taylor. In the following year AP workers stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, begin intercepting news arriving on boats from Europe and telegraphing it to New York, where it could appear in print days before the boats reached New York harbor. Abraham Lincoln Was a Technological President By the time Abraham Lincoln became president the telegraph had become an accepted part of American life. Lincolns first State of the Union message was transmitted over the telegraph wires, as the New York Times reported on December 4, 1861:​ The message of President Lincoln was telegraphed yesterday to all parts of the loyal states. The message contained 7, 578 words, and was all received in this city in one hour and 32 minutes, a feat of telegraphing unparalleled in the Old or New World. Lincolns own fascination with the technology led him to spend many hours during the Civil War in the telegraph room of the War Department building near the White House. The young men who manned the telegraph equipment later recalled him sometimes staying overnight, awaiting messages from his military commanders. The president would generally write his messages in longhand, and telegraph operators would relay them, in military cipher, to the front. Some of Lincolns messages are examples of emphatic brevity, such as when he advised General Ulysses S. Grant, at City Point, Virginia in August 1864: â€Å"Hold on with a bulldog grip, and chew and choke as much as possible. A. Lincoln.† A Telegraph Cable Reached Under the Atlantic Ocean During the Civil War construction of telegraph lines to the west proceeded, and news from the distant territories could be sent to the eastern cities almost instantly. But the biggest challenge, which seemed utterly impossible, would be to lay a telegraph cable under the ocean from North America to Europe. In 1851 a functional telegraph cable had been laid across the English Channel. Not only could news travel between Paris and London, but the technological feat seemed to symbolize the peace between Britain and France just a few decades after the Napoleonic Wars. Soon telegraph companies began surveying the coast of Nova Scotia to prepare for laying cable. An American businessman, Cyrus Field, became involved in the plan to put a cable across the Atlantic in 1854. Field raised money from his wealthy neighbors in New York City’s Gramercy Park neighborhood, and a new company was formed, the New York, Newfoundland, and London Telegraph Company. In 1857, two ships chartered by Fields company began laying the 2,500 miles of cable, setting off from Irelands Dingle Peninsula. The initial effort soon failed, and another attempt was put off until the following year. Telegraph Messages Crossed the Ocean By Undersea Cable The effort to lay the cable in 1858 met with problems, but they were overcome and on August 5, 1858, Cyrus Field was able to send a message from Newfoundland to Ireland via the cable. On August 16 Queen Victoria sent a congratulatory message to President James Buchanan. Cyrus Field was treated as a hero upon arrival in New York City, but soon the cable went dead. Field resolved to perfect the cable, and by the end of the Civil War he was able to arrange more financing. An attempt to lay cable in 1865 failed when the cable snapped just 600 miles from Newfoundland. An improved cable was finally put in place in 1866. Messages were soon flowing between the United States and Europe. And the cable which snapped the previous year was located and repaired, so two functional cables were operating. The Telegraph Was Depicted In the Capitol Dome Constantino Brumidi, the Italian-born artist who was painting inside the newly expanded US Capitol, incorporated the transatlantic cable into two beautiful paintings. The artist was an optimist, as his lofty depictions were completed a few years before the cable was finally proven successful. In the oil painting Telegraph, Europe is portrayed as clasping hands with America while a cherub offers a telegraph wire. The spectacular fresco inside the top of the Capitols dome, Apotheosis of Washington has a panel titled Marine showing Venus helping to lay the transatlantic cable. In the Late 1800s Telegraph Wires Covered the World In the years following Fields success, underwater cables connected the Middle East with India, and Singapore with Australia. By the end of the 19th century, much of the globe was wired for communication.