To Do or Not to Do? Speech Patterns Will Answer.

In William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, the author uses carefully crafted language to differentiate the characters. Each character has his own unique speech patterns, which ultimately through the distinctive thoughts and attitudes of those characters enlighten the audience to the themes the author wishes to express.  It is not just what the characters say, but how they say it that makes this play so interesting.  Comparing the speech patterns of two of the more interesting characters in the play, the lead character Hamlet versus his uncle Claudius, will show how Shakespeare uses language to prove one of the main themes of the play – the complexity of taking action.   Hamlet’s patterns reflect indecisive thoughts about life, suicide, and revenge; essentially a torment at the thought of taking action, whereas Claudius takes an action quickly in the play, the murder of Hamlet’s father, that results in emotional torment. Thus, the many differences and some similarities between the way Hamlet and Claudius speak help to express the emotional difficulties and complexities of taking action.