In Shakespeare’s literature masterpiece, Hamlet, Shakespeare uses humor as a device to briefly distract the audience away from tragedy and dark plot turns that invade the rest of the story. The humorous scenes in the play persistently arise directly before a scene of dramatic emotions or violence. The comedic scenes are scattered throughout the play; mostly prevalent in times of darkness. The most influential comedic scenes in Hamlet appear when Hamlet is hysterically ranting at Polonius, informing the people about Polonius, disposing of Polonius’s body, the gravediggers conversing with Horatio and Hamlet, and the discourse between Osric and Hamlet. In Act II Scene ii, Polonius voices to King Claudius and Queen Gertrude that Hamlet has “unrequited
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King Claudius calls a meeting to announce the death of Polonius to Rosencratz and Guildenstern, and attempt to expose where Hamlet has put his body. After Rosencratz and Guildenstern receive the news, the guards “bring in the lord”, whom knows where Polonius’s body lies (IV, iii, 17). When Claudius attempts to acquire the information out of Hamlet, he replies with snide comments. The dark humor of Hamlet initiates when King Claudius asks him where Polonius is and he responds by saying, “at supper” (IV, iii, 20). The King continues to investigate and questions the locaton of where Polonius is eating supper. Hamlet goes on to explain that Polonius is not literally at a dinner table where he eats but at one “where he is eaten” (IV, iii, 22-23). He provides the King with a lucid description of worms that are eating Polonius’s guts, and excess unnecessary information. The King responds by telling Hamlet to gather his stuff, because he will be sent to England for his misdeeds. Comedy is shown within this scene by Hamlet continuing to ridicule Polonius for his insignificance, even after he had killed him. To the other characters, Hamlet is seen as a madman because of the way he responded to simple questions with abnormal answers, which makes Hamlet a very humorous man. The comedy that Hamlet provides in this scene foreshadows that a plot turn is about to …show more content…
In this scene, Hamlet and Horatio return from England as two gravediggers are excavating a grave for Ophelia. The death of a person is in no way comedic, but the gravediggers bring in “unexpected brief laughter in a tragic world of melancholic feeling” to make the scene less depressing (Chergui 13). They bring in laughter by singing songs, telling jokes about the death of Ophelia, and using clever words to mess with Hamlet’s mind. The gravediggers elude to a woman dying, but do not blatantly tell Hamlet whom it is, which drives Hamlet crazy. Symbolism is shown particularly in this scene when the gravediggers are tossing skulls out of the grave. This not only portrays death, but refers back to Hamlet’s soliloquy concerning his dead father. Most importantly, the gravediggers offer an immense amount of comic relief, as the death of, well everyone, is about to come about. The gravediggers, or clowns, bring laughter as an attempt to take a break from
King Claudius calls a meeting to announce the death of Polonius to Rosencratz and Guildenstern, and attempt to expose where Hamlet has put his body. After Rosencratz and Guildenstern receive the news, the guards “bring in the lord”, whom knows where Polonius’s body lies (IV, iii, 17). When Claudius attempts to acquire the information out of Hamlet, he replies with snide comments. The dark humor of Hamlet initiates when King Claudius asks him where Polonius is and he responds by saying, “at supper” (IV, iii, 20). The King continues to investigate and questions the locaton of where Polonius is eating supper. Hamlet goes on to explain that Polonius is not literally at a dinner table where he eats but at one “where he is eaten” (IV, iii, 22-23). He provides the King with a lucid description of worms that are eating Polonius’s guts, and excess unnecessary information. The King responds by telling Hamlet to gather his stuff, because he will be sent to England for his misdeeds. Comedy is shown within this scene by Hamlet continuing to ridicule Polonius for his insignificance, even after he had killed him. To the other characters, Hamlet is seen as a madman because of the way he responded to simple questions with abnormal answers, which makes Hamlet a very humorous man. The comedy that Hamlet provides in this scene foreshadows that a plot turn is about to …show more content…
In this scene, Hamlet and Horatio return from England as two gravediggers are excavating a grave for Ophelia. The death of a person is in no way comedic, but the gravediggers bring in “unexpected brief laughter in a tragic world of melancholic feeling” to make the scene less depressing (Chergui 13). They bring in laughter by singing songs, telling jokes about the death of Ophelia, and using clever words to mess with Hamlet’s mind. The gravediggers elude to a woman dying, but do not blatantly tell Hamlet whom it is, which drives Hamlet crazy. Symbolism is shown particularly in this scene when the gravediggers are tossing skulls out of the grave. This not only portrays death, but refers back to Hamlet’s soliloquy concerning his dead father. Most importantly, the gravediggers offer an immense amount of comic relief, as the death of, well everyone, is about to come about. The gravediggers, or clowns, bring laughter as an attempt to take a break from