Difference between revisions of "Motifs"

Revision as of 01:07, 16 March 2014

The Motifs of Hamlet make a rather long list, since Shakespeare repeated many concepts in the play, in creative ways. Even more might be found, but I've drawn the line at those concepts which appear most significant, which is a judgment call. The motifs are often interrelated, for example, horses and dogs are in the category of animals, certainly. I call something a motif only when it appears to merit attention on its own, even if it could be placed in a more general category. A presentation of the Motifs in categories, in outline format, may be a project for the future.

Please note that because the play is so complex, these are not necessarily my final choices for the Motifs. It takes a lot of thought, and time, to pin them down and sort them out.

The individual pages include brief discussion and links to lines of dialogue, to show the existence of the Motif and demonstrate its significance.

© 2014 Jeffrey Paul Jordan

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