Why Hamlet still disturbs us?
Many students face different and sometimes difficult tasks
during their period of study. Some of them have to research new
trends and gain new knowledge on different subjects, some of
them should analyze new texts and new theories but almost every
student studies to do this by analyzing some well-known, old and
universally accepted theories or facts.
For those students who are enrolled at Humanities, Hamlet
essay. represents one of the most common and popular writing
assignments. Yet, despite the fact that this tragedy is several
centuries old and has already become one of the most popular
works in the literature, students nevertheless are baffled and
sometimes perplexed by this assignment. Let us examine how it
should be written. I would like to start with some obvious fact-
you should read Hamlet before you start working on your essay.
Do not succumb to the common mistakes of many students who
compose their essays, based on the critical works of others.
Undoubtedly there is a plethora of comments on this work as well
as published critical analysis. However, your tutor would like
to see your understanding of this work. You should impartially
evaluate the character of Hamlet, his inclinations, motives and
his thoughts. Try to answer several questions- why for instance
the death of the farther has not been avenged immediately? What
prompted Hamlet to delay it? What guided Hamlet? Many
commentators hold the opinion that Hamlet was guided by some
indecision or procrastination, or juts he was of high moral
principles. However, there is a large group of critics who are
inclined to contend that Hamlet's deeds should be explained by
external factors rather than internal psychological ones.
According to this point of view Hamlet gave Claudius benefit of
doubt and wanted to make sure that charges brought against him
by ghost were true. What is your point of view and your
contention on the theories mentioned? Why? Undoubtedly analysis
of Hamlet, his thoughts and his deeds is one of the most common
topics that can be assigned by your tutor. However, you may be
assigned with various topics, ranging from similarities and
differences between the heroes of the drama, relationship
between four sons and four women, and other topics. In order to
complete this type of an essay, one should read some critical
work on Hamlet, yet only after you have read the book, you might
borrow some ideas but only when you indicate the source.
Needles, to say that this is imperative to indicate the sources
when quoting; otherwise you may be accused of plagiarism.
Despite the fact that Hamlet essay is a unique type of an essay,
some other types of the writing assignments, such as political
scien
ce essay has many features in common with it. However, I
would like to single out some peculiar points of this type of
assignment: 1)One should choose an interesting topic. One should
not treat this advice lightly, unfortunately too many students
have succumbed to popular trend- choosing topics they are not
really interested in, as the result they complicate the process
of the writing of the paper by researching and investigating the
event or personality that does nut interest them. 2)Once you
have chosen it, you should be able to show the reader the reason
of your choice, why are you interested in the events, problems,
personalities mentioned. Why in your opinion it is vital to
study it? Whatever the topic of your assignment is and whatever
problem you are investigating, one should not confine oneself to
theoretical studies in political science. Remember, you should
be creative and imaginative in order to write this type of an
assignment. And certainly, you should be persuasive. It is very
important to enlist evidence to back up your assertions and
facts to support your contentions. In order to do this, one can
study the guide on persuasive
essay, which techniques might help you in composing and
designing other types of the essays. Let me give you just one
final advice-whatever type of the essay you are assigned with,
and whatever topic you have chosen-read essay guides before you
start working on your assignment.