Hamlet is however racked with indecision, and spends most of this scene subtly ridiculing Claudius anyway, though Hamlet is not yet sure of his guilt.įor example, after the play has served its purpose and Claudius rises, calling for light, Hamlet makes a joke that the King is “frightened by false fire” (272), implying that the King is scared this may happen to him.

He refuses to take the ghost’s word, and must test it himself, enforcing the central theme. The theme of knowledge is exemplified here by Hamlet’s desire to prove what he thinks he knows. As employed later in the play, as well as in other works, Shakespeare likes to use hyperboles comparing something to the powers of old gods. His word choice here, “Vulcan’s stithy” is an allusion to the Roman god Vulcan’s forge, which, as a forge, would be black with soot. ” This is evidence of his distrust of the ghost. In lines 84-86 of this scene, Hamlet speaks to Horatio, saying, “It is a damned ghost that we have seen, / And my imaginations are as foul / As Vulcan’s stithy. In fact, the whole scene is also presented stylistically as an extended metaphor, as part of Hamlet’s plan, in that it reenacts the story of Hamlet senior. The entirety of act 3, scene 2 is a trap that Hamlet has set to affirm his guilt. The characters’ knowledge can begin to be described as not very reliable.įor instance, Hamlet spends much of the play doubting the knowledge that his father’s ghost imparted: Claudius murdered him and took his place as King. Specifically, act 3, scene 2 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet directly reflects one of the main mysteries of the play, how the characters know what they think they do.

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the characters sometimes abuse their knowledge, though it is not always even reliable to begin with, creating a central theme of doubt, and hesitation: considering one’s actions. The way prince Hamlet learns this information is indeed a driving force in the theme of knowledge, and the characters treat it as such a powerful variable. This theme is especially noteworthy in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, a play about a prince who learns that his uncle murdered his father, the King, in order to ascend to the throne. These are all central pieces to consider when evaluating a theme of knowledge. The need to verify information is always as great as the need for it in the first place. Another important aspect of information is what is done with it, since knowledge is power. There are huge factors to take into account like a difference in opinion, secrets, or lies. Who Knows?: The Theme of Knowledge in Hamlet What may be true to one person is not always true to another.

Hamlet theme