Hamlet, written by famous playwright and poet, William Shakespeare, is frequently referred to as the “Mona Lisa” of literature. The true purpose and complete understanding of the play is, up to this day, not remotely knowledgeable by scholars and the audience alike. The play has led to much conversation about what Shakespeare was ultimately trying to accomplish with it. One vexed and widely referred critique was that made by T.S. Eliot, in which he described, “The ‘madness’ of Hamlet lay to Shakespeare’s hand…a deliberate dissimulation, but a form of emotional relief” (Eliot 93). In creating Hamlet, Shakespeare achieved perplexity in the scheme that created for misinterpretation of an unexplained Hamlet.
Thomas Stearns Eliot was a 20th century
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As Eliot describes, “the ‘madness’ of Hamlet lay to Shakespeare’s hand; in the earlier play a simple ruse, and to the end, we may presume, understood as a ruse by the audience…” (Eliot 93). Although the play made it seem as though the purpose was to tell a tale of revenge, Eliot says that, “For Shakespeare, it is less than madness and more than feigned.” (Eliot 93) He furthers his argument by explaining that the characterization of Hamlet, from his nostalgic tones, to his philosophical deepness, does not imply that he he’s trying to scheme a revenge plan, but instead aims to express only his emotions. Throughout the play, it is noticeable that Hamlet has an intricate persona. It is that persona that makes it such a challenge to understand him, but in fact, it can be that the reason that his feelings are widely unknown are not because he is completely inexpressible as he is portrayed, but can be the outcome of a plot that besmirched his character. Shakespeare’s fault was generating a story that unsettled Hamlet’s emotions, and so his madness is perceived as “a deliberate dissimulation” – a trick to gain revenge on his