Authorial Choices and Textual Features (DP IB English A: Language and Literature: HL): Revision Note

Hamlet: authorial choices and textual features

Across assessments in English A Language and Literature, you need to show the ability to analyse and evaluate how a writer achieves a purpose, conveys a message and/or explores a theme. Therefore, knowing the names of authorial choices and textual features and pairing them with specific references and impacts is key to your success in assessments. 

Dramatic methods

There are a number of dramatic methods used in Hamlet:

• Structural and dramatic techniques 

• Stagecraft

• Symbolism and motifs

• Language

• Characterisation 

Structural and dramatic techniques

Structure of a tragedy 

Many of Shakespeare’s tragedies follow the same five-part structure.

• In the exposition (opens in a new tab), the characters, setting, and inciting incident are introduced:

  • At Elsinore Castle, the guards (sentries) witness King Hamlet's ghost

  • This inciting event introduces the central conflict: King Hamlet's death and the subsequent rise of Claudius to the throne

  • Hamlet learns about his father's ghost and the suspicion of foul play 

• During the rising action (opens in a new tab), Hamlet encounters a series of challenges and complications:

  • He decides to feign madness to investigate the truth, contemplates revenge, and attempts to deal with the complexities of his own morality

  • The play within a play, which Hamlet uses to confirm Claudius' guilt, begins

• The climax (opens in a new tab) is the turning point of the play: the moment of greatest tension:

  • In Act 3, Scene 3, Hamlet must make a crucial decision about killing Claudius 

  • Hamlet decides not to murder Claudius while he prays as this would deny Claudius the eternal punishment Hamlet believes he deserves

• During the falling action (opens in a new tab), the consequences of the protagonist (opens in a new tab)'s decision unfold:

  • A sequence of tragic events begin: the accidental killing of Polonius, the madness and death of Ophelia, and Laertes' plot for revenge against Hamlet

  • The political instability worsens, building a sense of impending doom

• In the denouement (opens in a new tab), the central conflict is resolved and the characters face their fate:

  • Hamlet, Laertes, Claudius, and Gertrude meet their tragic ends

  • Hamlet, realising he is mortally wounded, kills Claudius before he dies

  • Horatio, Hamlet's loyal friend, attempts to end his own life to join Hamlet in death but is stopped by Hamlet

  • Fortinbras arrives and assumes control of the kingdom, marking the end of the political turmoil in Denmark and restoring order

Dramatic irony

Dramatic irony (opens in a new tab) heightens the tension in an already dramatic tragedy. By allowing the audience to know more than the characters, or to have information before the characters themselves do, Shakespeare provokes questions as he makes the audience complicit in events. 

• Dramatic irony is created through Hamlet’s soliloquies (opens in a new tab) — they share information with the audience that remains undisclosed to other characters — as well as his encounter with the ghost

• This evokes sympathy, such as when Ophelia misunderstands Hamlet’s behaviour 

• At other times, it presents characters as naïve:

  • When Polonius describes Hamlet’s madness as the “ecstasy of love”, the audience know that Hamlet is feigning insanity as part of his investigation 

• Dramatic irony can increase tension:

  • Shakespeare gives audiences information about Claudius' guilt while the majority of characters remain ignorant to this fact

  • The eventual revelation of the truth at the play’s catastrophe contributes to the audience’s catharsis (opens in a new tab)

• When Hamlet stages the play within the play to expose Claudius' guilt, the audience anticipates the reactions of the characters, especially Claudius himself

Foreshadowing

Shakespeare uses foreshadowing (opens in a new tab) to build suspense and create a sense of foreboding:

• In Hamlet, this reinforces the atmosphere of uncertainty and deception that permeates the play

• The appearance of the ghost of King Hamlet in the opening scene sets the stage for the unfolding tragedy:

  • His spectral presence immediately creates an unsettling atmosphere and this initial encounter foreshadows the tumultuous events that will follow

• The ghost's appearance raises questions about the stability of the Danish court and the authenticity of the relationships between the characters:

  • It instils doubt in Hamlet's mind, making him question the appearances and intentions of those around him

  • This sense of uncertainty becomes a driving force in the play, leading to Hamlet's introspection and hesitation

• Shakespeare also uses the technique when Marcellus declares that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark”, foreshadowing the corruption that is to be revealed, and Ophelia’s flower-distribution scene foreshadows her drowning

• The foreshadowed events create a sense of anticipation, prompting the audience to empathise with Hamlet's predicament and his moral dilemmas

Stagecraft

Staging

Stagecraft can be analysed as dramatic devices that set the scene. Stage directions, lighting, or sound effects contribute to the mood of a scene. Additionally, staging can help with transitions between time and place at the opening and ending of each scene and act.

• Shakespeare’s stage directions are usually simple, allowing varied manipulations of scene-setting:

  • For example, the appearance of the ghost in Hamlet is directed as “Enter the Ghost in complete armour, holding a truncheon”

  • Thus, the visual aspect of the ghost could be presented in different ways

• In Elizabethan England, stage setting was minimalistic, without elaborate backdrops:

  • Even today, drama often relies on the audience’s imagination to bring the setting to life and engage the audience

  • Suspension of disbelief is applied: the play opens with a simple stage direction “several doors”, which represents the castle’s battlements

• At the end of scenes, Shakespeare often uses dialogue that provide transitions:

  • At the end of Act 1, Hamlet says “Nay, come, let’s go together” and at the end of Act 4, King Claudius says “Therefore let’s follow”

• At times, Shakespeare uses character dialogue to create setting:

  • In Act 1 Scene 4, Hamlet says “The air bites shrewdly, it is very cold”

• Sound effects, such as “The cock crows” in Act 1 Scene 1, alert the audience to the scene taking place at dawn

• Stage directions that indicate sound effects can create dramatic tension:

  • In Act 4 Scene 5, the stage direction “A noise within” warns the king that Laertes has assembled a mob and is about to storm into the court

Symbolism and motifs

Shakespeare uses symbolism (opens in a new tab) to raise themes in his play, such as corruption, innocence, reality versus appearance, and death. 

• Throughout the play, references to disease and decay represent a corrupt Denmark: 

  • This symbolism mirrors the internal and external corruption of the characters and the kingdom itself

  • The “rotten” state of Denmark is a metaphor (opens in a new tab) for the characters’ moral decay, notably Claudius, the murder of King Hamlet being the first act of corruption

  • Hamlet describes his world as an “unweeded garden / That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature” connoting to disorder and corruption

• The motif (opens in a new tab) of poison highlights the theme of deception and betrayal:

  • The poisoned chalice symbolises the treacherous nature of the court and the consequences of deceit

  • It underscores the idea that those who engage in treachery and deceit are ultimately consumed by their own malevolence, which leads to their downfall

• Hamlet's contemplation of Yorick's skull represents the inevitability of death and the transience of human existence:

  • While holding the skull of the jester Yorick, Hamlet reflects on the fragility of life and the universal experience of mortality

• The play within a play is symbolic of truth and the uncovering of deception:

  • Hamlet uses this play to confirm Claudius' guilt in the murder of King Hamlet

  • It symbolises Hamlet's attempt to trap Claudius and to reveal the truth

  • The success of the play within a play marks a significant turning point in the plot

• The ghost of King Hamlet represents both the unresolved past and the demand for justice and vengeance:

  • The ghost symbolises the moral duty that drives Hamlet's actions

  • It appears as a manifestation of the past, haunting the present, and demanding retribution in the present

  • The ghost's appearance is a symbol of the unsettled nature of the play's world

Language

Verse and prose

Shakespeare alternates between blank verse (opens in a new tab) and prose (opens in a new tab) to represent characters’ emotions through tone of voice. Prose creates a conversational tone, often used in light-hearted or comic scenes, whereas verse, with a set rhythm or rhyme, heightens moments of significance.   

• The majority of Hamlet is written in blank verse, specifically in iambic pentameter (opens in a new tab):

  • The use of verse can differentiate characters in terms of social status

  • For example, Hamlet and Claudius primarily use verse, reinforcing their princely status

  • Furthermore, when Polonius and Claudius plot to spy on Hamlet and Ophelia, both men speak in verse to hide their deceit behind the formal, noble structure, making their manipulation seem officially sanctioned

• Characters like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern often speak in prose:

  • This choice signifies their lower rank in the social hierarchy and their lack of eloquence compared to characters like Hamlet

• Prose is frequently employed for humorous exchanges and witty banter:

  • The gravediggers' conversation in Act 5 Scene 1 is a prime example

  • Their use of prose adds a light-hearted and earthy quality to the scene, creating a contrast with the more serious themes in the play

• As Hamlet's feigned madness intensifies, he begins to switch from verse to prose in his interactions with characters like Polonius and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern:

  • This transition underscores his erratic behaviour and adds to the uncertainty surrounding his mental state

Soliloquies

• The purpose of a soliloquy is to take the audience into a character’s private world and to reveal what they might not reveal to any other character

• In Hamlet, the antagonist (opens in a new tab), Claudius, has one main soliloquy (Act 3 Scene 3), but it evokes sympathy by portraying him wrestling with his conscience:

  • Shakespeare uses Claudius’ soliloquy to alter audience perception

  • This is an example of how Shakespeare presents universal human frailties

• Hamlet's iconic soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 1 reflects on the nature of existence, the suffering of life, and the idea of suicide:

  • It reveals Hamlet's internal conflict and his dilemma

  • Particularly, it encapsulates his philosophical tendencies, reflecting the play's exploration of Hamlet’s complex mind

• Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 3 showcases Hamlet's internal moral struggle and his contemplation of the consequences of his actions:

  • While the audience comprehends the moral imperative for Hamlet to avenge his father's murder, they also witness his moral reservations

Imagery

• Religious imagery (opens in a new tab) raises themes about morality, particularly in the context of a society fraught with religious division and uncertainty

• References to heaven and hell reflect the characters' internal conflicts:

  • Claudius, for example, is tormented by guilt over his murder of King Hamlet and fears divine punishment

  • King Hamlet's ghost mentions that he is “Doomed for a certain term to walk the night, and for the day confined to fast in fires”

  • In Hamlet’s soliloquy in Act 3 Scene 1, he alludes to his eternal soul and notions of justice delivered in an afterlife

  • He believes the world is tainted and sinful: for example, he refers to Claudius as a “smiling, damned villain”

• Imagery connoting hell underscores the moral corruption within the Danish court:

  • It often foreshadows tragic events and consequences

  • Shakespeare may be suggesting that the characters' immoral actions will eventually lead to their downfall and suffering

Characterisation 

• Shakespearean tragedies often feature a tragic hero, a character of noble stature and outstanding qualities:

  • The tragic hero possesses a fatal flaw (hamartia (opens in a new tab)) that leads to their downfall

  • Hamlet’s indecision and overthinking is seen as his tragic flaw which ultimately leads to his demise

  • Tragic heroes often struggle with internal conflicts and pressures from external forces

  • Hamlet's internal struggle with his sense of duty, morality, and the need for concrete proof, creates a significant part of the play's tension

  • External struggles, including political intrigue and familial discord, further complicate the characters' lives 

• Antagonists or villains represent the ills or injustices of contemporary society:

  • King Claudius is a Machiavellian villain driven by ambition and lust

  • Willing to take any measures necessary to achieve success, he manipulates those around him and commits fratricide to take the Danish throne

  • Shakespeare’s villains are often remorseless and, while they express guilt, they are unable to make amends

• Like many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, Hamlet portrays female characters who find themselves in a world that affords them little agency:

  • His female characters often expose rigid gender roles and the limited choices available to them

  • Shakespeare portrays Ophelia as innocent and powerless within the machinations of the corrupt court

  • Gertrude’s marriage can be interpreted as survival in a society that determines female identity and status by marriage

  • Ophelia’s madness, which culminates in suicide, is a response to her sense of isolation and is, perhaps, the only way she can act autonomously 

• Many of Shakespeare's tragedies involve supernatural characters who test the hero:

  • The appearance of King Hamlet's ghost, a supernatural entity, sets the entire plot in motion

  • The ghost's revelation of foul play adds complexity to the conflict and influences Hamlet's actions

Sources:

Shakespeare, William, et al. “About the play | Hamlet Hail to the Thief.” Royal Shakespeare Company, https://www.rsc.org.uk/hamlet-hail-to-the-thief/ (opens in a new tab). Accessed 13 April 2026.