Surname 1
Student Name
Instructor’s Name
Course
Date
Motif in “Hamlet” by Shakespeare.
There are many ways in which an artist can represent his or her themes idea and concepts
in literature. One of the literary terms that an artist can issue in literary expressionism is Motifs.
Generally, in writing, a motif is identified as a term that can be ideas, concept or an object that
has been repeated in a literary text. The primary function of the motif is that it gives clues to the
themes and in other cases it reinforces, and ideas and the author may want to emphasize. In
Shakespeare play the Hamlet, poison has been used as a motif to present the theme of the work
The First criteria for identifying a motif in literature are acknowledging if the element of
repetition is affirmative. In the Shakespeare play the Hamlet the word poison has been used
many times throughout the text. In fact, the play starts with poison and closes with poison
(Shakespeare 2). The use of the word poison in Hamlet was an intentional representation of idea
through a Motif.
Another criterion that has been used to identify motif is to evaluate whether the repeated
word symbolizes an idea or concept drives a theme the theme of the text. The use of the phrase
Poison in Hamlet is both symbolic and reinforces the issue of the play. Poison has been used a
weapon in the play Hamlet and it also symbolizes manipulation. The theme of death in the play
is reinforced when Claudius murders Hamlet's father. The use of poison as also been used in the
play to symbolize the manipulation of the mind. Claudius being the chief manipulator preys on
the hurt and pain that is felt by Laertes towards Hamlet killing his father. He also further uses the
