The play within the play in HAMLETOr The Mousetrap Shehneela Naz

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OUTLINE Meaning of the literary term “play within the play”.Origin of the term.Relationship between Freudian dream theory and “play

within the play”.Play within the play in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.Significance of play within the play.Play within the play in Shakespeare’s other texts.

“Play within the play”- Definition▪ A play that is being

performed in the confines of another play.

▪ The character of the play watch the play being performed.

▪ The readers are not the intended audience of the play within the play.

Origin of the term▪ The term “play within the

play” was first introduced by Thomas Kyd in “The Spanish Tragedy” in 1589.

▪ He is also known as the author of original “Hamlet”

Connection between Freudian dream theory and Play within the play▪ Play within the play can be related to familiar

psychological mechanism seen in dream work, namely, a dream within a dream.

▪ According to Freud, dreams have two contents, a manifest content which is the dream that one actually experiences and a latent content which is the meaning of the dream as discovered by interpretation.

Literature can be thought of in the same manner, as a figment of the imagination whose underlying truth can be discovered through interpretation

Play within the play in Shakespeare’s HAMLET

▪ In act II, scene II Hamlet conceives the plan of staging a play called “The murder of Gonzago”

▪ Hamlet wanted to make sure that the ghost of his father was not devil in disguise.

“The spirit that I have seen

May be the devil; and the devil hath power

To assume a pleasing shape’’

▪ The play-within-a-play tells the story of Gonzago, the Duke of Vienna, and his wife, Baptista, who marries his murdering nephew, Lucianus.

“The play’s the thingWherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”• In act III, scene II, Hamlet ask Horatio to

watch the kings face in the course of the performance.

• As soon as the play becomes offensive not only to Claudius but also to Queen.

• Claudius leaves the play instead of stopping it.

• Conversation between Claudius and Hamlet-

Claudius: Is there no offense in’t?Hamlet : No, no, they do but jest- poison in jest. No offense i’th’ world.

Significance of the play within the play▪ Plot progression▪ Hamlet attempts to “catch the conscience of the king”▪ The reason Hamlet chose this play was to trap Claudius ▪ Exposes the true characters and their relationships▪ Uncovers Hamlet’s madness

Play within the play in Shakespeare’s other Texts▪ A Midsummer Night’s Dream▪ Twelfth Night▪ Loves Labours Lost