Hamlet: sub-text

Sub-Text in Hamlet

Sub-text refers to the underlying themes, meanings or unspoken thoughts and motives of characters that are not openly voiced in the dialogue.
In Hamlet, sub-text is used extensively to add depth to characters, explore various themes, and add complexity to the play’s narrative.

Hamlet’s soliloquies offer a wealth of sub-text. His internal conflicts, philosophical musings, and vacillation between action and inaction are all conveyed indirectly through sub-text.
His famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy, where he contemplates suicide and the meaning of life, is an example of this.

The guilt and fear that Claudius experiences after murdering his brother is also revealed through sub-text, like his reaction during the play within the play and his attempt to pray for forgiveness.
His double-sided nature is apparent through his dialogue with various characters like Gertrude, Hamlet, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.

Gertrude’s loyalty, whether to her son Hamlet or her new husband Claudius, and her potential complicity in Old Hamlet’s murder are both examples of sub-text in her character.
Her quick marriage to Claudius following her husband’s death is also suggestive of an underlying opportunism or pragmatism.

Polonius’s advising of his son, Laertes (suggesting pretense over authenticity), and his misguided belief that Hamlet’s madness is due to unrequited love for Ophelia, expose his ignorance and misunderstanding of the true nature of the situation.

Sub-text deepens our understanding of characters by revealing their inner thoughts, conflicts and motives.
It aids in portraying layers of complexity in the narrative that are not easily gleaned from the surface.
It can often be a tool for characters to deceive and mislead others, highlighting themes of corruption and deception prevalent in the play.
The sub-text in Hamlet also sheds light on its enduring themes, like mortality, revenge, love, betrayal, and the nature of reality itself.