Feminine Hygiene Products Advertising Analysis

Feminine Hygiene Products Advertising Analysis Fulya Felicity Tà ¼rkmen Perceptions on the Idealized Image of Women in TV Ads Revisited:  The Example of Sanitary Napkin Advertisements Introduction and Methods This study has two parts: The first part gave me a perspective and understanding about how to read and evaluate an advertisement. In this way, I could determine some criteria to decode the linguistic and non linguistic components of the sanitary napkin advertisements. I watched 35 sanitary napkin advertisements but I did not choose to make a quantitative analysis since it would be too hard to examine the data manually. Instead of this, I chose the qualitative methods. I made certain groups based on the determining characteristics of the advertisements and I evaluated only one advertisement for each group such as one for blue liquid type and one for mini drama type advertisements. My first thesis was assuming that advertisements are a part of the reproduction of discourses on womanhood by supporting the idealized images of womanhood. But as I go on watching the advertisements I also noticed that they create some stigmas about the taboo on menstruation and feminine hygiene. This is why I also included the part menstruation as embarassment as a component of the perceptions on womanhood. In the presentation I used the expression of hidden messages by referring to the use of lingual and non linguistic components of the advertisements which are telling women something other than the features of the products and promising them things whch are not directly relevant with the product itself at first sight. While doing these, I also tried to track down the transformation of advertisements since it was legally allowed to do advertising on sanitary napkins to see what has changed since the beginning. Advertisements Now and Then Previously, advertisements were less complicated than they are today and there was only one goal to achieve with the simplest ways: to make people buy a certain product by explaining its specific or differentiating features. Thus, production or supply of the products was determined according to the demands of the societies. Today, we see the constant creation of new demands and increasement of the existing ones. In this new order, advertisement has become a tool to create consent for more consumption. In this way, social utility has also become the utility of the capital owners but these are presented as if they still accomodate social benefits. Media a great power of influencing and directing the society. In advertisements, this power manifests itself through the chain of product, production and consumption. In this way, products go beyond the production processes and factories and they become a part of the media culture. Although the basic motivation behind the advertisements is simply selling more products, there is no advertisement which only gives information about product to motivate people for buying it. Beyond this simple aim, each advertisement has a message that would be received by for potential consumers via different canals. Today we observe that the symbols and images take a precedence over the product itself most of the time. In the science of semiotics, it is claimed that signs are open to different interpretations and they can have different meanings in different contexts. Thus, we receive different messages via signs and attribute them to different meaning while we communicate. We receive these signs with our many senses such as audial or visual. Saussure argues that the sign dynamic has two components: A form of the sign and its meaning, respectively, the signifier and the signified. Thus, languages which enable us to communicate through different sounds or written symbols are arbitrary and they are subjected to change in time. They are only as important as their function in the communication rather than their historical importance or features. Therefore, language is in a constant state of change which includes its reconstruction and re-analyze through the changing social relations and discourses. According to Williamson, semiotics is composed of thing and meaning as well. The important thing here is not how a certain word or term is formed but how it is shared and found itself in the daily expressions. Williamson takes the issue of advertisement as a determinant of culture and everyday practices. These practices are mainly there to sell products but at the same time they make properties to mean something for us. They present and promote the idea of being a certain kind of person. The language of this promotion is not a singular one; it rather changes according to different times and cultures. For instance, I observed that many brands use different advertisements for the promotion of sanitary napkins in different countries according to these countries’ cultural norms and values. The portrayal of a certain ideal type is given in the advertisements but at the same time this ideal type is linked to the certain products through messages. For instance, â€Å"delikanlÄ ± kÄ ±zlar molped kullanÄ ±r.† The construction of these linkages occurs over long processes. Thus, connections are made between people and objects are made. So, we should take the sign for w hat it signifies, the thing becomes the symbol of a feeling. â€Å"Material things we need are made to represent the other non- material things we need. The point of exchange between two is where meaning is produced.† (Williamson, 2000) What an advertisement actually does is to show and give audiences an object of desire. When a product is used exclusively by women, female image and female sexuality is packed up with the product and presented to the women again. In our case, the object of desire could be manifested as youth, freedom, happiness, a good career, etc. In the advertisements, what is not shown or expressed, in other words absences are as important as what are present. For instance, advertisements can show what people actually want to be like in this way. According to Crook, there are two main dimensions which reflect the distinction between the linguistic and the non-linguistic components of commercials that should be taken into account. These are the product- claim dimension and reward dimension. (Crook, 2004) When product claim dimension is used, some information or claims of the producers are presented to the consumers in the form of physical outcomes and benefits. For instance, in our case of sanitary napkins, this could be dryness. There usually is a superimposed linguistic message and/ or a message which is given by a voiceover, a narrator or a mini drama with one or a few highlighted characters. The use of reward dimension targets the more emotional side of the audiences. The benefits and offers are emotional and more abstract. For instance, in our case, this could be the promise of intimacy or modernity. As it can be deducted from this example, the benefits may not seem such related with the product itself at the first sight. The tools of non-verbal communication such as colors and music are used in these types of advertisements. The Construction of Menstruation as Embarrassment Menstruation is accepted, portrayed and presented as an embarrassing hygienic trouble which needs to stay hidden and covered up in the public realm, specifically from men. It is also seen as an obstruct on the way of achieving to the standardized and ideal womanhood norms as Evans also points outs. Menstruation stood in the way, as a threat to a womans reaching the ideal of beautiful womanhood, (Evans, 1995, p. 25) All of these negative connotations helped the construction of menstruation as embarrassment for females. As an historical inheritance, this problem is limited to the one’s private sphere. Thus, offering solution to this hygienic problem can easily be considered as overruling one’s privacy. Advertisers observed that there might be negative reactions occurring, as viewers evaluate these advices as a violation of their liberties and privacy. In the specific type of commercial that we are trying to explore here, the producers of the advertisements could be accused of taking the liberty of talking about a private issue because these advertisements postulate the existence of a ‘problem’ and describe menstruation as a barrier with discomforting symptoms which put limits on one’s mental and physical actions. Therefore, there is a message of â€Å"You need these hygienic products to hide and relieve your embarrassment and stay pure and clean. Otherwise you would be stained and feel ashamed and dirty.† For instance, Kotex started a series of advertisement which are based on a simple question to women: â€Å"What weird things do you do on your special days?† In the series, a famous actress took part and filmed doing weird things such as carrying a awkwardly huge bag to hide her back, getting extremely angry out of little issues or taking photos of herself to check whether there is any stains caused by her period. The Myth of the Magical Youth and Beauty â€Å"With the rise of the youth culture, advertisers shifted even more from health and safety to youth and beauty. Youth and all things modern have been idealized.† (Del Saz-Rubio and Pennock-Speck, 2009) The advertisements that I watched were proving this statement since all women that took place in these advertisements were at the age of 17-25 or 30 at most. Moreover, the older women were portrayed as role models and advisers in the advertisements and they were not on the focus. Since all women are potential customers until they step into the menopause (age 45-50 on average), there should be another motive behind this choice. As another important point, there is a set of standardized beauty norms in these advertisements. For instance, there was no over weighted woman in any of the sanitary napkin advertisement I watched or analyzed. All of the women were conformed to the widely accepted body norms and standards. So, the modern woman is idealized at being young, free and nor matively beautiful and the message of â€Å"youth knows it better† is given. Although sanitary napkins are started to produce from mid-1980s, its advertisement was not legally and culturally possible until 1920s. First, sanitary napkin advertisements started to take place in women’s magazines such as Vogue in 1920s. Then, in 1970s it became legally possible for sanitary napkin brands to do advertising on television and radio. There were still a lot of written and unwritten rules: For instance, these advertisements are shown during daytime which is considered as ‘women’s TV time’, rather than prime time hours. Moreover, it still stayed as a controversial issue and many opposed to this new situation. We can evaluate this new era as a adoption phase in which ‘blue liquid’ advertisements appeared in the scene. For a long time, blue liquid tests in laboratory environment are used all around the world, as well as in Turkey. The Messages in the Sanitary Napkin Advertisements Although the first advertisements focused on the promotion of the product by comparing the diffferent brands such as Orkid vs. Sanitary Napkin with labaratory experiments, this method has been abandoned by many brands recently or they were started to support by some charachters and mini drama scripts. The technique of placing highly imposed linguistic message has also been abandoned for the purpose of decreasing the sense of intrusion to private life and decisions directly. Instead of that, a mini drama script and some famous actresses that became public figures and whose consumption habits become trends and followed by the consumers are used. When it comes to the spaces which are used in these advertisements are also important as one of the non-linguistic components. As I observed, the place is chosen as ones which are most far away from the main issue. One would expect that bathrooms are used in these advertisements but instead of this, broad and bright spaces are used in interior shootings and crowded and alive urban landscapes for external shootings. The message and intention of this choice is to decrease the possible uneasiness of the viewers with the presupposition that menstruation is a disturbing issue which needs not to be talked or displayed with direct references to it. It should be softened and hidden as much as possible. Another message about the places is the emphasis on the modern and urbanized woman who is a part of the dynamic city life. For instance, Molped and Orkid gave this message and Orkid even conducted a promotion campaign with its ‘à ¶zgà ¼r kÄ ±z’ Nil Karaibrahimgil. This ima ge is created exclusively for the campaign and she is portrayed as a free and strong woman who is capable of having a career and children at the same time. Thus, here we see that products promise modernization, urbanization and freedom to women according to new type of ideal woman. Therefore, we see that advertisement also impose a certain life style on women by using identification techniques.

Adolescent Role Assessments: José and Chhaya Essay -- Eating Disorder

â€Å"Adolescents experience dramatic changes in physical appearance, family relations, peer relations, sexuality, and media use† (Arnett, 2012). Through these experiences, adolescents have the opportunity to change their outlook and behavior. From family relations to questioning identity, to peer relationships and self-esteem, adolescents have various ways of coping with the changes they are presented with. The stories of Josà © and Chhaya reflect the changes adolescents go through to better understand who they are. Their stories mainly look at their peer and family relations, and the impact they had on Josà © and Chhaya. These stories accurately represent the discussions and readings we’ve had in class (J.Davis, Psych 234, February 28, 2014). Identity is defined as a person being aware of their uniqueness in terms of beliefs, attitudes, and aspirations. As most people have difficulty defining the word identity, most people struggle with their own identity. This can be particularly true for adolescents. Identity can be coupled with achievement or confusion; either the individual has a clear understanding of who they are, or they do not (J.Davis, Psych 234, February 28, 2014). Both Josà © and Chhaya reached a point in their life when they were confused with their own identity. Josà © struggled with identifying his ethnicity, and acknowledging he was different from his classmates and peers. Chhaya struggled with her identity in regards to her parents, peers and how they would treat her, and what was expected of her through their relationships. Josà © was faced with being unaware of his racial identity. He viewed his ethnic identity with public regard, and only thought about how others viewed his race, and felt that he was no diff... ...t she should have showed interest towards the young man, because he was attractive, and there would be few others of his caliber to go out with her again. This lead to Chhaya believing there was something wrong with her, and the way she handled the romantic situation she was placed in (Garrod, Smulyan, Powers & Kilkenny, 2012). Josà © and Chhaya both went through struggling to understand themselves, and how to handle the responsibilities their peers or parents had put on them to act a certain way, or provided Josà © and Chhaya with the need to make a point, and prove themselves. Works Cited Arnett, J.J. (2012). Human development: A cultural approach. Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. Garrod, A., Smulyan, L., Powers, S.I., & Kilkenny R. (2012). Adolescent portraits: Identity, relationships, and challenges. 7thedition. Boston MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Mind, Matter and Descartes :: Philosophy essays

Mind, Matter and Descartes "Cogito Ergo Sum," "I think, therefore I am," the epitome of Rene Descartes' logic. Born in 1596 in La Haye, France, Descartes studied at a Jesuit College, where his acquaintance with the rector and childhood frailty allowed him to lead a leisurely lifestyle. This opulence and lack of daily responsibility gave him the liberty to offer his discontentment with both contrived scholasticism, philosophy of the church during the Middle Ages, as well as extreme skepticism, the doctrine that absolute knowledge is impossible. Through the most innovative logic since Aristotle's death, as well as application of the sciences, he pursued a lifelong quest for scientific truth. Philosophy is believed to have begun in the sixth century in ancient Greece. In fact, the word "philosophy" is the Greek term for "love of wisdom" (Pojman). After notable minds of the Ancient World such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, by modernist standards, original thinking ceased for many centuries. Throughout the following period, later known as the Middle Ages, the world was dominated by dogma of the Catholic Church. Scholasticism allied with severe punishment for heresy prevented rationalization outside of religion. Descartes was the first to bring philosophy to its "Renaissance" (Strathern 7-9). He questioned the reality of everything, including God. Though he was a devout Catholic, and later proved the existence of God mathematically, he founded and popularized the concept of questioning that which is taught. Descartes' philosophy was an attempt to create a genuine foundation upon which further scientific developments would be established. His devotion to math's methodic nature and invariability lead him to apply these concepts to all other ideas. He hypothesized that "those propositions which one could come to understand completely would be self evident, since one's knowledge about them would not depend upon knowledge of any other propositions; therefore they were suitable to stand as fundamental assumptions, to be the starting points from which other propositions could be deduced" (Walting). He realized that he knew nothing for certain except for the fact that he was thinking, which proved that he existed; "Cogito Ergo Sum." "Descartes argues that all ideas that are as clear and distinct as the Cogito must be true, for, if they were not, then Cogito also, as a member of the class of clear and distinct ideas, could be doubted" (Walting). Descartes theorized that each person has an innate idea of a perfect being.

Earthquake in Pakistan Essay

Earthquake activity in Pakistan is mainly concentrated in the north and western sections of the country, along the boundary of the Indian plate and the Iranian and Afghan micro-plates. The Chaman Fault runs along Pakistan’s western frontier with Afghanistan from Kalat, in the northern Makran range, past Quetta and then on to Kabul, Afghanistan. A fault also runs along the Makran coast and is believed to be of the same nature as the West Coast fault along the coast of Maharashtra, India. An active subduction zone exists off the Makran coast. The great 1945 earthquake was centred in this region. This zone forms the boundary between the Arabian and the Iranian micro-plate, where the former subducts or dives beneath the latter. Thrust zones run along the Kirthar, Sulaiman and Salt ranges. There are four faults in and around Karachi and other parts of deltaic Indus, and Makran coast. The first is the Allah Bund fault that passes through Shahbundar, Jah, Pakistan Steel Mills, and runs through eastern parts of the city and ends near Cape Monz. This fault, in fact, has caused extensive damage in the past many centuries in the deltaic areas. The destruction of Bhanbhor in the 13th century and damage to Shahbundar in 1896 were caused by this fault. The other one emanates from the Rann of Kutchh. The third one is the Pubb fault which ends into Arabian sea near Makran coast and the last one is located in the lower Dadu district near Surajani and falls in the vicinity of Karachi. Tsunamis or tidal waves have also affected the coast of Pakistan. The worst case was in 1945 when an earthquake of magnitude 7. 9 struck the Makran coast, waves as high as 12 meters were reported.

10 examples of political rhetoric Essay

1. â€Å"Medicare is the binding commitment of a caring society.† In President Bush’s State of the Union Address, he describes what medicare is to the public. I honestly cannot make any sense of this statement. It sounds like he is trying to make Medicare into something it is not. It appears that Mr. Bush is just trying to sound intelligent in my opinion. 2. â€Å"Axis of evil† This is the term by which President Bush refers to North Korea, Iraq, and Iran; he uses this term so people will associate these countries with â€Å"evil†. He is giving enemies a name that makes them look worse to the public. 3. â€Å"Weapons of mass destruction† President Bush uses this term to make the atomic/nuclear weapons that Iraq supposedly possesses seem more intimidating to the public. He is literally trying to scare people with this rhetoric. After people hear and believe this phrase, any action that Bush chooses to carry out on Iraq will seem justifiable. 4. â€Å"Evil doers† Rather than naming the specific people or group he is speaking of (such as Osama bin-Laden or members of the Al-Qaeda network), Bush refers to them as â€Å"evil doers†, which is a very emotionally charged phrase, used to ensure that the public share his sentiments toward the â€Å"evil doers†. 5. â€Å"Shuttle contingency† Before NASA was positive that the shuttle Columbia had exploded, the situation was referred to as a â€Å"contingency† (a possible emergency). 6. â€Å"Inner-city areas† 99% of the time the phrase â€Å"inner-city area† is used; it is referring to an African-American or Hispanic neighborhood. They use this term because it’s more â€Å"politically correct†. 7. â€Å"Equal Opportunity† This term is used usually when one minority is, in reality, getting preferential treatment in order to make things â€Å"equal†. 8. â€Å"War on Terror† This phrase is used to imply that the U.S.A. is targeting possible or actual terrorists and more than ready for war with them. 9. â€Å"War on Drugs† This phrase is used to imply stricter drug policies on people and places by longer prison sentences, mandatory minimums, and many other tougher penalties for drug offenders. 10. â€Å"Third World Nation† When someone refers to a â€Å"third world nation†, they are referring to a rather poor, â€Å"underdeveloped† nation.

Fast Changes in Technology- Excitement or Agony Essay

In 1859, Charles Darwin published his theory of natural selection in which he observed that finches adapted a different beak shape to be able to survive in their environment. Science and technology are our civilization’s beak. A very good afternoon to everyone present here today. I, Shimona Agarwal, Of Scottish High International School, will be speaking today on the topic â€Å"Fast changes in science and technology- excitement or agony† and I am resolutely for the motion. As I am sure that most of you are aware, the global population is increasing at an alarming rate. While just a mere 10 years ago, the world population was 6070 billion, it is now a complete 7 billion. This rate of growing population will become unsustainable in the near future unless science and technology are advanced. Advancements in science and technology have provided humankind with luxuries that have enabled them to live a safe and comfortable living. Only, and only through the rapid changes being made in science and technology, have we been able to increase the average life span of a human being. There are new medical breakthroughs occurring every day, and new innovations are helping mankind lead a safer living. A particular idea that is fast advancing and can prove to be extremely useful is that of using EEG to put the brakes on a moving vehicle. This is a big deal because the normal reaction time for a person to apply the brakes is often too long to prevent an accident. However, by harnessing brain signals via electroencephalography (EEG), most accidents can be prevented. With further advancements, it will be soon possible for humankind to avoid death altogether. Stem Cell Heart Regeneration is such a field where science and technology is fast progressing and showing positive results. See more: how to cite an article For the first time, a human heart has been created using stem cells, a major step forward in organ generation. Scientists used adult stem cells to create a living human heart that they hope will revolutionize transplants. If all goes as planned, the heart will continue to grow and eventually begin beating automatically. Advancements in science and technology are the only way to prevent the eventual collapse of our environment. As the climate changes and pollution increases, we are facing a potential decline of our environment. New advancements, however, are providing us with solutions to save our environment. A recently discussed topic is Paperless Paper. For us stubborn paper lovers, there may soon be a product available that provides the look and feel of paper, with the advantages of a digital device. In fact, the technology is already available, though it hasn’t yet translated into a marketable product. It’s called electronic paper. Before long, the plastic shell of e-readers may not be needed and you’ll be able to handle â€Å"paper†. Another innovation which can prove highly helpful to our environmental problems is a space-based dust cloud which can be used to protect our Earth’s atmosphere. Scottish scientists have proposed to use a giant space-based dust cloud, blasted off an asteroid, to shade the Earth from the sun. This dust-cloud could be large enough to block out 6. 58% of solar radiation that would normally reach the Earth. This would be more than enough to combat any current global warming trends. Waste disposal problems are posing a serious threat to our environment and ecosystem, and science and technology could eventually solve this problem too. Using Plasma Arcs for waste disposal is gaining momentum in the waste disposal industry. Imagine harnessing the power of lightning to turn garbage into glass or into a gas that can be used as an energy source. The advantages include less garbage in landfills, less carbon from incineration, and creating a natural gas power resource. As I come to the end of my debate, I would just like everyone present here to truthfully acknowledge the fact, that without science and technology our lives are never complete. We need technology to advance for civilization to advance. At one point the wheel was the hottest piece of technology around.

Describe 3 of the deaths in Hamlet Essay

Hamlet is a revenge tragedy play, which was a very popular theme at the time Shakespeare was writing. Hamlet was written at the time Shakespeare was writing at his very best. Hamlet was written over 400 years ago and has outlived most other revenge plays but still continues to hold great appeal due to the effect it has on all those who see and hear it As Hamlet is self-titled we know Hamlet will die and this event will bring a close to the play. Because we know how the play will end Shakespeare entices the audience by keeping us on the edge about when, where, how and why it will happen. In this essay I have chosen to write about the death of Gertrude, Claudius and Hamlet. All three characters die in the last Act, Act 5. Hamlet is a play set in Denmark. His father at the start of the play has already been brutally murdered by his (Hamlet’s) Uncle Claudius. – brother to the deceased king. The ghost of his father appears to him and reveals how Claudius so cunningly murdered him, and begs Hamlet to avenge his death. Ghost: Revenge his foul and most unnatural murther Hamlet is already furious with Claudius for marrying his mother within such a short time of his father’s death. Hamlet: †¦ for look how cheerful my mother looks, and my father died within’s two hours. This causes him to wonder if his mother had had any part in his fathers murder also. Hamlet within him vows to obey the ghost of his father. While all this is happening Fortinbras of Norway is invading Denmark with the aim of avenging his fathers death that was taken by the late king of Denmark, Hamlet’s father. Hamlet decides to have the players play a play similar to the death of his father to see the reaction of Claudius. Hamlet: I’ll have these Players, Play something like the murder of my father, Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks,†¦ He wants to be sure that the ghost was not evil and telling the truth. The play is a success and Hamlet can now be sure that Claudius is responsible for the death of his father. Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother along with everyone else are outraged by Hamlet’s change in character. Polonius, Lord Chamberlain, a good friend to the king believes Hamlet is mad as a result of his daughter Ophelia rejecting Hamlet’s love as he had ordered her too. Gertrude asks for her son to visit her in her bedroom. Here Hamlet mistakenly stabs Polonius who is hiding behind the curtains when he heard Hamlet’s footsteps approaching after having been talking to the queen. Queen: O what a rash and bloody deed this this! Polonius’ children now change in character. Ophelia turns mad and drowns herself, while Laertes returns from studying in France and is also driven to avenge his father’s death. Hamlet’s madness causes Claudius to send Hamlet to England. However, Hamlet who seems always to be one step ahead of the king knows Claudius has sent a letter requesting Hamlets death and switches the note with his own for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, once friends of Hamlet’s, before they decided to betray him by becoming Claudius’ informants and so they are killed. Hamlet: Why do you think I am easier to be played on, than a pipe? Later Hamlet returns to Denmark, to much surprise of the king to see Ophelia’s burial. Throughout the play the audience are kept in suspense about as to when Hamlet will strike Claudius. Hamlet can be seen as a hero or villain. Shakespeare makes the audience see Hamlet as a hero. Through Hamlet’s soliloquies the audience feel as though they come to know Hamlet. In this they experience what he is going through and feel his hurt and pain, which is not enough to justify his killing on Claudius but to understand why he feels he must. Act 5 begins with the burial of Ophelia and shows the first confrontation between Laertes and Hamlet. Here Shakespeare allows the audience to acknowledge that both Laertes and Hamlet are suffering in the same way; although Laertes has lost both a father and sister, as Ophelia’s death was a result of her fathers. However, Shakespeare causes the audience to excuse Hamlet’s wrong deed and side with him. Scene two from this Act is the last in the play. Claudius falsely welcomes Hamlet home. However, Claudius and Laertes see Hamlets return as a suggestion to all their troubles, to kill Hamlet once and for all. They cunningly plan a duel between Laertes the best fighter and Hamlet. What they do not know is that Hamlet has been practicing during his time in England. Hamlet: †¦ since I went into France, I have been in continual practice; The fact that this is secretly revealed by Hamlet to Horatio, Hamlets good friend, reveals also a secret to the audience. At this point the audience cannot be sure if Hamlet will die, as the title suggests. The audience are at this point plagued with the fact that Laertes, Claudius and Fortinbras are all awaiting the day that Hamlet will die. During the wager Hamlet is the first to make a hit. Laertes and Hamlet soon scuffle and wound each other. However, Laertes sword has poison on so that when he hits Hamlet he will die. This was the plan of the king and Laertes. The king who also put a poison pearl into the win glass ‘If Hamlet give the first, or second hit,.. ‘ is horrified when Gertrude drinks from the cup in honour of Hamlet giving the first hit. Gertrude soon dies. Queen: The drink, the drink, I am poison’d. The fact that we never truly knew until this point that Gertrude was an innocent party in her husband’s murder causes us to feel pity for her. We also pity her as Claudius tried to have her son executed and pretended to love her in order to keep the thrown. The audience can now see that Gertrude was tricked from the beginning by Claudius, as well as he taking her husbands life he has also taking her own. This shoes that Claudius was only looking after himself. We pity her because Claudius could never have loved her especially not as her husband did as he was the cause of her death. The way in which she was killed causes the audience to experience horror because we did not expect Gertrude to drink the wine. Also because it was her husband that allows her to die. Although he tries to stop her he does not try hard enough. King: Gertrude, do not drink. It horrifies us that Claudius was so eager to get rid of Hamlet that he even had two plans and so we fear what will happen next. Claudius is already aware that it will only be a matter of time before Hamlet will die as before Laertes did he had cut Hamlet. We also fear what Claudius has become and if he will stop at anything. Hamlet has now lost a mother and a father at the hands of Claudius. The audience are now fearful of the amount of hatred Hamlet must have for Claudius and fear how he will react. The sudden death of Hamlet’s father and Gertrude leaves the audience disturbed as both had no time to repent their sins and we fear if Gertrude will become ‘Doom’d for a certain term to walk the night:†¦ ‘ The plot of Hamlet thickens more and the audience at this point are left to wonder if Claudius will get away with his terrible deeds. However, during the scuffe hamlet picked up Laertes sword when it the scuffle it had been knocked forom his hand and Hamlet had wounded Laertes At this moment Laertes ‘exchange forgiveness’ with Hamlet and his last few words ensure that the king, ‘He is justly serve’d’. Laertes: †¦ the King, the King’s to blame. When Hamlet is sure that it was ‘Treason’ he stabs the king and he is only then ‘justly kill’d with mine own treachery’. The king is now dead. At this point it is hard to pity Claudius because he has been the cause of so many lives being taken away. In spite of this we pity him because he is human and he did attempt to stop Gertrude which he did not have to do. We can also pity him because Hamlet and his parents had a good family and wealth and friends all of which Claudius did not. The audience have been forced from the start of the play to believe that there is an after life and world, heaven and hell. We therefore pity what will become of Claudius because he has been so bad. Ghost: My hour is almost come, When sulphurous and tormenting flames†¦ This shows that the ghost of Hamlet’s father is going to hell, so we pity Claudius as we assume he will be here also. On the other hand we cannot forget what Claudius has done and are horrified by his actions. The numerous ways he has tried to kill Hamlet on several occasions and stopping at nothing, no matter who he hurt in order to achieve his aim. We are again horrified by Claudius allowing his wife Gertrude to die. At this point it looks as though everyone with a path to the throne is dead. We now fear for the people of Denmark about who will save them from Fortinbras. Hamlet who was stabbed by Laertes with the poisonous sword is now feeling the effect of the poison and can feel it taking over him. Hamlet departs this life. Hamlet: †¦ I am dead,†¦ Shakespeare causes the audience to pity Hamlet because he has lost both his mother and father and lover. Claudius had been attempting to kill Hamlet for ages and because he kept failing the audience feel as though hamlet has outwitted Claudius until now and so maybe he would live. The audience have become attached to Hamlet and it hurts them to see him die. We pity Hamlet because he may also go to hell when he was only trying to get even with Claudius the way he thought was right. The audience also pity Hamlet as if Claudius had let his father be, then the ghost would not have told him the truth and he would still be alive. Nevertheless, we fear for Hamlet in the next life, and are horrified that Hamlet dies and Fortinbras is left to take the throne without opposition. Hamlet is very much a revenge tragedy. The first murder of his father led to a string of killings after it. In stating this it shows that certain deaths had to come first in order for others to occur. I think Shakespeare’s Hamlet has been such a success due to the truthful implications it deals with. Revenge is thought to be wrong, immoral, but in Hamlet Shakespeare expresses revenge as the natural human impulse that lies within us all. Hamlet is only acting out of the love he has for his father, which is undoubtedly the reaction each and every one of us would take. Although revenge was a popular theme during the time Hamlet was acted, Shakespeare takes it that great leap further which no author had began or even thought about doing. Instead of hating the avenger and wanting him to die we appreciate his aim and hence feel sorry for him at his death. Shakespeare forces us to perceive Hamlet for the person he is and not for the vile act he commits. The concept of Claudius having destroyed his family as well as his life remains at the forefront of our minds whilst watching the play and causes us to feel immense pity towards Hamlet and we the audience can therefore not loathe him. What makes Hamlet all the more fascinating is that we are kept in suspense as to if Gertrude had a part in the murder of her Husband. Throughout the play Shakespeare causes the audience to experience horror, pity and fear by making the next stage in the play all the more unpredictable. Just when we think we know what will happen due to what has been revealed to us through conversation and especially soliloquies does Shakespeare prove us wrong by adding an unexpected twist. I think Hamlet has also been such a success because it shows how life in this world is so short and puts fear into us about life in the next. It also shows how one incident can affect so many lives so much. The fact that Hamlet is betrayal within a family causes the audience to feel that little bit more afraid. When the tight unity between families is broken then respect for anyone can hardly be possible, as the ability to trust and love another must be hard. Even so Hamlet did and still does love Ophelia. Hamlet: I lov’d Ophelia; forty thousand brothers Could not (with all their quantities of love) Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her? Shakespeare causes even more pity towards Hamlet, as through this quote it is inevitable that Laertes’ loss was also a loss of Hamlet’s.