Passionate Discourse: Drama: Activity 1.2 (Constructed Reality)

Constructed reality is a concept in which a system of belief is imaginary and socially constructed in which an individual who constructs his or her own understanding of what reality is to them. It allows one to develop a sense of self awareness and understanding of those around them. It is the way that one presents themself to others, which is influenced by their interactions and life experiences. It is also based on how the person was raised and what they were raised to believe. These factors affect how one presents themself, how they perceive others, and how others perceive them. In other words, ones perception of reality is influenced by their beliefs and backgrounds.

In this concept, there is not simply just one superficial reality, but in fact numerous multi-dimensional realities that exist within the realms of the life. The person, who sees their reality to be true, perceives a given situation as being real, therefore the results, whether good or bad, which it yields, are real as well. One may ask themselves, “Why is my version of reality correct?” “Is it possible for there to be other realities that are also true?”

In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” there are numerous accounts of constructed reality and social construct. Each character has his or her own perception of reality and what it signifies.

For example, the main character, Hamlet believes that his own beliefs are what reflect reality.

He understands his own skill with words and language and uses this to achieve his goals. Hamlet’s profound connection with modern language causes him to assume his perceptions of reality on the grounds of his own interpretation of the understanding of words. He uses this to influence situations in which his own sense of reality becomes prevalent.

For example, Hamlet’s actions toward Ophelia are not necessarily what cause her to kill herself, but the words which he says to her. He reprimands her, telling her she should enter a convent instead of becoming a “breeder of sinners” (3.1.131-132), which refers to her “sacrilegious” pregnancy. These harsh words make Ophelia feel inferior and useless to Hamlet, which ultimately drives her to commit suicide. This proves that the power of words cause Hamlet to become more powerful and manipulative towards other characters and causes him to be perceived to others as being cruel and devious.

 As a result of this, it causes him to become overwhelmed with creating meaning in words, which ultimately leads to his disconnection with reality and his perpetual fate. It is clear that his captivation with linguistics is a major influence of his tragic flaw.

Next, his lover, Ophelia has a constant struggle with madness and betrayal throughout the play, which ultimately affects her understanding of reality. Ophelia displays the classic struggle of the role of a feminine character that desires to have a voice of her own, instead of being controlled by the authoritative man, her partner.

Throughout the play, Ophelia‘s character goes through many changes, in which she goes from being Polonius’ timid daughter (who lacks self-will and nerve), to a lover who plans to manipulate those who hurt her (which reveals the vulgar side of her character), finally to a wrathful woman (who expresses her feelings and sorrow through her intrepid actions). Also, her madness can be read as a recurring memory of Hamlet since it is how she wants to recover the love she once had with Hamlet. Her unsuccessful love with him, along with the death of her father represents her encounters of insanity and the fractured mental state that one has when they lose touch with reality. Because of these tragic and traumatizing events, to her reality is basically non-existent at this point. Even though her insanity is difficult to read sometimes, Ophelia struggles to establish and understand the central reason behind her insanity.  Finally, her death symbolizes the narcissism she has relating to herself and the opinions she once had constructed within her own reality.

Finally, Claudius is seen to be a stimulus in relation to rescinding everyone’s constructive reality. In the eyes of the other characters, particularly Hamlet, Claudius has infected “the whole ear of Denmark” with what he has said to people and how he has acted. As a result of this, he is persuading Denmark into believing that his version of constructed reality. He causes other people to believe that he is right about what true reality is and that they should completely disregard their own ideas of what reality is to them. In this monologue in Act Three, Scene Three, it clearly shows that Claudius is manipulative and selfish:

And what's in prayer but this two-fold force,

To be forestalled ere we come to fall,

Or pardon'd being down? Then I'll look up;

My fault is past. But, O, what form of prayer

Can serve my turn? 'Forgive me my foul murder'?

That cannot be; since I am still possess'd

Of those effects for which I did the murder,

My crown, mine own ambition and my queen.

May one be pardon'd and retain the offence?

In the corrupted currents of this world

Offence's gilded hand may shove by justice,

And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself

Buys out the law: but 'tis not so above;

There is no shuffling, there the action lies

In his true nature; and we ourselves compell'd,

Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,

To give in evidence. What then? what rests?

Try what repentance can: what can it not?

Yet what can it when one can not repent?

O wretched state! O bosom black as death!

O limed soul, that, struggling to be free,

Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay!

Bow, stubborn knees; and, heart with strings of steel,

Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe!

All may be well. (3.3.52-75)

In this monologue, he confesses that the reason why he killed Hamlet was to become King and to gain the power and possessions that are associated with being King. Here, Claudius is asking for forgiveness from God, but because he is not willing to give up the possessions (referring to the crown, throne and power) that caused him to commit the murder in the first place, he can never gain deliverance for the sin he committed. His unwillingness to give up the possessions obviously shows that he still wants that power as king, even though he will have to suffer an eternity of debauchery because of it. This whole process shows the changes in Claudius’ character (going from rational to malevolent) and that he (like Ophelia) is suffering through a withdrawal from reality. This leads to his fate, in which greed trumped his logic and prosperity and his idea of a flawless reality.

In conclusion, constructed reality is a predominant concept in Hamlet which influences the beliefs, behaviours and actions of the characters. In Hamlet, words drive the action of the play and cause the play to become a mirror of the each character’s fractured reality and how they were the causes behind their own fates. The power of language and words are the key to both the driving action of the play as well its outcome as all characters have somehow been affected by poisoned words. In many senses, each character’s sense of reality has been created and shaped because of their relationship to language and words, often to tragic ends and for this reason. This just proves the true power of constructed reality.

Quotes taken from:  Shakespeare, William. Hamlet . New York, NY, USA: Washington Square Press, 1992.