Questions on style and structure: 9. Suggestions for writing: 7

9) In Hamlet's first soliloquy, Shakespeare uses juxtapositions and metaphors such as "Hyperion to a satyr" (1.2.140) in order to fully express Hamlet's rage. The metaphors continues as Hamlet compares Claudius to a beast, Gertrude to Niobe, and himself to Hercules. Each of the metaphors have negative connotations when put into context. It's the use of metaphors, allusions, and a fixation on the word "month" that's repeated three times, that really puts the rage of Hamlet into a more graspable context for the audience.
7)
Honesty and deception is a common theme, its conflict permeates every line of the play, making every character part of the struggle between honesty and deception. The conflict takes place internally within Polonius, an internal struggle between the honest side of Polonius which is generally concerned with the welfare of his daughter, and the deceptive side of Polonius which is only concerned with his daughter with respect to her value as an asset to the family and as a tool for the king. Polonius has genuine feelings of concern for his daughter but they're largely ignored by the audience because of the fact that his motives are so mixed, it's hard to judge him positively given all his other actions within the plots of Claudius. The conflict between deception and honesty doesn't take place exclusively within Polonius but that internal conflict is a good example of the two opposing sides.