I. Introduction
On first sight, to compare these two works might seem awkward, as they are so different in many obvious ways: a long-lasting TV-series checked against a written drama of some pages? Old-fashioned, mouldy language against fast-moving, expert and vulgar tongue?
There are far more points of criticism you could give. But I tried to dig deeper into the linguistic and theoretical structure of both works to find possible similarities that might make the two comparable.
First, I will give a detailed description of the TV-series House, M.D. Then, I am going to examine how the topic „Lying and deception“ is dealt with in both creations. After that, I will try to check whether Hamlet‘s interior monologues are a pre-psychological treatment for himself or not.
Ultimately, the ways of acting, behaving and speaking are my aim. How much are they alike? What is different?
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Description of the TV-series House M.D., including the main characters and the plot
III. Similarities between House M.D. and Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark
a.) Lying and deception
b.) Differential diagnosis: Hamlet‘s Interior Monologues vs. The Whiteboard
c.) Acting, behaving, speaking: What is similar, what is different?
IV. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This study aims to perform a comparative analysis between the modern medical drama series House M.D. and William Shakespeare's classical tragedy Hamlet. By examining linguistic and theoretical structures, the work explores how both protagonists navigate truth, deception, and internal conflict, ultimately assessing the continued relevance of Shakespearean themes in contemporary media.
- Comparative analysis of narrative structure and character motivation.
- Examination of lying and deception as recurring themes in both works.
- Psychological evaluation of Hamlet's soliloquies versus House's diagnostic method.
- The impact of internal monologues on personal decision-making.
- Dramatic performance and the reflection of character behavior.
Excerpt from the book
III. b) Comparison of the soliloquies
In this section I try to compare the seven soliloquies in Hamlet with the whiteboard in House M.D., which is the practitioner‘s most important tool when it comes to diagnoses. I try to find out to what extent we can consider Hamlet‘s monologues as both a description of his „illnesses“, meaning his worries and thoughts and the „solutions“ to these he provides himself during the soliloquies. I will go through each monologue in detail and depict whether he is currently in a patient‘s mood (and just describing his pain and worries) or in a doctor‘s (trying to solve his inner conflict) or both.
The first soliloquy is situated when Hamlet contemplates about going back to Wittenberg after his father‘s death, which is not long gone. His mother and the King try to hold him back, but his grief and the pain about the loss of his father overcome him. In the monologue, he mourns about the hasty marriage of the Queen that came with „most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets.“ (Shakespeare, W.; Hamlet, 1993: p. 24 ll. 156-157) He is angry about his mother who seemed to have forgotten „so excellent a king“ (Shakespeare, W.; Hamlet, 1993: p. 23 l. 139) and immediately married his uncle. His thoughts center around suicide and „how weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable“ (p. 23 l. 133) the world appears to him. To sum up, Hamlet speaks as a patient and shares his pain with the readers.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: The author outlines the scope of the comparison, justifying the choice of a modern TV-series and a classical drama by looking for shared linguistic and theoretical structures.
II. Description of the TV-series House M.D., including the main characters and the plot: This chapter introduces Dr. Gregory House and his team, detailing their roles, personality traits, and the standard episodic structure of the show.
III. Similarities between House M.D. and Hamlet, Prince Of Denmark: This core section analyzes how both works utilize deception, soliloquies, and character behavior to drive their respective narratives.
IV. Conclusion: The author summarizes that despite the medium gap, Shakespeare's work remains highly relevant and shares surprising structural similarities with modern dramatic storytelling.
Keywords
House M.D., Hamlet, Shakespeare, Comparative Literature, Lying, Deception, Soliloquies, Medical Drama, Diagnostic Method, Character Analysis, Interior Monologue, Narrative Structure, Psychological Treatment, Dramatic Conflict, Modern Media
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this study?
The study investigates the unexpected parallels between the TV-series House M.D. and Shakespeare's Hamlet, focusing specifically on how both protagonists deal with truth, deception, and personal conflict.
What are the key thematic areas?
The primary themes include the nature of lying as a survival mechanism, the role of internal reflection, and how both characters manage their internal worlds to reach decisions.
What is the central research question?
The research asks how these two distinct works can be compared through their linguistic and theoretical structures and what this reveals about the universality of their themes.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The work employs a comparative, analytical approach, dissecting specific plot points and monologues to identify common ground between a written drama and a visual television format.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body examines character descriptions, the dynamics of lying, the comparison between Hamlet's soliloquies and House's diagnostic whiteboards, and the theatricality of their behavior.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as comparative literature, psychological conflict, deception, modern vs. classical drama, and narrative analysis.
How does the author define the function of Hamlet's soliloquies?
The author argues that Hamlet’s soliloquies function as a form of self-administered therapy or a "doctor-like" diagnostic tool where he attempts to resolve his own inner crises.
Does the author conclude that House M.D. and Hamlet are truly comparable?
Yes, the author concludes that while the mediums differ, the underlying human conflicts, such as the use of deception and the need for self-reflection, make the two works surprisingly relatable.
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- Oliver Selzer (Autor:in), 2009, TB or not TB? A comparison of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and House, M.D., München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/207928
