The Performative Utterance Essay (Hamlet Edition)

                The saying goes that words have power, and the theory of performative utterance seems to solidify that conception. In Hamlet we see many examples of the powers words can have on ourselves and others, but it’s not only in Hamlet where we see this, it is relevant to people outside of the Shakespearian world as well.  We sometimes forget the powers we possess through our words, but performative utterance reminds us of it.

                For a majority of the play, Hamlet doesn’t physically act to acquire what he wants, but instead uses his words to deceive and manipulate. It takes Hamlet a long time to actually act upon the oath he swore to the ghost of his father, but there of plenty of examples before this where we see him create action and further his thinking using nothing but his words. Hamlet creates the illusion that he has gone mad without ever really doing anything, but through the way he speaks and fear he creates in others minds he looks through the eyes of others to have gone mad. This is one example of Hamlet’s use of performative utterance; without ever acting, he acts. This is a pivotal part of the play, because he without doing anything to incriminate himself, he fakes his own madness allowing him to do and say the things necessary to exert his revenge. Another example is when Hamlet talks to people who aren’t as high in society as himself, he like to remind them of that. Sarcasm and witty assaults on others intellects is one way Hamlet likes to exert his dominance over others. Overall Hamlet uses words as a means to passively (or passive aggressively) create action without literally creating the action.

                It is common place for someone to say that they should’ve done something or that they will do it in the future. These are two examples of self-overhearing that people can see in their normal lives. Telling yourself you’ll do something or promising to someone else that you will is good ways to have yourself get things done. Looking at the past and telling yourself that you’ll do something different is a good way to further your thinking and yourself. Sometimes the things we need to grow is just ourselves.

                Words can do more than they’re given credit for, they can motivate, unencourage, help others or hurt them. Sometimes acting isn’t necessary an effective grasp of language is all you need. Hamlet exhibits this throughout the play and people outside of Hamlet do as well. The line between a talker and a doer is no so clear when the talker can do without doing. They can create an illusion of madness, motivate themselves and much more. Sometimes speaking is all the action that you need to take.