Question

Hamlet says, "Denmark’s a prison.” Write two to three sentences in which you identify the type of figurative language Hamlet uses here and analyze its meaning and effects.

Answer 1

Hamlet is using a metaphor to compare Denmark, his home, to a prison. This metaphor shows that, like someone in prison, Hamlet feels as if he is trapped and being watched all the time.

Answer 2

Here, Hamlet is using a metaphor. Metaphors compare two things, yet differ from similes in that they don't use "like" or "as." He is comparing Denmark to a prison, meaning that he feels that the city is confining and bleak.