Marry, how? Tropically. This play is the image of a murder done in Vienna.
Act III, Scene 2 · Hamlet
Context
Hamlet explains the play's title, saying it is called 'The Mousetrap' and represents a murder in Vienna, then adds that it works 'tropically' (figuratively).
Analysis
The pun on 'tropically' (figuratively / like a trap) reveals Hamlet's double awareness: the play functions both as metaphor and as mechanism for catching Claudius. By locating the murder in 'Vienna' rather than Denmark, Hamlet maintains plausible deniability—it is a story about elsewhere—while the specificity of naming the Duke 'Gonzago' makes it feel like a real case study. This combination of distance and detail keeps Claudius off-balance, unable to object without self-incrimination.
Essay Tip
Support a thesis that Hamlet is a master of strategic ambiguity—this line shows him constructing a trap that works by being simultaneously obvious and deniable.