Hamlet 

John Austen created this illustration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet, reflecting the art deco style prevalent in the early 20th century. The image captures the play's themes of control and fate, with characters depicted as marionettes manipulated by a cloaked, skeletal figure of Death. In Shakespeare's time, society was deeply structured by class, gender, and power, themes that Austen visually underscores. Consider Ophelia, often seen as a victim of circumstance, driven to madness and death by the men around her. Or Hamlet himself, torn between his social duty and moral conscience. The marionette motif emphasizes a sense of helplessness, mirroring the characters' struggles against their predetermined roles. Austen’s illustration prompts us to reflect on the forces, both visible and invisible, that shape our own destinies. It’s a stark reminder of how individual agency often wrestles with larger social and political scripts.