Hamlet

Hamlet

1. First impression- introduced to be snappy- deliberatley awkward and difficult- angry and withdrawn his alienation is more authoratitive and articulate than the Courts complience

   • 'A little more than kin and less than kind'
     • Stark contrast from previous conversation in which Claudius and Laertes were flattering each other. Hamlets words are blunt and to the point- but riddled with meaning- allowing him to be rude to Claudius privatley- whilst further distancing himself from the court.
     • Dramatic as King is descendant of God according to the chain of being -Such a dismissive response to and disregard for the formalities of Danish Court- would be seen as rude- Showing hamlet to be an angry- bitter young man
   • 'I am too much I'th' sun'
     • His uncles incestuous fawning revolts him- puns represent ambiguity- in that things may not be as they seem- it also serves as a demonstration of how language can be manipulated- eg: Claudius uses it to normalise his marriage
   • 'nighted colour'
     • Stark visual contrast with the coloured costumes of the court- visually isolated- doesn't fit there. - mourning clothes- bold statement
   • 'I know not seems.. For they are actions a man might play'
     • Directly referring to the Way Gertrude and Claudius have expressed their grief- and pointed out to the whole court that it can be faked- whereas his grief is all consuming.

2. Reaction to Women based on his experiences gets worse and worse.

   • 'Frailty thy name is woman
     • Cannot comprehend his mothers actions so much so he blames it on her sex ans he cannot fathom any other reason why she may act this way- beginning of him giving up hope on all women.
   • 'God hath given you one face and you make yourselves another'
     • Referring to makeup- suggests it is going directly against God's orders- they are sinners- APPERANCE VS REALITY.
   • 'jig and you amble'
     • Crtitisizing their movement and general conduct- make them seem like creatures
   • 'AS a womens love'
     • Hypocrytical as it was him who claimed he lost love for her.
   • ''Almost as bad good mother/ as kill a king and marry with his brother'
     • Rhyming couplet- is very dominating and assertive- even in his bad deeds all he can focus on are his mothers- ghost has to intervene oto calm him down. Gertrudes echo 'AS kill a king could be shock- showing her innnocence
     • We learn about Gertrude mainly through Hamlet's speeeches- so the way H sees her has an effect on us.- horrifed that she has married his uncle- obsessedwith her sexuality.
   • 'Confess yoursefl to heaven../ Repent what is past, avoid what is to come'
     • Semantic field of Religion- reference to punishment- imperaices- commanding and demanding moral superios- strange as noramlly parent governs child- contrast to Polonius.
   • 'I must be Cruel only to be kind'
     • Feels he is only doing his duty- much more eager to save a soul than to carry out an execution- Tries to help Gertrude as much as he can- even offers her logical solution 'next absitenence, the next more easy'

3. Faces a strong moral Dilemma throughout the play

   • 'O cursed spite that I was ever born to set this right'
     • Ghosts appearance causes Hamlet to doubt his beliefs-faith in humanity is already shaken by mothers hasty marriage but this scene causes him to rethink his entire world view Ghosts uncertain motives lead him to suggest there are no certain moral truths even in the afterlife.
   • Feels he is 'passions slave'- Admires Horatio as he doesnt have feelings strong enough to overpower him- admire his normality suggesting Hamlet reallly has gone mad- also see his humble side.
   • 'come some music! come the REcorders!
     • After the play Hamlet is Euphoric- monosyllabic exclaimation- sense of purpose renewed- rejoicing as no more turmoil over whether Claudius is guilty although Horatio neither confirmed or denied it.
   • 'I took thee for thy Better'
     • He doesn't care when he kills Polonius althoughtthe deed initiates the second revenge plot. His spontaneous 'bloody reaction' is a stark contrast to the Careful de;liberation he gave in taking Claudius' life

4. Uses Madness as an oppurtunity to express hoe he really feels- not clinically insane he is being driven so - seen in his soliliquies.

   • WE hear from Ophelia of his mad outburst- Gone from someone who hated 'seeming' to someone relying on it-
   • 'Whats the matter?/Between who?'
     • Uses language to present his madness- takes the literal sense of the word to show his child-like interpretation-yet another way Shakespeare represents how language can be manipulated to change perceptions.
   • 'but mad north-north-west'
     • This taunts Claudius as they are unable to sense whether the things he says are madness or simply truth- creates his own deception and makes other characters feel uneasy around him.'
   • 'Fishmonger'
     • Slightly humorous image is seen to be entirely accurate due to Polonius' previous actions.-
   • Give me Pardon, sir.. who does it then? His madness’
     • Hamlet is clearly using his madness as an excuse for his behaviour – Even modern judicial practice permits denial of responsibility on grounds of insanity- But the exciuse is hard to accept as Hamlet talks in generalities and s is very evasive. He characterises his madness as an alter ego- a fasle self. Though the tone is moving- the reasoning seems unsatisfactory.
   • 'break your own neck down'
     • hamlet is not willing to sacrifice his quest for vengence over his reltionship with his mother- clear obsSesion with vengANCE
   • 'Not where he is eating but where he 'a eaten'
     • Polonius’ spontaneous murder compared ith hamlet’s hesitancy before is an example of him beingunabke to co-ordinate his thoughts.- in this scene he proves impulsiveness isn’t the answer either. – completel uncontrolled impulse that suggests he may be mad.

5. For a moment we forget the madness and the action and we see Hamlet's witty side and skillfullness and great leadership qualities- acts as light and shade- reminds us what we lost

   • 'They clepe us drunkards and with swinish phrase/Soil our addition
     • Hamlet expresses his dislike for drunk Danes desstroying his reputation- elaborating on idea that single fault can destroy a reputation- perhaps his fault is revenge- destroys him.- Ghost interrupts his speech- maybe ghost who destroys him-'To his own scandal'
   • 'there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so'
     • He is very witty with his fellow students showing his intellectual ability- only by properly thinking we an determine what is good/bad- ironic as Hamlet doesn't think about taking revenge- it is almost an instinct as his loyalty to his father outweighs any intellectual doubt.
   • 'In my hearts core-ay, in my heart of heart'
     • Repetition of 'heart'- monosyllabic nature of sentence shows it is heartfelt and genuine- Shakespeare wants us to see Hamlets caring and humble side- depsite his political position - he respects people because of their morality nad behaviour- no their position
   • ''Both our judgements join'
     • Shows how much he wants to get this right- trusts Horatio- someone who is logical- demonstrates hamlets problem solving abilities.
   • 'he is loved of the distracted multitude'
     • First time we hear about the love the people bear for hamlet- Hamlet does not mention this- or exploit it the way claudius would have- provides another contrast between main antagonist and protagonist.
   • Spacious in he possession of dirt’
     • He talks of Osrics land as ‘dirt’ – almost worthless in the grand scheme of things- especially after his deliberation over death and the ends we all meet- also shows who Claudius decides to surround himself with – Vs Hamlet who sees through people beyond their wordly belongings and looks more at their character’water-fly’- parasitic.- Idea this is a god like quality which makes him a fit representative of god on earth- CHAIN OF BEING.-
   • 'Ay marry. Why was he sent to Englnd?
     • Hamlet shares the concerns of the people and treats them as his equal- he feel s no need to assert his title over them- but rather gains respect through his desire to understand them. Hamlet is quite happy to match him in conversation- reminder of his ability to communicate with people from all walks of life.

6. Loves His Father So much- See this in the contrast he makes to Gertrude

   • 'Hyperions Curls, to the front of Jove himself/ an eye like amrs... Mercury'
     • Very hyperbollic language and vivid imagery- emphasising position father holds in life- semantic field of religion, gods, light and power-as though evryting he did was brave- heroic- the best of the best
   • 'This was your husband .. what follows/ Here is your husband'
     • 'this' and the start- builds a picture ot a great entity and then concluding short dramatic statement of the fact that Gertrude had him- anaphora highlights contrast of two brothers

7. Towards the end of the play becomes more resolute- adopting the anger over his fathers death as more of his own rather than out of obligation to his father.-Has no soliliquies- he is no longer restricted by indecision- sees thigns wi9th clarity making his death seem like a tragic waste

   • ‘There’s a divinity that shapes our ends’
     • Hamlet believing in fate – believes in god’s plan- he no longer worries or debates the possible consequences of his actions- although this could be out of tiredness-it is more likely ecqause of the luck he encountered on the boat- wherein he found ‘an exact command...head should be struck off’ realises there is no point in agonising.
   • ‘He should thos bearers put to sudden death’
     • We see he no longer runs around in corcles of conflict- rather- he is a man of action- doing things because they need to be done and whenever he has the opportunity- ‘They are not near my conciense’ see this as the dawn of the new hamlet- one who is not feel guilty at all but rather sees such action as justice for their own insinuation’ as now he feels ‘heaven’ was ‘ordinant’ – fate is on his side so now he must do what he feels he must. Hamlet has returned not only having a grasp of his opwn situation but the universe in which he operates.
   • ‘mighty opposites’
     • Hamlet seems himself and Claudius as polar opposites- clear opponents
   • Killed my King and whored my mother.. between th’election and my hopes.. cozenge’
     • cozenge’ List of Claudius’ sins to build a strong case against him- asks rhetorical question- ‘Is’t not perfect conscience’ Feels like it makes sense to kill him- See his speech as decisive- sirect- and building a convincing argument-blunt- direct and without any conflicting ideas.- Constrast to his continuous doubts- that would he would excessively deliberate over –
     • Helps to isolate Claudius as the source of all wickedness and corruption – uses possessive pronoun- ‘my- cause is Hamlet’s own- no longer a duty to a remote ghost Mention of the ‘election’ shows he now sees his his responsibilities to the state as important as any obliation to the ghost or himself. –Killing Claudius will not be the private vengeance but the dispensing of justice to reatore the health of Denmark- Hence Hamlet executes him only when everyone sees he deserves it.
   • hid definement suffers no perdition in you though ,, invntorially.. dazzle’
     • excessive and elaborate language to mock Osric- he sees no point in using more ‘rawer breath’ than needed- however his ability to match and even exceed Osric again shows not lonely- like in the last scene how he can relate to commoners- but be eloquent and articulate when talking to noblemen – Even talks in prose to show he doesn’t respect him. – respects people whowork hars and contribute like GD- becomes more and more confident in his judgement of others. Links to his sensitivity & hostility with the way people manipulate language- eg his dislike at Claudius use of ‘son’ and Gertrude’s use of ‘common’
   • ‘If it not to come, it will be now;if it be not now, yet it will come- the readiness is all’
     • He feels everything is laid out in a plan- what is meant to happen will happen- and there is always providence’ in it- even in the ‘fall of a sparrow’ . Here Hamlet is essentially saying that all that matters is being prepared for judgement. The simplicity of what he says- almost entirely in monosyllables- marks its humility and sincerity
     • The price for unchecked viallainly as had the courty scrutinised Claudius marriage and not ‘freely gone.. along’ with it- Denmark would not be in Norwegian hands. This is unlike Shakeperes later tragedies where the protagonist suffers for his egotistical blindness. The wickedness of others brings about the protangonast in this case.
   • 'I' 'mine'
     • Personal pronouns show he is taking ownership of his quest for revenge- not just something that has been forced pon him.