Hamlet Mood
HAMLET written by shakespeare perhaps his most popular play though is difficult to quantify a tragedy- follows the exploits of our tragic title character first performed early 17th century
PLOT
follows hamlet as exacts revenge on his uncle claudius for murdering the old king hamlet claudius killed his brother, marries his sister in law the audience sees hamlet evolve and show real and feigned (fake madness) hamlet transitions from overwhelming grief to rage and takes it upon himself to return the kingdom to normandy
SETTING
set in denmark-elsinor castle roughly 16th century the royal court and how is functions
THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING during the renaissance the general population believed in ‘TGCB’ everything on earth …show more content…
has its place within a hierarchy basically takes us from god at the top to dust at the bottom kings were placed very close to god to kill a king is a direct assault to god this would throw everything out of whack
THE TRAGIC HERO the title character of this pay is a tragic hero responsible for his own downfall knows why he is suffering he is an extraordinary individual that we look up to as we get to know him his death is a great waste of potential
THEMES
moral corruption revenge (action vs inaction) appearance and reality (internal and external conflict) fate- random fortune or divine master plan death and mortality power and its affect on the individual
SHAKESPEARE TRAGIC HERO
i believe that shakespeare's biggest example of a tragic her is macbeth a tragic hero is defined as a great man and/or woman who experiences a downfall as a result of some mistake. a tragic hero must fall due to some persona flaw or mistake macbeth was a great warrior, and was slowly being promoted up the ranks by his king. his down fall was a result of many external factors but mostly of his own mistakes, mainly his hubris and his ambition. he was greedy and wanted more power and killed his king to get it. macbeth is a tragic hero.
a tragic hero has a tragic flaw: ambition, jealousy, indecision
what is hubris?
- it is the pride or the overwhelming confidence that leads the protagonist(or antgnist in some cases) to his or her downfall.
what is hamartia?
- an error in judgement
- the tragic figure makes a mistake or a serious of mistake that sets in motion the consequences that bring about his downfall.
To be or not to be speech translation
The question is: is it better to be alive or dead? Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that luck throws your way, or to fight against all those troubles by simply putting an end to them once and for all?
Dying, sleeping—that’s all dying is—a sleep that ends all the heartache and shocks that life on earth gives us—that’s an achievement to wish for.
To die, to sleep—to sleep, maybe to dream. Ah, but there’s the catch: in death’s sleep who knows what kind of dreams might come, after we’ve put the noise and commotion of life behind us. That’s certainly something to worry about. That’s the consideration that makes us stretch out our sufferings so long After all.
who would put up with all life’s humiliations—the abuse from superiors, the insults of arrogant men, the pangs of unrequited love, the inefficiency of the legal system, the rudeness of people in office, and the mistreatment good people have to take from bad—when you could simply take out your knife and call it quits?
Who would choose to grunt and sweat through an exhausting life, unless they were afraid of something dreadful after death, the undiscovered country from which no visitor returns, which we wonder about without getting any answers from and which makes us stick to the evils we know rather than rush off to seek the ones we don’t?
Fear of death makes us all cowards, and our natural boldness becomes weak with too much thinking.
Actions that should be carried out at once get misdirected, and stop being actions at all. But shh, here comes the beautiful Ophelia. Pretty lady, please remember me when you pray
Hamlet scene questions
Act 1
1. describe the tone of scene 1. provide lines and words that help describe the setting. the tone is foreboding, mysterious and dark.
2. what mood prevails? how is the mood established? be specific. the dark mysterious mood prevails and it is established by the darkness in the play. the death of the king hamlet, the ghost.
3. what events outside the actions of the pay does horatio explain to us? hamlet is dead, denmark is at war, “something is rotten in the state of denmark”.
4. how does the tone change at the beginning of scene 2? it goes from being very dark and sad from the death and funeral of the king to happy and colorful with the kings new wedding.
5. who dominates scene 2? what elements of his Character are developed? claudius, develops that he is a good politician and is a people person trying to please the people.
6.
7.in scene 4 hamlet talks abut human nature summarize his …show more content…
ideas. human kind is corrupt and basically that it sucks.
8.what does marcellus say that you may think is important
“something is rotten in the state of denmark”
9. according to the ghost how did the king die? the ghost says his brother killed by putting poison in his ear and and took his throne.
10. what resolution does hamlet make? that he has to avenge his father.
11. why does hamlet decide to feign madness? because if people think he’s crazy he can investigate his father's murder and people wont care.
Act 2
1. what do we learn about polonius in this act. he is very manipulative and he is very self centred only worrying about his place in the kingdom.
2. has hamlet been putting on an antic disposition? yes he is hes acting crazy.
3. what does hamlet think of hamlet? he thinks hes foolish and confused and doesn't like him.
4. who are rosencrantz and guildenstern? they are hamlets childhood friends and they are sent to spy on hamlet.
5. does claudius show himself to be a good leader? he appears to be a good leader despite running around the castle drunk he avoids war with norway.
6. hamlet has several beautiful lines in this scene. what does he mean when he says: “ i am mad north north west” he is talking to rosencrantz and guildenstern telling them he can turn of being crazy and he is only crazy when he needs to be.
7. re-read hamlet's soliloquy at the end of the scene. why does he envy the player? why is he angry with himself ? he envies the player because the player can bring up all these emotions and be so passionate about a play, and he cannot have any emotions about anything even when his father dies and his girlfriend breaks up with him and he cant take action.
8. why will hamlet create a play for claudius to watch. he is going to put on a play for claudius to watch so he can see if claudius shows any signs of guilt when he is watching the play.
act 3 scene 2
1. why does hamlet say he especially likes horatio? does hamlet see horatio as similar to him or different from him?
2. what is claudius’ reaction to the play? does he learn anything about hamlet? claudius leaves the play because he knows hamlet is going to kill him, he is either scared that hamlet is going to kill him or he is scare that, hamlet knows tclaudius killed his dad.
3.how does hamlets exchange with rosencrantz and guildenstern different from previous ones? he gets really pissed at them cause they are playing him.
scene 3
1. what has claudius decided to do with hamlet? he sends him to england.
2. where is polonius going? he is going to hide
3. what does claudius attempt to pry? why can’t he ask for
forgiveness? he admits what he does, and he can’t because he is still enjoying the perks of being king.
4. why doesn’t hamlet kill claudius? because if he killed him he would go to heaven because he is praying.
scene 4
1. does gertrude know that claudius killed hamlet's father? explain your answer. no because she just follows claudius no matter what she is oblivious, she just want to be queen
2. what happened to polonius? he got stabbed by hamlet
3. why does the ghost appear? to show that hamlet is crazy because he is the only one who can see him, and to show his guilt.
The Seven Soliloquies
1. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on ’t, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this. But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my mother That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father’s body, Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle, My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.’'
(Act One, Scene Two)
The Hamlet of the first soliloquy is an outraged man who, disgusted by his 'sullied flesh', can see no outcome to his disgust other than death. To free himself from the grip of his flesh he must put an end to his life. But there is the rub: God, the Everlasting, he tells us, does not allow one to act in this way. God still rules the universe and Hamlet must obey his strictures.
2. “O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else? And shall I couple hell? Oh, fie! Hold, hold, my heart, And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee! Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat In this distracted globe. Remember thee! Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven! O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain! My tables!—Meet it is I set it down That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I’m sure it may be so in Denmark. (writes) So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “Adieu, adieu. Remember me.” have sworn ’t.” (Act One, Scene Five)
3. “Now I am alone. Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wanned, Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing— For Hecuba! What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have? He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appall the free, Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing—no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me “villain”? Breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i' th' throat As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Ha! 'Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words And fall a-cursing like a very drab, A scullion! Fie upon ’t, foh! About, my brain.—Hum, I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have, by the very cunning of the scene, Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaimed their malefactions. For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I’ll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks. I’ll tent him to the quick. If he do blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I’ll have grounds More relative than this. The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
(Act Two, Scene Two)
Some actors, including the very best, believe that the most beautiful soliloquy is that which comes at the end of Act Two, immediately after the first discussion between Hamlet and the travelling players. Here Hamlet is enraged, furious and rude. He lays himself, we feel, totally bare. He is no fool however. Recovering his spirits he devises a plan which will lead the king to betray himself. This is Shakespeare at the height of his theatrical prowess, stamping Hamlet's language with relentless changes in tone, the peaks of rage inter-cut with short moments of profound depression or of incredulous questioning.
4.” To be, or not to be? That is the question— Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep— No more—and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.—Soft you now, The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered.”
(Act Three, Scene One)
In the first soliloquy Hamlet submits to rules and prohibitions; in the second he imagines and rationalises and decides to remain in the world, for the moment at least. But he goes much further. Throughout the final act he pictures the final scene. There, where another dramatist would have given the dying Hamlet a long discourse on death, Shakespeare has Hamlet say just a few words of disconcerting simplicity, 'the rest is silence', precisely because Hamlet has already said everything before
5. “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May. And how his audit stands who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought 'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.” (Act Three, Scene Three)
6. “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May. And how his audit stands who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought 'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.” (Act Three, Scene 3)
7. “How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge! What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on th' event— A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward—I do not know Why yet I live to say “This thing’s to do,” Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do ’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me. Witness this army of such mass and charge Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puffed Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death, and danger dare, Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great Is not to stir without great argument, But greatly to find quarrel in a straw When honor’s at the stake. How stand I then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep—while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men, That for a fantasy and trick of fame Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain? Oh, from this time forth,My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!” (Act Four, Scene Four)
The other two soliloquies are memorable because they reveal all the passionate nature of Hamlet's personality. Observing young Fortinbras and his army on their way to conquer Poland-'an eggshell', 'a wisp of straw'-Hamlet, on the edge of despair, asks himself why he, when he has so many reasons, cannot stir himself to action, why he cannot carry out the necessary act of vengeance. Why? Why? The last lines of Act Four are very revealing:
Machiavelli
Characteristics
1. The ends justify the means - stands above the normal rules of morality, he will do whatever is necessary to attain and maintain power.
2. If one has an enemy one should hurt that enemy even if he is vulnerable and unable to defend himself and he should be hurt so badly that he can not retaliate.
3. The crafty machiavel watches his enemy closely and knows his every move.
4. If one must perform villainous acts to ensure one’s security, one must as much as possible perform these acts oneself. do not trust others too far he successful leader accomplishments more through fear and love.
5. rarely relies on one plan to destroy his enemy; rather he has a back up plan so that if the first fails then the second will succeed.
6. A successful leader must become art beast: part fox-- cunning and deceitful.
7. if a ruler follows this advice he can only be overthrown in two possible ways .
1. defeat at the hands of a stronger opponent and for this reason machiavelli recommended that the ruler use deceit and trickery as much as possible in order to avoid a confrontation with his enemy.
2. bad luck or turning of fortune against him.
Is Claudius a Machiavel?
look at the characteristics and decide
Character foils
a character whos primary purpose id to create a contrast to another character draws attention to the latters traits and characteristics the formers obviously contradictory ones holmes and watson batman and superman peter parker and flash thompson captain kirk and spock
In hamlet shakespeare deliberately uses character foils to reveal central aspects of hamlets nature reveals the idea that an individual must be both a man of thought and a man of action
fortinbras fortinbras is shown to be a man of action numerous times throughout the play wants to invade denmark to avenge his slain father what is hamlet doing about his father takes his army through denmark through poland for nothing other than honor fortinbras is a man of honor and action
claudius takes action to get the crown hamlet does nothing to get the crown goes after gertrude= hamlet dithers and sulks about his mother but does little until he confronts his mother in bedchamber arranges to have hamlet killed in england arranged to have laertes kill hamlet etc…
laertes threatens the king with revolt- seeks justice for his fathers death - again contrasted by repeated examples of hamlets failure to act brawls in the graveyard hamlets speech making agrees to duel with hamlet and ensure his death through poison. - hamlet says that he wil act when the opportunity arises.
conclusion shakespeare shows, through foils, that hamlet is too much a man of thought
HOWEVER… through inaction is not desirable, neither is impulsive, hasty or reactionary behavior instead achieving a balanced thoughtful position and response is desired.
Hamlet
A senecan revenge play? hmmmmmmmmmmm?
what is a senecan revenge play? a popular genre in shakespeare's day shakespeare employs many of the characteristics of these revenge tragedies in hamlet characteristics the plays are divided into 5 clearly defined acts.
they make use of a chorus and employ a number of stock characters such as a ghost a cruel scheming tyrant, a faithful servant and a female confidante.
much of the action is presented through long narrative passages recited through messengers as a substitute for a stage action and which provide important background information to the play.
the tragic protagonist is given to much self question and introspection and delivers a great number of soliloquies, analyzing his personality and the motivation for his actions.
the theme of these plays involves revenge specifically the revenge of a father for his son or a son for his father, the revenge being directed by the ghost of murdered person.
hesitates before carrying out the revenge.
the one taking revenge exhibits feigned or real insanity.
suicide, murder and intrigue are characteristics of the revenge play and sensational horrors are presented on stage.
Freytag’s pyramid
- exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
act1 exposition/rising action act 2 rising action act 3 rising action/climax/falling action act 4 falling action act 5 falling action/resolution/catastrophe
Structural element
Act,scene
Main events
Exposition
act 1
The war between denmark and norway
The death of king hamlet
A ghost has been sighted
We meet hamlet
Claudius takes over the throne
Claudius married gertrude.
Inciting force act 1 / act 2
The ghost of old king hamlet appears and tells hamlet that claudius killed him
Rising action act 3 hamlet's antic disposition
Hamlet has the opportunity to kill claudius and take his revenge but does not
R & G are sent to spy treats Ophelia like a bitch players speech about hecuba
Climax act 3
Hamlet murders polonius
Falling action act 3 / act 4 / act 5
Claudius sends hamlet to england hamlet escapes with the pirates
Rosencrantz and Guldenjerk die
Gravedigger scene- laertes vs hamlet
Laertes returns and wishes to avenge his fathers death.
Catastrophe / resolution act 5
The fencing fight between Laertes
Everyone dies
Fortinbras returns and takes over
Theme topics/statements
1. moral corruption moral corruption leads to the decay and ultimate destruction of individuals, families and society. act 1 scene 2 - cheer up hamlet act 1 scene 5 - ghost act 3 scene 3 - mousetrap act 3 scene 4 die polonius die act 4 scene 3 - go to england hamlet act 4 scene 5 - claudius is the result of everybody dying act 5 scene 2
2. revenge (action vs inaction) shakespeare uses hamlet as an example that you can't think too much when seeking out your revenge, laertes that you have to think a little bit, and fortinbras that you need to find the perfect middle between action and inaction. act 1 scene 5 - i'll avenge you daddy act 2 scene 2 - hamlet thinks too much act 3 scene 3 - can’t kill c dog act 3 scene 4 act 4 scene 4 act 4 scene 5 act 5 scene 2
3. appearance and reality (internal and external conflict) appearance and reality are often blurred, thus making it difficult to expose the truth and act in a corrupt society. act 1 scene 3 act 2 scene 1 act 2 scene 2 act 3 scene 1 act 3 scene 2 act 3 scene 4
4. death and morality by trying to control death and life one will upset the natural order of things.
obsession with death can lead to a person's downfall.
the status achieved in life becomes irrelevant and meaningless upon death
death is a mysterious concept that greatly affects the way people behave and live their lives
act 1 scene 1 act 1 scene 4 act 3 scene 1
Hamlet test study guide
multiple choice and true or false know the plot, the characters and their impact.
matching
QUOTES - people hamlet gertrude polonius claudius and laertes
long answer
1.explain using data from the play, how hamlet is a classic tragic hero. you need to reference the framework learned in class in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a tragic hero is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence, your position and examples to support your claim.
2. explain, using detail from the play, how claudius is a machiavellian figure. you need to reference the framework learned in class. in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a ‘machiavellian character’ is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence your position and examples to support your claim
3.explain using detail form the play how hamlet follows the senecan revenge convention you need to reference the framework learned in class. in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a ‘senecan revenge play’ is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence your position and examples to support your claim.
PLOT
follows hamlet as exacts revenge on his uncle claudius for murdering the old king hamlet claudius killed his brother, marries his sister in law the audience sees hamlet evolve and show real and feigned (fake madness) hamlet transitions from overwhelming grief to rage and takes it upon himself to return the kingdom to normandy
SETTING
set in denmark-elsinor castle roughly 16th century the royal court and how is functions
THE GREAT CHAIN OF BEING during the renaissance the general population believed in ‘TGCB’ everything on earth …show more content…
has its place within a hierarchy basically takes us from god at the top to dust at the bottom kings were placed very close to god to kill a king is a direct assault to god this would throw everything out of whack
THE TRAGIC HERO the title character of this pay is a tragic hero responsible for his own downfall knows why he is suffering he is an extraordinary individual that we look up to as we get to know him his death is a great waste of potential
THEMES
moral corruption revenge (action vs inaction) appearance and reality (internal and external conflict) fate- random fortune or divine master plan death and mortality power and its affect on the individual
SHAKESPEARE TRAGIC HERO
i believe that shakespeare's biggest example of a tragic her is macbeth a tragic hero is defined as a great man and/or woman who experiences a downfall as a result of some mistake. a tragic hero must fall due to some persona flaw or mistake macbeth was a great warrior, and was slowly being promoted up the ranks by his king. his down fall was a result of many external factors but mostly of his own mistakes, mainly his hubris and his ambition. he was greedy and wanted more power and killed his king to get it. macbeth is a tragic hero.
a tragic hero has a tragic flaw: ambition, jealousy, indecision
what is hubris?
- it is the pride or the overwhelming confidence that leads the protagonist(or antgnist in some cases) to his or her downfall.
what is hamartia?
- an error in judgement
- the tragic figure makes a mistake or a serious of mistake that sets in motion the consequences that bring about his downfall.
To be or not to be speech translation
The question is: is it better to be alive or dead? Is it nobler to put up with all the nasty things that luck throws your way, or to fight against all those troubles by simply putting an end to them once and for all?
Dying, sleeping—that’s all dying is—a sleep that ends all the heartache and shocks that life on earth gives us—that’s an achievement to wish for.
To die, to sleep—to sleep, maybe to dream. Ah, but there’s the catch: in death’s sleep who knows what kind of dreams might come, after we’ve put the noise and commotion of life behind us. That’s certainly something to worry about. That’s the consideration that makes us stretch out our sufferings so long After all.
who would put up with all life’s humiliations—the abuse from superiors, the insults of arrogant men, the pangs of unrequited love, the inefficiency of the legal system, the rudeness of people in office, and the mistreatment good people have to take from bad—when you could simply take out your knife and call it quits?
Who would choose to grunt and sweat through an exhausting life, unless they were afraid of something dreadful after death, the undiscovered country from which no visitor returns, which we wonder about without getting any answers from and which makes us stick to the evils we know rather than rush off to seek the ones we don’t?
Fear of death makes us all cowards, and our natural boldness becomes weak with too much thinking.
Actions that should be carried out at once get misdirected, and stop being actions at all. But shh, here comes the beautiful Ophelia. Pretty lady, please remember me when you pray
Hamlet scene questions
Act 1
1. describe the tone of scene 1. provide lines and words that help describe the setting. the tone is foreboding, mysterious and dark.
2. what mood prevails? how is the mood established? be specific. the dark mysterious mood prevails and it is established by the darkness in the play. the death of the king hamlet, the ghost.
3. what events outside the actions of the pay does horatio explain to us? hamlet is dead, denmark is at war, “something is rotten in the state of denmark”.
4. how does the tone change at the beginning of scene 2? it goes from being very dark and sad from the death and funeral of the king to happy and colorful with the kings new wedding.
5. who dominates scene 2? what elements of his Character are developed? claudius, develops that he is a good politician and is a people person trying to please the people.
6.
7.in scene 4 hamlet talks abut human nature summarize his …show more content…
ideas. human kind is corrupt and basically that it sucks.
8.what does marcellus say that you may think is important
“something is rotten in the state of denmark”
9. according to the ghost how did the king die? the ghost says his brother killed by putting poison in his ear and and took his throne.
10. what resolution does hamlet make? that he has to avenge his father.
11. why does hamlet decide to feign madness? because if people think he’s crazy he can investigate his father's murder and people wont care.
Act 2
1. what do we learn about polonius in this act. he is very manipulative and he is very self centred only worrying about his place in the kingdom.
2. has hamlet been putting on an antic disposition? yes he is hes acting crazy.
3. what does hamlet think of hamlet? he thinks hes foolish and confused and doesn't like him.
4. who are rosencrantz and guildenstern? they are hamlets childhood friends and they are sent to spy on hamlet.
5. does claudius show himself to be a good leader? he appears to be a good leader despite running around the castle drunk he avoids war with norway.
6. hamlet has several beautiful lines in this scene. what does he mean when he says: “ i am mad north north west” he is talking to rosencrantz and guildenstern telling them he can turn of being crazy and he is only crazy when he needs to be.
7. re-read hamlet's soliloquy at the end of the scene. why does he envy the player? why is he angry with himself ? he envies the player because the player can bring up all these emotions and be so passionate about a play, and he cannot have any emotions about anything even when his father dies and his girlfriend breaks up with him and he cant take action.
8. why will hamlet create a play for claudius to watch. he is going to put on a play for claudius to watch so he can see if claudius shows any signs of guilt when he is watching the play.
act 3 scene 2
1. why does hamlet say he especially likes horatio? does hamlet see horatio as similar to him or different from him?
2. what is claudius’ reaction to the play? does he learn anything about hamlet? claudius leaves the play because he knows hamlet is going to kill him, he is either scared that hamlet is going to kill him or he is scare that, hamlet knows tclaudius killed his dad.
3.how does hamlets exchange with rosencrantz and guildenstern different from previous ones? he gets really pissed at them cause they are playing him.
scene 3
1. what has claudius decided to do with hamlet? he sends him to england.
2. where is polonius going? he is going to hide
3. what does claudius attempt to pry? why can’t he ask for
forgiveness? he admits what he does, and he can’t because he is still enjoying the perks of being king.
4. why doesn’t hamlet kill claudius? because if he killed him he would go to heaven because he is praying.
scene 4
1. does gertrude know that claudius killed hamlet's father? explain your answer. no because she just follows claudius no matter what she is oblivious, she just want to be queen
2. what happened to polonius? he got stabbed by hamlet
3. why does the ghost appear? to show that hamlet is crazy because he is the only one who can see him, and to show his guilt.
The Seven Soliloquies
1. “Oh, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God, God! How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world! Fie on ’t, ah fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden That grows to seed. Things rank and gross in nature Possess it merely. That it should come to this. But two months dead—nay, not so much, not two. So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr. So loving to my mother That he might not beteem the winds of heaven Visit her face too roughly.—Heaven and earth, Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father’s body, Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle, My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.’'
(Act One, Scene Two)
The Hamlet of the first soliloquy is an outraged man who, disgusted by his 'sullied flesh', can see no outcome to his disgust other than death. To free himself from the grip of his flesh he must put an end to his life. But there is the rub: God, the Everlasting, he tells us, does not allow one to act in this way. God still rules the universe and Hamlet must obey his strictures.
2. “O all you host of heaven! O earth! What else? And shall I couple hell? Oh, fie! Hold, hold, my heart, And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, But bear me stiffly up. Remember thee! Ay, thou poor ghost, whiles memory holds a seat In this distracted globe. Remember thee! Yea, from the table of my memory I’ll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain, Unmixed with baser matter. Yes, by heaven! O most pernicious woman! O villain, villain, smiling, damnèd villain! My tables!—Meet it is I set it down That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain. At least I’m sure it may be so in Denmark. (writes) So, uncle, there you are. Now to my word. It is “Adieu, adieu. Remember me.” have sworn ’t.” (Act One, Scene Five)
3. “Now I am alone. Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wanned, Tears in his eyes, distraction in his aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? And all for nothing— For Hecuba! What’s Hecuba to him or he to Hecuba That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have? He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appall the free, Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing—no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damned defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me “villain”? Breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? Gives me the lie i' th' throat As deep as to the lungs? Who does me this? Ha! 'Swounds, I should take it, for it cannot be But I am pigeon-livered and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave’s offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words And fall a-cursing like a very drab, A scullion! Fie upon ’t, foh! About, my brain.—Hum, I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have, by the very cunning of the scene, Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaimed their malefactions. For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I’ll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle. I’ll observe his looks. I’ll tent him to the quick. If he do blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil, and the devil hath power T' assume a pleasing shape. Yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me. I’ll have grounds More relative than this. The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
(Act Two, Scene Two)
Some actors, including the very best, believe that the most beautiful soliloquy is that which comes at the end of Act Two, immediately after the first discussion between Hamlet and the travelling players. Here Hamlet is enraged, furious and rude. He lays himself, we feel, totally bare. He is no fool however. Recovering his spirits he devises a plan which will lead the king to betray himself. This is Shakespeare at the height of his theatrical prowess, stamping Hamlet's language with relentless changes in tone, the peaks of rage inter-cut with short moments of profound depression or of incredulous questioning.
4.” To be, or not to be? That is the question— Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them? To die, to sleep— No more—and by a sleep to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation Devoutly to be wished! To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream—ay, there’s the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause. There’s the respect That makes calamity of so long life. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns That patient merit of th' unworthy takes, When he himself might his quietus make With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, To grunt and sweat under a weary life, But that the dread of something after death, The undiscovered country from whose bourn No traveler returns, puzzles the will And makes us rather bear those ills we have Than fly to others that we know not of? Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.—Soft you now, The fair Ophelia!—Nymph, in thy orisons Be all my sins remembered.”
(Act Three, Scene One)
In the first soliloquy Hamlet submits to rules and prohibitions; in the second he imagines and rationalises and decides to remain in the world, for the moment at least. But he goes much further. Throughout the final act he pictures the final scene. There, where another dramatist would have given the dying Hamlet a long discourse on death, Shakespeare has Hamlet say just a few words of disconcerting simplicity, 'the rest is silence', precisely because Hamlet has already said everything before
5. “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May. And how his audit stands who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought 'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.” (Act Three, Scene Three)
6. “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying. And now I’ll do ’t. And so he goes to heaven. And so am I revenged.—That would be scanned. A villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send To heaven. Oh, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He took my father grossly, full of bread, With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May. And how his audit stands who knows save heaven? But in our circumstance and course of thought 'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged To take him in the purging of his soul When he is fit and seasoned for his passage? No. Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent. When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.” (Act Three, Scene 3)
7. “How all occasions do inform against me, And spur my dull revenge! What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on th' event— A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward—I do not know Why yet I live to say “This thing’s to do,” Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do ’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me. Witness this army of such mass and charge Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puffed Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure To all that fortune, death, and danger dare, Even for an eggshell. Rightly to be great Is not to stir without great argument, But greatly to find quarrel in a straw When honor’s at the stake. How stand I then, That have a father killed, a mother stained, Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep—while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men, That for a fantasy and trick of fame Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain? Oh, from this time forth,My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!” (Act Four, Scene Four)
The other two soliloquies are memorable because they reveal all the passionate nature of Hamlet's personality. Observing young Fortinbras and his army on their way to conquer Poland-'an eggshell', 'a wisp of straw'-Hamlet, on the edge of despair, asks himself why he, when he has so many reasons, cannot stir himself to action, why he cannot carry out the necessary act of vengeance. Why? Why? The last lines of Act Four are very revealing:
Machiavelli
Characteristics
1. The ends justify the means - stands above the normal rules of morality, he will do whatever is necessary to attain and maintain power.
2. If one has an enemy one should hurt that enemy even if he is vulnerable and unable to defend himself and he should be hurt so badly that he can not retaliate.
3. The crafty machiavel watches his enemy closely and knows his every move.
4. If one must perform villainous acts to ensure one’s security, one must as much as possible perform these acts oneself. do not trust others too far he successful leader accomplishments more through fear and love.
5. rarely relies on one plan to destroy his enemy; rather he has a back up plan so that if the first fails then the second will succeed.
6. A successful leader must become art beast: part fox-- cunning and deceitful.
7. if a ruler follows this advice he can only be overthrown in two possible ways .
1. defeat at the hands of a stronger opponent and for this reason machiavelli recommended that the ruler use deceit and trickery as much as possible in order to avoid a confrontation with his enemy.
2. bad luck or turning of fortune against him.
Is Claudius a Machiavel?
look at the characteristics and decide
Character foils
a character whos primary purpose id to create a contrast to another character draws attention to the latters traits and characteristics the formers obviously contradictory ones holmes and watson batman and superman peter parker and flash thompson captain kirk and spock
In hamlet shakespeare deliberately uses character foils to reveal central aspects of hamlets nature reveals the idea that an individual must be both a man of thought and a man of action
fortinbras fortinbras is shown to be a man of action numerous times throughout the play wants to invade denmark to avenge his slain father what is hamlet doing about his father takes his army through denmark through poland for nothing other than honor fortinbras is a man of honor and action
claudius takes action to get the crown hamlet does nothing to get the crown goes after gertrude= hamlet dithers and sulks about his mother but does little until he confronts his mother in bedchamber arranges to have hamlet killed in england arranged to have laertes kill hamlet etc…
laertes threatens the king with revolt- seeks justice for his fathers death - again contrasted by repeated examples of hamlets failure to act brawls in the graveyard hamlets speech making agrees to duel with hamlet and ensure his death through poison. - hamlet says that he wil act when the opportunity arises.
conclusion shakespeare shows, through foils, that hamlet is too much a man of thought
HOWEVER… through inaction is not desirable, neither is impulsive, hasty or reactionary behavior instead achieving a balanced thoughtful position and response is desired.
Hamlet
A senecan revenge play? hmmmmmmmmmmm?
what is a senecan revenge play? a popular genre in shakespeare's day shakespeare employs many of the characteristics of these revenge tragedies in hamlet characteristics the plays are divided into 5 clearly defined acts.
they make use of a chorus and employ a number of stock characters such as a ghost a cruel scheming tyrant, a faithful servant and a female confidante.
much of the action is presented through long narrative passages recited through messengers as a substitute for a stage action and which provide important background information to the play.
the tragic protagonist is given to much self question and introspection and delivers a great number of soliloquies, analyzing his personality and the motivation for his actions.
the theme of these plays involves revenge specifically the revenge of a father for his son or a son for his father, the revenge being directed by the ghost of murdered person.
hesitates before carrying out the revenge.
the one taking revenge exhibits feigned or real insanity.
suicide, murder and intrigue are characteristics of the revenge play and sensational horrors are presented on stage.
Freytag’s pyramid
- exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution.
act1 exposition/rising action act 2 rising action act 3 rising action/climax/falling action act 4 falling action act 5 falling action/resolution/catastrophe
Structural element
Act,scene
Main events
Exposition
act 1
The war between denmark and norway
The death of king hamlet
A ghost has been sighted
We meet hamlet
Claudius takes over the throne
Claudius married gertrude.
Inciting force act 1 / act 2
The ghost of old king hamlet appears and tells hamlet that claudius killed him
Rising action act 3 hamlet's antic disposition
Hamlet has the opportunity to kill claudius and take his revenge but does not
R & G are sent to spy treats Ophelia like a bitch players speech about hecuba
Climax act 3
Hamlet murders polonius
Falling action act 3 / act 4 / act 5
Claudius sends hamlet to england hamlet escapes with the pirates
Rosencrantz and Guldenjerk die
Gravedigger scene- laertes vs hamlet
Laertes returns and wishes to avenge his fathers death.
Catastrophe / resolution act 5
The fencing fight between Laertes
Everyone dies
Fortinbras returns and takes over
Theme topics/statements
1. moral corruption moral corruption leads to the decay and ultimate destruction of individuals, families and society. act 1 scene 2 - cheer up hamlet act 1 scene 5 - ghost act 3 scene 3 - mousetrap act 3 scene 4 die polonius die act 4 scene 3 - go to england hamlet act 4 scene 5 - claudius is the result of everybody dying act 5 scene 2
2. revenge (action vs inaction) shakespeare uses hamlet as an example that you can't think too much when seeking out your revenge, laertes that you have to think a little bit, and fortinbras that you need to find the perfect middle between action and inaction. act 1 scene 5 - i'll avenge you daddy act 2 scene 2 - hamlet thinks too much act 3 scene 3 - can’t kill c dog act 3 scene 4 act 4 scene 4 act 4 scene 5 act 5 scene 2
3. appearance and reality (internal and external conflict) appearance and reality are often blurred, thus making it difficult to expose the truth and act in a corrupt society. act 1 scene 3 act 2 scene 1 act 2 scene 2 act 3 scene 1 act 3 scene 2 act 3 scene 4
4. death and morality by trying to control death and life one will upset the natural order of things.
obsession with death can lead to a person's downfall.
the status achieved in life becomes irrelevant and meaningless upon death
death is a mysterious concept that greatly affects the way people behave and live their lives
act 1 scene 1 act 1 scene 4 act 3 scene 1
Hamlet test study guide
multiple choice and true or false know the plot, the characters and their impact.
matching
QUOTES - people hamlet gertrude polonius claudius and laertes
long answer
1.explain using data from the play, how hamlet is a classic tragic hero. you need to reference the framework learned in class in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a tragic hero is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence, your position and examples to support your claim.
2. explain, using detail from the play, how claudius is a machiavellian figure. you need to reference the framework learned in class. in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a ‘machiavellian character’ is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence your position and examples to support your claim
3.explain using detail form the play how hamlet follows the senecan revenge convention you need to reference the framework learned in class. in other words you must include the definitions and characteristics of what a ‘senecan revenge play’ is in your answer. your answer will include an introductory sentence your position and examples to support your claim.