Hamlet
A major work by Shakespeare
Setting
Act 1
There was political turmoil between Hamlet
and King Claudius and between Denmark
and Norway.
Act 2
Mistrust builds between Hamlet and Claudius
as the King uses close friends to try and
figure out whether Hamlet is insane.
Settings cont...
Act 3
Hamlet can only trust Horatio now. He has
killed Polonius and not even his being a
prince can save him from plots of murder.
Act 4
The current king has a second plot to kill
Hamlet through Laertes. Tension rises
throughout the whole act.
Settings cont...
Act 5
During the scene at the graveyard, there is
confusion and grief as Ophelia is laid to rest.
Hamlet and Laertes have their fencing
tournament where revenge is the first thing
on most people's minds. Once Hamlet, and
King Claudius are dead, everything calms
down as Fortinbras storms the castle and
takes the crown.
Significant Characters
Hamlet: the titular "epic hero" of the play. Some
critics believe that his tragic flaw, or hamartia,
is his indecision to act and, when he does
take action, acting hastily without thought or
proper reason. Multi-faceted, very complex
character. Irony found in his multiple
monologues about action/inaction and
inspiration found from the "doers" of the
world.
Significant Characters (cont.)
Claudius: most view him as the antagonist in
the play due to the fact that he plots the
murder of King Hamlet and opposes Hamlet's
claim to the throne. Although it appears that
he expresses remorse in Act 3 scene 4, it is
later revealed that he has not the ability. If he
did feel remorse, he could be viewed as a
dynamic character; however, it is not so.
Significant Characters (cont.)
Gertrude: often viewed as the antithesis to the
musing, life-pondering Hamlet, Gertrude lives
for the mortal pleasures of the world. Very
childlike character- often only cares for her
own happiness and wellbeing. However,
Gertrude loves her son and protects him from
Claudius throughout the play.
Significant Characters (cont.)
Ophelia: often referred to as proof that Hamlet
is an anti-feminist novel. Her demands from
Hamlet and from her family (Polonius and
Laertes) tear her to emotional shreds. Her
death moves the plot forward, solidifies
Hamlet and Laertes as true foils, and brings
about the funeral scene that draws parallels
to the rest of the play.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnvgq8STMGM
Significant Characters (cont.)
Laertes: due to his hasty actions, enjoyment of
the pleasures of the world, and reactions to
caustic situations, is often viewed as a foil to
Hamlet. As Ophelia's brother, he opposes
Hamlet for her love and innocence. As
Polonius' son, he opposes Hamlet due to
Hamlet's murder of his father. Deals the fatal
blow to Hamlet.
Main Topics, Motifs, Images, and
Symbols
-recurrence of death, revenge--Hamlet's
"destiny" to avenge his father's murder, almost
every major character dies in the end [only
Horatio and Fortinbras are spared]
-King Hamlet's ghost--symbolizes inspiration
and impetus for Hamlet to carry out the task at
hand
-hasty remarriage of Gertrude to Claudius--sets
the stage for the drama and keeps the
heightened awareness of the reader throughout
Main Topics, Motifs, Images, and
Symbols (cont.)
-continual sense of betrayal--Gertrude betrays
both Hamlets, Ros and Guild betray young
Hamlet, Fortinbras betrays Claudius, etc--all
points back to Claudius
-hesitancy of Hamlet to kill Claudius, despite
having numerous opportunities--emphasizes
Hamlet's cowardice and indecisiveness
-Horatio--represents a faithful companion, one
who sticks with Hamlet through and through
Main Topics, Motifs, Images, and
Symbols (cont.)
-Act 4.4 ["How all occasions do inform against
me..." soliloquy]--marks "final straw"--scene
that pushes Hamlet over the edge and helps
him overcome his indecision to avenge his
father's death
Conflicts - Internal Conflicts
Claudius:
Claudius struggles with guilt about his crime but
will not confess or regret his decision to kill
his brother. He is too proud of the power and
respect that his kingship has brought him to
truly repent. This guilt is brought out during
the scene in which Hamlet portrays King
Hamlet’s murder in a play before King
Claudius and other dignitaries.
Conflicts - Internal Conflicts
Hamlet “To Be or Not to Be”:
Hamlet’s internal struggle during act three is
whether to live or commit suicide. These
feelings are reflected in his soliloquy “To Be
or Not to Be”. He desperately wants to
escape this world and all the pains it brings
but is fearful of the unknown and the
definitive nature of death.
Conflicts - External Conflicts
Person v. Person
Hamlet v. Claudius
The conflict between Hamlet and Claudius
stems from Hamlet’s knowledge of King
Hamlet’s murder. Hamlet is working to
expose as well as kill Claudius in order to
avenge his father’s death. Claudius, on the
other hand, recognized that Hamlet knows
about the murder and tries to kill him as to
not foil the power and prestige he has
Conflicts - External Conflicts
Person v. Person
Hamlet v. Laertes
Laertes’ hate for Hamlet is born when Claudius
explains Polonius’ (Laertes’ father) death, at
the hands of Hamlet, to him. Claudius uses
deceptive arguments and ideas to convince
Laertes of the importance of avenging his
father. Hamlet understands Laertes’ anger
and, even though he apologizes, knows that
Laertes will not let up in his fight to avenge
Power Scenes
"To Be or not to be..."
In this scene we see Hamlet contemplate committing
suicide; as he dismays over the seeming uselessness of
life. This soliloquy is one of the integral scenes in the
play, as it touches on some universal themes that are
found elsewhere in the play, such as:
o The nature of living/mortality
o Morality
o Can use to contrast Hamlet with
Fortinbras/Laertes/Claudius
Power Scenes cont.
The Bedroom Scene
In this scene Hamlet interrogates his mother, Gertrude and
berates her for marrying Claudius. When Polonius is
later found to be spying, Hamlet kills him, only later to be
visited by the ghost of his father again, as his mother
watches. Things to talk about:
o Hamlets moral development
o Hamlets possible descent into insanity
o The role of Gertrude in the play
o Analyzing the action/inaction dichotomy as it relates
to Hamlet and Fortinbras/Laertes
Memorable Quotes
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
-Marcellus, Act I, Scene IV
In the closing lines of Act I, Scene IV, in which the setting of the drama is being set up,
Marcellus states his internal unrest over all of the political and moral corruption that
has taken over his country. Hamlet has just returned home from abroad, but Marcellus
has witnessed every event of the past few months, and provides important initial
insight for readers about the setting of the story and how the internal affairs of
Denmark are much more complicated and crooked than most people realize.
"To be or not to be; that is the question..."
-Hamlet, Act III, Scene I
The opening lines of Hamlet's most famous soliloquy sum up the next 34 lines and one of his
internal conflicts. He questions whether his life is worth living; whether it is more noble to "suffer the
slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," thus, endure the hardships, or to actively seek out death
and avoid the pain that comes with life. This quotes also reveals the state of Hamlet's mind. Even
though he has thought up a master plan for revenge which has currently given him a purpose, he is
also miserable in his current state, and seeks an escape.
Memorable Quotes
"Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander
returneth to dust, the dust is of earth, of earth we
make loam..."
In
the graveyard
Horatio,
-Hamlet,
Act V,with
Scene
I and holding the skull of Yorick, Hamlet realizes the even great men
like Alexander and Julius Caesar eventually return to dust. Figuratively holding death in his hand,
he understands that death is the great equalizer among men, and in death nothing done in life
matters.
"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all."
-Hamlet, Act III, Scene I
As part of his "to be or not to be" soliloquy, Hamlet moves to pondering why he hasn't taken action
against Claudius yet. His morals and beliefs are preventing him from killing his uncle, rather than a
lack of opportunity. Hamlet's hesitation here represents a theme of the novel about how actions
have consequences and are how they are built with great complexity.
Satire: You are a fishmonger.
In act 2 scene 2 Hamlet and Polonius have a rather humorous exchange of
words. Hamlet starts out by calling Polonius a fishmonger, while knowing
full well that he is actually Ophelia's father, and an advisor to the King. This
immediately sets the satirical tone because he is ironically denouncing
Polonius. This tone continues throughout the passage as the topic of
discussion changes to the book Hamlet is reading. Hamlet is mocking
Polonius by saying "For the satirical rogue says here that old men have gray
beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes purging thick amber and
plum-tree gum, and that they have a plentiful lack of wit, together with most
weak hams—all which, sir, though I most powerfully and potently believe,
yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down; for yourself, sir, should be
old as I am, if like a crab you could go backward." This is another heavily
ironic statement because Hamlet attributes all this things to Polonius
through an indirect insult. Satire is used here so Hamlet can reveal to the
reader his feelings about Polonius, while humorously Polonius remains
almost oblivious to the fact. Hamlets observations hold hidden stabs at
Polonius's character: specifically his pomposity and his old age.
Major Themes
•
Justice
•
The question of whether an eye for eye is justified
between Hamlet's father and Claudius.
o How "justice" is carried out when it is tainted by
personal goals (sending Claudius to hell, scorning
Ophelia)
Faith
o The duty to carry out God's will (Killing Claudius)
o Attempts to serve judgement, such as Hamlet's
decisions to kill/spare Claudius (only God can judge
Claudius), and its disastrous result.
o
Major Themes Continued....
•
Revenge
The consequences of acting without full knowledge.
o Our willingness to confirm doubtful rumors to quench
the desire for revenge.
o Paranoia
o Reflected in outcome for Laertes, Hamlet, and pretty
much everyone else.
o
•
Relationships
o
o
State of personal relationships reflect the state of the
state.
Decay of those relationships undermined the state -> micro/macrocosm.