3rd year, English Seminar conductor: Lect.dr. Oana-Alis Zaharia

Hamlet

READING TASKS:Read the entire play focusing on the following moments: 1. Read Hamlet’s soliloquy “ That this too solid/sullied flesh would melt” Act 1, scene 22. The Ghost’s narration and request for revenge; Act 1, scene 53. ”Oh what a rogue and peasant slave I am” Act 2, scene 24. The “To be or not to be” soliloquy; Act 3, scene 15. The play within the play – The Murder of Gonzago6. King Claudius’s prayer (Act 3, scene 3)

TOPICS OF REFLECTION:

One way of looking at Hamlet is to study the theme of revenge. This will mean concentrating on Hamlet's battle of wits with Claudius. Tragedies about revenge were fairly popular in Shakespeare's time-see Thomas Kyd- The Spanish Tragedy.

1. Consider the causes of Hamlet's desire for revenge, and the manner in which he pursues it. Some things that influence the course of Hamlet's revenge would be:

his attitude to Claudius;

His attitude towards his uncle is cold and distant, so Claudius has reasons to suspect Hamlet of madness and later of plotting to kill him. Hence he elaborates his plans to spy on him and to kill him.

his encounters with the ghost;

Though he believes the ghost at first, he then starts to doubt whether what the ghost had told him is true

the Murder of Gonzago;

After organizing the play to reveal the crimes of Claudius, Hamlet gets the concludent evidence he desires, but still hesitates to take revenge

his relationship with his mother;

His behavior is so strange that even his mother starts to suspect hi of being mad, and starts to fear for her life. Even the ghost of his dead father reminds Hamlet to treat Gertrude gently.

Polonius and his children;

Hamlet accidentally manages to destroy the family of Polonius in his mad rage. After killing Polonius, his daughter drowns herself and his son and Hamlet kill each other in a fencing duel.

Rosencrantz and Guildernstern.

His childhood friends who were sent to spy on him, and to kill him. Hamlet sees through their plot, and instead has them killed.

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The causes for revenge would be the ghost’s tale and the play which reveals Claudius to be guilty. However Hamlet is plagued by uncertainty and he does not exact his revenge.

2. Consider the importance attached to the idea of revenge and the cultural history of revenge that Shakespeare might have drawn upon.Revenge is a popular theme within the medieval and early renaissance literature. Many of Shakespeare’s play deal with revenge, and Hamlet is the most important one.

3. Find out the meanings allotted to the murder of a king in the plays of the time.The murder of a king is an affront to the kingdom itself and even to the will of God, if we consider the Divine Right of monarchs; it was a very serious offense and the punishments were dire.

We are helped to understand his actions and motivation by his soliloquies and some things which he tells Horatio.

A SOLILOQUY is an introspective speech, usually in blank verse, delivered when the speaker is alone on the stage.  It is used by the playwright to reveal a character's innermost thoughts. (soliloquy means “speaking alone”)

Study Questions

The causes of Hamlet's desire for revenge

At the start of the play, Hamlet's father has died, and his mother has married Claudius, brother to the late king, and uncle to Prince Hamlet.

What has Claudius given as the “official” cause of old Hamlet's death? A trivial and accidental matter, such as a snakebite.

How does the prince feel about what has happened, especially his mother's remarriage?

Hamlet is devastated by his father’s death and his mother’s quick marriage.

Why does Hamlet say: “Frailty, thy name is woman”?

Because he considers his mother haste to remarry inappropriate.

In revenge tragedies, it is customary for secret information to be revealed by a ghost.

What do you think of the introduction of the ghost in this play? The ghost is a plot device used to advance the story. It also creates

uncertainty.

Why does Hamlet question the guards about the ghost's dress and appearance?

Because he suspects that the ghost might be his dead father.

When Hamlet follows the ghost, what story does it tell him, and what does it instruct him to do?

The ghost tells Hamlet that he is his father and that he has been murdered. He instructs him to kill Claudius.

How much does Hamlet tell Horatio about this, and why?

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Hamlet tells Horatio not to commit suicide and to tell his story to others, Fortinbras for example. He tells him everything, he is Hamlet’s confidant.

Hamlet seems convinced that the ghost is honest. Is he ready to act on what it has told him?

He is at first convinced, but later he starts to question what the ghost has told him. He is never ready to act, and he never does.

The arrival, at Elsinore, of a group of travelling players (actors), enables Hamlet to verify (check) what the ghost has told him.

How does he do this, by adapting The Murder of Gonzago (a well-known story)? He tells the players to adapt the story by murdering Gonzago with ear

poison.

As the play is acted, what does Hamlet watch?

The reaction of Claudius.

How are his suspicions confirmed?

Claudius promptly leaves the hall when the ear poison is poured.

The course of Hamlet's revenge

Almost at once, Hamlet has a chance of revenge, finding Claudius (praying) alone and vulnerable.

Why does he not take this opportunity? He thinks that Claudius will go to heaven, since he died while praying.

As he is not ready to kill Claudius yet, Hamlet goes to his mother, to urge her to keep from sexual relations with Claudius.

How does this lead to the death of the meddling Polonius? Hamlet hears him and stabs the curtain behind which Polonius was

hiding, thinking that it was Claudius.

How does Polonius's death help Claudius in his attempts to kill Hamlet?

He convinces his son to duel Hamlet and to cheat while doing so.

Hamlet is also in some danger, as Claudius sees that Hamlet knows of his crime. Of course, Claudius cannot say anything without admitting to his evil deed.

Why does this place Hamlet in some danger?

Claudius tries to kill Hamlet with the help of Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, and succeeds with the help of Laertes

Claudius employs Hamlet's old friends to spy on him.

Why is Hamlet not likely to be taken in by Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, as they make a show of renewed friendship towards him?

He suspects from the start that they have come to spy on him. Later he finds out that they plot to kill him.

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The death of Polonius means that Claudius can persuade Hamlet, apparently for his own good, to leave Denmark temporarily.

How does this help Claudius devise a plot to kill the prince?

He sends him on a diplomatic mission to England accompanied by Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. They are instructed to kill him.

Hamlet tells Horatio, partly in a letter, mainly in conversation, how he survives this plot through a mixture of luck and his own wits.

Explain the way in which he does so.

Rosencrantz and Guildernstern were to give a letter to the English. The letter contained instructions to kill Hamlet. Hamlet finds the letter and replaces his name with that of Rosencrantz and Guildernstern.

Ophelia is an innocent victim of others' schemes. Hamlet likes her, but is too troubled by his father's death to think of her as a lover would.

Why are her father and Gertrude (for different reasons) eager for Hamlet to fall in love with her?

His mother hopes that she could keep his mind away from the death of his father. Polonius believes Hamlet to be madly in love with her.

Why does Hamlet pretend to be driven to madness by love for her?

In order to hide the thing that was really troubling him, Claudius’ plot.

Why is his pretended madness not convincing to the audience?

What audience? The theatre audience? Because they know that Hamlet is pretending to be mad.

When her father is killed and Hamlet, for whom she cares, goes away, Ophelia really goes mad, and later drowns herself.

How does this help Claudius? He convinces Laertes to poison his blade in the duel that Claudius has

arranged for the two.

Laertes, Polonius's son, returns to Denmark for his father's funeral, only to attend that of his sister.

Explain what happens when he confronts Claudius. He thinks that Claudius is the one to blame, but he explains that Hamlet

is the real culprit.

Does Claudius defend Hamlet, or encourage Laertes to seek revenge on the prince?

Laertes is encouraged to seek revenge, and the means to do so are provided by the king.

Why is Hamlet so ready to accept Laertes' challenge to a fencing-match?

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Because him and Laertes were quite adept at fencing. Hamlet, however, is envious of his skill, and welcomes an opportunity to cross blades with him.

Why, having been so cautious in relation to Claudius, is Hamlet so trusting of Laertes?

Against Horatio’s advice, Hamlet agrees to fight, saying that “all’s ill here about my heart,” but that one must be ready for death, since it will come no matter what one does.

In the last act of the play, things seem to be going the way of Claudius.

How has he tried to ensure that Hamlet will be killed in the fencing-match? In case Laertes fails to wound with his poison blade Hamlet, he has

arranged to poison the wine.

In case this fails (if Laertes does not score any hits) Claudius has a back-up plan: what is this?

The king has arranged to poison the wine.

When it looks as if Laertes cannot strike Hamlet, what does Claudius do?

He invites Hamlet to drink from the poisoned wine.

How does he try to tempt Hamlet to drink, even though he feels no need to do so?

The king says that if Hamlet wins the first or second hit, he will drink to Hamlet’s health, then throw into the cup a valuable gem (actually the poison) and give the wine to Hamlet.

What is the result of his request, and why is he unable to intervene?

Hamlet refuses to drink, but instead his mother does. Claudius cannot intervene because his plot would be revealed.

Because Laertes, angry with Hamlet, strikes him during a pause in the match (very unsporting) there is a scuffle, in which both men drop their swords. When they pick them up, the weapons are swapped, so Laertes is also fatally wounded.

How does Laertes' awareness that he is dying alter his attitude to Hamlet? They exchange apologies.

Can you explain his refusal, before the fight, to be reconciled to Hamlet, and his now asking for pardon?

Before the fight he refuses to forgive Hamlet, but with his dying breath he does forgive him, confessing his own treachery.

How does Hamlet respond to his request?

Hamlet, in a fury, runs Claudius through with the poisoned sword and forces him to drink down the rest of the poisoned wine.

Why is it more appropriate, in a revenge-tragedy, for Claudius to be killed now, rather than when Hamlet has his earlier opportunity?

Because it is customary in tragedies that everyone dies.

As Hamlet dies, he makes a last request of Horatio.

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What does he ask of him, and why, in your opinion does he ask for this? The play does not quite end with the prince's death.

He asks him to not to commit suicide in light of all the tragedies, but instead to stay alive and tell his story.

Why should Shakespeare wish to finish the play with the arrival of Fortinbras (heir to the throne of Norway, and nominated by Hamlet to succeed him in Denmark) and the news that Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are dead?

Because this provides an adequate ending to this tragedy.

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