HamletA 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 ConflictsPerson 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 acquired.

Conflicts - External ConflictsPerson 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 his father.

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/mortalityo Moralityo 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 developmento Hamlets possible descent into insanityo The role of Gertrude in the playo 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..."

-Hamlet, Act V, Scene IIn the graveyard with Horatio, 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

• Justiceo 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.

Major Themes Continued....

• Revengeo 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.

• Relationshipso State of personal relationships reflect the state of the

state. o Decay of those relationships undermined the state --

> micro/macrocosm. o Strength of the state depends on the relationships of

those with it.