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William Shakespeare’s William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004 April 13, 2004

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

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Page 1: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

William Shakespeare’sWilliam Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkHamlet, Prince of Denmark

Lecturer: Audrey TinkhamLecturer: Audrey TinkhamApril 13, 2004April 13, 2004

Page 2: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Themes in Themes in HamletHamlet RevengeRevenge Religion & the OtherworldlyReligion & the Otherworldly Disease and CorruptionDisease and Corruption Appearance vs. “Reality”Appearance vs. “Reality”

Fortune, Fate, ProvidenceFortune, Fate, Providence Impossibility of CertaintyImpossibility of Certainty MortalityMortality Complexity of ActionComplexity of Action

Page 3: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Hamlet, Hamlet, Act IAct I

Scene 1Scene 1: The Ghost, : The Ghost, the setting & contextthe setting & context

Scene 2Scene 2: Claudius, : Claudius, Gertrude, & HamletGertrude, & Hamlet

Scene 3Scene 3: Laertes, : Laertes, Ophelia, & PoloniusOphelia, & Polonius

Scenes 4 & 5Scenes 4 & 5: : Hamlet and the GhostHamlet and the Ghost

Page 4: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet, Act II, Act II

Scene 1Scene 1: Polonius and Reynaldo: Polonius and ReynaldoScene 2Scene 2: :

Rosencrantz and GuildensternRosencrantz and GuildensternPolonius, Gertrude, and ClaudiusPolonius, Gertrude, and ClaudiusPolonius and HamletPolonius and HamletHamlet and Rosencrantz & GuildensternHamlet and Rosencrantz & GuildensternHamlet and the PlayersHamlet and the Players

Page 5: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet, Act III, Act III Scene 1Scene 1: The plot thickens; : The plot thickens;

Hamlet and OpheliaHamlet and Ophelia Scene 2Scene 2: :

Hamlet and the Players Hamlet and the Players Hamlet and HoratioHamlet and Horatio Hamlet and OpheliaHamlet and Ophelia The Play within a PlayThe Play within a Play

Scene 3Scene 3: Claudius’s Prayer: Claudius’s Prayer Scene 4Scene 4: Hamlet & Gertrude; : Hamlet & Gertrude;

Polonius slainPolonius slain

Page 6: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet, Act IV, Act IV

Scene 1Scene 1: Disposing of the corpse: Disposing of the corpseScene 2Scene 2: Hamlet and Rosencrantz & : Hamlet and Rosencrantz &

GuildlensternGuildlensternScene 3Scene 3: :

In search of the corpseIn search of the corpseHamlet and CladiusHamlet and CladiusHamlet departs for EnglandHamlet departs for England

Page 7: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet, Act IV, Act IV

Scene 4Scene 4: Fortinbras marches; Hamlet reflects: Fortinbras marches; Hamlet reflects Scene 5Scene 5: :

Ophelia’s “madness”Ophelia’s “madness” Laertes “storms” the castleLaertes “storms” the castle Laertes and OpheliaLaertes and Ophelia

Scene 6Scene 6: Letter from Hamlet re: pirate ship: Letter from Hamlet re: pirate ship Scene 7Scene 7: :

Cladius and Laertes conspireCladius and Laertes conspire Ophelia diesOphelia dies

Page 8: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet, Act V, Act V Scene 1Scene 1: :

Clown and gravediggerClown and gravedigger Hamlet and YorickHamlet and Yorick Ophelia’s burialOphelia’s burial

Scene 2Scene 2: : Hamlet explains his trickHamlet explains his trick Osric invites Hamlet to fencing Osric invites Hamlet to fencing

matchmatch Madness and mayhem ensueMadness and mayhem ensue Fortinbras claims DenmarkFortinbras claims Denmark

Page 9: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Critical PerspectivesCritical PerspectivesWe are now come to a scene which I have always much admired. I We are now come to a scene which I have always much admired. I cannot think it possible that such an Incident could have been cannot think it possible that such an Incident could have been managed better, nor more conformably to Reason and Nature. The managed better, nor more conformably to Reason and Nature. The Prince, conscious of his own good Intensions and the Justness of Prince, conscious of his own good Intensions and the Justness of the Cause he undertakes to plead, speaks with that Force and the Cause he undertakes to plead, speaks with that Force and Assurance which Virtue always gives, and yet manages his Assurance which Virtue always gives, and yet manages his Expressions so as not to treat his Mother in a disrespectful Manner . Expressions so as not to treat his Mother in a disrespectful Manner . . . . And his inforcing the Heinousness of his Mother’s Crime with so . . . And his inforcing the Heinousness of his Mother’s Crime with so much Vehemence, and her guilty Confessions of her much Vehemence, and her guilty Confessions of her Wickedness . . . Are all Strokes from the Hand of a great Master in Wickedness . . . Are all Strokes from the Hand of a great Master in the Imitation of Nature . . . . The Ghost’s not being seen by the the Imitation of Nature . . . . The Ghost’s not being seen by the Queen was very proper; for we could hardly suppose that a Woman . Queen was very proper; for we could hardly suppose that a Woman . . . Could be able to bear so terrible a Sight. (George Stubbes, 1736). . Could be able to bear so terrible a Sight. (George Stubbes, 1736)

Page 10: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Critical PerspectivesCritical PerspectivesThe queen was not a bad-hearted woman, not at all the woman to The queen was not a bad-hearted woman, not at all the woman to think little of murder. But she had a soft animal nature, and was very think little of murder. But she had a soft animal nature, and was very dull and very shallow. She loved to be happy, like a sheep in the dull and very shallow. She loved to be happy, like a sheep in the sun; and, to do her justice, it pleased her to see others happy, like sun; and, to do her justice, it pleased her to see others happy, like more sheep in the sun. She never saw that drunkenness is more sheep in the sun. She never saw that drunkenness is disgusting till Hamlet told her so; and, though she knew that he disgusting till Hamlet told her so; and, though she knew that he considered her marriage “o’er-hasty,” she was untroubled by any considered her marriage “o’er-hasty,” she was untroubled by any shame at the feelings which had led to it. It was pleasant to sit upon shame at the feelings which had led to it. It was pleasant to sit upon her throne and see smiling faces round her and foolish and unkind her throne and see smiling faces round her and foolish and unkind of Hamlet to persist in grieving for his father instead of marrying of Hamlet to persist in grieving for his father instead of marrying Ophelia. [She is] genuinely attached to her son (though willing to Ophelia. [She is] genuinely attached to her son (though willing to see her lover exclude him from the throne); and, no doublt, she see her lover exclude him from the throne); and, no doublt, she considered equality of rank a mere trifle compared with the claims of considered equality of rank a mere trifle compared with the claims of love. The belief at the bottom of her heart was that the world is a love. The belief at the bottom of her heart was that the world is a place constructed simply that people may be happy in it in a good place constructed simply that people may be happy in it in a good humoured sensual fashion. (A. C. Bradley, 1904)humoured sensual fashion. (A. C. Bradley, 1904)

Page 11: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Something is Rotten in the Something is Rotten in the State of DenmarkState of Denmark

Foreshadowings: I.i.69-83, 116-129Foreshadowings: I.i.69-83, 116-129““Unweeded garden”: I.ii.133-37Unweeded garden”: I.ii.133-37““They clepe us drunkards”: I.iv.17-38They clepe us drunkards”: I.iv.17-38““Smiling, damnèdSmiling, damnèd villain”: I.v.106-10villain”: I.v.106-10““I lack advancement”: III.ii.335-43I lack advancement”: III.ii.335-43““Those many many bodies”: III.iii.8-23Those many many bodies”: III.iii.8-23““Through the guts of a beggar”: IV.iii.19-32Through the guts of a beggar”: IV.iii.19-32“‘“‘Th election and my hopes”: V.ii.57-70Th election and my hopes”: V.ii.57-70

Page 12: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Hamlet’s “Issues”Hamlet’s “Issues”

What troubles Hamlet? I.ii.129-59What troubles Hamlet? I.ii.129-59““Unmanly grief”: I.ii.87-97Unmanly grief”: I.ii.87-97““What an Ass am I!” II.ii.549-88What an Ass am I!” II.ii.549-88““A consummation devoutly to be wished”: A consummation devoutly to be wished”:

III.I.57-91III.I.57-91““When honor’s at the stake”: IV.iv.33-67When honor’s at the stake”: IV.iv.33-67““Our indiscretion”: V.ii.4-10Our indiscretion”: V.ii.4-10““Let be”: V.ii.207-22Let be”: V.ii.207-22

Page 13: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

Hamlet & OpheliaHamlet & Ophelia

What transpires in their What transpires in their relationship?relationship? I.iii.29-44, 100-35I.iii.29-44, 100-35 II.ii.182-86II.ii.182-86 III.i.89-164III.i.89-164 III.ii.107-126III.ii.107-126

Ophelia’s “madness”:Ophelia’s “madness”: IV.v.46-74IV.v.46-74

Page 14: William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Lecturer: Audrey Tinkham April 13, 2004

HamletHamlet in Performance in Performance In preparation for the next In preparation for the next

two classes, make a few two classes, make a few notes for yourself on how notes for yourself on how you stage the following you stage the following scenes in your mind’s eye. scenes in your mind’s eye. (How you stage them (How you stage them depends, of course, on how depends, of course, on how you interpret them):you interpret them): Hamlet and the GhostHamlet and the Ghost Ophelia and PoloniusOphelia and Polonius Hamlet’s soliloquy in III.iHamlet’s soliloquy in III.i Hamlet and OpheliaHamlet and Ophelia Hamlet and GertrudeHamlet and Gertrude Scenes concerning FortinbrasScenes concerning Fortinbras