H
Haammlleett’’s s IIssssuueess RReeccuurrrreennt t IImmaaggeess RReeffeerreennccees s tto o IIssssuueess//IImmaaggeess Rage/Grief upon revelation of his
Rage/Grief upon revelation of his father’s murder by Claudius. → father’s murder by Claudius. → Shos the inconsistency beteen Shos the inconsistency beteen outard appearance and inard outard appearance and inard desires/natur
desires/natures es of of characters.characters.
“O villain, villain, smiling, damned “O villain, villain, smiling, damned villain! […] At least I am sure it may villain! […] At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark”
be so in Denmark”
“That one may smile, and smile, and “That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain”
be a villain” !emory
!emory “reords” “reords”
“
“All sa"s o# All sa"s o# books, all #orms, allbooks, all #orms, all $ressures $as
$ressures $ast,”t,”
“book and volume o# my brain” “book and volume o# my brain” “%emember thee!”
“%emember thee!”
“"hile memory holds a seat” “"hile memory holds a seat” Religious "ncertainty # Hamlet does
Religious "ncertainty # Hamlet does not $no hether to loo$
not $no hether to loo$ to heavento heaven or hell to
or hell to understand the revelationunderstand the revelation of the ghost.
of the ghost.
“O all you host o# heaven!” “O all you host o# heaven!” “And shall I ou$le hell&” “And shall I ou$le hell&”
“'e though a s$irit o#
“'e though a s$irit o# health orhealth or goblin damned('ring "ith thee airs goblin damned('ring "ith thee airs #rom heaven or blasts #rom hell” #rom heaven or blasts #rom hell” %&.'(')*
%&.'(')*
“The s$irit I have seen()ay be the “The s$irit I have seen()ay be the devil”
devil” %+.+(,&)*%+.+(,&)* Gertrude’s disloyalty # Hamlet still
Gertrude’s disloyalty # Hamlet still orries about this despite the ghost orries about this despite the ghost telling him to leave her alone. → telling him to leave her alone. → !isogynistic natures throughout the !isogynistic natures throughout the play ith -phelia and Gertrude play ith -phelia and Gertrude
O
O mmoosst t $$eerrnniiiioouus s ""oommaann!! ““**rraaiilltty y tthhy y nnaamme e iis s ""oommaann” ” %& %&stst
Solilouy* Solilouy*
“+et thee to a nunnery”
“+et thee to a nunnery” %.&(&+&* # %.&(&+&* # !isogyny toards -phelia
!isogyny toards -phelia 0cademically driven1 not a arrior
0cademically driven1 not a arrior “book”“book” ( he ill rite everything in( he ill rite everything in his noteboo$ hich is referring to his his noteboo$ hich is referring to his mind %mental notes*
mind %mental notes* 2istraction from his father’s revenge
2istraction from his father’s revenge “distrated globe”“distrated globe” %34*%34* “trivial #ond reords” “trivial #ond reords” %33* %33*
2istractions 2istractions
•
• 5olonius’ death5olonius’ death •
• Incestuous marriageIncestuous marriage •
• Rosencrant6 and GuildensternRosencrant6 and Guildenstern •
• -phelia-phelia
7ac$ of
7ac$ of Strength/5Strength/5oer/8ill to carryoer/8ill to carry out the ghost’s command
out the ghost’s command
“'ut bear me stiy u$”
“'ut bear me stiy u$” %39* %39* “'y indiretions -nd diretions out” “'y indiretions -nd diretions out” %+.&(,,*
Second Soliloquy “O all you host of heaven!” :efore Solilouy;
• <he ghost of the dead =ing leaves having ordered Hamlet to ta$e revenge upon Claudius. <he ghost told
Hamlet that as he slept in the garden1 Claudius caused a >foul and most unnatural murder? by pouring poison into his ear.
• <he poison in the ear connects to the ear motif found in other parts of the play but in a more physical instead
of verbal manner. Hamlet is con@icted on hat he should do hich is shon in the solilouy.
• <he description of =ing Hamlet’s death A disease imagery in the play.
• Bar !otif is a medium for deception and betrayal. %5olonius spying on Hamlet and Gertrude’s conversation1
Rosencrant6 and Guildenstern spying on Hamlet1 etc.*
• Ghost ould not tal$ unless Hamlet as alone hich ma$es him uestion his on sanity as he as alone
hen he heard the ghost’s commandment. 0fter Solilouy
• Horatio and !arcellus enter. Hamlet ma$es them sear to not reveal to anyone hat happened this night and
to not reveal his plans of acting mad. <he ghost also %his voice only* forces them to sear on Hamlet’s sord. 0lthough he says it is an act at this point1 later on his actions ma$e it dicult to see hether it is still an act or if it has become reality.
Third Soliloquy “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!”
Hamlet’s Issues Recurrent Images References to Issues/Images
Self(orth → Hamlet is uestioning himself.
Hamlet also insults hi mself.
“Am I a o"ard&” %9D+* “.ho alls me villain&? %9D+* >.hy, "hat an ass I am!” %93'* “And #all a ursing, like a very drab,(A sullion” %93D*
“Than I to /erules” %&.+(&9'*
Hamlet is not passionate enough to act on his feelings and for his cause %0venge his father*. Hamlet berates himself for not being passionate after seeing ho the actor can create a much more intense feeling on stage. Hamlet doesn’t thin$ that he mourned enough for his father. %5yrrhus mourning Hecuba*
“ 0ike a dreamy #ello", not #ull o# my
ause,”
“111.hat "ould he do,
/ad he the motive and the ue #or $assion
That I have& /e "ould dro"n the stage "ith tears “ %94&*
“.hat2s /euba to him, or he to /euba” %9,3* # 5layer has no connection to Hecuba but is able to feel and eEpress the grief of 5yrrhus.
Foung ortinbras1 the foil of Hamlet1 is hot(headed and prone to
impulsive actions.
“Tis unmanly grie#” %&.+(3'* ( Contrasts ith Claudius’ comment. 5assion is >unmanly?.
la of hesitation # Hamlet urges himself to ta$e action
“ 3rom$ted to my revenge by
heaven and hell,()ust, like a "hore, un$ak my heart "ith "ords “ %9D)* “I should have #atted all the region kites(.ith this slave2s o4al” %93)*
“distrated globe” %&.9(34*
2oesn’t feel the ghost has done any good.
“Abuses me to damn me” %,&9* “O all you host o# heaven!
And shall I ou$le hell&” %&.9(3+* “The time is out o# 5 oint! O ursed s$ite! That ever I "as born to set it right” %&.9(&DD*
:efore Solilouy;
• Hamlet and 5olonius ere atching the 5layer’s monologue for 5yrrhus and Hecuba. <he player’s passionate
rendition of the >5yrrhus and Hecuba? 5yrrhus dies and Hecuba mourns his death.
• 5olonius brea$s his character of long(inded speeches by saying >this is too long? i n reference to the player’s
rendition. 0fter Solilouy
• <he neEt scene after the solilouy happens on the neEt day1 the day of the >play ithin the play?. Claudius
and Gertrude are as$ing Rosencrant6 and Guildenstern about Hamlet’s behaviour.
• <hey tell them that Hamlet feels >distracted? hich connects to the >distracted globe? from the second
solilouy. Hamlet >ith much forcing of his disposition? or ith eort received the to f riends but he as uninclined to tal$.
• Hamlet devises a ay to test Claudius %-bserve his body language to see if Claudius appears guilty during the
Fourth Soliloquy “To e or not to e”
Hamlet’s Issues Recurrent Images References to Issues/Images
Should he commit suicide “To be or not to be”
“To slee$6$erhane to dream7 ay, there2s the rub” %,9*
Hamlet curses god for ma$ing suicide immoral. # “/is annon 8gainst sel#6slaughter! O +od! +od!” %&.+(&+3*
ear of death “The undisovered ountry, #rom
"hose bourn( 9o traveler returns, $u::les the "ill” %43*
“"hat dreams may ome” %4'* >dread o# something a#ter death %D,*?
Juestions hether it is better to act or not to act.
Hesitation
“Or to take arms against a sea o# troubles” %93*
“.ith this regard their urrents turn a"ry,(And lose the name o# ation” %D4*
“distrated globe” %&.9(34*
Hatred of 7ife ”To grunt and s"eat under a "eary li#e” %44*
“bear those ills” %D&*
“The time is out o# 5 oint! O ursed s$ite! That ever I "as born to set it right” %&.9(&DD*
:efore Solilouy;
• <hey tell them that Hamlet feels >distracted? hich connects to the >distracted globe? from the second
solilouy. Hamlet >ith much forcing of his disposition? or ith eort received the to f riends but he as uninclined to tal$.
• Claudius and 5olonius decide to hide to spy on Hamlet. <hey use -phelia to help their spying.
0fter Solilouy
• Hamlet meets -phelia in the >Get thee to the nunnery? scene. Hamlet acts polite until she tries to return a gift
he had given her. He denies that every giving it. She says gifts are meaningless hen >givers prove un$ind?.
• Hamlet harasses -phelia as$ing if she is honest and fair. -phelia is no convinced that Hamlet is insane1 and
attempts to call on the heavens to help him. <his is reminiscent of Hamlet’s uncertaintyK “O all you host o# heaven […] And shall I ou$le hell&
• Hamlet Lnally ma$es a threat to Claudius before he leaves. ;I say, "e "ill have no more marriage1 Those that
are married already, all but one shall live1;
•
Fifth Soliloquy “Tis now the very witching time of night”
Hamlet’s Issues Recurrent Images References to Issues/Images
orce Gertrude’s confession # Hamlet must be cruel to his mother although he still loves her. :ut he must feign these violent intentions.
;)y tongue and soul in this be hy$orites; %')9*
“I "ill s$eak daggers to her, but use none” %')'*
“<o#t! 9o" to my mother!” %'))*
Hamlet is becoming li$e the players ho so mystiLed him in +.+. # >Is it not monstrous that this $layer here, […] =ould #ore his soul so to his o"n oneit “ %99,*
Hamlet must not go overboard in forcing the confession.
“I "ill s$eak daggers to her, but use none” %')'*
>O heart, lost not thy nature” >?@B “let not ever( The soul o# 9ero enter this -rm bosom” %')+* # Mero is a Roman emperor ho had his mother murdered.
right causes but is unsure if he ould be seen the same by god. # "ncertain if orders come from heaven or hell.
hot(blood” %34* # 8itches ere hunted by religious people. Hamlet ill become li$e a itch if he commits murder. He feels ready to drin$ blood %$ill* but is afraid of being condemned by god.
“And shall I ou$le hell&” %+nd
Solilouy*
:efore Solilouy;
Hamlet’s plan to >catch the conscience of the $ing? has been successful. <he >play ithin the play? has come to its end. Claudius has left to his chamber thus Hamlet eEperiences a surge of conLdence hich is reminiscent of the Lrst half of this solilouy. His neEt plan is to force Gertrude to ma$e a full confession.
0fter Solilouy
Claudius spea$s ith Rosencrant6 and Guildenstern and decides to send Hamlet to Bngland. Hamlet sees Cl audius praying and is vulnerable. :ut in the neEt solilouy1 Hamlet refrains from $illing him. <he principle reason being that Claudius ill be sent to heaven and not suer f or his sins due to his prayers.
Si"th Soliloquy “#ow might I do it pat, now $a is a%praying”
Hamlet’s Issues Recurrent Images References to Issues/Images
Restrains himself from $illing Claudius # If he $ills him in prayer1 Claudius ill be sent to heaven as he is see$ing forgiveness for his sins.
“I, his sole son, do this same vi llain send(To heaven” %44*
“To take him in the $urging o# his soul? %D9*
Claudius is not sincere in prayer # >)y "ords Cy u$, my thoughts remain belo"7
.ords "ithout thoughts never to heaven go1” %.(34*
He onders hether God ill disregard Claudius’ prayers and send him to hell if Hamlet ere to $ill him no.
“.ith all his rimes broad blo"n, as Cush as )ay(And ho" his audit stands, "ho kno"s save heaven&” >B
“O all you host o# heaven!” “And shall I ou$le hell&” %+nd
Solilouy*
%Religious "ncertainty* Hamlet must $ill him during a sinful
act.
“.hen he is drunk aslee$, or in his rage,(Or in th2 inestuous $leasure” %D3*
:efore Solilouy;
Claudius spea$s ith Rosencrant6 and Guildenstern and decides to send Hamlet to Bngland. 5olonius enters and says that he ill spy on Hamlet and Gertrude later on. 5olonius leaves and Claudius enters into prayer to as$ for forgiveness.
0fter Solilouy
Hamlet tal$s to Gertrude to force her confession. He notices someone spying on them and ith no hesitation stabs him %5olonius*. <his brea$s the character of Hamlet as he is generally more hesitant. It is similar to the
impulsiveness of his foil1 the young ortinbras.
Seventh Soliloquy “&ow all occasions do inform against me”
Hamlet’s Issues Recurrent Images References to Issues/Images
Juestions God’s design of !an %Religious "ncertainty*
“<ure he that made us "ith suh large disourse, […] That a$ability and godlike reason” %,*
8ishes he had the impulsiveness of animals and his foil ortinbras. :ut he ould lose the ability of reason.
“'estial oblivion, or some raven sru$le” %')*
:efore Solilouy;
0fter Hamlet has spo$en to a Moregian captain and l earnt that ortinbras’ troops are about invade 5oland hich “hath in it no proLt1 but the name.? < his information stimulates Hamlet’s thoughts of revenge. ortinbras is Hamlet’s foil and unli$e Hamlet1 is uic$ to act and has no hesitation to carry out his revenge. Hamlet1 after hearing this nes1 thin$s that thousands of soldiers are ready to die for land hich is orth nothing but name hile H amlet1 ith a reasonable cause for revenge1 is still unable to do it.
