Hamlet review

critical date

1600

author

William Shakespeare

why is the opening so confusing?

form of a hook

how does the anxiety present itself

• internal and external anxieties

what is the genre

revenge tragedy

tragedy

• describes work that moves towards an unhappy ending (often depicting the fall of illustrious men)

revenge tragedy

• style of drama popular in eng. during the late 16th-17th century

• basic plot was quest for vengeance

• typical elements include: carnage scenes with mutilation, real or fake insanity, and the appearance of ghosts

what is the general reading of Hamlet

• heroic and vigorous prince

• or a man paralyzed by grief and indecision

what are the public things in hamlet

danish succession; Norway vs Denmark

what are the private themes in hamlet

• suicide

• sex

• madness

what is the background of Norway vs. Denmark

• Denmark conquered Norway

• old Hamlet killed old Fort.

• young prince of Norway raised army (he wants revenge for his dad and his land back)

what does fortinbras character add to the play

this gives a larger geopolitical implications for this family tragedy

hypericon

sun god

satyr

• half man half goat

• known to be lustrous

how does hamlet feel about the ghost?

excited to see his dad again

what are the reasons that Laeturs says Ohelia can’t date Hamlet

• he has royal duties

• Hamlet may say he loves you in private but he has duties

• talk about things being damaged when they’re too young

why is Ophelia so unreceptive to her brother’s advice

because he dates the wrong people too

what does the ghost command Hamlet to do

revenge him

what does the ghost describe to Hamlet

purgatory

• Shakespeare nod to Catholics?

how did Claudius kill the king

put poison in his ear

what was significant about the king’s sudden murder

he didn’t get a chance to confess

• another nod to catholicism?

what tragic themes are present?

• mental health tragedy

• family tragedy

• memory tragedy

“there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, then are dreamt in your philosophy

things you can’t explain in academia

antic

absurd from fantastic incongruity; grotesque, bizarre, uncouthly ludicrous

what does hamlet do to hide that he is working at claudius’ murder

he acts crazy

what is hamlets perspective of the ghost

1. act 1: Hamlet believes Ghost and believes its his dad

2. Act 2: questions if its the devil tempting him

what does Polo. ask Reynaldo

he asks him tops on Hamlet and say bad things about him

anhedonia

can’t take pleasure in anything

• hamlet experiences this

melancholia

characterized by aversion to food, despondency, sleeplessness, irritability, restlessness

humors

• 1 of the 4 fluids in the body (blood, phlegm, choler, and black bile)

• thought relative proportions were thought in ancient/ medieval philosophy to determine a person’s health

to be or not to be

• a suicide speech

• maybe some sleep and it’ll all be over

• death= consumption of life

how does Polonius use Ophelia

uses her as bait

honest

chaste , good, moral

nunnery

• an actual nunnery

• sarcastic comment referring to a brothel

what is Hamlet’s argument with Ophelia similar to?

parallels his relationship with his mom

hamlet tests ophelia

• he tests her to see which side she’s on

• possibly Hamlet is testing her to leave (run away from this world)

closet

• any small room in medieval times

• often portrayed as a bedroom

what is significant about Hamlet calling out his mom’s age

she can’t blame hormones

what speech does Hamlet give his mom

an abstinence speech

what does hamlet do with the letters on the ship

he intercedes them and says that the ones carrying the letter should be beheaded

why does Hamlet awe at the soldiers

• 20,000 men fighting for a $5 plot of land…

• awes at their honor

• he has a personal reason to fight but he doesn’t

how does Shakespeare utilize the foolish and crazy characters

uses them to say important things

maid

virgin

Ophelia speaks in raunchy rhymes

• themes of exploitation, use, sexual exploitation

• this man says he would have married this girl if she hadn’t slept with him

• sings to the court about being used

unscene

scene so powerful its like you have seen it onstage

what is Laeurtes motive to kill hamlet

• ham killed his dad

• his sister is now crazy

foil

fencing sword

what are the plans to kill hamlet

1. use a sword

2. poison tip of the sword

3. poison a drink

yorick

court jester who used to entertain hamlet as a child

what is the great statement of mortality

you may look beautiful now but in the end you will be dead and ugly

what is significant about Hamlets journey to England

he is shamed by the signs of the Norwegian and polish forces

oedipal complex

desire to be with ones parent of the opposite sex

how old is hamlet

about 30