Directions: Attend to one or more of the following questions using 2-3 direct quotations/passages from the text. If the question is merely asking you about a plot point, please go further and think about the how and why attached to the question. Further, make psychological and metaphorical connections to the ideas we expressed in class. When you come into class, we will read each other's responses, respond on the blog and discuss as a class. I look forward to your thoughts and insights.
Study Questions for Exploration
The first speaker in the play is Bernardo. What is he doing when the play begins, and why is his first speech at least somewhat inappropriate to the situation?
In brief, why is Denmark in a state of Military alert as the play opens? How does this help justify Claudius' actions at the beginning of the play?
What do we learn of Horatio's character from the guards' attitude towards him?
In Claudius' first speech, what impression is he trying to give to his listeners?
What do Hamlet's first two speeches reveal about his attitude towards his uncle, the new King?
Paraphrase briefly Hamlet's speech which begins, "Seems, Madam ..." and ends with "suits of woe." What metaphor dominates the speech and helps to define a theme of the play?
In Hamlet's first soliloquy, what specific details reveal his attitude towards his mother?
How does Hamlet react to the arrival of Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo? Is his behavior truly indicative of his state of mind?
What does Hamlet's reaction to the story of the ghost reveal about his courage and willingness to take action?
What do Hamlet's first two speeches reveal about his attitude towards his uncle, the new King?
Paraphrase briefly Hamlet's speech which begins, "Seems, Madam ..." and ends with "suits of woe." What metaphor dominates the speech and helps to define a theme of the play?
In Hamlet's first soliloquy, what specific details reveal his attitude towards his mother?
How does Hamlet react to the arrival of Horatio, Marcellus, and Bernardo? Is his behavior truly indicative of his state of mind?
What does Hamlet's reaction to the story of the ghost reveal about his courage and willingness to take action?
▶'“Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.”
ReplyDelete’Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly. These indeed “seem,”
For they are actions that a man might play;
But I have that within which passes show,
These but the trappings and the suits of woe.'(1.2.79-89).⏸ What Prince Hamlet is saying here is, "I don't seem sad, Mama, I am sad! Papa's been dead a couple months, so I'm supposed to be sad! You obviously don't give a smurf, considering you immediately eloped with Uncle Claudius!" The Prince suspects his father wasn't actually bitten by a snake, but he doesn't mention that to his mother, since she isn't paying attention anyway. That night, his suspicions are confirmed by the ghost of his father. ⏭▶"But know, thou noble youth,
The serpent that did sting thy father’s life
Now wears his crown."(1.5.45-47)⏸ So Claudius murdered his brother, seduced his sister-in-law, and carried on as if nothing had ever happened! Only Prince Hamlet pays attention and respects to his late father, and now he knows the truth! Claudius, you killed your brother and took his place! But your nephew is our for revenge, and there's nothing you can do to stop him! Take that!
Even if Prince Hamlet didn't know the truth, he'd claim vengeance on his uncle just for cancelling national mourning.
DeleteIt is obvious that The Lion King is heavily derived from this.
DeleteWhen the audience is first introduced to the book Hamlet, the first line of the play is “Who’s there?”. Our attention is caught right from the beginning as we are intrigued as to why that question was posed. As we view this novel as a story, the first line was mainly just to provide a captivating opening scene. But as we analyze the text further, the first line actually has a much deeper meaning than we believed. The first line of the play, “Who’s there?” is Shakespeare’s fun way of metaphorically introducing a theme of truth. “Who’s there?” is symbolized as a metaphor because when asked that question, there are a million possibilities one can respond with, but only one being the truth. This truth includes not just being truthful as in not telling lies, but also truth as in being true to oneself. One can deduce this metaphor by using Hamlet as an example. After seeing the Ghost of King Hamlet, Horatio, Bernardo, and Marcellus went to tell Hamlet at once. Hamlet believes, “all is not well. [He] doubt some foul play. Would the night were come. Till then sit still, my soul. Foul deeds will rise, Though all the earth o’erwhelm them, to men’s eyes,” (14). Hamlet ponders whether it is truly his father’s spirit wandering the Earth and at the same time yearns to understand why it is. He believes that the spirit is not here just because it wants to but because it must reveal something to them. Later in the novel, the ghost will unveil a certain truth to Hamlet regarding his death. Another example of truth is when the audience first sees Hamlet in the play. He is dressed in all black whereas everyone is done mourning for his father, even his mother who bids him to, “cast thy nighted colour off, and let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ‘tis common: all that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity,” (9). After 1-2 months of King Hamlet’s death, everyone has already moved on and are enjoyably living life even though one is not supposed to mourn that quickly, especially the wife. Hamlet instead of joining the festivities stays true to himself and continues to mourn for his father. I believe as we go on in the play, the audience will see the many different examples of characters attempting to stay true to one selves, or steering away from their identity.
ReplyDelete- Minh-Quan Bach
In all fairness to Hamlet, he did a really good job not slapping his uncle in the face when they were having their muted discussion in front of the large audience, particularly as he vented his anger in this first soliloquy. During this first speech, he shows his disgust towards the new king. He could barely make anything of a comparison between the king and his brother. His blood father was “So excellent a king, that was to this// Hyperion to a satyr” (11). He was clearly upset about the recent turn of events that his father, who he compared to a god, was replaced by his new stepfather, who he compared to a lowly specimen. To emphasize this point, he continues in the soliloquy, “[His] father’s brother, but no more like my father // Than I to Hercules” (11). At this point, the reader starts to feel empathy towards Hamlet for being stuck in such an unfortunate situation. Then, at the end of the scene, during his short second speech, the audience learns that he is suspicious of, presumably, his uncle; that he is in some way related to the death of his father.
ReplyDeleteWhen Hamlet hears about the story of the ghost, he is immediately intrigued by what he heard. Hamlet is rightfully intrigued though because of what he has gone through. He of course lost his father and then his mother very quickly remarries which upsets Hamlet. He shows a courage about the hearing of the news because he is ready for something new, something that could potentially help him, if that's the right way to describe it. Hamlet seems to be at the point where these nothing to loose so he will be open-minded to something like a ghost. This plot point is potentially a good spot where Hamlet could start to take some action and he seems ready for it due to both his attitude towards the ghost news and because of the past events. So overall it shows a different side to Hamlet that the readers have not seen up to this point in the play.
ReplyDeleteDenmark is in a state of military alert because the population fears that Young Fortinbras of Norway will soon invade. King Hamlet had previously killed King Fortinbras and acquired his kingdom. Now, his son, Young Fortinbras has a grudge against Denmark and is seeking his father’s land back. The people of Denmark are preparing for war, and Claudius has even sent his men to Norway to ask the King, Young Fortinbras’s uncle, to cease his nephew from invading. This state of military alert justifies Claudius’s actions because it gives him reason to step in and “help”. We soon learn that he killed King Hamlet with his own selfish motives, yet this situation makes him look like more of a hero than a villain. In his speech he states, “Young Fortinbras,/Holding a weak supposal of our worth,/Or thinking by our late dear brother's death/Our state to be disjoint and out of frame”(7). He presents a sense of unity and nationalism by appealing to his audience’s emotions. He shares with the people how he has taken action and will continue to by sending Cornelius and Voltimand as “bearers of this greeting to old Norway” (8). This news follows brief regards to the late King Hamlet. Clearly, Claudius feels little grief, yet the queen and people of the Kingdom trust him and turn to him to take action while Hamlet sees right through him.
ReplyDeleteIn Claudius' first speech, he says that he is thankful for everyone to except his marriage with Hamlet's mother after such a tragedy with King Hamlet. He promises that he will bring the kingdom to success and be the ruler that everyone needs. Some quotes in his speech were, "Here we as 'twere with a defeated joy, With an auspicious and a dropping eye, With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Taken to wife. Nor have we herein barr'd You better wisdoms, which have freely gone with this affair along. For all, thanks." "Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting,...Giving to you no further personal power To buisness with the King more than scope of these dilated articles allow."
ReplyDeleteShivani Verma
ReplyDeleteIn brief, why is Denmark in a state of Military alert as the play opens? How does this help justify Claudius' actions at the beginning of the play?
ReplyDeleteDenmark is in a state of military alert because king Hamlet has died. Claudius believes he is doing the kingdom a favor by marrying the widowed queen because he thinks that the rival Fortinbras will come attack Denmark. “Our state to be disjointed and out of frame, Colleagued with this dream of his advantage, He hath not fail’d to pester us with message, Importing the surrender of those lands Lost by his father, with all bonds of law” (7).
What do Hamlet's first two speeches reveal about his attitude towards his uncle, the new King?
In Hamlet's first two speeches it reveals that he hates that his uncle is king, and it disgusts him that everyone is so happy, even though it has only been one month since the former King Hamlet died He also wishes that his uncle's “sullied flesh would melt”(page 10). Hamlet also brings up that he wishes “His canon ‘gainst self-slaughter! O God! O God!”(10). He basically wishes that it was not forbidden to commit suiside. - CJ
In Hamlet’s first two speeches, he clearly demonstrates his hatred of his uncle, the new King. During the dialogue between Hamlet and Claudius, we can see that Hamlet still mourns his father. But, through his two speeches, it’s revealed that he not only hates Claudius, but praises his father, King Hamlet. King Hamlet was “so excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr (143 A1 S2).” Not only does prince Hamlet compare his father to a hyperion, or a god, but he also ridicules Claudius by comparing him to a satyr, a beast. Hamlet also reveals that he feels slightly betrayed by his own mother. “Let me not think on ’t; frailty, thy name is woman! (150 A1 S2)” Only after a single month was his mother ready to remarry. A beast “would have mourned longer! (155 A1 S2)” These hints further add on to his hatred of Claudius. Not only has he become the King, but also married his mother soon after his brother had died.
ReplyDelete~Chris Gu
In his first soliloquy, Hamlet expresses his distaste towards his mother. He views the new marriage as “incestuous”, and is overwhelmed by how quickly his mother was able to remarry (to her dead husband’s brother, no less). Hamlet reminisces about how the former king cherished his mother so much, and deems her sorrow to be fake by saying that “the salt of most unrighteous tears//Had left the flushing in her galled eyes”. The fact that Hamlet’s mother was so quick to move on from his father’s death upset him greatly, but even more when she married his uncle.
ReplyDelete-Nabilah
From the opening scene, we can see the guards attitude toward Horatio appears as if they see him as very intellectual. Marcellus even state when the ghost appears, "Thou art a scholar. Speak to it, Horatio." From this we can infer that Horatio has more education than the average guard. We can almost see the guards cower behind Horatio as if they look to him for protection, ordering him to speak and do something to the ghost. - Troy Kennedy
ReplyDeleteIn brief, why is Denmark in a state of Military alert as the play opens? How does this help justify Claudius' actions at the beginning of the play?
ReplyDeleteWhen the play opens Denmark is in a state of Military alert because the young Fortinbras is gathering up an army to attack them. we find out about the militarization when marcellus says, "And why such daily cast of brazen cannon,And foreign mart for implements of war;Why such impress of shipwrights, whose sore taskDoes not divide the Sunday from the week;What might be toward, that this sweaty haste"(1.1). He is asking Horatio why there is so much turmoil in Denmark to which Horatio explains that The dead king Hamlet killed Fortinbras' father, king of Norway, which granted his lands to Denmark but now with Hamlet dead he was trying to get his lands that his father lost back. This justifies Claudius' actions of marrying the dead king's wife in trying to stop the kingdom from falling apart. Hamlet however is still torn over this and sees no good in Claudius' actions and treats him accordingly when he says to himself, "A little more than kin, and less than kind."(1.2). - Nalin
In Claudius' first speech, what impression is he trying to give to his listeners?
ReplyDeleteIn Claudius’s first speech he begins by talking about his brothers death. He tells the reader that though he is still mourning his brother he believed it was in his best interest to marry “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage”, in case the subjects of his kingdom feel as though he married to early, or was not properly mourning, he reassures them that he indeed mourning, and married out of necessity. He also emphasizes the need of a quick marriage, because Fortinbras might think that due to the old king’s death the kingdom is “disjoint and out of frame” giving fortinbras the advantage over them. By marrying the queen he assures them that he has avoided giving Fortinbras this advantage. He shows that he has a plan on how to deal with Fortinbras, by mailing a letter to his uncle. He is confident in his ability to defeat the enemy. He also intends to give the impression that his actions are backed by the people, as their better wisdoms “have freely gone with this affair along”. He is a man who has pushed past his grief to do what was best for his kingdom, he is confident in the defeat of his enemy, and he is backed by the people
What do Hamlet's first two speeches reveal about how he feels about his Uncle?
Hamlet’s first speech is a reaction to his mother and uncle telling him he is overly grieving, and should try to become happy like the rest of them. He responds by saying that though his “customary suits of solemn black” and the “fruitful river in the eye” may be choices that he could stop doing, his grief and his sorrow are not something he can simply stop doing. He can stop wearing black, and stop crying, to attempt to fit in with the happier crowd around him, but that won’t change the fact that his father’s dead and he misses him. In his second speech he is alone, talking to himself. He reveals that he is angry with his mother for marrying his uncle so soon after his father's death. His mother shouldn’t have married so soon, especially someone who is “no more like my father than I to Hercules”. Though the speech is aimed toward his mother, it is clear that he is upset toward his uncle, and thinks that he is not as good a man or king as his father had been.
-Solace Lockheardt
Hamlet is not pleased with his uncles actions and ways at the beginning of the play. In his first speech Hamlet is responding to his mother and uncle when they ask him why “seems” is so gloomy. He responds saying I don’t “seem” to be depressed I am because my father just died he continues with “Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,/ That can denote me truly: these indeed seem,/ For they are actions that a man might play:” Hamlet's tone when saying this reveals that he is frustrated with his uncle for not seeing his side. Everyone is now questioning why he is sad making him seem absurd for wearing all black when it is customary to mourn for many months. Then in Hamlet's second speech he further talks poorly about his uncle saying “My father's brother, but no more like my father/ Than I to Hercules.” This is Hamlet explicitly saying that his uncle is not a good king or man compared to his father, which makes him wonder why his mother would turn to him after his father's death. He also talks further on how quickly their marriage took place.
ReplyDelete- Cameron Marcou
In brief, why is Denmark in a state of Military alert as the play opens? How does this help justify Claudius' actions at the beginning of the play? Denmark is in a state of military alert because their king has recently passed away and Prince Fortinbras has decided to take revenge on Denmark and claim the land his father lost “Young Fortinbras,Holding a weak supposal of our worth,Or thinking by our late dear brother's death Our state to be disjoint and out of frame” 7, even if its taken back illegally. This gave Claudius, Hamlet's brother a clear shot to take the throne and his brothers kingdom as he used the guise of being in the kingdoms best interest to marry the queen and take over.
ReplyDelete-Aidan Foley
DeleteThe first line of the play is "Who's there." Could there be something metaphorical about this first line?
ReplyDeleteThe opening lines/ scenes to set the mood and the tone of the play. The opening line of the Hamlet is spoken by one of the two soldiers, “who is there”. This gives the play a sense of the unknown, doubt and caution. This acts as a theme through out the play, the theme of tension and duality.
In Claudius' first speech, what impression is he trying to give to his listeners?
Claudius trying to smooth things over with the people about his marriage to Gertrude because people don't like it, he thanks the audience for clapping and pretending they approve.
Ben Ashworth
ReplyDeleteIn brief, why is Denmark in a state of Military alert as the play opens? How does this help justify Claudius' actions at the beginning of the play?
Denmark is in a state of military alert because a former enemy is planning an attack on the kingdom and trying to take it over. They had no leader and appeared weak so that is why Claudius' action is justified at the beginning.
Tyler Millien
ReplyDeleteParaphrase briefly Hamlet's speech which begins, "Seems, Madam ..." and ends with "suits of woe." What metaphor dominates the speech and helps to define a theme of the play?
Although the late king died only recently, the new king and even the queen herself are telling Hamlet he should not be as upset as he is. Hamlet feels betrayed by his mother because instead of joining his grief, she hangs on the new king life she was always in love with him. In this segment he says that he’s not just feeling upset, he IS upset. The things he’s feeling are real and even if, as his uncle put it, everyone dies one day, that can’t keep hamlet from mourning. The metaphor throughout the speech is basically his life is darkness, and since nobody understands his pain, he forever lives in isolation and darkness.
“Seems,” madam? Nay, it is. I know not “seems.”
’Tis not alone my inky cloak, good mother,
Nor customary suits of solemn black,
Nor windy suspiration of forced breath,
No, nor the fruitful river in the eye,
Nor the dejected havior of the visage,
Together with all forms, moods, shapes of grief,
That can denote me truly.
"You might try and hide, you might try and pray, but we all end up the remains of the day."
Delete"But Uncle Claudius, can't you even take the time to bid your brother farewell?
Bryant Kroeger
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Hamlet's first soliloquy, what specific details reveal his attitude towards his mother?
A: In Hamlet’s first soliloquy we learn a lot about what, and how he feels about his father's death and his uncle taking power, and marrying his mother. Hamlet views his mother marrying his uncle as an incestuous when he says- “She married: — O, most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!” His tone is hostile towards her and views her almost as savage when he says- "a beast would have mourned a little longer." Here Hamlet compares her to a beast, and questions why she does not mourn for the death of her husband longer. In this soliloquy it paints King Hamlet as a caring and just king for the kingdom, and shames his mother for not mourning for more than a month, and not allowing him to weep for his father's death after a month either.
What do Hamlet's first two speeches reveal about his attitude towards his uncle, the new King?
ReplyDeleteBased on Hamlet's first two speeches he is clearly mad at his uncle for seducing his mother and becoming the new king. Hamlet hates his uncle especially for marrying his mother so soon after the death of his father which we find out was because of him. Hamlet calls his father a god, and he calls his uncle a satyr, or a beast-like creature.
Question– Hamlet's first soliloquy, what specific details reveal his attitude towards his mother?
ReplyDeleteA– The first soliloquy reveals Hamlet's feelings of betrayal and disgust towards his mother and his uncle. Hamlet condemned his mother for her "most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!", revealing his disgust at his mother's choice of husband, as well as at the speed at which she remarried. He describes his mother as a beast saying, "a beast would have mourned a little longer," implying that Hamlets feels that his mother's hasty marriage was disrespectful and inhuman.
The ghost of Hamlet’s father finally speaks and reveals to Hamlet that he was not killed by a snake, but he was murdered by his brother, Hamlet’s uncle, Claudius. The ghost tells Hamlet how Claudius is going to ruin the kingdom and how terrible it was to marry the queen. The ghost gives Hamlet a task to kill his uncle but let his mother live. Hamlet responds quickly and accepted the task. Hamlet was already very sad, and angry at both his uncle and mother for moving on so quickly. It seems he was already thinking about getting rid of his uncle and the ghost gave him a reason to do it.
ReplyDeletechristine reardon
What does Hamlet's reaction to the story of the ghost reveal about his courage and willingness to take action?
ReplyDeleteWhen Hamlet hears from the spirit of his father that his uncle had murdered his father, he is obviously surprised and angry with the outcome of his father’s death and how his father wasn’t honored for his death and was wrongly murdered for his position. We see in the text how Hamlet is motivated to keep his father’s wishes of killing his uncle by saying, “Now it’s time to deal with the vow I made to my father,” which makes us believe he will do what needs to be done, no matter what it takes. This motivation makes him courageous to the point where he decides to go to the extreme by acting crazy and courageous in front of people so that no one would suspect him of what he really plans to do in the future. As he is acting crazy to his full potential, he takes it even a step further by having actors play out a scene from “Mousetrap” to reenact the death of his father, to make his uncle crazy and have karma hit him in the most unexpected way.