...to spy on Hamlet as a result of his suspicious madness and dramatic change of behavior. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are to check up on Hamlet because they bear respect and long-time friendship with him. In spite of Claudius’s expression of grave concern for Hamlet’s change, he, however, summoned Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for self-promotion. After sending away Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Polonius enters and exclaims that he believes he has found the cause of Hamlet’s madness. Before speaking, he insists that the ambassadors may speak first. They then reported that the King of Norway figured out that Fortinbras’ had intended to invade Denmark; but, the King rebuked Fortinbras and...
Words: 462 - Pages: 2
...throughout her life the commands of Polonius and Laertes to shape her actions. Ophelia was incapable to neither live nor think for herself because of all the pressure from the men of her life to be something she was not. The weakness of her brain and will, which allowed her submission to the men in her life, consequently pulverized her expectation for Hamlet's affection and at last brought about her madness and demise. Ophelia’s father Polonius plays the most influential role on Ophelia’s actions, throughout the play we see Ophelia do whatever is asked of her. This is first seen in Act I when Laertes shares his words of wisdom to his sister Ophelia and Polonius shows up. The last thing she told Laertes when he said “Farewell Ophelia, and remember well What I have said you” was “Tis in my memory locked, And you yourself shall keep the key of it.” Yet as soon as Polonius asks what he told her Ophelia instantly responds “Something about Hamlet.” Some things should not be shared, if siblings are speaking keep it between siblings but, when it comes to confidentiality if Polonius asks Ophelia is telling it all on demand. It’s apparently clear Ophelia loves Polonius and holds respect for him but it’s also clear Polonius has full control her brain; referring to Act I when Polonius questions Hamlet’s true love for Ophelia and asks if she believes Hamlet’s words, Ophelia simply responds “I do not know, my lord, what I should think.”; giving Polonius the opportunity to put in her mind...
Words: 1035 - Pages: 5
...English 203 October 24th 2012 Hamlet Question Set ACT I 1. What happens when Francisco and Bernardo meet at the beginning of scene1? Where are they, and when? Why is Horatio with Bernardo and Marcellus there? The play, begins in Elsinore with Francisco, who is waiting for Bernardo to relieve him of his duty right after midnight. Bernardo calls wondering who is there, to which Francisco replies that Bernardo should tell him who he is first. 2. What is Horatio's initial response to the story of the apparition? Horatio’s initial response is skepticism, as in disbelief. 3. What does Horatio first assume the appearance of the ghost means (1.1.)? He assumes it must mean that there is something wrong with the government. 4. What happens when the ghost appears for the second time (I.I)? Horatio asks the ghost why it had come in the first place and the reason behind such appearances 5. What do we know so far about the nature of the ghost? Do we know yet if it is a "good" ghost? Summarize the circumstances surrounding the first encounter with the ghost. The ghost is Hamlet’s father; one can categorize him as good because he explains to Hamlet the real reason behind his death. 6. Identify Hamlet’s first Soliloquy in Scene 2. What is it that is really bothering him about what has happened since his father's death? How would you describe the tone of his feelings? In his first soliloquy he mourns his father. It is a passionate and startling passage that...
Words: 1513 - Pages: 7
...By dissembling or disguising, it allows one to be someone they are not and do things they don’t normally do. In plays such as Twelfth Night, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, and The Merchant of Venice are just some of Shakespeare’s works in which he utilizes the concept of disguise. Shakespeare uses disguise of behavior and dress in his plays Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice. In Hamlet, Hamlet himself feigns madness in order to seek the truth of...
Words: 1027 - Pages: 5
...Humes English IV April 4th, 2013 Hamlets Sanity Is Hamlet mad, is he sane, what is he going to do with his madness or sanity? In this mind twisting play, Hamlet by: William Shakespeare, there are many situations throughout the play that are enough to bring Hamlet to insanity. Take, for example, Act IV, scene II, after Polonius's death. Hamlet's day has been crazy, he finally decides that Claudius has killed his father. The chance to kill Claudius confronts him, and he comes very close to convincing Gertrude that Claudius killed his father. Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius and finally, the ghost of his father visits him. Though at this point these situations create plenty of reasons for Hamlet to be insane, he remains sharp and witty. Hamlet remains in this state of madness, .his intelligence remains clear, but his way of thinking takes a turn for the worse. Hamlet reveals to his friends and his mother of his plans to pretend act insane. He tells Horatio that he is going to “feign madness”, and that if Horatio” notices any strange behavior from Hamlet, it is because he is putting on an act”. (I.v.166-180). Hamlet also tells his mother that he is not mad, "but mad in craft." (III.iv.188-199). In addition to his confessions, Hamlet's madness only shows itself when he is in the presence of certain characters. When Hamlet is around Polonius, Claudius, Gertrude, Ophelia, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he behaves in a bad manor. When Hamlet is around Horatio, Bernardo, Francisco...
Words: 632 - Pages: 3
...In the play Hamlet, madness is very prevalent and is a major theme in the play. Madness is defined as mental delusion or eccentric behavior from it; and in this case Hamlet's madness changes his perception and affected his judgment. When people are mad, people start to react to things instead of thinking them through and do not act normally. Through Hamlet's apparent madness, Shakespeare illuminates the danger that Hamlet's flawed decisions made from poor judgment pose to other, especially those closest to him. Hamlet in the play makes flawed decisions because of his mental state. The madness contributes to his poor judgment. In act one scene five, Hamlet says “As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on” (1.5.28). This is Hamlet blatantly stating that he is going to pretend to act crazy. But the premise of it is a bit insane itself. He makes this decision from seeing the ghost of King Hamlet. It is strange that nobody except Hamlet has heard the ghost told. And even later in act three, scene four, Hamlet talks to the ghost in front of Gertrude, but Gertrude acts confused as if she never seen the ghost. The fact that Claudius killed his brother and married King Hamlet's wife upsets Hamlet and causes him to make these rash decision. Another example of his decision making is in act two scene two, where he makes fun of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet confronts Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about them spying on him for the king and queen. Although...
Words: 1023 - Pages: 5
...Dramatic Irony in “Hamlet” By: Narek Edjiu In Act 2 scene 1, Ophelia returns to her father Polonius, clearly upset. Hamlet grabbed her, held her, and sighed heavily, but did not speak to her. Her father believes the reason for his attitude is due to the fact he is deeply in love with Ophelia. The dramatic irony in Hamlet shows features of dishonesty and harm, while incorporating tragedy. The ironic situations often take place when Hamlet is finally in pursuit of action. Hamlet is the son of the dead king and nephew to the new king. Hamlet discovers the truth of his father’s death and therefore creates a front of emotions to make others believe that he is angry. His unusual behavior greatly affected Ophelia causing her to panic and influencing her to inform her father. Polonius immediately concludes that Hamlet is 'madly in love' with Ophelia: "This is the very ecstasy of love" (2.1.102) and that he has gone mad because she has obeyed his instruction in spurning Hamlet's love: "That hath made him mad." (2.1.111) The purpose of this scene is to develop all the characters and to understand the thought of Polonius. This specific dramatic irony surprisingly causes me to feel sympathy for Polonius because he is not aware of the current situation and eventually will suffer the consequences. I learned that dramatic irony is used to engage the audience into what is taking place and the audience is able to witness a character’s error which...
Words: 314 - Pages: 2
...poisoning through the ear in hamlet Hamlet is a drama that tells the story of a bewildered young prince, a thinker who must contend with vengeful impulses riled by his father's ghost and subsequently by the prince's own agonized sensibility to the decorum of revenge. Shakespeare manages to induce Hamlet's sensibilities in many ways, not the least of which is the "poison in the ear" motif that courses the length of the drama. Indeed, in Act 1 Scene 5 Shakespeare introduces the literal act of Claudius pouring poison into the "porches" of old King Hamlet's ear, as related to the prince by old Hamlet's ghost. But the extent to which earpoisoning plays a role in the play is, at the juncture of Act 1.5, only beginning to take root. Even in Act 1.4, before the truth of King Hamlet's death is ever known or even suggested by the play's action, Shakespeare alludes to the overwhelming power of envenomed sound and poisonous aural suggestion. Likewise in the following 2.1, Shakespeare subtly elaborates on the motif, which, once given its literal form in Act 1.5, is only in its infancy, though by the drama's conclusion it's structurally crucial has been made increasingly apparent. In Act 1.4 the Ghost makes its second appearance in the play, though it is the first time Hamlet has witnessed him. Besides furthering the plot, Act 1.4 also serves as a prelude to the pivotal 1.5 wherein the Ghost reveals to Hamlet the secret that rules the action of the remainder of the playthe murderous deed...
Words: 1881 - Pages: 8
...Dramatic Irony In Hamlet There are several accounts of dramatic irony utilized in ‘Hamlet’ but one that was most effective to the overall play was in act 1 scene 5, when Hamlet converses with the ghost of his father. In this scene, the ghost came to Hamlet to reveal Claudius as his murderer and explained how his brother came to him in his sleep and poured poison in his ear. The ghost of Hamlet’s father tells him to avenge his death but not act violently towards his mother. Soon after, Marcellus and Horatio approached Hamlet but the ghost had vanished and Hamlet requested that the two not speak of the ghost’s visit to anyone. The important truth of old Hamlet’s murder will contribute to shape the plot and define Hamlet’s actions. Without the confession of the ghost, Hamlet would have no knowledge of the truth behind his father’s death. Therefore, every aspect of Hamlet’s ‘madness’ is defined by the new found truth that has been bestowed upon him. This scene creates dramatic irony throughout the play because the motives of Hamlet’s behavior is made clear to the audience. The lack of this scene would be inadequate because Hamlet would have no incentive to avenge his father’s murder because his knowledge stretches to believing a snake bite killed him. The audience is aware that Hamlet’s actions have meaning and everything he does contributes to his prior knowledge of the death/murder. This scene also contributes to other dramatic ironies like the mock play that upsets Cla...
Words: 636 - Pages: 3
...Hamlet is considered to be one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Many know that Hamlet is about revenge, but Hamlet is also a tragedy. Arthur Miller in “Tragedy and the Common Man” concludes that the tragic hero does not have to be the king or a noble, but can be anyone as simple as the common man. Whereas Aristotle believed that they tragic hero is someone “Great”, usually someone in high power or regard. In Arthur Miller’s essay he states that the “common man is as apt a subject for tragedy in its highest sense as kings were.” In a tragedy the tragic hero has a tragic flaw, which is his downfall. Arthur miller states, “ Only the passive, only those who accept their lot without active retaliation, are flawless. Most of us are in that category”(Miller 1) Most people are passive when faced with a challenge that goes against them, that is what makes them flawless, but in a tragedy the character does go against the challenge, that is what makes it a tragic flaw. In Hamlet we see that it is not only the tragedy of Prince Hamlet but of others such as, Polonius, Ophelia and Laertes, caused by their tragic flaw Polonius is the chief counselor of Claudius’s court he is a very conniving person. Like many of the other characters in Hamlet he also has a tragic flaw. In Hamlet Polonius’s tragic flaw is his inability to keep to himself, which ultimately leads to his demise. An example of this is Act 2 scene 1 when Polonius tells Reynaldo to spy on Laertes. “Before you visit him, to make inquire...
Words: 1012 - Pages: 5
...Ophelia’s Road to Madness Thesis Statement: The origin of Ophelia’s madness is rendered through examination of her relationships with her father Polonius, her brother, Laertes, and her lover Hamlet. I. Polonius is self seeking and callous. A. Polonius uses her to further his own agenda. B. Ophelia obediently and dutifully refuses Hamlet at her father’s request. II. Laertes overshadows Ophelia’s hope. A. Laertes brotherly advice is demanding. B. Ophelia loses her friend and confidant in her brother’s absence. III. Ophelia goes from happy to devastated in her love life. A. Hamlet humiliates her verbally. B. Hamlet kills her father. IV. Ophelia goes mad. A. Betrayed by Hamlet B. Used by father. C. Death of father. D. Abandoned by brother. Ophelia’s Road to Madness At the beginning of the play Hamlet, Ophelia is at the peak of happiness in life. She has found her true love and feels love and respect for her father and brother. Her fairytale ends abruptly after a chain of events unfold that destroys her emotionally and drives her to insanity. The origin of Ophelia’s madness is rendered through examination of her relationships with her father Polonius, her brother, Laertes, and her lover, Hamlet. Polonius is head advisor to the new king of Denmark. A position of such astute stature requires he have his own house in order. It would not be looked upon respectfully if he held this position and his own home were in disarray. There is no mention of a mother...
Words: 1105 - Pages: 5
...Analysis: Hamlet In the tragedy Hamlet, the prince of Denmark, Hamlet is this young man who experiences close relation death which was his father. He later finds out it was his uncle who murdered his father just to take heir to the throne. Hamlet constant brooding about death and humanity comes ahead. (Tennen) Hamlet is arguably the greatest dramatic character ever created from the moment we meet the crestfallen prince we are enraptured by his elegant intensity. (Mabillard) William Shakespeare hamlet follows the young prince Hamlet home to Denmark to attend his father’s funeral. (Stockton) In “Hamlet” the tragedy hamlet the prince holds a great internal conflict throughout the play. (Studymode) On a dark winter night a ghost walks the ramparts of Elsinore castle in Denmark. (Sparknotes)The first edition of hamlet was published in 1603 from a previous sketch composed several years earlier the second one following 1604. (Bates) Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy Bernado’s question betrays the mood of uncertainty that prevails throughout the play. (George) So speaks Shakespeare’s prince hamlet of the transient nature of all mankind throughout the play humanity and frailty is a common theme. (Mortensen) In Hamlet the tragedy, hamlet, the prince of Demark with holds a great internal conflict throughout the play. (Directessays) Hamlet is Shakespeare’s longest play and the play responsible for the immortal lines “to be or not to be that is the question” (Taylor) The story hamlet is set...
Words: 3813 - Pages: 16
...Hamlet William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a story about the human spirit and the difficulties that can result when we experience internal conflict. Like so many of us, Hamlet experiences a range of emotions in his struggle to mature and discover what life is really about. Hamlet is a young man who experiences a crisis just like many other teenagers. He frequently talks to himself, has problems in his relationship, feels pressure to be like his father, and does not like his stepfather. Hamlet, son of Queen Gertrude and the late King Hamlet, is a teenage boy who is loyal to his father and wants to protect his mother and his family's legacy. After the death of his father, Hamlet's mother Gertrude married Claudius, Hamlet's uncle and the new King of Denmark. One night, a ghost (said to be the ghost of King Hamlet) appears to Hamlet's best friend Horatio. When Horatio tells Hamlet about seeing the ghost, Hamlet requests to see the ghost himself. When the ghost appears to Hamlet, it tells him that his father (King Hamlet) was murdered by his brother Claudius. Hamlet agrees with the ghost to avenge his father's death by killing Claudius, but not to punish his mother for her behavior, which causes a personal conflict for Hamlet. Hamlet is not sure if he should believe the ghost and struggles to determine what to do about his father's death. Hamlet is in love with Ophelia, the daughter of Claudius' most trusted counselor, Polonius. As time goes on, Hamlet's behavior becomes more and more...
Words: 908 - Pages: 4
...Hamlet, a tragedy about how Prince Hamlet of Denmark seeks to and eventually exacts revenge on his uncle King Claudius for murdering his father King Hamlet, explores a number of themes, each contributing to the flow of its overall plot in one way or another. Some of the predominant themes in the text include revenge, treachery, deception and gender. The idea of revenge first comes up in the text when the ghost of the dead King Hamlet appears to Prince Hamlet, discloses to the prince that he was murdered by his brother King Claudius and demands that he avenges him. Prince Hamlet agrees to this and even though he is hesitant about fulfilling this, as he struggles with the idea of murder, he finds a solution when a group of actors arrive at Elsinore, the Danish royal castle, and decides to use them to stage a play, with his uncle King Claudius among the audience, about the murder of his father as told to him by the ghost. This was meant to determine Claudius’s guilt or innocence by observing his reaction to the play. As the murder scene was presented, Claudius abruptly rose and left the room where the play was being staged and Prince Hamlet saw this as proof of guilt. Queen Gertrude, Prince Hamlet’s mother who was also among the audience, summoned his son to her closet to demand an explanation. While they were in her closet, Polonius, Claudius’s counselor, who was spying on the scene from behind an arras, cried out for help when it seemed as if the prince was about to murder the...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...Horatio, to watch with them. When he sees the ghost, he decides they should tell Hamlet, the dead King's son. Hamlet is also the nephew of the present King, Claudius, who not only assumed his dead brother's crown but also married his widow, Gertrude. Claudius seems an able King, easily handling the threat of the Norwegian Prince Fortinbras. But Hamlet is furious about Gertrude's marriage to Claudius. Hamlet meets the ghost, which claims to be the spirit of his father, murdered by Claudius. Hamlet quickly accepts the ghost's command to seek revenge. Yet Hamlet is uncertain if what the ghost said is true. He delays his revenge and begins to act half-mad, contemplate suicide, and becomes furious at all women. The Lord Chamberlain, Polonius, concludes that Hamlet's behavior comes from lovesickness for Ophelia, Polonius's daughter. Claudius and Gertrude summon two of Hamlet's old friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to find out what's wrong with him. As Polonius develops a plot to spy on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia, Hamlet develops a plot of his own: to have a recently arrived troupe of actors put on a play that resembles Claudius's alleged murder of Old Hamlet, and watch Claudius's reaction. Polonius and Claudius spy on the meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet, during which Hamlet flies into a rage against women and marriage. Claudius concludes Hamlet neither loves Ophelia nor is mad. Seeing Hamlet as a threat, he decides to send him away. At the play that night, Claudius runs...
Words: 10550 - Pages: 43
