"'Tis a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance." Which means that the Danes would get more honour by not doing it than by doing it. But really, the fact that Claudius favours this custom is probably the main reason Hamlet is against it.
Hamlet despises the drunken revelry at night. He believes that the drunk acts committed within the kingdom have cast rumors far and wide, leading to a ruined reputation of the King and kingdom as a whole.
When King Claudius takes a drink, he orders the cannons and trumpets to sound. It was a custom in Denmark apparently. Hamlet says "it is a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance." In other words, it is a custom which it is more honourable not to follow. Hamlet's dislike of this custom is probably brought on by Claudius's love of doing it (he does it again in Act 5 at the contest between Hamlet and Laertes); anything Claudius likes, Hamlet feels bound to hate.
Not Denmark. Horatio is unfamiliar with the customs in Denmark: when Claudius first starts his trumpet and cannon accompaniment to his drinking, Horatio asks "Is't the custom?" whereupon Hamlet replies that it is but "to my mind though I am native here and to the manor born, it is a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance." If Horatio had been Danish he would have known that this was a custom. Horatio and Hamlet met at University in Germany: Horatio may be German.
He isn't. He announces in Act 1 Scene 2, that all night, whenever he has a drink, they'll fire off cannons and sound trumpets. He says it is because "this gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet's sits smiling to my heart", but surely he is being ironic, since Hamlet's accord is patently anything but gentle and unforced. What is more, we learn that this noisemaking while drinking is a custom, a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance according to Hamlet (probably because it seems to be a custom Claudius likes--he does it again in Act 5), but a custom nevertheless. It does not appear to be a particular celebration, just a customary way of having a booze-up.
Hamlet despises the drunken revelry at night. He believes that the drunk acts committed within the kingdom have cast rumors far and wide, leading to a ruined reputation of the King and kingdom as a whole.
Hamlet despises the drunken revelry at night. He believes that the drunk acts committed within the kingdom have cast rumors far and wide, leading to a ruined reputation of the King and kingdom as a whole.
When King Claudius takes a drink, he orders the cannons and trumpets to sound. It was a custom in Denmark apparently. Hamlet says "it is a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance." In other words, it is a custom which it is more honourable not to follow. Hamlet's dislike of this custom is probably brought on by Claudius's love of doing it (he does it again in Act 5 at the contest between Hamlet and Laertes); anything Claudius likes, Hamlet feels bound to hate.
Drinking. Or to be specific, the custom of shooting off cannons, blowing trumpets and genarally making noice every time you take a drink. "As he drains his draughts of Rhenish down, the kettledrum and trumpet thus bray out the triumph of his pledge"
Because it's Claudius and in Hamlet's mind nothing Claudius does is done right. Claudius is only following custom, but that isn't good enough: Hamlet sneers that it is a custom more honoured in the breach than in the observance.
It was a custom in Denmark to mark a toast by firing off cannons and blowing horns. Hamlet and Horatio hear this when they are standing around on the battlements of Elsinore waiting for the Ghost to show up. Hamlet sneers that it is a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance, but then he sneers at everything Claudius does no matter what it is.
Not Denmark. Horatio is unfamiliar with the customs in Denmark: when Claudius first starts his trumpet and cannon accompaniment to his drinking, Horatio asks "Is't the custom?" whereupon Hamlet replies that it is but "to my mind though I am native here and to the manor born, it is a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance." If Horatio had been Danish he would have known that this was a custom. Horatio and Hamlet met at University in Germany: Horatio may be German.
He isn't. He announces in Act 1 Scene 2, that all night, whenever he has a drink, they'll fire off cannons and sound trumpets. He says it is because "this gentle and unforced accord of Hamlet's sits smiling to my heart", but surely he is being ironic, since Hamlet's accord is patently anything but gentle and unforced. What is more, we learn that this noisemaking while drinking is a custom, a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance according to Hamlet (probably because it seems to be a custom Claudius likes--he does it again in Act 5), but a custom nevertheless. It does not appear to be a particular celebration, just a customary way of having a booze-up.
Hamlet despises the drunken revelry at night. He believes that the drunk acts committed within the kingdom have cast rumors far and wide, leading to a ruined reputation of the King and kingdom as a whole.
Laertes didn't have any "important realisations" during his duel with Hamlet. The duel only took place as a means for Claudius to have Hamlet killed, disguised as Laertes' need to seek satisfaction for the deaths of his father and sister. Laertes had forgiven Hamlet, but needed to uphold his reputation and honour, hence the duel.
Laertes is worried that Ophelia might compromise herself by getting too involved with Hamlet. Hamlet, he explains, is a Prince, of a royal family, and may be required to marry someone else for political reasons. If Ophelia's relationship with him has gone too far, her reputation will be damaged
He was an American actor who had a good reputation. He was the brother of the assassin John Wilkes Booth.
He and Horatio heard a cannon go off to celebrate a toast the king was making. Hamlet thinks it is a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance.