Hamlet

To take Hamlet to England to be killed, Claudius can't have Hamlet killed in Denmark because it would upset Queen Gertrude along with many others who still praise him even though he seems to have lost his mind. However on the trip to England Hamlet changes out the letters to say kill these men---Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The priates of the ship are told that they will be paid well if they send Hamlet back. And they believe him due to his charming personality and style of clothing which is not commender fashioned. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent to the King of England and take the punishment of what was supposed to be Hamlet's death.

The royal couple are, in effect, recruiting Hamlet's old friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on him for them.

His attitude to his mother is clearly stated in his "hot blood" soliloquy. "Let me be cruel, not unnatural. I will speak daggers to her, but use none." Later he will say to her "I must be cruel to be kind". This is tough love, but it is love. He does not want to harm her; he wants to free her from her uncle's influence.

Actually, this isn't a question. Are you asking what it means when an exam question tells you to discuss something? It means this: To "talk or write about a topic in detail, taking into account different ideas and opinions". If that's what your exam question tells you to do, go get some different ideas and opinions and start writing.

Saying "discuss Hamlet's inaction" is no more asking a question than saying "eat my shoe". It's a command, not a question. We only answer questions here.

The phrase "Shakespeare's theatre" is ambiguous. Are you talking about the theatrical practises and conventions which applied at the time Shakespeare was writing or some theatre building?

If the former, you should know that theatre practice in Shakespeare's time involved casts who were entirely male, thrust stages, limited or no scenery, stage props which were portable or multi-use, staging which could involve several levels, actors who had to use natural projection, lighting by natural light or candlelight, and heightened language in dialogue.

If you are talking about an actual building, you should know that Shakespeare's contemporaries would not have understood you if you used the phrase "Shakespeare's Theatre" as opposed to "Burbage's Theatre". Burbage was the major shareholder and Shakespeare one of the minor shareholders in two theatres. First the Globe Theatre, maximum capacity about 3000, round in shape with an open space in the middle to let in light to illuminate the stage, and also the Blackfriars Theatre, capacity about 750, completely enclosed and lit by candlelight, so they had to have intermissions periodically to replace the candles. You might think that the Globe was the more profitable theatre but actually it wasn't since they were able to sell out the Blackfriars by selling fewer tickets at higher prices, and the Blackfriars did not have to close when the weather got too cold or stormy.

Denmark, at some time in the past, has conquered England. The king is left there as a puppet, and is supposed to pay over large cash amounts on a regular basis. This is called tribute. But the English haven't paid for a while, which is why Claudius sends Hamlet ostensibly to collect the "neglected tribute". Of course, the tribute is just a pretext to deliver Hamlet into the hands of the English king, who had better do as Claudius says or face a further invasion of raping and pillaging Vikings, and probably an even larger demand for tribute later.

Hamlet was causing problems for Claudius. His antics had disturbed the court and the kingdom. His killing of Polonius had deprived Claudius of his counsellor and had put him in an awkward position, since a murderer ought to be tried and put to death yet that would be politically unwise. Finally, Hamlet was on to him. Claudius had a pretty good idea that Hamlet knew that he had killed Hamlet Sr. and how it was committed.

All this meant that Claudius was worrying about Hamlet instead of running the kingdom, which he had been doing quite well before all this. Claudius says, "like the hectic in my blood he rages."--it is becoming an obsession.

Act 2, Scene 2

116 Doubt thou the stars are fire;

117 Doubt that the sun doth move;

Or, Act 1, Scene 5, Lines 50-51:

The Ghost says to Hamlet -

"With witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts,--

O wicked wit and gifts,"

Note the repetition of the short "i."

Hamlet insults Polonius on multiple occassions (generally along the lines of him being old, or incompitant), however one of the most memorable ways Hamlet insults Polonius is by calling him a "fish-monger", which in modern terms would be the equivilant of calling him a "pimp".

He doesn't. He breaks into Claudius's chamber to demand justice for his father's death. Hamlet breaks into Ophelia's chamber for . . . well, we aren't entirely sure. Maybe he wanted to catch her in her underwear.

Giddy, exultant, excited. He has the proof he needs, and it was public enough that other people are probably starting to suspect. He now knows the Ghost told the truth. He feels like he can solve any problem.

It's easier to talk about who is related to whom. Hamlet is Gertrude's son and Claudius's nephew and stepson, and of course the son of the Ghost. Polonius is Laertes's father and Ophelia's father. Everyone else is unrelated.

Claudius states that Hamlet must go to England, and England shall put him to death.

To be killed "no shriving time allowed.", which means without the chance to confess and be forgiven for their sins. In other words, they get the same treatment as Hamlet Sr.

Claudius was elected King instead of Hamlet. Denmark in the play does not have primogeniture (automatic succession of the eldest son.)

There's nothing in the play that explicitly identifies why the electors chose Claudius. Interpretation is required on that point.

Gertrude's influence was undoubtedly important, since she had been Queen for so long. Her marriage to Claudius was an obvious endorsement of Claudius. It's clear enough that Gertrude married Claudius before the election.

polonius and reynaldo seemed to use the idea of following others around and being clever and well thought in their methods, so it would seem that polonius is one suspicion and mistrustful of even his own son.

Yes, hamlet is one of his most famous plays. to be or not to be? that is the question. ;p

"I shall put an antic disposition on." He's going to pretend to be crazy.

He says this:

Strengthen your patience in our last night's speech;

We'll put the matter to the present push.

In other words, he says, "Remember what we talked about last night. You'll get your chance soon."

This is Ophelia's madscene. It establishes that Ophelia has gone over the edge but also has the more important action in which Laertes confronts Claudius, and is persuaded by him to take his revenge against the person who really killed Polonius, which would be Hamlet. This scene provides the basis on which the final denouement is based.

Avenge his death

It is unsure whether she died purposely by her own hand or by accident, Ophelia was sitting in a tree looking at a flower, when a branch struck her on the head and she fell out of the tree. She fell into the river, where she did not scream, but sing until she died.

Hamlet doubts the ghost's statement that Claudius had murdered him--the ghost could be lying. He re-enacts the murder in a play and has it performed in front of Claudius. Sure enough, it causes an attack of conscience in Claudius.