Hamlet

After Hamlet has discovered that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are false friends who are acting on behalf of King Claudius, Hamlet tells the two that he knows that the King thinks he is mad, and says, "I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (2.2.378-9). Literally, Hamlet is saying he is mad only when the wind blows in one particular point of the compass, north-north-west. In other words, he is mad only at certain times, or in certain situations.

If sanity can be metaphorically identified with a compass that points true north, then Hamlet is playing with the trope here, saying that his supposed madness is only a little bit crazy; he is not too far off the mark. Polonius himself observes that Hamlet's apparent mad statements have some "method"; he isn't allowing himself to stray very far from his true intentions, even when he is sorely pressed to do so. Probably his craziest moments are immediately after the Ghost's revelation in Act I when Horatio and Marcellus speak with him.

The only people roaming the castle in Denmark are the people. There are no lions in Denmark.

Laertes says this during the fencing match with Hamlet saying that he has gained his revenge but through trickery, so he is justly brought down with his own treachery.

Hamlet's last words are "The rest is silence." He has just charged his friend Horatio to "tell my story". It certainly does make a difference who tells the story, since the prejudices and assumptions of the teller are so deeply ingrained that we do not think of questioning them. For example, we often see Claudius portrayed as a lecher and a drunk. Why? Because we listen to Hamlet's opinion of Claudius--because we are getting his version of his story.

Hamlet's uncle Claudius killed Hamlet's father (called Hamlet Sr.). The ghost of Hamlet Sr. comes back from the dead and tells Hamlet Jr. so. Hamlet Jr. confirms this by re-enacting the murder as a play, which upsets Uncle Claudius.

Denmark

Gertrude

Thomas Kyd

Tell us which speech and we'll answer.

A character foil involves two characters who are opposites, and their differences play off of one another. An example would be Batman and the Joker. One represents good, the other evil, and their reactions to situations emphasize the differences and similarities between them.

They are all different:

"Oh, that this too too solid flesh would melt." is disgusted, angry and incoherent. It is filled with explosions of anger which disrupt his flow of thought: "Fie on't! O, fie!", "Frailty, thy name is woman!", "Oh, God, a beast that wants discourse of reason would have mourned longer!"

"Oh, what a rogue and peasant slave am I" starts out thoughtful and puzzled, but around the line "Am I a coward?" Hamlet becomes more and more angry with himself and Claudius until he roars out his line "O vengeance!" And then the mood changes again, as he begins to laugh at himself. Finally, it takes a serious but purposeful tone on the line "About, my brains!"

"To be or not to be" is philosophical and emotionless. Hamlet is looking at humanity from the outside, not at his own problems.

"Now is the very witching hour of night" is brutal, direct and cruel.

"How all occasions do inform against me" wavers between his thoughtful contemplation of Fortinbras's army and his bitter self-recrimination for his own inaction.

A. Hamlet's father ----> Murdered before play begins

B. Gertrude ----> Married Hamlet's uncle

C. Laertes ----> Suspicious of Hamlet

D. Marcellus ----> Loyal to Hamlet

Horatio is Hamlet's friend from university. He tells Hamlet that his father's ghost has been seen wandering the castle walls.

Laertes instructs Ophelia to stay away from Hamlet because he believes that Hamlet will not be able to marry Ophelia even if he really does love her.

Act 3 is a busy act in Hamlet. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern make a report to the king, and he and Polonius plan to spy on Hamlet. They place themselves in a hidden space with Ophelia as bait. Hamlet strolls along and makes his "To be or not to be" speech. He sees Ophelia and they have a very peculiar conversation which ends with Hamlet getting angry with her and accusing her of prostituting herself (figuratively). Ophelia thinks he has lost his mind ("O what a noble mind is here o'erthrown") but Claudius draws the opposite conclusion. That's Scene 1.

In Scene 2, Hamlet meets up with the players, and after telling them how to do their job, asks Horatio to watch Claudius during the play. The play is then performed with Hamlet being terrifically rude both to the actors and to his fellow audience members. Claudius spots that the play is all to similar to his murder of Hamlet Sr. and demands that it stop. As he exits, Hamlet is exultant: the Ghost has been vindicated! Rosencrantz and Guildenstern show up and tell Hamlet to visit his mother.

On the way, Hamlet spots his uncle praying. We hear part of the prayer and know that Claudius is feeling guilt for murdering his brother. Hamlet is about to kill him then hesitates, deciding to wait until Claudius is doing something sinful. Nevertheless he says he could "drink hot blood" and he is now going to give his mother a talking-to.

In Scene four, Hamlet arrives at his mother's bedroom and begins chastising her. Polonius, hiding behind a curtain, hears and echoes Gertrude's cries for help. Hamlet, believing his moment to kill Claudius has come at last, kills Polonius thinking that he is the king. He then launches into a long tirade to his weeping mother, and is only stopped by the appearance of the Ghost. Gertrude is persuaded that Claudius is a murderer and agrees to help Hamlet, and Hamlet drags the corpse of Polonius off.

Good Old Purdy Gurdy (in other words, his mum).

Hamel

They serve a more serious purpose.

They are used by the King to spy on Hamlet, that's hardly comic relief.

(Even though their fate was funny and well-deserved)

Claudius

The Ghost, in Hamlet, Act 1 Scene 5

I don't know. Especially since Hamlet was stabbed first. But Hamlet is the main character. He has to take longer to die

Why does hamlet hesitate to take revenge?

-Apex-

William Shakespeare