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Hamlet
Includes questions specifically asking about this Shakespeare play. Questions about the movie version should be placed under "Movies." Questions about Shakespeare should be placed under his category under Authors and Poets.
2,117 Questions
How are Queens Gertrude in 'Hamlet' and Jocasta in 'Oedipus Rex' similar and different?
That they tragically love second husbands but that Gertrude's husband is a villain and Jocasta's is not are the ways in which Gertrude in "Hamlet" and Jocasta in "Oedipus Rex" are respectively similar and different.
Specifically, Danish Queen Gertrude falls in love with Claudius, the brother and killer of her first husband. Theban Queen Jocasta falls in love with Oedipus, the son and killer of her first husband. But Claudius kills his brother knowingly and treacherously, in order to become king. In contrast, Oedipus murders his father unknowingly, in an act of self-defense.
What is the attitude and values laertes gives to ophelia and polonius gives to laertes?
to get a life
Who said this and What is it mean I'll call thee hamlet king father royal Dane?
Hamlet says this in Act I Scene 4 of Hamlet. He is talking to the ghost of his father who up to this point hasn't said a word. Hamlet is trying to figure out how to address him in order to make him speak. If he calls him by his name, Hamlet, will he respond? How about father? King? Royal Dane? Whatever he says, the ghost starts talking right away.
What character does hamlet see marching across denmark?
Fortinbras. He's off to fight with the Poles for some reason, probably mostly because he already has "sharked up" an army and has been deflected by Claudius's successful diplomacy from using it against Denmark.
Hamlet slips quietly into the room and steels himself to kill the unseeing Claudius. But suddenly it occurs to him that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, he will be effectively sending his murderous uncle to heaven as a reward for killing his father, who is enduring a painful purgatory because he didn't receive the benefits of a pre-mortem absolution.
Unfortunately, this isn't very relevant to the question as it stands, because, in spite of Hamlet's motivation to kill Claudius, he is never actually forced to do so; by the time he finally takes action in the last scene, he is almost frantically trying to get the job done before Laertes' poison does him in.
In fact, Hamlet is not forced to kill a single person in the play. Check out everyone whose death Hamlet is responsible for:
1. Polonius is killed by accident. When Hamlet speaks with his mother in her chamber after the play-within-a-play, his passionate condemnation makes the hidden Polonius think that Gertrude is in danger, so he calls for help. Hamlet, believing the man behind the curtain to be his uncle, stabs him through it. Of course, he is disappointed when he realizes who it actually is.
2. Laertes is killed because, in the energetic sword fight of Act V, scene ii, his poisoned sword is exchanged with Hamlet's and, as a result, he is himself wounded and, therefore, poisoned.
3 & 4. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern accompany Hamlet to England and are unaware that they are supposed to be carrying a letter commanding Hamlet's immediate execution. On the voyage, Hamlet discovers the letter, substitutes one that commands the immediate execution of the bearers of the letter, and then is fortuitously carried off by pirates before he can have second thoughts about causing the death of his school fellows.
5. Although Ophelia technically is responsible for her own death--given that she makes no effort to save herself when she falls into the water and subsequently drowns--her madness could conceivably be blamed on Hamlet, because he is brutally blunt and hostile when he transfers his anger with his own mother onto his ex-girlfriend in the infamous "Get thee to a nunnery" scene. Even so, nobody could conclude that Hamlet is directly responsible for her death.
Nope. Hamlet isn't forced to kill anyone.
How does Hamlet feel at the beginning of this soliloquy?
He believes the entire world is telling him to do his revenge.
I dont get it
What does the serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown mean?
It means: "The person who killed your father is now the king."
The Ghost is talking about Claudius, Hamlet's Uncle. He is revealing that Claudius stole the throne of Denmark by murdering Hamlet's father.
It impresses him and makes him upset with himself.
Resource: I just took a Brit Lit quiz and got this one right
These are subjective matters. However, to answer your first question, it is agreed upon by many scholars that Hamlet's primary struggle in the play is with hubris, not failure to take action as many readers had once postulated. This struggle first rears its head in Act 3 Scene 3, where Hamlet decides that he will not kill Claudius at that moment so as to prevent him from going to heaven. This struggle ends with Hamlet's conversation with Horatio previous to his fatal fencing match with Laertes, where he states that "If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all. " Signifying his acceptance of God's will. It is this very decision (to fence Laertes) that brings about divine justice of all players and restores order in Denmark. The lesson, therefore, is the acceptance of God's will.
Hamlet's strength was his intelligence and his passion. Ironically his weakness is shown to be the same.
What act and scene does the beginning plot of hamlet end?
The beginning plot of Hamlet ended in the last scene of Act 5.
What plan does Claudius put into motion to keep an eye on Hamlet?
He calls Rosencrantz and Guildenstern ( his good friends) to spy on Hamlet
After the ghost departs whom does Hamlet refer to as O most pernicious woman?
He's talking about his mother.
He doesnt have a tragic flaw. Read aristotles view of tragedy in "Aristotles poetics" and you can see that there is no such thing as a tragic flaw. It is a simple miss-judgment of the character in which he can change, but may choose not too.
How effective is polonius as a bearer of news?
He doesn't do it that often, but when he does, say, to bring the news that "The ambassadors from Norway, my good lord, are joyfully returned." he gets praised as "the father of good news". He doesn't get that warm a welcome when he comes to tell Hamlet that the actors are come hither; all Hamlet says is "Buz, buz." However much Hamlet may want to sneer at him, however, Polonius does indeed bring the news effectively.
What is the most frequently asked question regarding how conflict plays out in Hamlet?
Why does it take Hamlet so long to take his revenge?
What bothers Claudius and Gertrude about hamlets dress?
Well, Hamlet's male, so the fact that he's wearing a dress at all might be some cause for concern.
Actually, "dress" in this case just means "clothing", and what bugs them about it is that Hamlet's wearing black, the color of mourning. Which really is fair enough, because his father died, but his mother (Gertrude) has since remarried (to Claudius, Hamlet's father's brother); the two of them want people to focus on the new king (Claudius) and forget about the dead one (Hamlet's dad), and Hamlet is dressed all in black moping about, serving as a reminder.
What is the name of the substance that killed Hamlet's father?
In the Second Quarto publication of 'Hamlet' the Ghost calls it "Hebona." In the First Folio publication it's spelled "Hebenon."
It isn't certain which word Shakespeare wrote, but the Second Quarto was published when he was still alive, and "Hebona" sounds better in the poetic dialogue.
In act 1 scene 2 Laertes asks King Claudius for permission to return to school in which country?
France. He gets his permission and goes there.
