WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE s HAMLET

Transcription

1 WOLFNOTE SUMMARY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE s HAMLET The Author Having died almost four hundred years ago, the works of William Shakespeare are still widely performed, adapted and read throughout the world. This is testimony to his genius and his position must be as one of the greatest literary figures of any age. He was a prolific writer, composing thirty-seven plays over his life. Like all great men, he has received criticism over the years as to whether he had the ability to produce all the work attributed to him. In the absence of any concrete proof to the contrary, it is safe to attribute all his work to Shakespeare s pen. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, England on 23 rd April His father was a dealer in grain and his mother was the daughter of a prosperous farmer. It is likely that he received a good education and this was probably obtained at King s New School, being the local Grammar School. However, there is evidence to show that the family s fortunes did decline and that Shakespeare was unable to complete his schooling. In November 1582 he married Anne Hathaway and they had a daughter, Susanna, six months later. This supports the theory that the marriage was, perhaps, forced on William Shakespeare. They had twins later named Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at the age of eleven. Little is known about Shakespeare s life between 1585 and Some scholars think he may have been a soldier, this being based on the detail contained in Henry IV and Henry V, concerning the corruption involved in army life. He also worked as an actor and this led him to the city lights of London. By the year 1599 it is clear that Shakespeare was a wealthy man because he applied to the College of Heralds for a Coat of Arms for his family. He also purchased a substantial property in Stratford. In July 1605, Shakespeare paid 440 for the lease of a large portion of tithes (taxes) on real estate in the Stratford area. This meant that he received a 10% income from the agricultural products obtained from the land. He was able to double his capital investment. On 25 th March 1616, Shakespeare revised his last Will and Testament and he died on 23 rd April in the same year. His body was laid to rest in Holy Trinity Church, Stratford. Shakespeare did not start his work as an actor and playwright until the early 1590 s, but he enjoyed almost immediate success, soon becoming the most popular artist in England, and part owner of the Globe Theatre. This has been carefully restored to its former glory and is an important theatrical venue in London. Both Elizabeth I, and James I patronized him, and it was the latter monarch who gave Shakespeare the great honor of being a King s Player. By 1594 he had become a member of the Lord Chamberlain s Men. His works were collected and printed in various editions in the centuries following his death, and by the beginning of the eighteenth century, his work had a worldwide reputation. It is evident that some of his work may have been lost, but he can claim to have composed thirty-seven plays and one hundred and fiftyfour sonnets. The sonnets were first published in 1609 and stand among the finest works of English poetry. The plays are divided into four groups historical plays, comedies, tragedies and late romances. Most of these were drawn from existing sources. The first collected edition of plays was published in Much of his work as a playwright stands the test of time, and can easily be successfully adapted to the modern age. Stratford-upon-Avon is the home of the Royal Shakespeare Company (R.S.C.) and still actively keeps Shakespeare s work alive. It is the ambition of many an actor worldwide to appear in a Shakespeare play at Stratford with the R.S.C. Many of the great actors of the twentieth century started their careers with the R.S.C. It is thought that Hamlet was written around 1602 and it bears a strong resemblance to the Spanish tragedy by Thomas Kyd, which was performed around the mid 1590 s. The original was a bloodthirsty tale as well, but the difference is that Hamlet refines the tale because of Shakespeare s eloquence of verse. There are numerous famous quotations contained in Hamlet, many of which are still used in everyday language today.

2 Shakespeare s play was very successful as the topic, the revenge strategy, was popular with the people of Elizabethan England. The play is punctuated with larger than life characters that are either passionate, melancholy, violent, mad or overdramatic, no doubt delighting the audiences of the day, just as it still does. Like other works by Shakespeare, the language is sometimes difficult to understand, and it is always easier to watch a Shakespeare play rather than read it. It helps if the reader has a good sense of imagination so that he can visualize the scene in which the characters enact their part. It is worth taking time over the words and poetry for they are cleverly constructed and give a good insight into the characters. It is not surprising that there have been many film versions of Hamlet, the most recent being Kenneth Branagh s 1996 version in which he also starred as Hamlet. The language was not modernized. The earliest notable version was by Laurence Olivier who also starred in the title role. This was nominated for four Academy Awards, and was made in black and white, which helped to give it a stark psychological feel. However, arguably the best version was that of Franco Zeffirelli starring Mel Gibson as Hamlet, in He captures Shakespeare s fast pace and passion in this version. There was also a version made in 1969 by Tony Richardson, which was also uniquely entertaining. Although all four of these films use the same basic script, they are all different, showing how adaptable and flexible Shakespeare s work is. All four films provide different facets of the genius that is Shakespeare. Context The King of Denmark has died and Prince Hamlet returns home from his school in Germany to attend his father s funeral. He is surprised and shocked to find out that his mother, Gertrude, has already remarried his Uncle Claudius, who has assumed the crown, although Hamlet was his father s rightful heir. Hamlet is suspicious that there has been foul play, especially seeing that his mother does not mourn and is very passionate with his uncle. Hamlet is advised by the watch that they have seen a ghost, so he decides to investigate, and he meets the ghost, which is his father. The ghost is unable to find peace because he was murdered and was unable to confess his sins. He is, therefore, doomed to wander in the night for an unspecified period of time. He asks his son to seek revenge. The ghost gives him details regarding the murder, saying that Hamlet s uncle poured poison in his ear while he was asleep. The ghost does not wish Gertrude to be harmed. It will be up to heaven to decide her fate. Hamlet decides to pretend that he has gone mad with grief, which hopefully will enable him to observe what is going on in the castle. However, he starts to have doubts regarding the apparition he has seen and questions that it might be the devil in disguise, trying to tempt him. Hamlet is also torn by the thought that he may be a coward wishing to shy away from the request of his father. A troop of traveling players arrives at the castle, and Hamlet decides to enlist the help of the players by having them perform a play, which will mirror his father s death. He will watch closely the reaction of his mother and uncle. The play is called The Mousetrap, which is an adaptation of The Murder of Gonzago. Hamlet s plan is successful. Claudius reaction to this staged murder shows him to be guilty. He has to leave the room because he cannot breathe. Hamlet is now convinced that his uncle is a villain and resolves to have his revenge. Although he does not intend to harm his mother, Hamlet wishes to establish what her guilt is. The Lord Chamberlain of the castle and chief adviser to Claudius, Polonius, hides behind a tapestry while Hamlet quizzes his mother. He suspects they are being watched, perhaps by Claudius, and he stabs at the tapestry killing Polonius instantly. Because the people of Denmark love Hamlet, Claudius decides not to kill him over the death of Polonius, but to exile him to England. Claudius has brought two of Hamlet s school colleagues, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, from Germany to act as spies on his nephew, and now to escort him into the hands of the English King for execution. Hamlet is aware of the plot, and arranges for the sealed note to the King of England to be substituted, and on arrival it is not Hamlet who is executed, but the two spies. There have now been three deaths as by-products of Hamlet s revenge. The fourth death is that of Ophelia, daughter of Polonius and who is in love with Hamlet. Not only is she distraught at her father s death, but

3 also over Hamlet s assumed madness. She drowns whilst singing sad love songs. At Ophelia s funeral, Laertes, Ophelia s brother, who has returned to Denmark from France to avenge his father s death, meets with Hamlet, who has returned from England. The two argue concerning who loved Ophelia the most. Laertes vows to punish Hamlet for her death as well as the death of his father. Claudius sees a way to kill Hamlet yet again, and involves Laertes in a plot. There is to be a challenge, not to the death, between Laertes and Hamlet, and the winner will be the swordsman who obtains three strikes. However, Laertes is to use a poisoned sword, which will cause death to Hamlet if he is able to cut him. Claudius says that in the event of Hamlet winning, he will arrange for the cup of victory to be poisoned. The fight commences and Hamlet is soon two strikes ahead. His mother is so delighted that she toasts her son s health from the poisoned chalice before Claudius can stop her. As the fight continues she starts to feel unwell. Both duelists receive cuts from the poisoned sword, but Laertes dies first. Before dying he reveals to Hamlet the plot. Just then, the Queen dies and Hamlet perceives that it is Claudius fault. He attacks Claudius and cuts him with the poisoned sword and then pours the last of the poisoned wine into the King s mouth. He then dies. Hamlet knows that he is dying and tells Horatio, his only true friend that the throne should now pass to Norway. He asks Horatio to explain the events to Prince Fortinbras of Norway so that the bloodbath at Castle Elsinore can be justified. The play ends with the new King of Denmark ordering the funeral of Prince Hamlet to be given fully military honors. List of Main Characters Hamlet The heir to the throne of Denmark who, when he returns from University in German, finds his father dead, and his mother married to the King s brother, Claudius, who has crowned himself King. Claudius King Hamlet s brother, who usurps the throne of Denmark after he has murdered his brother and married his sister-in-law. Gertrude She is Prince Hamlet s mother and soon after she is widowed, she marries Claudius. The ghost The spirit of King Hamlet who is condemned to walk the earth until his soul is cleansed of its sins. Horatio He is Hamlet s loyal best friend who is also his school friend. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern They are classmates of Hamlet in Germany who are engaged as spies for Claudius to keep an eye on Prince Hamlet. Polonius He is the old Lord Chamberlain and Claudius chief adviser. Ophelia She is daughter of Polonius and is in love with Hamlet. She commits suicide following rejection by Hamlet and the death of her father. Laertes He is son of Polonius who becomes an instrument for Claudius in the final duel with Hamlet.

4 Act I Scene.i On the battlements of Castle Elsinore, Bernardo arrives to relieve Francisco of his watch. Horatio and Marcellus arrive and greet Francisco. They talk of the ghost they have seen this apparition. Marcellus has invited Horatio to come and see the ghost for himself. Horatio doubts the men s reports, but before Bernardo can reaffirm what he has seen, the ghost appears. Horatio admits that he can see the ghost himself and he recognizes it as the recently deceased King Hamlet. As quickly as it had appeared, the ghost disappears. Horatio is dumbstruck at the sight he has seen, the ghost of King Hamlet dressed in his armour that he wore when he conquered King Fortinbras of Norway. Horatio thinks that there is a message here, for the Norwegian King s son has just declared war on the Danes. Bernardo wonders if the ghost signifies doom for the Danes in the forthcoming war with the Norwegians. The ghost reappears and Horatio calls out for it to stay, but with the coming of the dawn, the ghost disappears just as the darkness gives way to light. They decide that Prince Hamlet should be informed. This opening scene is full of atmosphere of thick mists and ghosts. Shakespeare immediately sets the scene, which will be prevalent throughout the whole play, which is concerned with what is truth and what is illusion. The ghost appears, but is it really there? Does it signify good, or is it the work of the devil? These are the main criteria for the play right up until the end of Act IV. In this first scene, Shakespeare introduces certain aspects of duality. Fortinbras, whose father has been defeated, is obliged to obtain vengeance for his father s death, and so declares war on Denmark. This will mirror Hamlet s actions in the forthcoming scenes. Another point that Shakespeare is clear to emphasize in these European states is that a son must obey his father s orders, no matter what is entailed, even if it means war, murder or chaos. Because of this threat from Norway, all Denmark is preparing for war. The reader should remember that the Elizabethan audience believed in ghosts, and normally they represent the spirit of God as opposed to witches, who were sent by the devil. The appearance of ghosts could convey a variety of meanings. In this instance, the appearance of this particular ghost, dressed in his armour signifies that he could be a soldier returning to complete a task. There are clearly religious undertones in this play, and scholars argue whether it represents Shakespeare s own Roman Catholic point of view, and he uses Hamlet to express this in Protestant Elizabethan England. The bulk of the play takes place within the walls of Elsinore Castle, which Hamlet later describes as a prison. The walls of the castle will witness many cruel deeds, which will have a dramatic influence on all those contained within the walls. Act I - Scene.ii Claudius, the dead King s brother, and new King of Denmark enters his stateroom with his wife Gertrude, and the whole court entourage, which includes Prince Hamlet; Polonius the Lord Chamberlain, and his son Laertes; and the two Ambassadors to Norway, Volternand and Cornelius. Claudius announces that Norway would view Denmark s long mourning for the dead King as a sign of weakness, so he has assumed the throne and married Gertrude, King Hamlet s widow, so that Denmark can be strong against the impending invasion. Claudius sends the Norwegian Ambassadors to Fortinbras uncle informing him that Fortinbras intends to invade Denmark and he hopes he can avoid war.

5 Laertes asks permission of King Claudius to return to his school in France, which is granted. Both the King and Queen are concerned at Hamlet s continuing depression, and they encourage him to cease his grieving and put it behind him. Hamlet criticizes them for just pretending to grieve over the death of Hamlet s father. He insists that his grief is no sham, but is genuine. Claudius reminds him that he is heir to his throne and requests that he does not return to his school in German, which Gertrude supports. Hamlet agrees. Here follows Hamlet s first soliloquy in which he moans at having been born, saying melt, thaw and resolve itself into dew. Of course to even consider suicide is a cardinal sin, and Hamlet only wishes suicide because he cannot continue to watch his mother involved in her vile incest with his uncle. He is tormented by these thoughts and is unable to share them with anyone. Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo come to Hamlet to tell him about the ghost they have seen. He agrees to watch that night in case the ghost walks again. The audience may be surprised at the aggressive Claudius, who is clearly going to be Hamlet s chief adversary. Claudius very quickly tries to exert control over the young Hamlet, and to some extent, Hamlet appears subservient. King Claudius and Gertrude wish Hamlet to forget about his dead father, but he responds by saying that his grief is true for him. We have a clear insight into Claudius character. He is scheming and uses his words carefully. He is always careful regarding his appearance and carefully chooses his words, e.g. he refers to Gertrude as our sometime sister, now our Queen, the imperial jointress to this warlike state. When he addresses Hamlet he calls him cousin Hamlet and my son. These terms show that he has considered his relationship to the state, to Gertrude, and finally to Hamlet in such a way to cover all the ways that people might perceive them. Claudius has answers for all the actions he has taken. It was necessary to quickly marry his sister-in-law Gertrude, fewer than two months after the death of King Hamlet so that the country remains stable. He accuses Hamlet of impious stubbornness with a view to exerting power over the younger man as well as Denmark. He suggests that Hamlet has shown that he is inadequate to be a King as the responsibilities would be too heavy for him, thus justifying his own ascension to his dead brother s throne, which should clearly have passed to Hamlet. To reinforce Claudius power over Hamlet, he calls him my cousin and my son. Another factor tormenting Hamlet is the incest between Claudius and Gertrude. Although in this day and age this is not regarded as incest, sexual intimacy between a brother and sister-in-law, in Elizabethan England was. At the time of writing Hamlet, the laws had only just been changed, and here we see Shakespeare voicing his own Roman Catholic views by stating that this relationship is incest. Hamlet clearly blames Claudius for the seduction of his mother, who he merely mistrusts. The reader views Gertrude at this stage of the play as an innocent party, and she only appears concerned about the happiness of Hamlet. She asks him to stay and be a dutiful son. Her naivety is in stark contrast to Claudius who is a cold, calculating man. Clearly Hamlet is hurt by Gertrude and Claudius callousness towards the death of his father, which is compounded by the fact that they pretended to grieve. Hamlet views Claudius as a satyr (goat), whereas he sees his father as Hyperion, the Sun God, and asks how he can trust a woman who would replace a God with a goat. Hamlet is intrigued by the news that a ghost has been sighted on the battlements. He wonders if the ghost is honest, or sent by the devil. Horatio advises that the ghost appeared mournful, which supports belief that the ghost will be a true spirit reinforcing his belief that there has been some foul play.

6 Act I Scene.iii Laertes prepares to leave the castle and head for Paris. He advises Ophelia, his sister, to reject Hamlet s advances explaining that Hamlet only considers her as a plaything. Because of who Hamlet is, he will marry a greater person than her. Polonius enters and gives Laertes lengthy advice on how to live in Paris, full of clichés such as neither a borrower or a lender be. He too advises Ophelia to reject Hamlet s advances, saying that he only wants her for one purpose. Ophelia promises to obey her father and break her relationship off with the Prince. It is clear from the script that Laertes speech to Ophelia had been prepared, and he more or less recites it. Shakespeare used blank verse for this section in order to emphasize this. Perhaps he was prompted by Polonius, as he too councils his daughter to reject Hamlet. Shakespeare constructs the character of Laertes in order to directly contrast that of Hamlet. Whereas Hamlet speaks emotionally and inspirationally from the heart, Laertes has rehearsed his speech for his sister, and is not spontaneous. Polonius is anxious to ingratiate himself with the King and Queen. He lives in a world of show. He regards his daughter, Ophelia, as an item of property, whose sole purpose is to bring honor and fortune to his family. He is certain that Hamlet would not choose Ophelia to be his wife, so he cannot afford for her to become soiled goods. This clearly puts Ophelia into a dilemma, for her relationship with Hamlet has clearly gone beyond what her brother and father think and this is borne out by her actions later on in the play. However, she must obey her father s wishes, even though she is clearly smitten with Prince Hamlet. Act I Scene.iv Hamlet meets with Horatio and Marcellus on the battlements of the castle. They can hear the revelry from the castle below and the Prince disapproves of the King s drunkenness. He considers that this reflects badly on all Danes. Just then, the ghost arrives. Hamlet wonders if the ghost airs from heaven or blasts from hell? Does the devil take on his father s appearance? Hamlet recognizes the ghost as his father and asks the ghost to speak. The ghost beckons Hamlet to follow and his comrades ask him to be cautious. Hamlet follows. We see another aspect of Claudius character in that he has a weakness for wine and revelry. Again, this fits in with Hamlet s view that he is a beast, a goat, which has an immoral side. This particular speech, which is known as The dram of evil has a number of important features, the main one being that the King and what he does represents the Danish people. Claudius behavior embarrasses Hamlet, because if Claudius is sinful, so are all the people.

7 Act I Scene.v The ghost of King Hamlet tells his son to listen to what he has to say. His time is short for he must return to purgatory, but he needs to tell his son his sad tale, and he charges the Prince to avenge his murder. Claudius has seduced his virtuous Queen and whilst he was asleep, poured lethal poison into his ear. The poison curdled King Hamlet s blood, robbing him of his life and absolution. He goes on to instruct young Hamlet to leave Gertrude s fate to heaven. The ghost exits. Hamlet returns to Horatio and Marcellus and makes them take an oath to tell no one what they have seen. He tells Horatio secretly that he will pretend to be mad in order to spy on his mother and uncle. Hamlet s visitation confirms his worse fears that Claudius murdered his father, which in these times was a severe atrocity. The Elizabethan audience would have been horrified by this for they considered their monarchs to rule by divine right in that they were God s presence here on earth. The audience immediately sympathizes with the ghost, who has to wander in a world between life and death because he has not made a final confession of his sins. This situation compounds Gertrude s guilt and reinforces Shakespeare s view that the relationship between wife and brother-in-law is incestuous. Hamlet is now faced with the inescapable fact that he must kill Claudius to avenge his father. He is annoyed and frustrated at the actions of his apparently, simple mother, saying Frailty, thy name is woman. At the end of this scene, Hamlet tells Horatio about his plan to obtain revenge. He intends to feign madness, which will hopefully render him invisible so that he can obtain information about the deceit and dishonesty of his mother and uncle. Presumably, he means this madness to be like a mask. Again Shakespeare leaves this interpretation open. There are three courses that Hamlet can take in the play. He can pretend to be mad; he can pretend to be mad and become mad, or he has been quite mad from the start. Cleverly, Shakespeare has made the stage instructions unclear so that the role can be performed in various ways. Act II Scenes.i and ii Ophelia tells her father that she has just met with Hamlet and he was acting in a most peculiar fashion. His clothes were unfastened and he was in a piteous state. Polonius thinks that Hamlet is mad over the love of his daughter, Ophelia, because she has spurned his advances. Polonius decides to take this information to the King. King Claudius has summoned two of Hamlet s school chums, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to spy on Hamlet, as he is concerned about his welfare. The two friends agree. Polonius enters and claims to have the answer to Prince Hamlet s affliction and he will elaborate later, but Claudius has to attend to the Norwegian Ambassadors. The ailing King of Norway has managed to restrain his nephew, young Fortinbras from invading Denmark provided that he can obtain safe passage through Denmark in order to invade Poland. Polonius asserts that Hamlet is mad and he bases this on a letter he has confiscated from his daughter from Prince Hamlet. He tells Claudius and Gertrude that he has forbidden Ophelia to liaise with the Prince and this has led to poor Hamlet s madness. Ophelia hopes to meet with Hamlet in order to return his gifts of love. Polonius suggests that he and Claudius should spy on this meeting. Claudius agrees, just as Hamlet enters, so Polonius says that he will speak to Hamlet himself. Hamlet makes a fool of Polonius. Polonius leaves and Hamlet s two school friends enter and Hamlet greets them as his excellent good friends. He tells them that Denmark is a prison. Hamlet quizzes them and eventually they admit that the King and Queen have asked them to spy on him. Rosencrantz announces that a troupe of traveling players has arrived and this alters Hamlet s mood as he welcomes the diversion. Hamlet asks Polonius to make sure that the players are in suitable lodgings. They intend to enact a performance of The Murder of Gonzago and Hamlet tells them that he would like them to include some additional lines, which they agree to. The enhanced scene will re-enact the murder that the

8 ghost has described, and Hamlet will watch Claudius to see if he acts in a guilty fashion. This will prove to Hamlet once and for all, what foul deed befell his father. Polonius comes to the conclusion that Hamlet is mad for Ophelia s love. It is not clear why Claudius summoned Hamlet s two school friends back to Denmark. Clearly Gertrude had Hamlet s welfare in mind, but Claudius may have had other motives. He does nothing without planning ahead. Shakespeare is anxious to ensure that the reader appreciates that fathers or Kings mistrust their heirs. He does this by having Polonius send a spy to France to observe his son, Laertes, and has Claudius do the same by bringing Hamlet s school chums to the castle. The Ambassadors from Norway have good news for Claudius, which prompts him to have another party. We have indications also that Gertrude disapproves of Polonius, and she does not like the plan to trap Hamlet by spying on him. She is concerned more for her son s welfare than for political matters, but she does agree to Polonius plan because it gives some hope that Hamlet s madness is a result of Ophelia s rejection, and this can be easily remedied. One cannot understate Gertrude s over-protectiveness for her son, and the actions she has taken have clearly caused turmoil to Hamlet, who mistrusts her and probably all women. This is a key element for part of Hamlet s problem is that he could not share his torment with anybody. If he had been able to trust Ophelia, then the play Hamlet might have been completely different. Instead of being a tragedy, it would have been a romance. The reader must conclude that Hamlet was incapable of understanding Ophelia, and therefore, appreciate the true depth of her love for him. Despite the pressures on Hamlet, and whether he is mad or not, he is still able to outwit Polonius, calling him a fishmonger, which in Elizabethan times was used as another word for a pimp. He is also able to manipulate his excellent good friends into confessing that they have been sent to spy on him.

9 Act III Scene.i Claudius asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern about Hamlet s madness. They respond by saying that they are not sure what the reason is for his madness. Hamlet is excited at the forthcoming play. Gertrude is asked to leave so that Claudius and Polonius can spy on Hamlet when he meets Ophelia. The Queen meets Ophelia and expresses her wish that they should repair their broken romance so that Hamlet can get on with his life. Polonius greets Ophelia and tells her to pretend to be reading while she waits for Hamlet to arrive. Hamlet enters speaking his To be or not to be soliloquy (see Précis). He then sees Ophelia reading, and assumes that she is praying for him. She responds by saying that she wishes to return his gifts of love to her. He replies by saying that he did not give her any gifts much to her consternation. These were gifts given to her with words of love and she is deeply hurt by Hamlet s response. He goes on to deny that he ever loved her, and he suggests that she is lying. He tells her that all men are untrustworthy knaves and that she should go to a nunnery. Hamlet knows he is being spied upon and he abruptly asks Ophelia where her father is. She replies that he is at home. Enraged, Hamlet curses her, and again tells her to go to a nunnery. He states that women are two-faced and untrustworthy and deserve to be cast aside. He leaves. Ophelia considers Hamlet has descended into complete madness. Claudius and Polonius join her. Claudius doubts that it is love that has made him mad. He suspects there is more to this show than meets the eye. He tells Polonius that it may be necessary to exile Hamlet to England, but Polonius is still convinced that it is love that affects Hamlet so, and suggests that Claudius makes one more attempt to establish the reason for Hamlet s behavior. Polonius suggest that the King should send Hamlet to Gertrude that evening and Polonius will spy on them. Gertrude should try and persuade Hamlet to open his heart to her. Claudius agrees. We have the first indication that Claudius sees through Hamlet s façade, and considers him a potential threat. At this stage, Hamlet appears to be in more and more danger, while Claudius weaves a web of intrigue supported by Polonius. Our hero appears to be no match for Claudius who possesses all the power within the castle. Just as Hamlet is caught in this web, so Gertrude appears also to be helpless. She, weakly, hopes to cure her son s ills by rekindling the romance between Ophelia and Hamlet. This is totally undone by the meeting between Ophelia and Hamlet who denies that he ever gave her gifts of love. He tells Ophelia to go to a nunnery, which the Elizabethan audience would interpret as a brothel. Ophelia is now in a sorry state. The words that the Queen spoke to her must have added to her confusion. Now Hamlet accuses her of prostitution. He knows that she is working for her father and Claudius. He accosts her further by saying Where is your father? He also asks her the questions are you honest? Are you fair? Knowing that she lies, Hamlet flies into a rage. The conspirators are lining up against him. She is convinced of his total madness, which can only lead to destruction. Clearly Hamlet is courting with death, for he is revealing more about himself to Claudius who is spying on him. Claudius suspects that there is more to Hamlet, and so he hatches a plan to exile the Prince to England. Polonius suggests another trap - spy on Hamlet when he goes to see Gertrude. Hopefully, his mother will be able to make Hamlet confide in her. Another thing that annoys Hamlet is that they treat him as having no intelligence at all, like a fool, as well as a madman. During this scene is the famous To be or not to be soliloquy which we will examine later on. ***

10 Act III Scene.ii Hamlet is anxious that the play to be enacted before the King and the Queen is authentic, so he meets with the actors and requests that they portray a natural performance. He requests that they tell the story without any overacting, large gestures and merely carry out the directions in a natural manner. He asks Horatio to observe the King during the play, and note his reactions. He hopes that this will finally determine the ghost s honesty and reveal Claudius guilt. If this does not happen, then Hamlet will reveal that he has seen a damned ghost. Hamlet s faithful friend, Horatio, agrees. As the court enters the hall to see the play, Claudius greets Hamlet and asks after his health, which gives a sarcastic response. Polonius is excited by the forthcoming play and boasts about having, in his younger days, played the part of Julius Caesar and was murdered by Brutus. Gertrude invites her son to sit beside her, but Hamlet lies down at Ophelia s feet. The play commences and soon Hamlet s enhanced scene is portrayed. The player queen declares that she will never remarry should the player king die. Hamlet asks Gertrude what she thinks of the play. She responds that she is enjoying it, but that the lady doth protest too much. Claudius asks what the name of the play is, and Hamlet replies The Mousetrap, and that it is a true story of a murder carried out in Vienna. Hamlet then makes two sexual innuendos to Ophelia. She responds by calling him keen, which means sexually eager. He further responds that she would have to work hard to excite him. He says that women take their husbands for better or worse, but that they deceive them. The play reaches its climax when the player king s nephew pours poison in the ear of the sleeping king. It has been made clear that the murderer loves the player queen. Claudius rises dramatically in contrast to the flat players, and calls for more light. The play stops. The court disperses leaving Hamlet and Horatio behind. Both agree that Claudius reaction implicates him in the murder and vindicates the ghost. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern enter, saying that the Queen wants to see Hamlet in her quarters, followed by Polonius with the same instruction. Hamlet again feigns madness in front of Polonius and he asks that everyone should leave him alone. Hamlet observes that the sun has set and it is the time for spirits and goblin to rise from hell and spread their evil. At this point in the play, Shakespeare takes the opportunity to instruct actors on how they should perform. It is clear that it was customary for actors to gesticulate and act in totally unnatural manner, similar to actors we see in silent movies. Clearly he wished his plays to be not a show, but a realistic portrayal of the events. Hamlet needs the players to perform in this way so that Claudius will see the enhanced scene as a realistic telling of actual events that took place in Vienna, or in fact in this very castle. Shakespeare gives a further piece of advice for actors to follow, and that is to follow the script accurately. We again are faced with a dilemma. Is Hamlet mad, or is he just acting? The reader must appreciate the pressures on Hamlet and, therefore, his sanity. He perhaps hopes against hope that Claudius, his uncle, and Gertrude, his mother, are innocent, but now he is faced with the reality that they are guilty, although it is still not clear exactly what his mother s role was. A further indication as to Hamlet s sanity is when Claudius asks after his health and he responds that he is in excellent health in faith of the chameleon s dish: I eat the air, promise crammed. You cannot feed capons so which leaves Claudius speechless. Ominously Polonius brags about his acting career playing Julius Caesar, little does he knows what is around the corner. Shakespeare again is giving instructions to actors. They should, when playing the part of Polonius, study Julius Caesar in order to develop the character of Polonius. Hamlet makes sexual advances towards Ophelia, asking if he can lay his head on her lap, which is a public demonstration that they have been intimate. She mistakes this for merriment and not madness, but he soon belittles her through his sexual innuendos Claudius stops the play on seeing the player king actually pour poison into the brother s ear. Claudius reaction means that he has sprung the mousetrap and revealed himself, not only to Hamlet and Horatio, but also to the whole court. Hamlet now knows that he must avenge his father s death. What Claudius has to do is regain control and the loyalty of the court. The scene ends with Hamlet agreeing to go to Gertrude s quarters.

11 Act III Scene.iii It is now clear to Claudius that Hamlet is a real threat, and he must regain control over his court and his people. He cannot have Hamlet harmed here in Denmark, so he asks Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to take Hamlet to England. Polonius arrives saying that Hamlet is on his way to Gertrude s quarters and that he will spy on them. Claudius goes to his private chapel and admits his guilt, but is unable to request forgiveness because he still wishes to keep his position. He asks help from God to give him a softened heart in order that he can ask forgiveness. Hamlet enters and considers killing Claudius, but holds back. His father languishes in purgatory. If he were to kill Claudius now, he would go straight to heaven, having confessed his sins, with a clean soul. Claudius now needs to have Hamlet dispatched, but not in Denmark, England would be more appropriate. The fact that he cannot confess his sins means that he expects to spend eternity in hell. He hopes that God will help him to make a confession. Hamlet thinks the King is confessing, and therefore draws back from killing him. He wishes Claudius to go straight to hell and expects him to commit more sins, so he must choose the time of Claudius death carefully. This is a critical stage in the development of the play. If Hamlet had killed Claudius at this time, then the next six deaths that occur in the play would not have happened. The play would have been cut short and there would be no tragedy. Hamlet would have been made out as a villain, just as bad as Claudius. Shakespeare realizes that the preservation of Claudius at this stage is needed in order to enhance Hamlet s character.

12 Act III Scene.iv Polonius arrives in Gertrude s bedroom and hides behind a tapestry. Polonius tells Gertrude to be completely forthright with her son. Hamlet arrives and Gertrude scolds her son for offending his father, meaning Claudius. Hamlet responds by saying that she has badly offended his father, meaning King Hamlet. Hamlet bullies Gertrude and she fears for her life, and Polonius makes a reaction from behind the tapestry. Hamlet draws his sword and thrusts it through the wall-hanging killing Polonius. Hamlet lifts the tapestry expecting to see Claudius, but there is Polonius instead. Hamlet turns on Gertrude saying that his father was God-like, full of courage and that Claudius is like an infection in King Hamlet s ear. He accuses his mother of gross sexual wantonness. Gertrude begs him to leave. Just then, Hamlet sees the ghost of his father, but Gertrude sees nothing and thinks that her son is hallucinating. Hamlet says he is not mad, and he begs her to confess her guilt to him, and to heaven. At least she should stop sleeping with Claudius and prevent him from paddling in your neck with his damned fingers. He asks his mother whether she knows that he is to be sent to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who he mistrusts. He suspects that Claudius means him harm. She confesses that she is aware of the exile and then Hamlet exits, pulling Polonius body behind him. The reader should pay careful attention to the instructions in the script of the play. Hamlet meets Gertrude in her closet, which was a private room in her quarters, as opposed to the bedroom, which was meant for receiving visitors. Shakespeare clearly intends the audience to think that there was an unnatural relationship between Gertrude and her son. Over the centuries this fact has been brushed off in the majority of productions. It was only in 1947 that Laurence Olivier rekindled Shakespeare s true intention for the scene. Gertrude, played by Olivier s wife, was dressed seductively, making it quite clear that there was an incestuous relationship between mother and son. This is an important factor in understanding Hamlet s reaction to discovering someone behind the tapestry, and gives some credence to his highly charged behavior. Clearly for Polonius hiding behind the tapestry, this revelation was shocking and is possibly a factor as to why he is discovered. Hamlet s reaction by killing Polonius is impulsive, inflamed as he is with his sexual tension. Finally, the floodgates have opened and we now see the start of his bloody revenge. It is ironic that Polonius has been sent to trap Hamlet and finds himself trapped instead. Gertrude finally realizes that her son may be truly mad, and condemns him for killing the unseen good old man. She thinks her son is hallucinating for she says that she cannot see the ghost, or perhaps she refuses to see the ghost because of her own guilt. In any event, she pretends not to see the ghost. There is at last some indication as to Gertrude s involvement in the murder of King Hamlet. The reader must assume that she is at least partly innocent, because Hamlet says a bloody deed! Almost as bad, good mother. As kill a king and marry his brother. She responds in surprise as kill a king? and then asks Hamlet why he is being so cruel to her. This, together with the fact that the King s ghost requested Hamlet to leave Gertrude alone, gives the audience the impression that she is an unintelligent person, just needing the security of love and stability. The discussion concerning Hamlet s exile adds further confusion to Gertrude s character. She merely offers to think further about the situation and offers little reassurance to her son. Shakespeare deliberately is ambiguous at certain times throughout Hamlet, whether it is with the action, or how to play a character. There is still the doubt as to whether Gertrude is innocent or guilty, but Shakespeare is clear on other aspects and actors must ensure that where the stage direction is clear, they should not depart from this. All the characters now are clear, with the exception of Gertrude, where some doubt still remains. Act IV Scene.i

13 Claudius joins Gertrude, who exclaims that she has just witnessed a horror. Her son has gone completely mad like a storm at sea, and has killed Polonius. Claudius realizes that it could have been him hiding behind the tapestry and deplores Hamlet s violence. He is worried about what to tell the court concerning Polonius death, and resolves that Hamlet must be banished and calls to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to escort Hamlet out of Denmark. Again these actions make Gertrude more ambiguous. Is she protecting her son by saying that he has gone completely mad in killing Polonius and is therefore, not responsible for his actions, or does she realize Claudius guilt regarding the death of King Hamlet and is protecting herself? If she were truly wishing to protect her son, she would ask the King not to exile him with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as keepers. Shakespeare is being deliberately ambiguous here. He wishes to keep the audience s attention. Claudius is concerned about his rule being undermined and it is interesting to note this quotation His (Hamlet s) liberty is full of threats to all. This statement clearly ties Gertrude to him. If he falls, so will she. However, he still cannot have Hamlet harmed in Denmark, and exile is the only alternative. At least now he has an excuse to punish Hamlet in that he has murdered Polonius. Act IV Scenes.ii and iii The main issue here is now the whereabouts of Polonius body. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been sent to find Hamlet and, therefore, the body. Hamlet calls them mere sponges and parasites of the court. They are far beneath him, the sons of a King. In front of the full court, Claudius feigns concern over his nephew because he is so popular with the people. However, he must be punished for Polonius death, and sent into exile. Guildenstern and the guards bring Hamlet in, and Claudius demands to know where the body is. Hamlet again uses his skill in words to confuse the situation. He tells a story concerning a worm, saying that worms eat all bodies in the ground, and just as a fisherman eats a fish that has eaten a worm that was in the grave of a king, every man can progress through the guts of a beggar. He tells Claudius that not even a messenger from heaven could tell him where the body of the old man is because Polonius is certainly in hell, but that in about a month s time, the smell up the stairs into the lobby will reveal the whereabouts of the body. Attendants leave to retrieve Polonius body and Claudius tells Hamlet that a boat awaits to take him to England. The King muses to himself that England will finish the Prince quickly, as they owe him a favor. Hamlet does not like his school chums Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and this is made clear at this stage in the play. He also decries Claudius referring to him as a thing and that the pair are kept by the King as an ape doth nuts, and in the corner of his jaw, first mouthed to be last swallowed. They are only needed while Claudius needs to spy on Hamlet, and once this is done they will be discarded. They will be squeezed like any sponge and they will be left dry. The pair does not understand this wit, showing their lack of intelligence. The audience must wonder why Hamlet plays this cat and mouse game with Claudius over the whereabouts of Polonius body. Why he still projects this image of madness is confusing, unless he has gone mad. We now also see an unsavory aspect of his character, and this is a departure from the heroic figure of Hamlet that has been portrayed up until now. He comes up with some gross images regarding worms and rotting bodies. When the King first asks after Polonius whereabouts Hamlet responds that he is at his supper not supping, but being supped on by worms. He goes on to say that we all fat ourselves for maggots, and the service that is given to worms is variable, depending on whether you are a lean beggar or a fat king. Two different dishes at one table, but the end is the same. All this dialogue does have a moral, however, and the point is that a fisherman may fish with a worm that has feasted on the body of a king, which is then eaten by a fish, which the fisherman eats, therefore the fisherman has in fact eaten a king, and so the king passes through the stomach of a fisherman/beggar. Only the worm reigns supreme! Finally, the worm, the king and the beggar are all equal, and they are all dead, and Hamlet is in fact saying that the King is a worm.

14 Hamlet gives one passing insult to Claudius, saying farewell mother because a man and wife are of one flesh, and therefore Claudius is indeed Hamlet s mother. Claudius merely wishes to be rid of Hamlet and urges Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to hurry him to England. The audience is in no doubt now that Claudius is the total villain. Act IV Scene.iv During their voyage to the port, Hamlet and his keepers see Fortinbras leading his army through Denmark to Poland. They will fight over land worth virtually nothing to anybody, and Hamlet wonders at the troops leaving their homes and families to fight over nothing. The fact that these men are willing to give up their lives over a worthless piece of land gives Hamlet justification in pursuing his revenge to its limits, for he has lost his noble father, and this will motivate him to see this task to its conclusion. Act IV Scene.v Ophelia has become totally deranged and wanders the castle singing fragments of songs concerning death, chaos and unrequited love. Gertrude refuses to see the girl until Horatio points out that her strange behavior may attract undue attention. Both the King and Queen try to help her without success. They conclude that her father s death has driven her mad. Horatio is given the task of watching her and he concludes that Elsinore Castle has been plagued with troubles of late. Laertes arrives and is concerned that Polonius was buried in secret and means to incite a riot. He angrily confronts Claudius, but he placates Laertes by saying that he will ensure that there is satisfaction obtained for Polonius death. Laertes is concerned over his sister s condition. She distributes flowers amongst those that are present and continues singing incoherently. Yet again Gertrude s character comes to the fore. She wishes to have nothing to do with Ophelia until Horatio mentions that she might be a threat to her and Claudius power. The Queen had merely viewed Ophelia as an embarrassment. However, she is not able to help solve Ophelia s depression and torment. There is another indication that Hamlet has been intimate with Ophelia, for she sings before you tumbled me, you promised me to wed. Pre-marital sex was a sin, and her punishment is the death of her father who had commanded her not to liaise with Hamlet. The audience might even suppose that Ophelia is pregnant. Laertes again shows that he is the complete opposite to Hamlet. He too has now lost his father through a foul deed, but he quickly wishes revenge and does not waste any time in pursuing this, even threatening the King. Act IV Scene.vi Horatio receives letters from Hamlet saying that their ship was beset by pirates and that he was taken captive and brought back to Denmark. He has been well treated. He has promised the pirates a favor in return. He has one letter for the King and asks this to be delivered immediately, and then Horatio is to meet him. He has much to tell.

15 If Hamlet suspected Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of deception, then he may have arranged for pirates to prevent their mission. The outcome is, of course, critical to the play s action, for in order to reach the climax, Hamlet must return to the scene. Act IV Scene.vii Claudius receives Hamlet s letter and knows that he is still alive. He now offers Laertes an opportunity to obtain revenge and he hatches a plot whereby Laertes can kill Hamlet in a duel. Hamlet will use a fencing foil, but Laertes foil will have a sharp point, not blunted like Hamlet s, then if Hamlet is killed it will just appear to be an unfortunate accident. However, Laertes suggests that his sword be dipped in a lethal poison so that any minor scratch will instantly kill Hamlet. Claudius introduces a further safeguard in that he will arrange for Hamlet s drink to be poisoned should Laertes fail to draw blood. Gertrude enters to report that Ophelia has been found drowned. Apparently she was sitting on a branch, which gave way and she fell into the brook below. Laertes finds his grief uncontrollable and exits in a rage. In order to placate Laertes quest for vengeance against Hamlet, Claudius gives him two reasons why he has not punished Hamlet. Firstly, his wife, the Queen lives almost by his looks, meaning that she would be devastated if anything happened to her son and it was seen that Claudius had instigated the hurt, and secondly, because of the great love that the people of Denmark have for Hamlet, and this would undermine his position on the throne. The Scandinavian countries at the time elected their kings, and monarchs obtained power, not necessarily through succession. Shakespeare indicates that Gertrude s father was the King before King Hamlet, and he was selected by his predecessor to marry Gertrude. This marriage ensured King Hamlet s election to the throne by the Knights of the court. Claudius, therefore, could not afford to lose the support of his Knights, and cannot afford to lose Gertrude. This is why he cannot act against Gertrude s son, Hamlet. Claudius, therefore, needs Laertes assistance in dispatching Hamlet. Laertes is renowned for his swordsmanship. Laertes is the perfect foil for Hamlet. He wastes no time in fancy words and morose behavior. He wishes to get on immediately with the task at hand and now has the additional loss of his sister to motivate him. At last the audience have another hero to root for, just as the main hero starts to look tarnished. The audience suspects that Ophelia has committed suicide, and again Shakespeare suggests that she was pregnant as it was the convention at that time that unmarried, pregnant women would drown themselves. The pressures on Ophelia were great. She had committed a cardinal sin and faced the prospect of a future alone, shunned by the court, her father was dead, and she was about to face her condemning brother. It is ironic that now Hamlet, returning to the scene, has become an instrument of evil. He has caused the deaths of Polonius and Ophelia and it is clear that something is rotten in the State of Denmark. His honorable quest for revenge has now turned sour, for he has committed wrong in order to obtain vengeance in respect of Claudius wrongdoings. Act V Scene.i Two gravediggers discuss their work for the day and wonder whether the grave they prepare for a drowned woman should be in this hallowed ground. Because she has committed suicide she is not worthy of salvation. Hamlet and Horatio enter and ask one of the gravediggers who is being buried. There then follows an exchange of witty retorts and Hamlet is unable to get a straight answer from the gravedigger. In this part of the burial ground there are bones and skulls scattered everywhere. Hamlet picks up a skull and asks a

16 gravedigger to whom it might belong. He replies by saying it is Yorick s, the King s jester. Hamlet says Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well. He was a man of infinite jest. Hamlet returns to the subject of worms and that men are all worm meat, and the fact that there is equality in death. A group of mourners arrives, led by the King, Queen and Laertes, and although they are on hallowed ground, the funeral will not be in full Christian rite. Laertes argues with the priest over Ophelia s burial, as the priest refuses to perform a Mass. Hamlet watches the Queen spread flowers over the coffin, saying I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet s wife. Hamlet now realizes that it is Ophelia who lies dead in the casket and he attacks Laertes. The two struggle and argue over who loved Ophelia the best, and eventually servants separate them. Claudius promises Laertes immediate satisfaction for this insult and charges Horatio to look after Hamlet. The scene opens with the two gravediggers who engage in a comic exchange. This dialogue makes the audience aware that Ophelia has killed herself, despite Gertrude s report to the contrary. During their exchange, Cain is mentioned, again reminding the audience that Claudius is also a murderer of a brother. Again Shakespeare makes the point about the burial of suicide victims, this being a cardinal sin, and how they should not be interred in sacred ground. However, this area of the burial field can be said to be less hallowed than the rest because it is evident that the graves here are used time and time again, hence the scattered bones. During the fight between Laertes and Hamlet, a challenge is issued, which is out of character for Hamlet, thus setting the stage for the last scene of the play. Act V Scene.ii The opening of the scene shows us a more relaxed Hamlet, who is clear in his mind what he has to do in order to obey his father s wishes. He conveys to Horatio the actual events regarding his voyage to England. Whilst Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were asleep, Hamlet searched through their belongings and discovered letters addressed to the English King. He carefully opened these and found that Claudius has requested the King of England to imprison and behead Hamlet as quickly as possible. Hamlet hands the letters to Horatio. Hamlet composed a second set of letters in the same style, but these ordered Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to be killed. These letters he sealed with father s State seal, which he still carries. Horatio is horrified at the behavior of Claudius and Hamlet reminds him that Claudius usurped the throne, made his mother a whore, and robbed Hamlet of his birthright when he poisoned King Hamlet. Hamlet assures Horatio that he will now work quickly to eliminate the King before news is received from England. Osric, a courtier, enters and asks Hamlet to attend the court and duel with Laertes. The King has wagered that Hamlet will win. Hamlet tells Osric that he will accept the challenge. Horatio is uneasy about the duel and asks Hamlet to take care, but Hamlet intends to face his destiny. The scene is set for the duel and the King calls the two parties together, and they clasp hands. Hamlet requests that Laertes forgives his earlier acts of madness and says that he also regrets the death of Polonius. Laertes responds by saying that he bears Hamlet no grudge. Osric brings in the swords and Laertes makes sure he chooses the poisoned sword for himself. The King sets out wine for the duelists and holds up the cup intended for Hamlet. The two commence their duel and Hamlet wins the first strike. Claudius holds up Hamlet s goblet and takes a drink and drops a pearl, his gift to Hamlet, into the wine. Hamlet wins the second strike and Gertrude states our son shall win. She takes Hamlet s wine, wipes his brow and offers him a drink. He refuses. Gertrude then toasts her son before Claudius can stop her. The two commence their duel again and this time Hamlet is hit with the poisoned tip of Laertes sword. Both drop their swords and in the scuffle Hamlet grabs Laertes sword and Laertes picks up Hamlet s. Hamlet then hits Laertes with the poisoned sword. The Queen then falls and she cries out that the drink has poisoned her. Hamlet orders the doors locked so that the King cannot escape. The dying Laertes reveals the plot to Hamlet and in his fury Hamlet runs his sword through Claudius shouting Venom do thy work. He then takes the remaining poisoned wine and forces it down the King s throat. Hamlet and Laertes forgive one another and then Laertes dies.

17 Hamlet says to Horatio, I am dead. Tell my story. Just then Fortinbras arrives after his battle with the Poles, and Hamlet tells Horatio to make sure that the Danish crown passes to Fortinbras. With the words The rest is silence, Hamlet dies. The English ambassador arrives to disclose that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have been executed. Hamlet is buried with full military honors and Fortinbras takes control of the kingdom. It is appropriate to look back over the play in order to comprehend Hamlet s final fate. He was doomed from the moment the ghost of his father instructed him to avenge his murder. Hamlet was reluctant to act on these orders until he was absolutely sure of the ghost s honesty. During this time, he either pretended to be, or actually went, mad. He rejected Ophelia, the woman he supposedly loved. He killed her father and two of his school chums. His actions caused the suicide of Ophelia, and he also inadvertently killed Laertes, and then finally he killed Claudius. As a by-product of this, his mother was also poisoned. The audience never gets to know the real Hamlet, but one can assume that he was very much like Horatio, and some scholars believe that Shakespeare meant us to see Hamlet in Horatio. At the end of the play, we see that Hamlet too can be cold-hearted and ruthless, and rather than kill Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in their sleep, he hatches an ironic and cunning plan for their torment and death. It is interesting to note that Hamlet wishes to be reconciled with Laertes before they fight, as he feels significant guilt regarding the death of Polonius and Ophelia. When they are both dying, they forgive one another so that they can enter heaven. What is still unclear is whether Hamlet knows about the plot hatched by Claudius and Laertes, but he does refuse the wine that Claudius offers him. Does he suspect that it is poisoned? After Gertrude takes the fatal drink, he says I dare not drink yet, madam, by and by. Does Hamlet consider that the wine will dull his fencing skills, or is it poisoned? However, he does not attempt to stop his mother drinking the wine. We then come to Gertrude s part in this. Does she die through an accident, or is it suicide? Does she know that Claudius has poisoned the wine, and drinks it to save her son? In either event, she dies and her death encourages Hamlet to finally kill Claudius. This, together with Laertes revelation about the murder plot, results in Hamlet killing Claudius, not in a premeditated way, but in full fury. Shakespeare is great at bringing action to the audience. A simple stabbing is not sufficient he has Hamlet force the poisoned wine down the King s throat. Claudius killed his brother with poison, and now he himself is poisoned. Shakespeare also ensures that this action is the focal point of the stage. There is no reaction from the court, which just watch as Prince Hamlet kills their King. Hamlet s final act is to ask his loyal friend, Horatio, to tell his story and ensure that the crown passes to Fortinbras. It is clear that Hamlet recognizes in Fortinbras, a kindred spirit, and someone who will restore honor to Denmark. To be or not to be, that is the question? Whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, or by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep no more and by a sleep to say we end the heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to. Tis a consummation devoutly wished. To die, to sleep. To sleep, perchance to dream. Aye there s the rub. Or in that sleep of death, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil this conscience makes cowards of us all. This play is all about what makes Hamlet tick, and the To be or not to be soliloquy gives us the best insight as to what is going on inside Hamlet s head. He explores the questions of why we are born, why we live and what happens when we die. As no one has come back from the dead, this is the great unknown. This haunts Hamlet and has a marked effect on the actions that he takes or doesn t take. These are questions that many of us ask ourselves today. Should we try to affect our fate? When we are faced with great sorrow, do we suffer it or try and do something to ease our sorrow, and is revenge an answer to this? The last question he asks is do we sleep in death, or do we cease to sleep, therefore finding no rest at all. In Shakespearean times, humans were preoccupied by being punished after death in respect of all the sins committed.

18 Hamlet hates being trapped by the instructions he has received from the ghost, his father, and curses his bad luck for having been born at all.

19 Questions for study and ideas for answers. Q: Shakespeare does not always make it easy for actors to portray his characters. He deliberately makes some characters ambiguous, and the actor has to decide how to play the role. There are a number of such characters in Hamlet. List these characters and state what the actor should bear in mind when performing the role. Ideas: Gertrude In playing this role, the actress must decide whether Gertrude is completely innocent regarding the death of King Hamlet. To make the portrayal believable, she must stick to whatever decision she makes, as it is critical to the rest of the play. Even at the end, there is doubt regarding her innocence, and this is one of the factors why the play Hamlet, can be projected in different formats. Ophelia The actress playing Ophelia must have it clear in her mind exactly how she feels towards Hamlet. Shakespeare does not make it clear whether or not the two are intimate. It can be argued that she committed suicide over the death of her father, or that she loved Hamlet and could not bear his rejection, especially if she was carrying his child. Hamlet One of the main reasons why there have been so many interpretations of the play revolves around the character of Hamlet, and he can be played in three different ways. Firstly, he is mad right at the start with the realization that his father was murdered, and that his mother (with whom he possibly had an incestuous relationship) is now bedded with his uncle, who poisoned his father while asleep. Secondly, his madness was a mask which he could put on and off at will, thus portraying a very volatile character. Thirdly, he became mad as the play progressed. Polonius Shakespeare gives a clear message to any actor playing this part, and that is look at Julius Caesar. Q: Ghosts are found in many of Shakespeare s works. Sometimes they only have a minor influence on the play and sometimes a major influence, as is the case with Hamlet. It is important to be able to understand what ghosts represented, and that they came in many types. Give some examples. Ideas: A ghost could be a hallucination which is an emissary of the devil; a tormented spirit that has returned to the real world because there is work left undone; a gift from God a spirit allowed to return from beyond the grave; a foretelling of what is to happen in the real world (see Macbeth); or a devil disguised as a dead person. Q: Shakespeare had strong religious views, and often voiced these through his work. There are some in this play. Give examples. Ideas: Incest Recent laws in Elizabethan England had relaxed the rules on incest, and it was no longer a sin for a woman to marry her brother-in-law (Gertrude and Claudius). Suicide If there is any indication that someone has taken their own life, they should not be buried in hallowed ground, or receive a Requiem Mass (Ophelia). Divine Right The monarchs of England at this time were considered to have a divine right, being the voice of God on earth. It was, therefore, unthinkable that a monarch should be murdered (King Hamlet). Q: Hamlet could have become a romance instead of a tragedy, with the changing of one scene in the play. Do you have any suggestions? Ideas: It is clear that Hamlet mistrusted women and whether this was due in part to the relationship he had with his mother, one can only speculate. However, her betrayal of him meant that he mistrusted all women and, therefore, he could not confide in Ophelia regarding his suspicions over the death of his father. It raises the question whether he really loved Ophelia or if he was capable of loving any woman. This is summed up by the quotation Frailty, thy name is woman and the fact that he believes Ophelia to be dishonest like all her kind, seals her fate along with his own.

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