ALL ABOUT HAMLET

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Hamlet's revenge

One way of looking at the play is to study the theme of revenge. This will mean concentrating on Hamlet's battle of wits with Claudius. Tragedies about revenge were fairly popular in Shakespeare's time, although it is a central theme only in one other of Shakespeare's plays, his earliest tragedy, Titus Andronicus. Its contemporary equivalent is found in some western films, notably the “spaghetti” westerns of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood.

In order to write about this, you should consider the causes of Hamlet's desire for revenge, and the manner in which he pursues it. Some things that influence the course of Hamlet's revenge would be:

his attitude to Claudius;
his encounters with the ghost;
the Murder of Gonzago;
his relationship with his mother;
Polonius and his children;
Rosencrantz and Guildernstern.

We are helped to understand his actions and motivation by his soliloquies (speeches made when he is alone on stage) and some things which he tells Horatio. What follows is some explanation of each of these. You can gain fuller information by studying the text or the play in performance, or both. It is quite acceptable to refer to differences between the play as written and how it is performed in stage or film versions.

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The causes of Hamlet's desire for revenge

At the start of the play, Hamlet's father has died, and his mother has married Claudius, brother to the late king, and uncle to Prince Hamlet.

What has Claudius given as the “official” cause of old Hamlet's death?
How does the prince feel about what has happened, especially his mother's remarriage?
Why does Hamlet say: “Frailty, thy name is woman”?

In revenge tragedies, it is customary for secret information to be revealed by a ghost.

What do you think of the introduction of the ghost in this play?
Why does Hamlet question the guards about the ghost's dress and appearance?
When Hamlet follows the ghost, what story does it tell him, and what does it instruct him to do?
How much does Hamlet tell Horatio about this, and why?
Hamlet seems convinced that the ghost is honest. Is he ready to act on what it has told him?

The arrival, at Elsinore, of a group of travelling players (actors), enables Hamlet to verify (check) what the ghost has told him.

How does he do this, by adapting The Murder of Gonzago (a well-known story)?
As the play is acted, what does Hamlet watch?
How are his suspicions confirmed?

المدير العام

مشكور يا مان علي الموضوع الجامد دا وربنا يوفقك ان شاء الله

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The course of Hamlet's revenge

Almost at once, Hamlet has a chance of revenge, finding Claudius (praying) alone and vulnerable.

Why does he not take this opportunity?

As he is not ready to kill Claudius yet, Hamlet goes to his mother, to urge her to keep from sexual relations with Claudius.

How does this lead to the death of the meddling Polonius?
How does Polonius's death help Claudius in his attempts to kill Hamlet?

Hamlet is also in some danger, as Claudius sees that Hamlet knows of his crime. Of course, Claudius cannot say anything without admitting to his evil deed.

Why does this place Hamlet in some danger?

Claudius employs Hamlet's old friends to spy on him.

Why is Hamlet not likely to be taken in by Rosencrantz and Guildernstern, as they make a show of renewed friendship towards him?

The death of Polonius means that Claudius can persuade Hamlet, apparently for his own good, to leave Denmark temporarily.

How does this help Claudius devise a plot to kill the prince?

Hamlet tells Horatio, partly in a letter, mainly in conversation, how he survives this plot through a mixture of luck and his own wits.

Explain the way in which he does so.

Ophelia is an innocent victim of others' schemes. Hamlet likes her, but is too troubled by his father's death to think of her as a lover would.

Why are her father and Gertrude (for different reasons) eager for Hamlet to fall in love with her?
Why does Hamlet pretend to be driven to madness by love for her?
Why is his pretended madness not convincing to the audience?

When her father is killed and Hamlet, for whom she cares, goes away, Ophelia really goes mad, and later drowns herself.

How does this help Claudius?

Laertes, Polonius's son, returns to Denmark for his father's funeral, only to attend that of his sister.

Explain what happens when he confronts Claudius.
Does Claudius defend Hamlet, or encourage Laertes to seek revenge on the prince?
Why is Hamlet so ready to accept Laertes' challenge to a fencing-match?
Why, having been so cautious in relation to Claudius, is Hamlet so trusting of Laertes?

In the last act of the play, things seem to be going the way of Claudius.

How has he tried to ensure that Hamlet will be killed in the fencing-match?
In case this fails (if Laertes does not score any hits) Claudius has a back-up plan: what is this?
When it looks as if Laertes cannot strike Hamlet, what does Claudius do?
How does he try to tempt Hamlet to drink, even though he feels no need to do so?
What is the result of his request, and why is he unable to intervene?

Because Laertes, angry with Hamlet, strikes him during a pause in the match (very unsporting) there is a scuffle, in which both men drop their swords. When they pick them up, the weapons are swapped, so Laertes is also fatally wounded.

How does Laertes' awareness that he is dying alter his attitude to Hamlet?
Can you explain his refusal, before the fight, to be reconciled to Hamlet, and his now asking for pardon?
How does Hamlet respond to his request?
Why is it more appropriate, in a revenge-tragedy, for Claudius to be killed now, rather than when Hamlet has his earlier opportunity?

As Hamlet dies, he makes a last request of Horatio.

What does he ask of him, and why, in your opinion does he ask for this?

The play does not quite end with the prince's death.

Why should Shakespeare wish to finish the play with the arrival of Fortinbras (heir to the throne of Norway, and nominated by Hamlet to succeed him in Denmark) and
the news that Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are dead?

Hamlet's soliloquies and words to Horatio

This is a brief overview - below you will find a detailed account of all Hamlet's soliloquies. Where most revengers would use soliloquies (solo speeches; thinking aloud) to tell the audience of their plans, Hamlet uses these opportunities to give reasons for uncertainty and delay, or to comment on the meaning or meaninglessness of life in general, and his life, in particular. He wishes he were dead at one point, and appears to contemplate suicide at another. In conversation and, once, in a letter, he tells Horatio some things, but not others. At the end of the play he asks Horatio to tell his story to the world, but unless he has (off-stage) filled in the gaps, Horatio will not be able to tell the full story, as we know it. For example, would he be able to guess, from The Murder of Gonzago, the truth about old Hamlet's death?

By studying, closely, the soliloquies and Hamlet's conversation with Horatio, you may be able to explain better his own ideas about himself and his motives. Some of this, of course, may distract you from the simpler idea of revenge. If you do this, you should quote short passages of dialogue with explanation and comment, as you feel appropriate.

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The context of the first soliloquy

In Act 1, scene 1 we learn much of the political background; of Hamlet only that Horatio will alert him to the appearance of the ghost.

In Act 1, scene 2 Claudius at first dominates the dialogue: he deals eloquently, and with appropriate ceremony and dignity, with affairs of state. We have no reason to dislike him though we note, as he justifies it, the haste of Gertrude's re-marriage, and the apparent strain between him and Hamlet, which he seeks to remove by courting Hamlet's favour. Save to remark on the distinction between the common outward display of grief and the inward reality, Hamlet has said nothing of substance.

Thus, Hamlet first reveals certain things to the audience, making it clear that even his friends will not, necessarily, be privy to these.

Note also that Hamlet denounces Claudius before his father's ghost has told the prince of the murder. Hamlet's comments refer to Claudius's general ignobility. Hamlet may suspect foul play though he does not speak of it here - his comment to the ghost (Act 1, scene 5, lines 40-41: “0 my prophetic soul! My uncle”) shows this. The disclosure of the murder bears out Hamlet's general aversion: the action, though extreme, is suited to the actor, Claudius.

The content of the soliloquy

Hamlet's thoughts are presented in a naturalistic sequence - he allows his disgust to flow freely and one thing leads to another but the outline of his meditation is as follows:

A wish for death as an escape from a corrupt world;
A comparison of Hamlet and Claudius, leading to
A condemnation of Gertrude's behaviour.

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Act 2, scene 2, lines 522-580
The context of the soliloquy

The ghost has told Hamlet of the murder. He inclines to believe this, but must be sure. He thinks of the play, prompted by the arrival of the itinerant actors, as a device to confirm Claudius's treachery - as he later explains to Horatio (Act 3, scene 2, lines 71-83). Hamlet has studied at the Protestant University of Wittenberg, which explains his suspicion that the apparent ghost may be a lying demon, sent to undo him. Protestant theology teaches that the souls of the dead go straight to heaven or hell - so what appears to be a ghost must be an evil and deceitful spirit.
The content of the soliloquy

Again the soliloquy breaks down into three parts:

Wonder at the actor's ability to produce passion for nothing;
Condemnation of himself for cowardly inaction;
Explanation of the trap for Claudius and his fears about the ghost

عضو متألق

ميرسى كتييييييير يا mho بسى الاسم الاسم ده اختصار لاسم ايه بالظبط

عضو متألق

ميرسى يا قمر والله مش عارفين نردلك الجمايل دى ازاى

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What happens in Hamlet?

This play is among the longest and most complex of all of Shakespeare's works. You will notice that some details of the narrative as summarized here do not appear in Zeffirelli's interpretation, or other film versions. This enables the director to make the plot clearer, and keep the film to a manageable length.

Old Hamlet, the King of Denmark has died, and has been succeeded by his brother, Claudius who has married Hamlet's widow, Gertrude. The heir to the throne is Prince Hamlet who has been recalled from university in Wittenberg (Germany) for his father's funeral. Hamlet is told by his friend Horatio of a ghost, resembling his father, which walks on the battlements of the royal castle, at Elsinore. Hamlet meets the ghost: it is that of his father, who tells him that he was murdered - Claudius has told people that Old Hamlet died of a snakebite, but in reality Claudius poured poison into his ear as he slept in his orchard

Hamlet intends revenge, but is fearful of discovery, so feigns madness. He behaves strangely towards Ophelia whom he courted previously. Her father, Polonius a foolish old counsellor, believes she is the cause of Hamlet's madness. Claudius, already wary of Hamlet, employs the prince's old schoolfellows, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on him.

A troupe of travelling players comes to Elsinore, and, on Hamlet's instructions, perform a version of an old play, The Murder of Gonzago, adapted so that the victim is killed as described by the ghost: Claudius's reaction confirms his guilt. He plans at once to have Hamlet sent to England, and to his death, then kneels in prayer; Hamlet sees him praying, but declines the opportunity (he is alone) of revenge, as he wishes to ensure Claudius's damnation. He confronts his mother with her treachery to his father, her first husband. She has been speaking to Polonius, who hides behind an arras (a curtain or wall-hanging) at Hamlet's approach, to eavesdrop. As Hamlet threatens his mother violently, Polonius cries out, and is stabbed, fatally, through the arras by the prince, who now sees and hears again the ghost, which is invisible to and unheard by his mother.

عضو متألق

اولا ميرسى كتير ع الشغل ده وثانيا المصدر بتاع المعلومات ده اكيد ومضمون ولا ايه ؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟؟[code]

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Act 3, scene 1, lines 56-88

One could argue that this is not a soliloquy as Ophelia, Claudius and Polonius are all on-stage. But, clearly, it is, as Hamlet is unaware of this and speaks as if to himself (soliloquy means “speaking alone”).
The context of the soliloquy

The context is similar to that of the previous speech: Claudius and Polonius, alarmed by the prince's distraction decide to plant Ophelia in his way and spy on his reaction. The first part of what follows is unexpected, as Hamlet takes some time to notice Ophelia, at which point his soliloquy gives way to the expected conversation (of unexpected character). There is irony in the position of this episode: Hamlet has just devised a ruse, which involves spying (and he, too, will have a confidant, Horatio) on Claudius; now Claudius and Polonius attempt to gain the advantage of him by spying: their device leads to less satisfactory results.

The content of the soliloquy

The content is close to that of the opening of the first soliloquy but more fully expressed. Because there is no certainty that death will bring relief from oppression, we fear to exchange the known evil for a possibly greater torment - thus Hamlet appears to believe that there is, or can be, no escape. Out of context the universality and beauty of the speech explain its celebrity.

عضو نشيط

What happens in Hamlet?

This play is among the longest and most complex of all of Shakespeare's works. You will notice that some details of the narrative as summarized here do not appear in Zeffirelli's interpretation, or other film versions. This enables the director to make the plot clearer, and keep the film to a manageable length.

Old Hamlet, the King of Denmark has died, and has been succeeded by his brother, Claudius who has married Hamlet's widow, Gertrude. The heir to the throne is Prince Hamlet who has been recalled from university in Wittenberg (Germany) for his father's funeral. Hamlet is told by his friend Horatio of a ghost, resembling his father, which walks on the battlements of the royal castle, at Elsinore. Hamlet meets the ghost: it is that of his father, who tells him that he was murdered - Claudius has told people that Old Hamlet died of a snakebite, but in reality Claudius poured poison into his ear as he slept in his orchard.

Hamlet intends revenge, but is fearful of discovery, so feigns madness. He behaves strangely towards Ophelia whom he courted previously. Her father, Polonius a foolish old counsellor, believes she is the cause of Hamlet's madness. Claudius, already wary of Hamlet, employs the prince's old schoolfellows, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on him.

A troupe of travelling players comes to Elsinore, and, on Hamlet's instructions, perform a version of an old play, The Murder of Gonzago, adapted so that the victim is killed as described by the ghost: Claudius's reaction confirms his guilt. He plans at once to have Hamlet sent to England, and to his death, then kneels in prayer; Hamlet sees him praying, but declines the opportunity (he is alone) of revenge, as he wishes to ensure Claudius's damnation. He confronts his mother with her treachery to his father, her first husband. She has been speaking to Polonius, who hides behind an arras (a curtain or wall-hanging) at Hamlet's approach, to eavesdrop. As Hamlet threatens his mother violently, Polonius cries out, and is stabbed, fatally, through the arras by the prince, who now sees and hears again the ghost, which is invisible to and unheard by his mother.

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Hamlet Theme of Madness 1

Madness – both real and feigned – is at the heart of the play. Hamlet's "antic disposition" has famously sparked a scholarly debate: Does Hamlet truly go "mad" or is it all an act? An impossible mystery, it's one of many unanswered questions raised by the play. Nevertheless, the complexity and sheer ambiguity of Hamlet's mental state and erratic behavior is compelling and seems to speak to the play's overall atmosphere of uncertainty and doubt. Ophelia's clear descent into madness (and subsequent drowning) is somewhat of a different issue. Critics tend to agree that Ophelia seemingly cracks under the strain of Hamlet's abuse and the weight of patriarchal forces, which has important implications for the play's portrayal of "Gender" and "Sex."

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2 Hamlet Theme of Revenge

Hamlet gears up to be a traditional bloody revenge play – and then it stops. The bulk of the play deals not with Hamlet's ultimately successful vengeance on his father's murderer, but with Hamlet's inner struggle to take action. The play concludes with a bloodbath that's typical of revenge tragedy, but Hamlet's infamous delay sets it apart from anything that's come before it. Hamlet is also notable for the way it weaves together three revenge plots, all of which involve sons seeking vengeance for their fathers' murders. Ultimately, the play calls into question the validity and usefulness of revenge

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3 Hamlet Theme of Mortality

Hamlet's musings on suicide, especially the "to be or not to be" speech, are legendary and continue to direct discussions of the value of life and the mystery of death. But Hamlet himself never commits suicide. It is Ophelia, who never mentions the possibility of taking her own life, who drowns, seemingly as a result of some combination of madness and despair. Death threads its way through the entirety of Hamlet, from the opening scene's confrontation with a dead man's ghost to the bloodbath of the final scene, which leaves almost every main character dead. Hamlet constantly contemplates death from many angles. He is both seduced and repelled by the idea of suicide, but, in the famous gravedigger scene, he is also fascinated by the physical reality of death. In a way, Hamlet can be viewed as extended dialogue between Hamlet and death.

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2 Hamlet Theme of Revenge<br><br><br>Hamlet gears up to be a traditional bloody revenge play – and then it stops. The bulk of the play deals not with Hamlet's ultimately successful vengeance on his father's murderer, but with Hamlet's inner struggle to take action. The play concludes with a bloodbath that's typical of revenge tragedy, but Hamlet's infamous delay sets it apart from anything that's come before it. Hamlet is also notable for the way it weaves together three revenge plots, all of which involve sons seeking vengeance for their fathers' murders. Ultimately, the play calls into question the validity and usefulness of revenge<br>

عضو متألق

ايه يا بنى ده كله انت تخصص هاملت ولا ايه

عضو فعال

ثاااااااااانكس

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