Act 1 scene 1 Flashcards
(9 cards)
Barnardo - “Who’s there?”
Question as the opening line of the play sets a tone of mystery
The following lines are short and fast-paced which heighten the suspicion and tension
Francisco - “‘Tis bitter cold, / And I am sick at heart.”
This metaphor provides the first indication that something is amiss in the state of Denmark
Use of pathetic fallacy reflects characters’ emotional states
Marcellus - “Horatio says ‘tis but our fantasy / And will not let belief take hold of him”
Personification of “take hold” reflects the prominence and importance of beliefs / superstition
Horatio is immediately established as a pragmatic and rational character before he appears on stage
Horatio - “I might not this believe / Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes.”
Rhetoric doubling “sensible and true” further reinforces the audience’s perception of Horatio as a voice of reason
About the ghost - “Such was the very armour he had on” “It faded on the crowing of the cock” “dumb to us”
The Ghost appears in military dress, characterising him as a man of action, unlike his son
Verb “faded” emphasises the Ghost’s mystical and non-corporeal presence
The stage directions note that the Ghost exits immediately after Horatio charges it “by heaven” to speak. This could be due to the fact that it cannot be controlled by mortal commands, or that it is an evil spirit who is banished by the mention of heaven. The Ghost remains an ambiguous figure in the play
The Ghost disappears at dawn, highlighting its association with the supernatural and unknown, perhaps evil, forces
Phrase “dumb to us” suggests that the Ghost has a particular motive for appearing
About Old Hamlet - “smote” “valiant” “war-like”
Creates a semantic field of bravery and aggression
The audience is introduced to the description of the former king before it sees the current one; this further highlights the contrast between the two rulers as Claudius is more intellectual and doesn’t value military combat
Horatio - “This bodes some strange eruption to our state.”
Verb “bodes” foreshadows the turmoil that will occur, both external and internal
Noun “eruption” connotes tension and a sudden outburst
“Our state” is symbolic just not of the realm of Denmark, but also its political and moral order
Horatio - “young Fortinbras, / Of unimproved mettle hot and full”
Adjectives “young” “hot” “full” reflect Fortinbras’ youth in comparison to Claudius. Fortinbras is a character who embodies energy, ambition and impulse
Hamlet, like Fortinbras, is also “unimproved” but the distinction between the two is that Fortinbras has “mettle”. This foreshadows his eventual rise to power, whereas Hamlet does not have the resolve to act
Horatio - “Let us impart what we have seen tonight / Unto young Hamlet” “our loves” “our duty”
Horatio has “love” and “duty” for Hamlet. By choosing to “impart” the knowledge not onto Claudius but onto Hamlet, he clearly defines his allegiance to him
