Hamlet

Question 1

What are three quotes for Hamlet?

Answer 1

• “Seems, Madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’” - (Act One, Scene Two).
• “To be or not to be, that is the question” - (Act Three, Scene One).
• “Frailty, thy name is woman” - (Act One, Scene Two).

Question 2

What is the analysis for, “Seems, Madam? Nay, it is. I know not ‘seems’”?

Answer 2

This quote implies Hamlet’s grief is not a facade, it’s a deep and genuine feeling, highlighting Hamlet’s deep sense of melancholy and philosophical struggles. The repetition of “seems” and denial of validity showcases Hamlet’s refusal to accept more appearances, revealing his deep contemplative nature and scepticism. Shakespeare uses antithesis to convey appearances versus reality, foreshadowing Hamlet’s struggles with authenticity of people around him.

Question 3

What is the analysis for “To be or not to be, that is the question”?

Answer 3

This quote is a physiological question of existence, showcasing the internal struggles that define his character. The question surrounding this quote is whether it is nobler to endure the suffering of life or opt for the unknown of death. The contemplation in this soliloquy is symbolic to Hamlet’s indecisive nature throughout the rest of the play.

Question 4

What is the analysis for “Frailty, thy name is woman”?

Answer 4

This phrase showcases Hamlet’s deep frustration with women and expresses his misogynistic views through his strong opinions on his mother’s hasty remarriage, viewing it as morally weak. This could be seen as a reflection of his own internal conflict, torn between his love and loyalty to Gertrude and his ‘duty’ to avenge his father’s murder. This implies his inability to reconcile conflicting emotions.

Question 5

What are two quotes for Polonius?

Answer 5

• “To thine own self be true” - (Act One, Scene Three).
• “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t” - (Act Two, Scene Two).

Question 6

What is the analysis for “To thine own self be true” (Act One, Scene Two)?

Answer 6

This line encourages personal integrity, showcasing Polonius’s nature and values. It implies that remaining true to yourself will guide your actions and relationships. However, while the advice itself seems wise, it’s important to note that Shakespeare may be using dramatic irony here. Polonium himself is often hypocritical and meddling, and his later actions of spying and manipulation throughout the play suggests that he doesn’t follow his own advice. Some readers may interpret this line as subtly satirical.

Question 7

What is the analysis for, “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t”?

Answer 7

This quote shows Polonius trying to make sense of Hamlet’s erratic behaviour. Polonius acknowledges that although Hamlet seems mad, his words and behaviour follow a kind of logic, there’s a pattern of intention beneath his insanity. This quote displays dramatic irony as the audience knows Polonius is right, but not in the way he thinks. Hamlets isn’t truly mad, he’s pretending in order to protect himself and uncover Claudius’s guilt. Polonius is close to the truth, but he still misses the full picture. This plays into the central theme of appearance versus reality which is carried throughout the play.

Question 8

What are two quotes from Gertrude?

Answer 8

• “The lady doth protest too much, methinks” - (Act Three, Scene Two).
• “These words like daggers enter in mine ears. No more, sweet Hamlets” - (Act One, Scene Five).

Question 9

What is the analysis for, “The lady doth protest too much, methinks”?

Answer 9

This line is Gertrude’s commentary on the Player Queen. She is suggesting the Player Queen’s repeated vows of loyalty come off as excessive or insincere, a classic case of over compensation, raising suspicion. This line is filled with dramatic irony, with Gertrude not realising that the Player Queen is meant to be mirroring her own actions. In a way, Gertrude inadvertently critiques herself without realising it, which makes the moment a deception of Hamlet’s cleverness in using art as a mirror for truth. This scene is an example of meta theatre, used as a tool for psychological probing.

Question 10

What is the analysis for “These words like daggers enter in mine ears. No more, sweet Hamlet”?

Answer 10

This simile of words being like daggers is used to convey the disruptive nature of the truth. Hamlet’s quest for truth and justice creates a distruption in the facade and order maintained by Claudius, revealing underlying chaos and disorder, not only in the external state, but also within the minds of other characters.

Question 11

What is one quote for Marcellus?

Answer 11

• “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” - (Act one, Scene Four).

Question 12

What is the analysis for, “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”?

Answer 12

Claudius has committed regicide. The crime is so monstrous that it destroys the established order in Denmark, tearing the royal family and court apart. The crime is so great that is also distrusts the natural word, with the ghost of old Hamlet breaking through the confines of the underworld to return to Elisnore and encourage his son to get revenge for his murder. The word “rotten” is metaphorically likened to decay and points to the idea of political corruption. This reflects the suspicions surrounding the legitimacy of Claudius’s rule and the circumstances surrounding the succession. On the surface Denmark may appear stable, but beneath it is plagued by deception, treachery and disorder.

Question 13

What is one quote for Horatio?

Answer 13

• “ Good night, sweet Prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest” (Act Five, Scene Two).

Question 14

What is the analysis for, “Good night, sweet Prince, and flights of angels will sing thee to thy rest”?

Answer 14

Horatio’s words function as a eulogy through his affectionate tone expressing his sorrow and grief. This quote prompts the audience to reflect on the transient nature of human life and the inevitability of death, marking the resolution of the play’s central conflict and its tragic conclusion. Hamlet’s journey of self-discovery, revenge and inner turmoil have come to an end and Horatio’s words provide a sense of finality. The phrase “flights of angels” elevates Hamlet’s character and establishes his nature as princely and noble even after death.

Question 15

What are two quotes for Ophelia?

Answer 15

• “Young men will do’t if they come to’t, / By cock they are to blame” (Act Four, Scene Five).
• “Her death was doubtful” (Act Five, Scene One).

Question 16

What is the analysis for “Young men will do’t if they come to’t. / By cock they are to blame”?

Answer 16

This is a song that Ophelia sings when she goes mad, after her father has been killed and Hamlet has rejected her. The phrase “do’t” suggests Hamlet and Ophelia have had a sexual relationship or at least have had sexual desires. Ophelia is suggesting men’s lack of control surrounding their sexual desires and implying a kind of inevitability. She says that men “are to blame”, perhaps criticising the double standards of society, where women suffer the consequences of this behaviour, while men face little.

Question 17

What is the analysis for, “Her death was doubtful”?

Answer 17

The Priest at Ophelia’s burial speaks this line to empathise religious rules. According to the church, Ophelia can’t buried in sacred ground, due to suspicions surrounding her death. The Priest confirms these suspicions which will mean she will remain in the “ground unsancified”.

Question 18

What is one quote for Claudius?

Answer 18

• “Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, / A brother’s murder” (Act 3, Scene 3).

Question 19

What is the analysis for, “Oh, my offence is rank. It smells to heaven. It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t, / A brother’s murder”?

Answer 19

These words are muttered at the end of his confession soliloquy, providing the audiences with confirmation that Claudius did commit the murder. If Claudius did not confess, some audience members may assume the murder conspiracy only exists in Hamlet’s head. The reference to “the primal eldest curse” alludes to Cain’s murder of his brother Abel as referenced in the Bible. This implies Claudius understands his sin and his own sense of moral corruption through images of decay in, “rank”.

Question 20

What is the context surrounding Hamlet? - Relating to the source of Hamlet.

Answer 20

Saxo Grammaticus, a Danish historian, told the story of a real Prince Amleth whose father, the King, was murdered by Kind Fengo, his brother. Saxo came up with key plot features in Shakespeare’s play over 400 years before he wrote his version.

Question 21

What is the context surrounding Hamlet? - Relating to religion.

Answer 21

Hamlet represents the unsolved religious conflicts that followed the reformation. The ghost of Hamlet’s father is trapped in purgatory, a Catholic doctrine now outlawed in Elizabeth’s officially Protestant realm. In medieval Catholicism, purgatory is a temporary state of purification before heaven. Under Elizabeth, any mention of purgatory was illegal. Hamlet dramatises the in-between world, between old Catholic beliefs, the ghost, and new Protestant learning. Shakespeare’s own father was fined for recusancy, which is the refusal to attend Anglican services, and his mother came from a notoriously Catholic clan in Warwickshire. His daughter was also noted in the Parish records for failing to take Anglican communion.

Question 22

What is the context surrounding Hamlet? Relating to historical and political events.

Answer 22

In 1600, London was full of restless soldiers and talk of an invasion from Spain. However, what was more significant was anxiety over the succession. It was far from clear that Mary Queen of Scott’s son James, who was Protestant, unlike his mother, would succeed Queen Elizabeth. Hamlet allowed Shakespeare to explore these uncertainties indirectly. The strange avoidance of explaining why the young, intelligent heir Hamlet, should not become King, would not have passed unnoticed in London.

Question 23

What are 7 critical interpretations of Hamlet?

Answer 23

• “His ruling passion to think, not to act” - C. Hazlitt.
• “The man who could not make up his mind” - Oliver Film.
• (Ophelia) “suffers from a series of patriarchal oppressions” - Emi Hamana.
• “We can imagine Hamlet’s story without Ophelia, but Ophelia has not story without Hamlet” - Lee Edward’s.
• (Claudius) “has the persuasiveness and physical courage of a leader, but is morally empty” - Schofeld.
• The key comic element of the play is madness” - Sir Herbert Tree.
• Women are often given the same advice that is given to servants, chasticy, piety, obedience” - Dianna Banstein.

Question 24

What are two texts relating to Hamlet?

Answer 24

• Othello.
• Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.

Question 25

How does Othello relate to Hamlet?

Answer 25

- Both Othello and Hamlet are classic Shakespearean tragedies. They both follow the Aristotelian structure, where a high-born protagonist faces a downfall due to their harmatia, leading to catastrophic consequences. Both Othello’s jealousy and Hamlet’s indecisiveness lead to their downfalls, offering a broader understanding of Shakespeare’s treatment of human weakness. - Madness is a central theme in both plays. Hamlet fakes madness to peruse his revenge, and Othello’s decent into irrational jealousy mirrors a kind of madness. Both plays show how unchecked emotions lead to self-destruction. - In both plays, female characters, Desdemona and Ophelia are caught out in the destructive actions of male characters. They become victims of a patriarchal society and men’s flawed perceptions.

Question 26

How does Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead relate to Hamlet?

Answer 26

Tom Stoppard’s Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead is a direct intextual response to Hamlet, retelling the story from the perspective of two minor characters in Shakespeare’s play. The characters repeatedly to to make sense of the events around them, but they are largely powerless, echoing the confusion found in Hamlet’s soliloquies.