Hamlet Flashcards
(29 cards)
Themes and Quotes
7
Madness
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t”
-Polonius as he observes Hamlet’s erratic behaviour
Revenge
“Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.”
-Ghost sets the central revenge plot in motion.
Corruption
“something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
-Marcellus stating the Kingdom is tainted by deceit and betrayal
Religion
“Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven…”
-The Ghost tells Hamlet not to seek revenge on Gertrude, but to leave her punishment to God.
Betrayal and Trust
“frailty, thy name is woman”
-Hamlet in his soliloquy reflecting his disillusionment with his mother for marrying Claudius
Women
“get thee to a nunnery”
-Hamlet spoken to Ophelia underscoring his deeply conflicted feelings about women
Mortality
“to be or not to be that is the question”
-Hamlet as he contemplates life, death and the fear of the unknown
Appearance VS Reality
“One may smile, and smile, and be a villain.”
– Hamlet realizes that Claudius hides evil behind a false appearance.
Context
5
When was Hamlet written?
1600-1601
What era was it set in?
Elizabethan Era - a time of religious conflict, political uncertainty and interest in philosophy/human mind.
What society was the audiences pov from?
Christian Society
Where suicide, murder and revenge were viewed through the lens of sin and divine judgement
How was the idea of ghosts/afterlife viewed?
The idea of ghosts and afterlife was controversial as some saw ghosts as real and some as demonic illusions
How is Hamlet a tragedy?
-follows the traditional Aristotle’s model; a noble hero with a hamartia that leads to his downfall
How is Hamlet a revenge tragedy?
RT= popular genre at the time, influenced by Seneca. Often features:
-A murder that must be avenged
-A ghost
-Madness
-A tragic ending
How is Hamlet a crime text?
Contains crime themes of:
murder, guilt, justice, corruption, and moral ambiguity
-Making it a proto-crime drama or a psychological crime thriller within the framework of Elizabethan tragedy.
Where does the play take place?
In and around Elsinore Castle a royal court in Denmark
How does elsinore castle influence the play?
- the castle setting creates a sense of confinement
-Its cold, isolated and a tense place
-Symbolic of the corruption within the Danish royal family and government
How is Elsinore Castle symbolic?
Symbol of rotting power and broken families
How is the graveyard symbolic?
Symbolises mortality and the inevitability of death, a key part of Hamlet’s crisis.
How is the limited setting in the play symbolic?
Focuses attention inward, specifically on Hamlets mind, the mortality and decay within the court.
Critic
Coleridge 1800
Quote
“Hamlet is obliged to act on the spur of the moment” - links to his hamartia
