Hamlet Essay

Polonius bids his son, Laertis farewell and as he does so states, "to thine own self be true." As a talkative soul, he advises his son before he leaves to study abroad, to remember who he is: to be true to his genuine character of his background back home or even his allegiance to the crown. This can also be in relation to the foreshadowing of Polonius's death; Laertis would hold the duty to avenge his father's death. In the context of the play as a whole, this line can relate to the many other characters and therefore also serve as the theme itself. A majority of all characters struggle between two opposite forces in which they are presented to choose and in the process, the characters realize their priorities and morals. Polonius debates between pleasing the king for power and his own pride, Ophelia between forbidden love and honoring royalty, the queen between her future with King Claudius and her past with late King Hamlet and most profoundly, Hamlet's struggle between life and death, revenge and forgiveness. These contemplations also connect to the theme of having a continuous cycles of options and actually putting these thoughts into actions.
Hamlet's struggles to remain true to his character also correlate to the infamous line, "to be or not to be." The two lines intertwined are almost synonymous to each other as Hamlet decides "to be" (to live) rather than "not to be" (to die) as he is true to his values as a religious follower not to sin by committing suicide. This line is introduced in the middle of the play as Hamlet's diplomatic disguise is unveiled to reveal his true thoughts on his father's death. This soliloquy also sets the tone of a gloomy, inconsistent, and passionate atmosphere. Throughout the play, the mood and tone correlate to Hamlet's feelings, mainly melancholy. The main issue he goes back and forth on is whether to avenge his father's death and if he himself should do it. This ultimately drives his mysterious motives when putting on a play to reveal the unknown past of late king Hamlet's death, "and by opposing, end them?" Shakespeare's usage of "a play within a play" gives a contradicting insight to the story that many other plays do not. Through this scene, Hamlet is slyly able to reveal that he knows of how his father died and is also able to confirm with Claudius's guilty reaction.

Hamlet: Act 5

Scene 1

The gravediggers have a discussion over Ophelia's "Christian funeral."

Hamlet comments on how the gravedigger is singing when he is burying a dead body.

Hamlet is thirty 

Hamlet: "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy"

Priest go to hell Ophelia to heaven states Laertis when the priests comments that Ophelia should not be having a Christian burial.

Hamlet jumps into Ophelia's burial where Laertis is and they fight. Hamlet professes his passionate love for Ophelia.

As Hamlet leaves Claudius tells Laertis to be patient about their conversation the night before about killing Hamlet. 

Hamlet: "dog will have his day"

Scene 2:

Hamlet explains to Horatio of a document he found ordering to kill him. He then explains how he rewrote the letter stating to kill the one's delivering this letter.

A courier, Osric, arrives with news from the king about him betting between the fight of Laertis and Hamlet. Hamlet agrees to it.

The fencing match begins with shaking hands and Hamlet's apology.

Hamlet has hit Laertis when Claudius tells Hamlet to drink (poisoned wine) before he goes on. He declines and states he will drink after. Queen Gertrude takes the drink instead even though Claudius states not too.

Laertis and Hamlet switch swords in battle and Hamlet hits him, Laertis had also hit him. The king states to stop and the queen collapses. Laertis also collapses (from the poisoned tipped sword that was now in Hamlet's hand)

Hamlet forces Claudius to drink the wine his mother drank. He dies.

Laertis explains the evil plan before he dies and asks for forgiveness.

Hamlet is also dying from the poison tipped sword. 

Fortinbras arrives to aware them that they carried out he king's order to kill Rozencrantz and Guildenstern.

Hamlet is honored as his dead body is carried out under Fortinbras's command.  

Hamlet: Act 4

Claudius suggests to send Hamlet away and excuse him for Polonius's death. 

Hamlet states to rozencranz and guildenstern who do you think you are, I'm the prince.

Claudius plans to have agents in England to kill Hamlet.

Since Claudius already knows that Hamlet knows, Hamlet does not need to care how he talks now. He's a man.

Reflect on mistakes and learn.

Gentleman suggests Ophelia is crazy.

Claudius worries about Ophelia and Laertes reaction to excusing Hamlet from their father's death. 

Horatio receives a letter that Hamlet is not on his way to England.

Letters are also delivered to the king with Laertis in presence declaring his promise to avenge Polonius's death. King Hamlet also promises to act by poisoning Hamlet's drink if Laertis poisoned sword doesn't kill him.

Queen Gertrude tells Claudius and Laertis that Ophelia drowned.

Hamlet (The Madman?)

    Throughout the beginning of the play, Hamlet has a constant struggle between what his thoughts and words say, and what his actions display. He continues to have a mental battle of whether or not what the ghost states is true and if he himself should carry out the murder. On the contrary, his appearance is rather calm and collective as Hamlet conceals his thoughts with a diplomatic attitude. This also relates to how he attacks Claudius: quietly and threateningly, but he does reach a state of frustration and maybe insanity when he has an argument with his mother. Although outwardly Hamlet seems like an insane, depressed teenager, his actions are well-calculated and scheming to catch his adversaries off guard.
    Hamlet's sanity is questioned when only he can see the ghost, while his mother is in shock over the nonexistent ghost he is talking to. This scene makes the readers wonder if he is hallucinating and whether the ghost's appearance was actually just an image created in his head. Thus question is soon shut down when realizing that it was actually Marcellus and Horatio who introduced Hamlet of the ghost. An insane individual could not be so smart in action by confusing his enemies by first acting fine from his father's death then acting clueless and insane. His outward disguise is, in a way, his own way of protecting himself from enemies. By seeming insane, Claudius does not see Hamlet as a threat, and therefore has more time to plan an aggressive attack against Claudius. The new king is completely caught off guard when Hamlet directs a play following Claudius's devious actions to attain the crown. Hamlet is a sly genius by successfully throwing a bomb in Claudius's borders. As de Boer's claim that there is a difference between the verbal act of madness and actual madness, there is a difference between Hamlet's outward craziness and his calculated mastermind.
    In the play, Hamlet shows a variety of mixed signals from a moment of acceptance about his father's death and a breakdown of anger towards his mother's betrayal. Even throughout these different emotions, in the back of his mind, Hamlet is planning his moves based on what he thinks others will interpret him as. Knowing that numerous characters are spying on him under Claudius's order, Hamlet makes sure to control his actions as this was his own form of revenge against his deceitful uncle. 

The Performative Utterance Notes II

When we say things, we create moments and understandings and a sense of reality.

Hamlet's soliloquies create expectations for himself which in increasingly negative.

J L Austin's theory of performative utterance applied to Hamlet in Boore's essay in which he states, lets us know the characters.

Perlocutionary, locutionary, illlocutionary forces, cause and effect

Self fulfilling prophecy confirms what we know. Hamlet's is questioning if he is the one to avenge his father's death, uncertainty.

Polonius is a creature of language. 

The Performative Utterance in Hamlet Notes

Hamlet is in a state of confusion of whether he should continue having a mental battle or to actually put his thoughts in actions by avenging his father's death. 

"Royal road to individualization." Characters discover their genuine version through self-overhearing. This is often done because it is written as a play for the audiences to also understand a character's thoughts.

Literally, Hamlet does not swear to avenge his father's death but to remember him. 

Progression is used from language to physical actions to performativity.

A central problem in the play is that characters misrepresent their feelings and intentions in way that contradict reality.

Hamlet's antic disposition disguise of madness conceals his real intentions.

There is a difference between the verbal act of madness and actual madness. Polonius buys into the second of one's "true self" which is actually Hamlet's act of verbal madness.

Ambition is the wanting of materialistic wealth but also of power and influence in which Claudius has which interests Gertrude.

Polonius represents the premodern man while Hamlet represents the modern man and King Claudius stands in between them.

Hamlet is in fact a dynamic character when analyzing his sympathy and acceptance.

Hamlet: Act 3

Act 3 Scene 1

Guildenstern confirms hamlet's craziness. First of another character to confirm besides King Claudius.

Claudius just announced himself to the audience, Ophelia, Guildenstern rosencrantz, Polonius have to spy on hamlet and hamlet states his to be or not to be soliloquy.

Hamlet questions Ophelia's sincerity and motives. States that everyone is acting like a fool including himself. 

King Claudius and Lord Polonius listened to Hamlet and Ophelia's conversation. King Claudius is questioning if Hamlet is actually insane. Debating whether to send Hamlet to England.

Polonius agrees with the king but suggests he has Queen Gertrude spend time with Hamlet while he listens (Polonius).

Act 3 Scene 2

Hamlet states to act naturally to the players and don't underplay it either, make it genuine and real, use own conscience as a guide.

Hamlet gives a lot of instruction shows he's not a mad man.

Hamlet asks Horatio to watch Claudius closely during the play to see his reaction to see if he looks guilty or not.

All attend the play. Hamlet sits, lays on Ophelia's lap?, next to Ophelia.

The play begins with the ghost's accusation of Claudius pouring poison in his ear. The play also pokes at the queen for quickly going against her word of remarrying as a sin.

Hamlet asks Queen Gertrude how she likes the play and she comments about the lady (the Queen actor) protesting too much. Claudius asks if there's anything offensive in the play and Hamlet replies that it is just a jest. When asking about the title, Hamlet replies that people with unguitly consciences like the king and himself could watch it as it is a story of a murder in Vienna.

When the nephew of the king actor pours poison in the king, Claudius stands and stops the play.

Horatio and Hamlet agree that the ghost's claim is true. Guildenstern tells Hamlet that the king is very upset and that his mother is in "amazement and admiration"??

 Rosencrantz expresses his worries for Hamlet but Hamlet shuts him down.

Polonius enters to tell Hamlet that his mother wishes to see him.

Act 3 Scene 3

Claudius tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that they will be going to England with Hamlet.

Polonius tells Claudius that he would spy on Hamlet's and his mom's conversation.

Claudius expresses his guilty sins through prayers.

Hamlet sees an opportunity to kill Claudius but he is praying and therefore withdraws.

Act 3 Scene 4 

Queen Gertrude questions Hamlets intentions and he replies that his mother in a cruel sinner. She yells help and Hamlet pierces a sword through the curtain and Polonius who he thinks is Claudius. Hamlet expresses his disgust towards his mother for killing his noble father and remarrying Claudius for power. 

The Ghost enters to calm Hamlet who the Queen cannot see.

The Queen thinks that Hamlet is seriously mad. 

Hamlet Soliloquy

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha_XXFcOIOQ