Topics for Class Today
#1: Getting to know King Claudius (1.2)
In this first "court scene" we meet the (very) new king of Denmark. Go back and re-read lines 1-128. Outline the three main "issues" that Claudius deals with (public, court, personal). What do we learn about the character of this man through his various dealings with people around him (his ambassadors, his courtiers, his new wife, his nephew/son)?
#2: Hamlet's soliloquy in 1.2 "Oh that this too too solid flesh ..."
Go back and carefully re-read Hamlet's first soliloquy (he has SEVEN in total in this play). Identify all of the mythological allusions that Hamlet makes within this speech, and then explain why he would choose these particular allusions at this point. How do these references reinforce Hamlet's view of his deceased father, his "new" father/uncle and Gertrude and their relationships with one another?
#3: The "other" family: siblings Laertes and Ophelia (1.3)
Go back and re-read the exchange between Laertes and Ophelia. What advice does the brother give the sister? How does she respond? What does their exchange teach us about their respective characters and their roles within society?
#4: The "other" family: Polonius and his children (1.3)
First Polonius bids goodbye to his son, and leaves him with a string of lines of advice. Look at those lines carefully - is his advice more about ethics or etiquette? Once Laertes leaves, Polonius presses his daughter about her relationship with Prince Hamlet. Why is Polonius so harsh with his daughter?
#5: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (Marcellus, 1.4)
When the Ghost re-appears in 1.4, and beckons Hamlet to follow him, Marcellus utters these famous words. What indications do we have that Denmark is "rotting"? Was it rotting under the rule of Old Hamlet? Or is the rot fairly new (i.e. with the ascension of King Claudius)? Go back through all of the scenes of Act 1 and find language that evokes the idea of rotting, or something "untoward" happening in this country.
#6: The Ghost's Story (1.5)
Re-read the many lines where the Ghost tells Hamlet his story, and encourages his son to seek revenge. In particular, what kind of imagery does the Ghost use in telling his tale? Think about where his soul resides at this present time, and how that might inform his language/images.
#4- Polonius advice to his son is more about ethics because he is telling him how to be careful and safe because he is rich and wealthy. Polonius is harsh on his daughter because he doesn't want her to have her heart broken by prince hamlet.
ReplyDeletea) Is it only about being rich?
Deleteb) Are you sure it's just about having her heart broken? That seems too kind
Its not about Hamlets wealth its alot more and hes not avoiding ophelias possibility of having her heart broken but the fact that they are from different "social classes"
Deletei expect more from you my son
Nice dialogue
DeleteI do not believe this about their wealth but i do agree that Polonius wants to protect his daughter and he also wants to show respect to the nobles who are above him being as though Ophelia is not a princess.
Deleteapples
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DeleteClaudius addresses the public about the death of King Hamlet and tries to cheer up the public in a sense by encouraging them to enjoy the wedding and marriage of him and Queen Gertrude. He addresses the court about the threat of Fortinbras (young) taking back his land that King Hamlet took from the late Fortinbras. He tells Hamlet to move on about his father's death. We learn that as a leader he is weak for not addressing Fortinbras (young) directly about the situation at hand. He has no remorse for Hamlet's greif and how he's coping with the death of his father and basically tells him to man up
ReplyDeleteWell said. He really seems like a politician here. Telling the people what they want to hear.
DeleteQuestion # 3
ReplyDeleteLaertes is telling her that he can't have her because his wife will be given to him without him getting any say. He wants her to stop trying so that she won't get into any problems that she cant handle
Her response to Laertes was fine i will do as i was told but now when you go off to college you must behave as well
Their role within the society are to care for one another and that they don't want each other to get hurt and they will do whatever it takes to not see them get hurt.
4th time's a charm
Delete#5 Horatio mentions there are floods. there has been corruption throughout the scenes. War preparations could be provoked by the ghost appearance and maybe there a problem with government. King Hamlet's death can lead to the fall of the land. The ghost appearance more than once will not bring anything good. Hamlet was not that trust worthy.
ReplyDeleteI believe you're correct
DeleteI believe the advice from Polonius is both about ethics and etiquette. It shows me that Polonius wants to instill a high level of respect for the noble people above him. Although they are also noble people in society he knows that his family must stay within their own boundaries. When he questions his daughter about her relationship with Prince Hamlet, it was because he didn't want to cause any corruption between the noble people in the society. He is so harsh on her because he wants to protect and the last thing he wants to do is have his daughter be the one to cause the corruption.
ReplyDelete#4
Fair analysis. Polonius is, ultimately, most concerned about appearances which symbolizes most underlings in a king's court during the period.
DeleteQuestion # 6
ReplyDeleteThe Ghost of King Hamlet uses a lot of imagery when describing his killer, how he was killed and the affects of the weapon of choice used to kill him. He described Claudius his killer as an incestuous, adulterate beast. That paints an ugly picture in our heads. When The Ghost described poison as a sudden vigor that curdled like eager droppings into milk. Also when The Ghost describes the effects of the poison he said , "a most instant tetter barked about, most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust. This meaning that his skin became covered with a barklike substance similar to leprosy.
Good call on the imagery he uses; it certainly paints a picture in the mind. Especially the curdled milk
DeleteWe see King Claudius deal with the King Hamlet's death (which is also Cladius' brother) in a very indirect way. He declares his sorrow for his brother's death, but then tells everyone to cheer up that he his marrying his once sister in-law Queen Gertrude. This was frowned upon by society, with the close connection with the queens previous marriage it was almost saw as incestual. We also see Claudius deal with another situation very indirectly. Young Fortinbras' declared her was takinging the land back that was once his father's. Claudius sends a group of followers to go tell his father what is happening in hopes that he will bring an end to this. Claudius never truly faces his problem and we see numerous cowardly characteristics from the new king. He doesn't own, or at least has not shown any characteristics owned by great kings and leaders.
ReplyDeleteWatch the way politicians speak this fall and you'll see some similarities.
Delete#5
ReplyDeleteHoratio Said there are like storms going on through the story . they are holding back getting ready for war because of the ghost and his presents . the Mettle of the new ruler is placing denmark in a great peril . they say that they kings death would lead to bad things and that the ghost should no longer appear anymore .
There is definitely a disturbance in the force....
Deletethe advice he gives is more about ethics when he tells him to give ''thoughts not tongue'' that means just basically speak on what you know dont be ignorant and comment on situations that you know nothing about ,and he is hard on his daughter about being a tease when she really isn't doing anything but just being there but he is pressing her because if she isn't a virgin anymore she won't beable to get married later on in her life
ReplyDeleteSeems like good parenting I suppose
DeleteQuestion #2-
ReplyDeleteHamlet creates the mythological allusion that his father, King Hamlet is like the Sun God, Hyperion and that his uncle, the new king is a satyr, a creature that is half man, half goat, ugly and lecherous. Hamlet chooses to make these refrences because he thinks so highly of his father and hates his uncle so much. He also compares his mother to Queen Niobe and wishes that she morned as much as she did for her kids, for his father.
Well done. I assume these allusions get his point across>
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