University of London

Explorations II
HAMLET NOTES
ACT I
Scene i
"Horatio comments that the presence of the host fore!odes some "strane er#ption to o#r
state"$ It is !elieved that it has to do %ith &ortin!ras threats to invade 'anmar($ )*+,
Scene ii
" Cla#di#s #ses ela!orate fi#res of speech to cover #p his #ilt$ )p$ -.,
" Mo#rnin is an inner feelin for Hamlet$ This points to his later inner conflict a!o#t the
co#rse of action he sho#ld ta(e$ )/.0*,
" Hamlet"s first solilo1#y is directed to his mother2 "frailty3 thy name is %oman"3 "O3 most
%ic(ed speed3 to post %ith s#ch dexterity to incest#o#s sheets4"$ )p$ -+,
" 5hen he learns a!o#t the host he says that "&o#l deeds %ill rise$" )677,
Scene iii
8oloni#s famo#s advice to his son may %ell point to the real pro!lem of the play so far2
%hat is one9s tr#e self: Appearance and reality are conf#sed3 and the reality of thine
own self remains do#!tf#l$
Laertes9s %arnin speech to Ophelia$ )p$ 6;0/,
Scene iv
Hamlet9s comment that one defect miht o#t%eih all the ood 1#alities of a person$
This miht refer to himself and in his %averin !et%een action and ponderin$ )p$ .7,
Marcell#s9s comment that <Somethin is rotten in the state of 'enmar($9 )+=,
Scene v
His father9s host tells him that he cannot have rest #ntil the crimes he has s#ffered
have !een revened$ )p$ >-,
Hamlet9s second solilo1#y2 passionate? thin(in a!o#t ta(in revene$ )p$ >7,
His comment to Horatio that <There are more thins in heaven and earth @ than are
dreamt of in yo#r philosophy$9 )-**,
After contemplatin a!o#t revene in his passionate reaction to the host9s revelation3
he exclaims <O c#rsed spite3 that ever I %as !orn to set it riht49 )-/+,
ACT II
Scene ii
Hamlet p#AAles even himself %ith his chane of attit#de3 alternatin !et%een
melancholy and elation$
He realises that if veneance is to !e ta(en it %ill not come as a res#lt of reasonin$ Its
so#rce %ill !e passion and it is in the context of passion that the the passionate speech
of the &irst 8layer ta(es its proper place$ &or Hamlet it holds the mirror up to nature3
the desired res#lt is achieved !y the comminlin of passion and B#dement$
Hamlet9s comment that <to !e honest @ is to !e one man pic(ed o#t of ten tho#sand9
applies even to himself3 %ho has to pretend to et %hat he %ants$
In his conversation %ith CosencrantA and D#ildestern he says that the %orld is neither
ood nor !ad !#t it depends on %hat yo# ta(e it to !e$ &or him the %orld is a prison
and he %ishes he <co#ld !e !o#nded in a n#stshell3 and co#nt )him,self a (in of infinite
space3 %ere it not that )he, had !ad dreams$
His third solilo1#y3 %here he acc#ses himself of !ein <a ro#e and peasant slave9 for
not ta(in immediate action$ )p$ +-,
He thin(s a!o#t his ploy3 %hich %ill prove %hether the host is evil or not$ )p$ +.,
ACT III
Scene I
University of London
Explorations II
HAMLET NOTES
Hamlet extends his do#!ts a!o#t the Dhost to the %hole s#peranat#ral %orld expressin
his fears of the life after death$ Ey the end of his most famo#s speech he has come to
terms %ith his dilemma? action has disappeared in spec#lation$
Cla#di#s hints at his terri!le deed reactin in 8oloni#s9s speech a!o#t p#ttin #p s%eet
appearances to hide evil thins$ )p$ +;,
Hamlet9s fo#rth solilo1#y$ )p$ +;,
His conversation %ith Ophelia reveals misoynist vie%s$ )p$ -=60.,
Scene ii
The nat#re of the str#le !et%een Hamlet and the Fin is clarified !y Hamlet9s
intellect#al endeavo#r to !alance passion and tho#ht Gblood and judgemetH$ This
endeavo#r is for him to attain an o!Bectively correct vie% of nat#re$
The player0(in9s speech is sinificant in at least t%o %ays2
&irst3 its ordered movement of rhymin co#plets3 presentin %ise eneralisations on
the nat#re of man and his actions3 contrasts vividly %ith the lan#ae of the rest of
the play$
Second3 li(e Hamlet9s advice to the player at the !einnin of the scene3 it stands
for a temperate vie% of action and life3 #nli(e the player01#een9s extravaant
protestations of devotion$
The player0(in9s comment that <5hat to o#rselves in passion %e propose3 the passion
endin3 doth the p#rpose lose9 co#ld apply to Hamlet himself$ )-/6,
His fifth solilo1#y3 %here he tries to ma(e ro#se himself from his contemplations and
!ecome passionate$ )p$ -6;,
Scene iii
He does not (ill Cla#di#s !eca#se his B#dement prevails over his passion$
His sixth solilo1#y3 %hich is a revelation of his character in that he can act impet#o#sly3
on the sp#r of an imp#lse3 !#t he cannot act %hen there is time to ta(e tho#ht$
Scene iv
In his invective aainst his mother he !ecomes really cr#el %hen he tells her that she
sho#ld not have sex#al imp#lses in her ae$ )p$ -.+,
Dertr#de feels remorse$
Hamlet feels that he m#st the Dod9s sco#re and minister$ )-;*,
ACT II
Scene I
Cla#di#s feels threatened$ )p$ ->+,
Scene ii
Cla#di#s thin(s of ta(in meas#res$ )p$ -7.,
Scene iv
Hamlet compares the #rent and f#ll0scale action of &ortin!ras action over a trivial
point of hono#r3 %ith his o%n inaction in the face of the ravest offence$
Scene v
Ophelia9s en#ine distraction is to !e seen aainst his o%n developed presence of mind
and B#dement$
Laertes9 passionate acc#sations and threats sho% him to !e at this stae3 li(e Hamlet3 a
menace to Cla#di#s$
Ophelia9s comment that <%e (no% %hat %e are !#t (no% not %hat %e may !e$9 )>6,
Scene vii
University of London
Explorations II
HAMLET NOTES
The str#ct#ral contrasts of passion and reason are emphasiAed yet aain2 Laertes is no%
firm in his passion for revene %hile Hamlet9s %idely respected rep#tation as a %ise
prince is asserted$
ACT I
Scene I
As the play moves nearer to the impendin death str#le3 the ravediers provide
some h#mo#ro#s relief and their activities lead Hamlet the theme of %ills and fates$
Hamlet9s comment that thins %ill ta(e their nat#ral co#rse %hatever people do to
infl#ence them$ )p$ 6=.,
Scene ii
The acco#nt of the death of CosecrantA and D#ildenstern is postponed #ntil this stae3
perhaps !eca#se it sho%s her most effectively ho% Hamlet has chaned since he left for
Enland? this is a 1#ic(3 deli!erate action of his o%n contrivin$
Hamlet9s comment a!o#t rashness$ )p$ 6=7,
Aain he finds reasons for p#ttin off action$ )p$ 6=+,
He feels resined to fate defyin <a##ry9$ )6-7,
He is interested in his posth#mo#s rep#tation$ )p$ 66.,