“Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears/Had left the flushing in her galled eyes.” She cried “unrighteous tears” because the sorrow she expressed was insincere. “Flushing” refers to the redness in Gertrude’s eyes from crying. She did not even wait until the redness disappeared from her eyes before she married Claudius.
In Act 1 Scene 5, we see the meeting of the ghost with Hamlet. The ghost is going to give some information that is going to alter Hamlet’s destiny, one revelation that will change Hamlet’s destiny. The ghost gives out the terrible secret. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown.” Animal imagery is used here. Claudius is compared to the serpent, the most vilely, the most lowest of status.
He knew it was his uncle, his hatred towards his marriage had a deeper explanation. Hamlet turns out to be a very sensitive soul. “O my prophetic soul! My uncle!” The ghost asks Hamlet to take revenge. Hamlet is not really equipped by nature to take revenge. He is reflective, philosophical, the scholar prince with too much sensitivity in nature to go on path of revenge. Hamlet fails as an instrument to revenge.
Hamlet doesn’t want anyone to know about what happened during the meeting and therefore confuses everyone by speaking in twists and turns. Shakespeare is now preparing us for one thing, an antic disposition put on by Hamlet. Shakespeare never springs things, he gives hints beforehand. Hamlet though, is a man of thought and not a man of action. In whatever Hamlet says, there is a double meaning. Shakespeare has taken us into confidence, we know about his antic disposition.
Hamlet now has a plan to carry out his revenge. He has appointed a few players and he wants them to play a particular play. A difference can be noted in types of entertainment in modern and historical times. First time we see that Hamlet is taking a positive action towards revenge, though his attempts are very feeble and weak.
In addition to reveal Hamlet’s plot to catch the king in his guilt, Hamlet’s second soliloquy in Act 2 scene 2 which uncovers the very essence of Hamlet’s time conflict. Words like, “muddy mettled, peak, John a dream and unpregnant” shows his inability to act. “Muddy mettled means dull-spirited, “peak” means moping about, languishing, unable to act, and “unpregnant” means to be unable to act quickly.
Hamlet tries to focus his attention on a plan to ensure that Claudius admits his own guilt. He chooses the program for the evening’s entertainment, asking for a performance of “The Murder of Gonzago”, known as the play in the play, a popular element at that time with theatrical elements. Hamlet is convinced that, as Claudius watches a re-enactment of his crime, he will surely reveal his own guilt. Hamlet cannot take the word of his father’s ghost, who really might be the devil. Thus, he must have more material proof before he takes Claudius’ life, he must catch the conscience of the King.
Unlike Hamlet’s first two major soliloquies, the third and most famous speech in Act 3 Scene 1, Hamlet debates on the advantages and the disadvantages of existence, and whether it is one’s rights to end his or her own life. Hamlet questions himself to exist or not to exist, a heart breaking question. He wants to escape from responsibility, a filial obligation, an obligation of a son to a father. Hamlet considers an advantage to death, a positive side of death, when death touches we end a heart attack and the thousand natural shocks.
According to Hamlet committing suicide is a positive way to opt of life, but he is well aware that success is condemned by the church as a mortal sin. He describes life as being difficult and problematic and probably life after death might be worth living because that is a place no one can return from. Long life might be a calamity, a tragedy that is woven into human experience. We learn how Hamlet can be an inventive brain.
Hamlet has now appointed Horatio to see the King’s face. When his mother asks him to sit next to her during the play, he refuses and says there is a much better “metal”, he was referring to Ophelia. We notice that there is a change in character to change in language, Hamlet’s language has taken coarseness, there is a vulgarity that was never there before, and sexual overtones are pronounced.
Hamlet’s mind is in turbulence since the focal point is on his mother. Hamlet is stuck between real life and drama. We can see Hamlet’s incapacity to present emotion. The only way when Hamlet works promptly is when he presents the play, though at the end it is an exercise of futility.
Hamlet realizes that Claudius is guilty, he is sure now that the ghost is a good ghost. Hamlet’s problem is that he use delaying tactics. He finally finds that Claudius is guilty, audience feels that Hamlet might take action now, but he does not, its only “words, words, words.” Hamlet’s plan to “catch the conscience of the King” has been a success. Thrilled that his scheme worked, Hamlet experiences a sudden surge of confidence.
Hamlet only talks that he can perform terrible actions so that people can see what he has done, he is still irresolute and indecisive, unable to take prompt and timely actions, he is obsessed with revenge and expresses himself in powerful language. The language is charged with emotions, vows to do shocking things but ends up doing nothing. The ghost gives him a task, which is not really equipped by him.
Hamlet is now sure that he will be able to complete the “bitter business” of revenge, sure that he could murder his uncle without hesitation. Hamlet now turns his attention towards his mother, his intentions to force Gertrude to make a full confession. Although Hamlet still loves his mother. He must be cruel to her in order to make her realize her fault. Hamlet says, “My tongue and soul in this be hypocrites.” because he knows that he must feign violent intentions towards his mother and that his words must express those false intentions.
In the next soliloquy of Act 3 Scene 3, we see the time has come to take action but Hamlet finds that he is unable to kill the king. He needs to “scan” or examine more carefully. If Hamlet kills Claudius while he was praying, Claudius would surely go to heaven, Hamlet’s does not want to ensure his enemy’s eternal salvation. “Why, this is hire and salary not revenge?” Revenge comprises of cutting of a man’s chance in this world only but sending a soul to heaven is not revenge. Hamlet uses language of merchandise. We see how Hamlet’s language changes as Hamlet’s thoughts.
Hamlet’s vacillation/procrastination invites tragedy to him by using delaying tactics. Hamlet doesn’t want to kill Claudius now, but wants to kill him in his most horrid moments. Ironically, Hamlet’s soliloquy is ultimately irrelevant, for Claudius is not sincerely repentant, as he reveals in the concluding part of Scene 3, “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below. Words without thought never to heaven go.”
Gertrude thinks he is talking about Claudius, infact, Hamlet is talking about Gertrude offending Hamlet’s father. “Mother, you have my father much offended.” In Act 3 Scene 4, we see an exchange of dialogue between mother and son, a gift of repartee given to Hamlet. “You are the queen, your husband’s brother’s wife.” Hamlet’s attitude towards his mother is changed. Critics say that Hamlet is exaggerating, an unnatural affection towards his mother, an Oedipus complex.
Hamlet tries to give her an insight for her wrong actions. During this time Hamlet kills Polonius unconsciously, a victim which Hamlet did not really want to kill. Hamlet is overpowered by twin tragedy, first the tragic death of his father whom he worshipped so much and secondly the terrible disillusionment caused by his mother’s remarriage. He tells her that she is incapable of seeing her own wrong, normally it is the mother who corrects the child, here it is a reversal of role.
Hamlet describes his mother’s incestuous acts in many ways. Hamlet has the ability to analyze, describe one thing in various ways. He’s got an amazing gift for language but has taken it too far. He accuses his mother, again in language with changed emotions. “Have you eyes?” He repeats this twice, he is questioning motive of his mother’s actions. Hamlet attacks her in brutal language, pointing out her offence.
The Queen now realizes what she did was wrong, she looks within herself and at this moment she is genuine. Shakespeare’s way of showing characterization. Hamlet is trying to drive a wedge between Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet gives good advice to other people, plan of action is very specific, very clever but cannot translate words into actions.
Hamlet is also famous for the graveyard scene where he holds the skull and realizes that man has little lasting control over his fate and also for describing man as the “paragon of animals!” Act 5 Scene 1 is a scene trying to provide some relief since the audience cannot take too much tragedy. This is the scene where we see Ophelia being buried. Ophelia is the daughter of Polonius and sister of Laertes. She loves Hamlet and is distressed by his treatment of her. Hamlet makes a mistake by judging all women by his mother. His mother becomes a yardstick for all women who are looked upon mistrust. Unfortunately she becomes mad and never marries Hamlet.
Shakespeare has placed these three men, Hamlet, Laertes and Fortinbras into similar circumstances, which is, to avenge for their father’s deaths. The main difference between the three is the way that each of them comes to grief of their fathers' deaths and the way they planned their vengeance. Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. Shakespeare has made them similar in many aspects to provide a greater base for comparison when avenging their respective fathers' deaths. Both Hamlet and Laertes love Ophelia in different ways. Hamlet wishes Ophelia to become his wife, Laertes loves Ophelia as a sister.
Hamlet is a scholar at Wittenberg. Laertes is also a scholar at France. Both were brought up under this royal family of Denmark. And both are admired for their swordsmenship. But most important of all, both of them loved and respected their fathers greatly, and showed great devotion when plotting to avenge their fathers' deaths. Hamlet's response to the grief of his father is very different from Laertes.
Laertes responded immediately to the death. He showed his anger to others, he didn't hide it inside. He is also suspicious, it's evident in his speech to Claudius, he asked, "How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with. / To hell, allegiance" in Act 4 Scene 5. Hamlet however is very private with his grief. He mourned long and hard for the death of Old King Hamlet, even two months after his father's death, after his mother's wedding to Claudius. He is still observed by Claudius and Gertrude to be wearing “Suits of solemn black" in Act 1 Scene 2. Claudius and Gertrude noticed and commented on his unhappiness, however, Hamlet hides his feelings so well, it was not until his first soliloquy that we as audiences learned the depth of his suffering.
We see the same contrast between Laertes and Hamlet again when they avenge their fathers' deaths. Laertes again is fast to action, he wants immediate revenge for Polonius. His immediate actions are based in anger and emotions, and therefore, rash. Also because of his immediate want for revenge, Laertes is easily drawn into the manipulation of Claudius. Claudius manipulates him into becoming an ally to kill Hamlet. Laertes is confident with his abilities, he says “ my revenge will come; only I'll be revenged / Most thoroughly for my father” in Act 4 Scene 5.
Hamlet thinks reason before action. Laertes acts on impulsion and without reasoning. Revenge was the driving force behind both characters' actions and it led to their eventual down fall. Fortinbras is the son of Old Fortinbras, King of Norway, killed during the battle with King Hamlet. Through a "Seal'd compact" in Act 1 Scene 1 , the lands of Old Fortinbras were forfeited to Denmark. Fortinbras, being the son of the Old King, vows to avenge his father's death and reclaim the lands that were lost.
Fortinbras shares similarities and differences with Hamlet, Fortinbras is a scholar, a soldier, the man of procrastination and the man of reason and action. Though Hamlet may be slow to make a decision, that decision will be based on reason. The last scene of the play demonstrates the true character of Fortinbras. As he arrives at Castle Elsinore, he quickly analyses the situation he finds then acts upon it. His action to avenge his father’s death was therefore, carefully analyzed and executed as he planned. Fortinbras’ ability to act upon reason and not emotion is one of the most significant differences he has with Hamlet.
In this play, Shakespeare also created perhaps his greatest gallery of characters. The role of Hamlet in particular is considered one of the theatre’s greatest acting challenges. Hamlet reveals his conflict in several famous and eloquent soliloquies. The best known is his soliloquy on suicide, which begins, “To be or not to be.” Shakespeare handled the complicated plot of Hamlet brilliantly
"Hamlet" is the first work of literature to look squarely at the stupidity, falsity and sham of everyday life, without laughing and without easy answers. In a world where things are not as they seem, Hamlet's genuineness, thoughtfulness, and sincerity make him special.
Hamlet is no saint. But unlike most of the other characters (and most people today), Hamlet chooses not to compromise with evil.
Dying, Hamlet reaffirms the tragic dignity of a basically decent person in a bad world. "Hamlet" is the first work of literature to show an ordinary person looking at the futility and wrongs in life, asking the toughest questions and coming up with honest semi-answers like most people do today. Unlike so much of popular culture today, "Hamlet" leaves us with the message that life is indeed worth living, even by imperfect people in an imperfect world.
