2. In Hamlet’s speech( I.ii.78-88), he explains how emotions such as “the dejected haviour of the visage(83)” and the passion to portray such grief is something that an actor would be inclined to have. He also goes on to say how his feelings are genuine, and that he possesses a true sense of passion that an actor could never feel. Similarly, in his soliloquy; Hamlet goes about explaining how professionally the actor acts out his emotions and yet, he does not have “the motive and the cue for passion” that Hamlet has. If he had felt the same way as Hamlet, his acting would have been more intense and he would “drown the stage with tears…and horrid speech”. Hamlet uses figurative language such as “drown the stage with tears” to show that if the Player were him and had gone through a similar experience, his raging passion would be so overwhelming, that he would amaze his audience with his overriding emotions. There is also irony involved in Hamlet’s part, as in his earlier speech (I.ii.78-88); he found it absurd to be even associated to an actor as he wanted to put across that his feelings are completely genuine. However, in his second soliloquy; he willingly compares himself to an actor and even works up a frenzy as a response to the Player’s performance.
3. At this point, Hamlet obviously thinks of himself as a coward and feels as though his whole life is ruined. This is seen in the line “ a dull and muddy-mettled rascal…unpregnant of my cause(580)”. He even compares himself to a whore who utters words which are meaningless, for he does not act upon any of them. This is shown in the line “…like a whore, unpack my heart with words(598)”. He wallows in his own self-pity and criticizes himself further for not stepping up to his promise in the line “Tweaks me by the nose, gibes me the lie in the throat, as deep to the lungs?...I am pigeon-livered and lack gall…(586-589)”. This implies that he is a liar for making such a promise to the ghost and not fulfilling it. Hamlet rambles incessantly with self pity and the feeling of worthlessness because he realizes that he has not fulfilled his promise to the ghost . This same rambling and feelings of futility is prevalent in Hamlet’s first soliloquy where he goes on about how his world is shattered, but doesn’t end up doing much about it. However, the same kind of self-depreciation is seen when he says “no more like my father then I to Hercules(154-155)”. His father’s own brother now sits on the throne and sleeps with his mother, and yet; Hamlet does nothing. This is seen in the line “but break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue(I.11.161)”. Also, although Hamlet thinks of himself as a coward in his second soliloquy; he was extremely courageous when he decided to follow the ghost and speak to it, as he says “what should be the fear? I do not set my life in a pin’s fee…(1.iv.70-71)”.Also, during his confrontation with the ghost, he did not seem as though he would procrastinate in killing Claudius; as seen in the line “haste me to know it, that I, …may sweep to my revenge(1.v.32-34)”. Hamlet’s cowardice and reluctance to take action could also be related to his line in Act 1 scene 5, where he says “O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right”. His annoyance for his lack of action could also be because, instead of stepping up to his commitment; he paces the halls of his home, reads and “puts on an antic disposition”. The scene with Ophelia where he “looked so piteous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell…he raised a sigh so piteous and profound (II.i.90-105)” also shows his lack of action. All he seems to do is act as though is insane and shattered, but never makes an attempt in actually doing what he set out to do.
Section 2
1. In this section, Shakespeare uses diction, alliteration and rhyme to portray Hamlet’s rage, as this is the point in which he comes to terms with Claudius’s evil act and shifts gears from feeling worthless to realizing he has to take revenge. The line “remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain (593)” features alliteration; with a similar ‘s’ sound at the end of the adjectives. This literary device reinforces Hamlet’s frenzy and hatred for Claudius, and creates tension in the soliloquy. The adjectives “treacherous” and “lecherous” also rhyme, which gives additional affect to Hamlet’s rigid tone. Shakespeare alliterates similar sounds in words to convey a common theme or idea in that line, which in this case is Hamlet’s rage and hatred towards Claudius.
Section 3
1. Hamlet implies that he has heard that people who witness a scene that portrays the evil deeds that they have done could be found out by observing their guilty reactions. This is seen in the line “I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play, have by the very cunning of the scene…proclaimed their malefactions (600-604)”. Therefore, he has asked the players to perform an act like the murder of his father in front of Claudius, and observe his reactions to determine whether or not he is guilty. This is seen in the line “play something like the murder of my father…I’ll observe his looks, if he but blench, I know my course (607-610).”
2. He has not yet committed the revenge because he does not know for sure whether the ghost is real or if it is a devil in disguise, so he postpones his actions of killing the king because he needs more evidence. This is seen in the line “the spirit that I have seen might be the devil, and the devil hath power to assume a pleasing shape(610-612)”. I think that this reasoning is just an excuse for Hamlet’s procrastination as during his encounter with the ghost; he seemed to be somewhat convinced that the ghost is his father as he starts to think about revenge. He acts in a hypocritical manner, taking no actions into his own hands other than the staging of this play in which he will accomplish nothing. While Hamlet could infer that Claudius is guilty through the play, it will not put Hamlet any closer to the fulfillment of his promise and so Hamlet will find himself at the same position as before. He will continue to whine in self-pity like a pathetic, rambling child because he has not taken direct action to fulfill his promise.