Hamlet #6: Interaction between the Queen and Hamlet

In Act III scene iv Hamlet interacts with Queen Gertrude, his mother. Right from the beginning of the interaction Hamlet takes a condescending tone toward his mother. Hamlet mocks his mother by using practically the same structure that she uses and most of the same words, but changing a few words to attack her and make fun of her. When the Queen says "Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended" (III. iv. 12), Hamlet immediately responds with "Mother, you have my father much offended" (III. iv. 13). Hamlet practically says the same thing his mother said but instead of the addressee being "Hamlet", Hamlet changes it to "Mother," and instead of saying "thou hast thy father," Hamlet says "you have my father." The latter sounds less intellectual, and it can be inferred that since Hamlet is a philosopher he chose to sound less intellectual to make fun of his mother. By using simplistic words that sound less intellectual, Hamlet makes the subtle statement that his mother is stupid. The next two lines follow a similar pattern; the Queen first says, "Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue," (III. iv. 14) and Hamlet responds with, "Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue" (III. iv. 15). Hamlet again follows the exact structure of his mother and the words he changes are changed to their opposites: "come" to "go," "answer" to "question," and "idle" to "wicked." By copying the structure and changing words to their opposites, he again insults his mother by taking her words and turning them on her, essentially saying that he can use her words better than she can. This condescending tone that he takes toward his mother in the beginning of their interaction sets up the dynamic of their entire interaction.

Hamlet #5: The Role of Art

When speaking with the actor in Act III scene ii about how he wants the play to be acted, Hamlet makes a statement about the purpose of acting. He says, "the pur- / pose of playing, whose end, both at the first and / now, was and is to hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to / nature, to show virtue her own feature, scorn her / own image, and the very age and body of time / his form and pressure" (III. ii. 21-26). Hamlet believes the purpose of acting is to portray real life and to criticize that which needs criticizing. This idea relates to another text we read this year, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In The Picture of Dorian Gray the portrait of Dorian serves to contrast Dorian's beauty with his personality flaws. In comparing The Picture of Dorian Gray to Hamlet's statement about the purpose of art, we can equate the portrait in The Picture of Dorian Gray to "playing" in Hamlet because both are examples of an art form that reflects aspects of life.

Hamlet #4: Polonius' Asides

During Polonius and Hamlet's first interaction, Polonius has a series of asides that highlight what he is truly thinking. Hamlet does not know who Polonius is and Polonius plays along believing it to help his cause. However, the audience knows the true identity of Polonius and Polonius' asides serve as the portrayal of the true Polonius' thoughts. In his first aside Polonius says, "How say you by that? Still harping on / my daughter. Yet he knew me not at first; he said I / was a fishmonger. He is far gone. And truly, in my / youth, I suffered much extremity for love, very near / this. I'll speak to him again" (II. ii. 204-208). Polonius is annoyed by the way Hamlet is talking about his daughter, but he realizes that Hamlet does not know who he or his daughter is and accounts that to the madness that he believes Hamlet had fallen into from his love of Ophelia. Polonius feels that he can empathize with Hamlet so he decides to continue to speak with him in hopes to discover something helpful. In Polonius' second aside he says, "Though this be madness, yet there is / method in 't" (II. ii. 223-224). Polonius realizes that although Hamlet has gone mad his madness is thought out, which seems to contrast the idea of madness. However, given Hamlet's level of intelligence it fits his character. In Polonius' third and final aside of this initial meeting he says, "How / pregnant sometimes his replies are! A happiness / that often madness hits on, which reason and / sanity could not so prosperously be delivered of. I / will leave him and suddenly contrive the means of / meeting between him and my daughter" (II. ii. 226-231). Polonius accounts the philosophical nature of Hamlet's statements to his madness claiming that a sane person could not make such statements. However, being a student of philosophy it is highly plausible that Hamlet could make such statements while sane. Polonius then decides to leave Hamlet while he plans how to prove his theory that Hamlet is mad because of his love for Ophelia. Each of Polonius' asides in this interaction with Hamlet give insight into Polonius' thoughts about Hamlet and his current state of mind.

Hamlet #2: Contrasting Family Dynamics

In Act I, scene iii the reader witnesses an interaction between Laertes' family. Scene ii was partly an interaction between Hamlet's family an d comparing and contrasting these two family interactions highlights the differing family dynamics. Both men: Hamlet and Laertes, are young and going to school and, they area both back in Denmark due to the transition in power. The familial interactions that the reader witnesses in scenes ii and iii relate to Hamlet and Laertes returning to school. Each family treats the prospect of their young man returning back to school differently; Laertes is given supportive advice by his father while King Claudius and Gertrude tell Hamlet not to return to Wittenberg. Claudius says to Hamlet, "For your intent / In going back to school in Wittenberg, / It is most retrograde to our desire, / And we beseech you, bend you to remain / here in the cheer and comfort of our eye, / Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son" (I. ii. 116-121), and Gertrude tells him, "Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet. / I pray thee, stay with us. Go no to Wittenberg" (I. ii. 122-123). Claudius and Gertrude do no support their son going back to school, even though that is what he wants to do, for a few plausible reasons: they want to project an image of a united family, even if they are not, and Claudius wants to make sure that Hamlet does not attempt to take the throne like Fortinbras is doing to his uncle. In stark contrast to Hamlet's parents, Polonius, father of Laertes, shows his love of his son with the advice he gives. Earlier in the text the reader saw Polonius say that although he did not at first agree with Laertes' plans to go back to school, he must support them, and now, in scene iii, he gives his son advice on returning back to school: "Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice. / Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgement. / Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy ... For the apparel oft proclaims the man, ... This above all: to thine own self be true ... Thou canst not then be false to any man" (I. iii. 74-86). The contrast in each parents' treatment of the prospect of their sons returning to school highlights the contrasting family dynamics where Polonius loves his son and looks out for his happiness, and Claudius seems to have selfish goals and Gertrude just agrees with him rather than arguing.