Transcription
HAMLET - ACT 1SCENE 2www.aoifesnotes.com
FIRST IMPRESSION OF HAMLETHe is the only member ofthe court dressed inmourning.He stands out from the rest
CLAUDIUSUses the royal ‘we’: has he a high opinion of himself ?Has a hard act to follow as everyone seems to have thoughthighly of his predecessor, old Hamlet.Skilfully diverts attention away from his recent incestuousmarriage by focusing on threat from Norway.Is he a good king or is he a clever manipulator of circumstances?Encourages everyone to focus on the future rather than the deathof old Hamlet.
Claudius speaks in a euphuistic style. This meansthat he uses ornate language full of literary devices. Itwas popular during the time the play was written. Theargument made appears balanced and the point is notreached until the end. Look at Claudius’ depiction ofhis marriage (Lines 8 to 14). He doesn’t say ‘Taken towife’ until the very end of his convoluted sentence.Uses diplomacy as a first recourse to deal with youngFortinbras.Old Hamlet was a warlike man but Claudius does notappear to be.
POWERFULClaudius’ dealing withLaertes shows again howpowerful he is. He pointsout that he can grantLaertes whatever he want ifhe, Claudius, decides to doso.
HAMLET AND CLAUDIUSClaudius needs the support of hispeople. He tries to win Hamletover, calling him ‘cousin’ and ‘son’.(‘Cousin’ merely meant relation atthe time the play was written.)Hamlet’s obvious dislike of his stepfather could be a problem forClaudius. Hamlet is heir to thethrone. Claudius needs to keep himon side.Hamlet’s first words are an aside: hecannot directly challenge Claudius.
Hamlet is witty and his short, cutting remark ‘I amtoo much ‘i the sun’, gets to the heart of the matter.He does not like Claudius calling him ‘son’.Gertrude begs Hamlet to appear less unhappy.Hamlet says it is not that he ‘seems’ unhappy; hereally is! He is not acting, as others might.Hamlet is clearly hinting that neither Claudius norGertrude are truly mourning.This idea of seeming - appearance versus reality - iscentral to the play.
CLAUDIUS’ ATTACKClaudius once again presents us with a euphuisticspeech in which he criticises Hamlet whileappearing balanced and reasonable. He saysHamlet is behaving in an immature, unnaturalway by mourning so deeply.Claudius uses the royal ‘We’ again, even thoughhis words to Hamlet are personal. The pair areclearly not close.
WITTENBERGDid not exist as a university at thetime in which the play was set.Shakespeare is aligning Hamletwith Protestant values by linkinghim to Wittenberg. Claudius islinked to Catholicism.Protestant - man is control of hisown destinyCatholic - God is in charge ofman’s destiny
HAMLET’S SOLILOQUYClaudius leaves with Gertrude, having shown hispleasure at Hamlet’s decision to remain.Note that Hamlet stayed because his motherasked, not because Claudius asked.Alone, Hamlet shares his thoughts with theaudience.
O! THAT THIS TOO TOO SOLID FLESH WOULDMELT Some versions say ‘Sullied’,meaning dirtied (is beingnear Claudius so dreadfulthat he feels sullied by it?)Some say ‘Sallied’, meaningattacked‘Solid’ is the most popularchoice nowadays and itgoes well with ‘melt’
Straight away we see that the unhappy young mancannot take action even though he suspects Claudiusof something.Hamlet feels inadequate compared to his late fatherwhom he idealises.‘Hyperion to a satyr’: Old Hamlet was like a god, whileClaudius is like a lecherous satyr: half-man, half-goat.Niobe: tragic figure in Greek mythology who grievedso much for her dead children that she turned into apermanently weeping statue.
HORATIO AND HAMLETHamlet is delighted to see Horatio.He comments darkly that the meats served at the funeralwere still fresh enough to be served at the wedding.Horatio tells Hamlet about the ghost.Hamlet is suspicious now and wonders for the first timeif his father’s death was natural. He believes that such acrime cannot be hidden: ‘Foul deeds will rise’.
HAMLET AND CLAUDIUS Claudius needs the support of his people. He tries to win Hamlet over, calling him ‘cousin’ and ‘son’. (‘Cousin’ merely meant relation at the time the play was written.) Hamlet’s obvious dislike of his step-father could be a problem for Claudius. Hamlet i
