Ophelia's Madness
There is no doubt that Ophelia is quite mad at the end of her life. The last scene that Ophelia appears in her dialogue is almost completely composed of nonsensical little songs. These songs are focused on death, love, and betrayal. Laertes says in line 170, "This nothing's more than matter," about his sister's ramblings. Indeed, her obsession with death and love reveal the cause of her insanity: the death of her father. The death of her beloved father, who she was shown to follow blindly, by none other than her lover broke the last straw. The stress of the last few days events, her brother's departure, the suspicious air at court, Hamlet's crumbling mental state, and finally her father's death were too much to handle and Ophelia cracked. She, like the rarely mentioned Denmark, was just a pitiful, innocent, but very intimately connected bystander.
Hamlet's Madness 2
The beginning of Act V opens with a slight break all the tragedy and seriousness by introducing two comical gravediggers. Hamlet comes across one cheerily digging up to grave of poor Yorik for Ophelia's fresh corpse. Hamlet and Horatio come across this sight and Hamlet's response is telling. While he seems to have the reaction of any sane person, somewhat horrified, his response when compared to Horatio's is telling. Hamlet's dialogue is long winded and a tiny bit comical as he makes legal puns about what one should lose and keep during death. Even when he finds out that the bones being carelessly tossed about by the clown are that of his old friend Yorik, Hamlet's reaction is more amused than sad and upset while he rambles on and on. Horatio's only response are short, unemotional statements. Horatio, who surely would comfort his friend or help him in some way, has no reaction at all. Therefore, the mood and length of Hamlet's speech imply that he is still mad.
However, Hamlet's madness is different from Ophelia's madness. Ophelia insanity was born instantaneously by natural human forces. She had lost all powers of comprehension and reason, and even her own identity in her madness. Hamlet, on the other hand, still was essentially Hamlet even when he became insane. He was still aware of his surroundings, had his reason, and his personality. His madness was born out of obsession, revenge, and supernatural forces (the ghost that was supposedly the "spirit of [his] father).
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
12/3 Hamlet #13B
Hamlet's Madness 1
To say Hamlet had gone completely mad would be false, but to say that he was not mad at all would also be false. In some of the circumstances Hamlet's craziness seems to be purposeful for his endeavours to uncover the king's secret murder and his mother's unfaithfulness. For example, when he and Horatio are getting ready for the play that he has planned and the king and his entourage are about to enter, Hamlet says to his friend something along the lines of "Oh, they're coming. I need to act insane now." This alone shows he has a definite purpose in many of his odd words and behaviors. However, Hamlet's madness does seem to be out of his control at several points as well. One sign of his madness is his shift from utter conviction to spare his mother to wanting to humiliate her at others. His erratic behavior towards Ophelia is also a sign of madness. The most obvious moment of his insanity, however, when he is confronting his mother, he can see the Ghost, but she cannot.
Ophelia and Gertrude
From reading Hamlet, it is clear that Hamlet does not have a positive view about women. He treats them as one disillusioned, which is exactly what he is. His mother was once the loyal and loving wife to the king, but now she is the incestuous, forgetting wife of her husband's murderer. It is not surprising that Hamlet would feel hurt and betrayed by her. However, instead of dealing with it in a healthy way, Hamlet lets this view of an unfaithfulness permeate his outlook on all women, including his loved Ophelia. His dislike for women is obvious in the way that he talks to Gertrude and Ophelia. His bitterness leaks out in his sexual comments and unwarranted attitude towards them. When dealing with Ophelia alone, the reader can see that the prince thinks women are bad influences on men. He states, "Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monster you make of them." Hamlet also thinks of women as uncommitted. In addition to his several comments about Gertrude, this view can be seen when Ophelia comments that the prologue to the play is short and he responds, "As woman's love."
Play within a Play
The events in the play that Hamlet writes are clearly a retelling of how Hamlet suspects his father's murder took place. The speeches put a spotlight on how Hamlet views his parents and uncle's thoughts during this time. The player Queen's speech in particular seems to be a jab at Gertrude. The King's response to the murder of the Player King was the exact clue that Hamlet was looking for. The purpose of the whole play was to set a trap for his uncle so that Hamlet might discover the truth through the king's reaction and then work accordingly. Hamlet is overjoyed at the king's give away of his guilt. His suspicions and the Ghost were right after all. Besides that, the "play-within-a-play" had no underlying significance.
To say Hamlet had gone completely mad would be false, but to say that he was not mad at all would also be false. In some of the circumstances Hamlet's craziness seems to be purposeful for his endeavours to uncover the king's secret murder and his mother's unfaithfulness. For example, when he and Horatio are getting ready for the play that he has planned and the king and his entourage are about to enter, Hamlet says to his friend something along the lines of "Oh, they're coming. I need to act insane now." This alone shows he has a definite purpose in many of his odd words and behaviors. However, Hamlet's madness does seem to be out of his control at several points as well. One sign of his madness is his shift from utter conviction to spare his mother to wanting to humiliate her at others. His erratic behavior towards Ophelia is also a sign of madness. The most obvious moment of his insanity, however, when he is confronting his mother, he can see the Ghost, but she cannot.
Ophelia and Gertrude
From reading Hamlet, it is clear that Hamlet does not have a positive view about women. He treats them as one disillusioned, which is exactly what he is. His mother was once the loyal and loving wife to the king, but now she is the incestuous, forgetting wife of her husband's murderer. It is not surprising that Hamlet would feel hurt and betrayed by her. However, instead of dealing with it in a healthy way, Hamlet lets this view of an unfaithfulness permeate his outlook on all women, including his loved Ophelia. His dislike for women is obvious in the way that he talks to Gertrude and Ophelia. His bitterness leaks out in his sexual comments and unwarranted attitude towards them. When dealing with Ophelia alone, the reader can see that the prince thinks women are bad influences on men. He states, "Or, if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool; for wise men know well enough what monster you make of them." Hamlet also thinks of women as uncommitted. In addition to his several comments about Gertrude, this view can be seen when Ophelia comments that the prologue to the play is short and he responds, "As woman's love."
Play within a Play
The events in the play that Hamlet writes are clearly a retelling of how Hamlet suspects his father's murder took place. The speeches put a spotlight on how Hamlet views his parents and uncle's thoughts during this time. The player Queen's speech in particular seems to be a jab at Gertrude. The King's response to the murder of the Player King was the exact clue that Hamlet was looking for. The purpose of the whole play was to set a trap for his uncle so that Hamlet might discover the truth through the king's reaction and then work accordingly. Hamlet is overjoyed at the king's give away of his guilt. His suspicions and the Ghost were right after all. Besides that, the "play-within-a-play" had no underlying significance.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
12/1 Hamlet #13A
Opening Scene
The opening scene of Hamlet sets the mood for the supernatural, quiet, intense mood of the play. Hamlet opens with Bernardo and Francisco changing guard while on watch at the palace. Not only does Horatio's explanation of the tumultuous state of Denmark add a gloomy feel to the scene, but so does the mood Shakespeare sets. It is a cold, silent, haunted night. He describes it as (in line 7) "bitter cold," and (in line 10) so quiet that "not a mouse [was] stirring," during that "dead hour," (line 65). The perfect night for a ghostly appearance. This mood sets the tone for the entire play, including Hamlet's and his comrade's encounter with the ghost of his father, the king. While Hamlet gives no thought to what the motive of the ghost may be, Horatio fears that ghost may just be a malevolent spirit wishing to lure the prince off to an untimely and dramatic death. This fear that Horatio and the other have is understandable considering the mood if the night. Ominous, spooky air would give one pause when intending to follow ghosts.
The Ghost
When Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father, two things are clear: he was murdered for the crown and that murderer was his own incestuous brother. The Ghost, while he identifies himself as the estranged spirit of the king, still speaks of the king's life and death in third person. He shows an un-connectedness to the world around him. The ghost shows no emotion at the sight of seeing his son nor at the mention of his horrid fate after death. The ghost's only focus is the events of his death and the task in which he gives Hamlet. His request is unquestionable, "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder," (line 25). Hamlet is, naturally, surprised at the ghost's identity and understandably horrified at the circumstances surrounding his death and his uncle's seduction of the king. While he is shocked though, and possibly uncertain of the truth, Hamlet is determined to fulfill the Ghost's request. He even says, "Now to my word [... Uncle,] Adieu, adieu! [...] I have sworn't," (line 110) This seems to be an allusion to his goal of fulfilling the Ghost's task by murdering his uncle.
The opening scene of Hamlet sets the mood for the supernatural, quiet, intense mood of the play. Hamlet opens with Bernardo and Francisco changing guard while on watch at the palace. Not only does Horatio's explanation of the tumultuous state of Denmark add a gloomy feel to the scene, but so does the mood Shakespeare sets. It is a cold, silent, haunted night. He describes it as (in line 7) "bitter cold," and (in line 10) so quiet that "not a mouse [was] stirring," during that "dead hour," (line 65). The perfect night for a ghostly appearance. This mood sets the tone for the entire play, including Hamlet's and his comrade's encounter with the ghost of his father, the king. While Hamlet gives no thought to what the motive of the ghost may be, Horatio fears that ghost may just be a malevolent spirit wishing to lure the prince off to an untimely and dramatic death. This fear that Horatio and the other have is understandable considering the mood if the night. Ominous, spooky air would give one pause when intending to follow ghosts.
The Ghost
When Hamlet encounters the ghost of his father, two things are clear: he was murdered for the crown and that murderer was his own incestuous brother. The Ghost, while he identifies himself as the estranged spirit of the king, still speaks of the king's life and death in third person. He shows an un-connectedness to the world around him. The ghost shows no emotion at the sight of seeing his son nor at the mention of his horrid fate after death. The ghost's only focus is the events of his death and the task in which he gives Hamlet. His request is unquestionable, "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder," (line 25). Hamlet is, naturally, surprised at the ghost's identity and understandably horrified at the circumstances surrounding his death and his uncle's seduction of the king. While he is shocked though, and possibly uncertain of the truth, Hamlet is determined to fulfill the Ghost's request. He even says, "Now to my word [... Uncle,] Adieu, adieu! [...] I have sworn't," (line 110) This seems to be an allusion to his goal of fulfilling the Ghost's task by murdering his uncle.
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