You will select a question from the list below and respond to it for the Act I thread. You will also respond to another classmate's post. (You should have two posts total for Acts II & III).
1. The First Player's speech is often cut in performances of the play. Explain why it is important and why it should not be cut.
2. Hamlet's "O what a rogue and peasant slave am I" is the first of his soliloquies. What is he saying, and how does this set of words help to move him to action? What does he decide to do at the end of this speech?
3. What is the subject of Hamlet's second soliloquy, the famous "To be or not to be" speech?
Why is he so cruel to Ophelia immediately thereafter?
4. Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
5. What happens in III.iv (the closet scene)? Why is this death so important for the play, or what does the death of this figure represent?
6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hamlet not killing Claudius while he was praying shows how religion plays a big role in his life. He believes that if he kills him now that he will be sent to Heaven and not to Hell where he belongs for killing his father and then for marrying his mother. It makes me wonder if Hamlet was more upset with Claudius because he killed his father or because he married his mother. The way Hamlet acts sometimes I think it is because he married his mother. Since his mother married so soon she was not able to mourn as long as Hamlet thought was enough time. When Claudius was praying he was seeking forgiveness and Hamlet believes since he was seeking forgiveness he would be sent to Heaven because he admitted his crimes and wanted to be forgiven. Hamlet wants to kill Claudius when he is doing something wrong so that he will go to Hell. This makes sense to me but I think that he uses religion as an excuse because he does not kill Claudius at this moment but then later on in the act he kills Polonius. He uses religion as a way to not feel bad about chickening out. I think that he didn’t kill him because he was afraid of disappointing his mother. He does not want his mother to go through another funeral and lose another husband.
ReplyDelete(Answering #6)
ReplyDeleteGertrude is one of the most questionable characters written into this drama because of the way she is portrayed. There are a lot of questions that the viewer/reader conjures whilst going through the play that never seem to find a clear answer, the main being about her knowledge of the kings murder before taking place. Gertrude's reaction to the enraged Hamlet in Act iii Sc. iV. At first Gertrude acts superior as well as accusatory, next becoming afraid that Hamlet will hurt her, and then overwhelmed by fear, panic, and uncertainty when Hamlet sees the ghost. Which makes it believable that she really had no clue that the murder was to take place. Gertrude could easily be innocent when it comes to the murder but guilty when it comes to always wanting to hold a high rank in the court and keeping a name for herself.
No, I don’t believe that Gertrude knew about her husband’s murder. There is evidence, in Gertrude’s behavior, and in her words, that she did not know that her new husband, Claudius, had murdered her husband Hamlet. Although her son Hamlet is disgusted by her behavior, in marrying quickly and incestuously, Gertrude does seem to be bothered by it, and it would be surprising if she were to deliberately help kill his father, and then marry the murderer. That would just not make sense. She would be getting no benefit out of it other than just keeping her title as Queen. It would be particularly surprising if she then, apparently genuinely, worried and wondered over Hamlet’s behavior, wanting him to stay with her at home and hoping that he would look positively on Claudius. More evidence during the beginning of Act 3 proves that Gertrude was not involved when Claudius is talking of the heavy burdens he has and how remorseful he feels for shedding his brother’s blood. Nowhere does he mention that Gertrude was an accomplice in his plan or that she knew anything of it. During the Act, Gertrude, herself, gives no signs of guilt and, in the lines that she speaks, gives no hints to having been involved in the murder. If she and Claudius had planned the killing together, then one might expect that they would discuss the matter, or, at least, allude to it, in their private conversations, but they don’t.
ReplyDeleteI don’t agree with Tara in her answer because I believe that Hamlet is aware of religion and it’s role in human life, but he himself is not extremely religious. It is Hamlet whom yes, chooses not to kill Claudius, but it is out of the basic knowledge that in religion once you repent your sins you are welcomed back into the gates of heaven instead of facing damnation. So therefore, Hamlet chooses not to kill Claudius because he wants to wait for him to sin again and kill him before he has a chance to return yet again to the chapel to ask for mercy on his soul. That does not necessarily mean that religion plays a large role in his life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Vanesa, Claudius is trying to repent almost knowing that if he is caught he will have to face the wrath of hell for eternity but what I do think we don’t see further interpretations of is that Claudius himself may not be THAT religious, I think that in a way Claudius puts on an act to make himself look more of a heaven orientated soul so that he is less of a suspect in some senses. I believe that Claudius is only so eager to repent because he wants to save himself in all aspects of life and death. What I’m trying to say is that Claudius is almost in a way acting to save himself and one of the character traits he uses is worship.
ReplyDeleteCarMar says,
ReplyDeleteWhen Hamlet finally decides to take action against Claudius for his father he finds his uncle praying in his bedroom. Just as Hamlet is about to end the life of the man who took his father away he stops. He realizes that if he had killed him while he was praying then Claudius would end up going to heaven instead of hell which Hamlet believes he deserves. This reveals that religion plays a large role in the play because it affects the decisions of the characters. This is a prime example because Hamlet was going to kill Claudius and the one thing that prevented him from doing so was religion. Once Hamlet realized this he planned on making another attempt to avenge his father. His also reveals that Hamlet takes into account the religious aspects of his actions and how they might affect him.
CarMar,
ReplyDeleteI agree with Colton because had Gertrude really committed the murder then the ghost of Hamlets father would not have intervened. However, because he intervened this is a clear indication that the ghost was directing Hamlet not to continue going on a tangent but instead to go back to the main objective, to kill killing Claudius. Therefore, there is evidence suggesting that she had no knowledge of the murder.
Jake Simpson:
ReplyDelete4. Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
When Hamlet is approaching Claudius in this scene, Claudius is praying, which apparently meant that if Hamlet were to kill him then, Claudius would go to heaven. This seems like an excuse not to take action on Hamlet's behalf because if a person has a righteous fury against another, and is set on killing that person, they are not going to waste the perfect opportunity to strike like Hamlet did. Hamlet's reasoning sounds like he is attempting to come up with a reason not to kill Claudius. This is not the first time Hamlet has used religion to get out of taking action. He used similar logic and reasoning to decide not to commit suicide earlier in the play as well. The way Hamlet uses religion in this scene is indicative of the use of religion as a scapegoat in the entire play. The reasoning for this logic is that religion only is raised when a character is reasoning whether or not to commit an action they already know in their head is wrong. It is almost as if Hamlet does not want to "avenge his father." Sometimes it seems like Hamlet feels pressured by his own cultural upbringing to take action, and way his religion dictates he should act depends entirely on whether he chooses to take religion into account or not. In other words, religion is used at Hamlet's convenience.
Word Count: 232
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletePriscila Cevallos' post.
ReplyDeleteIn Act III, Hamlet stages the play, The Murder of Gonzago, in which Claudius’ guilty conscience about killing his brother for the crown reveals itself for the first time. Claudius’ melodramatic reaction to the play immediately causes one to question Gertrude’s involvement in the murder. In my opinion, Gertrude was not guilty of co-plotting her husband’s murder. Although Hamlet suspects Gertrude’s involvement in the murder mostly for not having mourned her husband’s death long enough before remarrying, most of the evidence within the play points to Gertrude’s innocence. Women during this time were treated condescendingly, expected to be submissive and thought of as subordinate. With this in mind, it is highly unlikely that Claudius would consult Gertrude and ask for assistance in plotting the murder. Gertrude’s reaction while watching The Murder of Gonzago also portrays her as unperturbed by the actual murder, but more by the marriage between the murderer and the dead king’s wife. By remarking, “The Lady doth protest too much,” Gertrude in a way is justifying her remarriage. I don’t think Gertrude knew anything about the murder. Her role is depicted more as of a concerned mother rather than as a cunning murderer.
In response to question 6—
ReplyDeleteBecause of what I’ve seen so far in the play I don’t believe that Gertrude knew about King Hamlet’s murder. This is shown I think the best during the play when Hamlet brings the actors to reenact his father’s death, and Gertrude doesn’t show any signs of distress other than when the actress portraying her doesn’t grieve King Hamlet’s death long enough. That shows that she feels guilty for marrying Claudius so quickly after her late husband’s death, and it also shows that she doesn’t have any idea what her new husband has done. This is also shows directly after the play when she doesn’t have any idea why Claudius is upset about the play and brings hamlet to her room. Hamlet tells her of Claudius’ murder but it is never shown if Gertrude truly believes him or not. Does she actually believe that Claudius murdered King Hamlet, or does she trust Claudius too much and is blinded by his lies?
Jake Simpson:
ReplyDelete6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
According to Gertrude's dialogue, she does not know anything of the murder of Hamlet's father and her husband. Hamlet is suspicious of his mother Gertrude because she married his uncle not two months after his father's passing. Now that Hamlet is convinced that Claudius killed his father, he suspects his mother as having played a role in the whole conceived murder. When Hamlet confronts his mother, however, he finds that she claims to have no idea what he is talking about. To the reader, she seems genuine, but to Hamlet, who is already on the brink of insanity, she still seems highly likely to be involved. In my honest opinion, I do not believe that Hamlet's mother Gertrude knew that Claudius supposedly poisoned his own brother and Hamlet's father primarily because in her dialogue, she does not show any signs of lying or deceit.
Word Count: 144
Jake Simpson
ReplyDeleteIn response to Tara's post:
I do not disagree that religion plays a big role in Hamlet's life, but I do disagree with the statement about Hamlet's mother. I do not think that Gertrude had anything to do with his decision about killing or not killing Claudius because Hamlet already is displeased with his mother after her marriage with Claudius so soon after the death of Hamlet's father. To conclude, I think that religion is an important aspect of Hamlet's life, but his mother did not factor in his decision whether or not to kill Claudius.
Priscila Cevallos responding to Jake Simposon.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jake Simpson in that Hamlet uses religion when most convenient for him. Hamlet denounces the marriage between his mother and his uncle for it is incestuous and against God’s Law. In the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy and during the “O that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,” Hamlet decides not to commit suicide because it is forbidden by religion. When a lone Claudius is seeing repenting his sins, the perfect opportunity arises for Hamlet to avenge his dead father, but instead Hamlet chooses not to, for killing him at this moment Claudius would go to Heaven instead of Hell. These events portray a weak Hamlet for continually seeking an excuse in religion not to commit suicide or murder.
To me, Gertrude did not know anything about King Hamlet's death. She may have had some idea about the suspicious death, but there is no evidence till this point that suggests that. I think that her character, upon having just seen her own son murder a man, would stop telling lies if she actually knew about Claudius being a murderer.
ReplyDeleteCommenting on CarMar
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting thing that is presented by Hamlet refusing to kill Claudius in prayer is how Hamlet uses religion as an excuse for his own inaction. In the first act, Hamlet wants to commit suicide, yet stops from doing so because it is against the teachings of the bible. Then he decides to go and avenge his father by killing his uncle, but when a perfect opportunity comes along to kill Claudius, Hamlet chickens out and uses religion as an excuse for not killing him.
Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteIt is well known that in Hamlet no one acts like their true selves and everyone is disguised with a different attitude. Hamlet is now pretending to be going insane, but the question remains whether or not he truly is. But there are times when he seems to be conscious about what he is doing or about to do and acts in a rational way. However this only seems to happen when religions interferes with whatever he was planning to do. For example, he has contemplated death but doesn’t because he believes that if he does then he will go to hell. Now in scene three we see him walk in where his uncle Claudius was praying all alone with no one around. This could have been the perfect chance for Hamlet to finally take revenge for his father’s murder and he also had the chance to kill his uncle. But just as this thought is running through his head he realizes that his uncle is praying and that for sure if he kills him right then his uncle will go to heaven not hell where he deserves to be, so he stops himself from murdering him right then. What this seems to reveal about the role of religion in Hamlet is that religion is a major influence in his decisions and is what makes him think and act rationally most of the time. However it is displayed throughout the play that religion is used by Hamlet, and others, just to their advantage. They take from it what benefits them and twist around the rules of religion to act as if what they want to do is not bad. This can be seen in Hamlets actions because he doesn’t kill his uncle while is praying because he was bound to go to heaven and he doesn’t commit suicide because it would be sin and he would also end up in hell, but even still committing murdered is a deadly sin and he agrees to go through with it. This proves how Shakespeare wanted to portray the way humans are when it comes to religion because most people will take what they benefit from it just like Hamlet does.
In response to Tara comment I agree with you that religion plays a big role in Hamlets life, as I have explained in my post. I also agree with you that it is his way of chickening out of doing things. As for if Hamlet is more upset with Claudius killing his father or for marrying his mother so soon afterwards I am not sure I agree with you that he is more upset about his uncle Claudius and his mothers’ marriage. If he were more upset about that then he would have killed Claudius sooner and not have cared that his mother would have to go through another funeral for another husband because the rage would have made him go through with it. But I think that he is more upset by the murder of his father. He reveals this in act one scene two in his soliloquy, although he also mentions his dislike towards his mothers marriage, he seems a lot more depressed about the fact that his good father is gone. He is pushed into even more torment when he discovers by his fathers’ ghost that his uncle was the cause of his death.
ReplyDelete#6
ReplyDeleteI do not think Gertrude knows that Claudius killed his brother to steal the crown. The fact that she marries Claudius less than two months after King Hamlet’s death makes her suspicious of being part of the assassination. However the fact that she did not seem to be affected as she watched the play other than for marrying Claudius, brother of her late husband. Later when Hamlet approaches her in her room she becomes frightened by his actions. When Hamlet sees the ghost she does not which adds on to the fact that she really did not take part in the murder or knew about it. She only feels guilty for marrying Claudius soon after Hamlet’s death.
Based on Gertrude’s interactions with her son, the ghost’s intervention as Hamlet attacks his mother’s character, and taking into account Gertrude’s previous behavior, it seems as though she had no part in the death of the late king. Before her son confronts her in scene four of the third act, the king, the queen, Hamlet, and others are watching the “Murder of Gonzago.” Hamlet asks Horatio to watch his uncle for any adverse reactions to the events unfolding on stage. As Horatio watches, the king becomes paler and more and more shocked, particularly when the poisoning method was explained. However, no one bothers to mention Gertrude, as she seems to have no adverse reaction to the portrayed death of the king. In addition, the only moment in which she expresses any kind of interest is when the queen in the play rejects the advances of the play’s version of Claudius. Even then, she only mentions that, “the lady doth protest too much.” Thus, she is shown to have a reaction, possibly out of guilt, to the queen trying to remain faithful to her deceased husband, but not to the portrayal of the death of the king. Thus, the play sets up that Gertrude is most likely not involved in the murder.
ReplyDeleteNow, when the fourth scene of the third act begins, Gertrude begins to berate her son for having caused Claudius, not herself, grief. She says that he has insulted his, “father,” not that he has harmed her personally. When Hamlet murders Polonius, the queen goes almost into total hysteria, revealing that she is not particularly accustomed to death, although this could also be fear that Hamlet could kill her. As Hamlet begins to rant and assail his mother, her dialogue, and the tone which can be interpreted from the reading implies she is genuinely confused as to why Hamlet is attacking her character. When they continue speaking about his late father, Gertrude does ask him to stop, as she is being forced to look at her own sins, but this is most likely her awareness that she has married too soon, as she has mentioned frequently in earlier acts, and as she alluded to during the play in the second scene. Thus, she is shown to have no guilt concerning her former husband’s death. In addition, when the apparition appears to Hamlet, he defends her, saying that he has come to remind Hamlet that his mission is to murder Claudius in order to avenge his death. He asks Hamlet to speak to Gertrude and to stop her soul from being overtaken by the horrible images being inspired within her. The ghost asks Hamlet basically to watch over his wife and to keep her from pain. As the apparition has returned because it requires vengeance, the fact that he is defending Gertrude from Hamlet, and asks Hamlet to talk to her is the largest indicator that Gertrude is innocent of knowledge concerning the murder of the late king.
responding to Tara's post.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Tara to an extent about the role religion plays in this scene. Hamlet does use it as an excuse to not carry out his revenge when he sees him praying. However, I think Hamlet uses religion as an excuse to postpone the revenge. It shows his unwillingness to take action and the fact that he's a coward. Religion provides him an escape to not killing Claudius since he does not have the passion needed for it.
Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteHamlet decided not to kill Cladius, while he was praying because he didnt want him to go heaven since he was repenting from his sins. He wanted Hamlet to go to hell and suffer for all his sins and pain he caused him. He clearly says he doesnt want him to go to heaven and that he will wait until he is doing the most sinful sin so he would go to hell for sure. At the same time it seems that Hamlet is being a coward and is finding excuses to not kill Claudius. He contradicts himself alot, beucase he says he wants to go to heaven, but at the same time he is trying to seek revenge for his fathers death. Hamlet goes against what the relgion says, its like he has lost himself in a different world full of sins and pain. I think that if his father had not been murdered he probably would notbe going against his religion. I also understad the fact that Hamlet is hurt and the fact that he is seeking revenge, but if he wants to go to heaven all he is going to seek for will be his place in hell with Cladius.
In response to Rosas comment i see your point of view, but at the same time I still have that small suspicion that she has a part in her husbands murder. From what I understood, it seems to me that maybe Gerturd was having an affair with Claduis. I think maybe she had an idea about Cladius wanting to kill Hamlet. Unless all that Cladius wanted was all that his brother had, which would mean he was jeaouls of his brother. I just seems so crazy how she can marry her murdered husbands brother. It just seems like there is somethin not right and there is a hidden secret. Other then that I agree also with rosa.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with what Jake posted earlier when he said that Hamlet’s use of religion is simply used when it is most convenient. Many of those points are quite valid. Hamlet uses religion in order to explain why he is depressed, but is unable to end his life. However, he has no trouble vowing to his dead father to avenge him by killing Claudius, which is an extreme breach of religious doctrine. Yet, even as he has vowed vengeance, he does not take the perfect opportunity to slay his uncle, spouting religion as his reasoning. I agree that this expresses the fact that everyone uses religion only when it is most convenient for them. However, couldn’t it also express a social commentary, depending on your take on the play? If Hamlet has truly gone insane, it is possible to take his continued use of religion as a large metaphor for people clinging to doctrine as a final lifeline even after they’ve been revealed the truth, as he has gone insane through the revelations by the ghost, and yet continues to hold on to these beliefs, blaming them for his inaction against Claudius. Thus, he expresses that people essentially hide behind religion, an outdated system, which only the, “insane” follow. However, if Hamlet is not insane, then he is simply trying to justify what he does as he chooses what he wants to hear from religion. This could be a commentary on people electing to use religion only when it is most convenient. As he perishes at the conclusion of the play, it can be taken that religion must be completely accepted, lest people fall in the same manner as Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteKatharina answering:Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteHamlet is a very difficult and tangled character. From the moment Hgamlet sees the ghost, he wants to kill his uncle Claudius and take revenge on him for killing his father. The guilt of Claudius stirrs up questions within Hamlet that are hard for him to answer. One of the things he does not understand is why his mother married Claudius. To reveal Claudius guilt,l Hamlet acts mad, which worries the other characters, but is not at all effective for Hamlet. When the theater troop arrives, Hamlet seems to finally take a serious approach to prove Claudius guilt by staging a play that closly resembles the murder of King Hamlet. When Claudius stops the play, Hamlet is sure that Claudius is guilty. However, when Hamlet sees Claudius praying, he once again pulls back and does not kill him. He justifies it by saying, that he does not want Claudius soul to go to heaven. Eventually, Hamlet’s grief and misery make him want to kill himself, but he is unable to do so because he does not want to go to hell. In his soliloque “To be or not to be”, shows that he is not afraid of what will come after death, but that he can not kill himself. Throughout Act II and Act III religion becomes a metaphor for Hamlet’s inability to take action. Whenever, he does not do something or is unable to do it out of fear, be blames it on religion.
Katharina commenting on Colton’s post
I agree with Colton, that Gerturde is a charcter that could easily be guilty, but just as easily be innocent. She takes action for her son, but always to remain the Queen. Sometimes it feels that she puts her life above everyone elses. Hamlet is Gertrude’s son, but after remarrying (to Claudius) after such a short time, Hamlet’s and Gertrude’s relationship is strained, at best. She seems to be innocent, because Hamlet is told by the ghost that Gertrude will face god, while he must only punish Claudius.
Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think Gertrude knew about the murder as far as the play shows. If she would have, she wouldn't have acted the way she did when she saw in the play how the King was killed, and instead would have freaked out the way Claudius did. Not only that, but the fact that she was shocked and surprised when Hamlet accused her of helping his uncle murder his dad shows that she didn't even have know about that. Also, if she would have known and been part of the murder, the ghost of King Hamlet would have mentioned her of blamed her for it as well, but he never blames her for such actions. Sure he blames her for having incestuous sex with Claudius, but besides that he seems to protect her by telling Hamlet that he doesn't want Gertrude to be distressed. Which if Gertrude would have been part of the murder of King Hamlet, he wouldn't have worried about Hamlet distressing her or eventually taking revenge against her for his murder.
In response to Rosa's comment, could that fact that Gertrude can't see the ghost nor hear him mean that Hamlet really is going crazy? Even if this wasn't the case as to why Gertrude couldn't see the ghost, I agree with what you said about her not knowing nor being guilty for King Hamlet's murder because she did not react at all to the play the way that Claudius did. However, you mention how Gertrude eventually feels guilty for marry Claudius, could Gertrude have married Claudius in order to keep herself in power and protect Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteJose post:
ReplyDeleteHamlet chooses to not to kill Claudius because he was simply afraid to act. Throughout the scene Hamlet state that if he has the chance to take revenge for his father he will.Hamlet states that if he would have killed Claudius while he was praying his soil would have gone to heaven which Hamlet would hate that fact. Religion has a role in hamlets decision making so to say. Hamlet justify all his doing to religion, not killing Claudius nor himself he excused himslwf by stating it is against his religion. With this religion factor Hamlet plays the role of a hero(a good son to his father) So with the religion factor he use it to excuse himself For not sinning saying that it against his religion to kill and takes one's life is a sin. Therefore religion role on the scene is to allow Hamlet to excuse and delay his vengeance.
Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteIn this scene, Hamlet, spurred on to revenge by the ghost of his father, comes upon Claudius in his quarters. While his intent was to strike him down in recompense for the murder of his father, Hamlet sees that Claudius is praying and thinks better of it. He reasons thus that following his confession of sins, Claudius’ heart would be pure, and upon death would enter heaven. This is the exact opposite of Hamlet’s goal. Hamlet intends for Claudius to be both punished before his own eyes by an act of revenge and before the eyes of the Lord in a fiery pit of doom. It seems that religion is taken as a part of nature, and the laws of heaven as laws of nature as well. As a result, the actions taken by Hamlet and other characters are not guided by a religious cause or purpose, but rather they are subject the religious effects or consequences.
Commenting to Rosa’s post:
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rosa when she says that Gertrude did not know about Claudius murdering her late husband. In act 3 scene 4 when Gertrude and Hamlet were talking she was very shocked when she heard what Hamlet thought of Claudius. Even though it seems that she was a part of the murder since she marries Claudius two months after her husband’s death. But because of the reaction that Gertrude had I do not believe that she was a part of the murder. She feels guilty about marrying her brother in law soon after her husband’s death.
I disagree with Katie's comment in that I don't believe that Hamlet's reason for sparing Claudius upon finding him prone and in prayer was that he was looking for a reason to cop out. In the somewhat distorted world that Hamlet has created for himself, a thought such as the timing of a murder with regards to postmortem destination is not one that is out of the realm of relatively rational though. With the set of data which Hamlet takes for given, his decision not to kill Claudius at that moment reflects a desire, not to cop out, but to do the very most damage; to destroy not only his earthly life but his afterlife as well.
ReplyDelete4. Hamlet made it clear that he intended to kill Claudius, but when the opportune moment arose he backed down as he saw Claudius praying. Hamlet tried to justify his lack of action to himself by saying that if he killed Claudius while he was praying Claudius would go to heaven, which would defeat the point of killing him. Hamlet also used religion as an excuse when he was going to commit suicide, but back down as suicide is a sin. In both instances Hamlet uses religion as a means to justify to himself not to take a drastic course of action, which poses the question to what extent does Hamlet truly want to kill Claudius if he can so easily talk himself out of it?
ReplyDelete6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
ReplyDeleteTwo factors factor in into why I do not believe that Gertrude was even aware that her deceased ex-husband was assassinated.
One- The most obvious factor: Hamlet's ghost appears to Hamlet telling Hamlet to not cause distress to his mother, and to leave her alone since her only sin was being a whore.
Two- The not-so-obvious factor: After Hamlet told Gertrude about the idea of Hamlet being assassinated, Gertrude reacted in shock & disbelief. In contemporary English, her reaction could be paraphrased as: "What the hell? Why would someone assassinate the King? This is absurd."
I wonder if she was genuinely surprised to hear the news, or if she already knew and was only putting up a facade?
Noah Guibberson:
ReplyDeleteI must disagree with you. I believe that a whiny, complaining man, such as Hamlet, could not have the smarts to come up with such a detailed, diabolic plan.
So does that means that Hamlet was completely sane by the end of act 3?
Why does Hamlet decline to take action against Claudius in III.iii? What does this reveal about Hamlet and the use of religion in the play?
ReplyDeleteHamlet decides not to kill Claudius in scene III because when he is about to go and kill him, he sees his uncle praying. Seeing this, Hamlet thinks that if he were to kill his uncle now, then he would be sent to heaven rather than to the hell he deserves. This is not the first time Hamlet has used religion as a reason to not do something. Hamlet also used religion as the reason on why not to kill himself when he was contemplating suicide. It seems to become more apparent that Hamlet uses religion as more of a “scapegoat” or as an excuse to not do a deed that he knows is wrong. This reveals that religion is not only important to the play, but also to the main character Hamlet. Religion is the biggest player when it comes to Hamlet making decisions. Ultimately, I believe Hamlet uses religion as more of a scapegoat rather than as a real reason when making his decisions in life.
word count:168
I agree with Vanesa's post about Hamlet's mother not knowing about his father's murder. The evidence in Vanesa's post supports the assumption that Gertrude knew nothing about her present husband (Claudius)killing Hamlet's father. Like Vanesa said, Gertrude would gain nothing from being an accomplice of Claudius since she was already queen when she was married to Hamlet's father. This fact alone makes the idea of Gertrude helping Hamlet's father murder seem far-fetch and illogical.
ReplyDeleteBased on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
ReplyDeleteSo far in the play, I don’t think Gertrude knew about the murder. Unlike Claudius she seems more sincere about her feelings. I think that even though she did marry too soon after King Hamlet’s death she actually felt guilty about it. When they speak about their wedding and Hamlet in Act 1, she seems genuinely worried about her son which is something that I would find hard to believe if she had actually had something to do with her husband’s murder.
Also the ghost doesn’t wish to harm her because he doesn’t believe she was to blame for his death so it means really she didn’t know what was going on. She was just won over by Claudius’s words and plans just like the rest of the kingdom.
I hadn't really thought about the reasons Gertrude could possibly have to murder her husband. I also agree with Vanesa, this just adds more to my original post that Gertrude really wasnt an acomplice to the murder since she didnt have a reason to want to murder the king, especially if she knew she would only end up hurting her own son.
ReplyDelete6. Based on what you've seen in III.iv, do you think Gertrude knew about the murder?
ReplyDeleteI don't think she did until Hamlet confronted her about it in the bedroom scene.
See, she acts incredulous for most of this scene, imploring Hamlet to stop being so hurtful, but then begins to act guilty and play along with Hamlet's story. This seems to indicate a slow realization, on her part, of her own role in Hamlet's madness. At the very least, it could be that she sees how Hamlet has been thinking of her all this time. Her intense emotional reaction to this confrontation can be explained along these lines, and we don't even have to resort to saying she ever believed the murder took place, if we stick by this interpretation.
On the contrary, we could also say that over the course of the bedroom scene she slowly pieces it all together, hearing Hamlet's accusations, remembering Claudius' reaction to the play, etc, until it finally clicks and she knows about the murder. This also makes pretty good sense of her gradual progression from incredulity to guilt in this scene.
Additionally, it could just be that Hamlet literally drives her crazy in this scene, and that her marked change in temperament is due simply to her 'cracking under the pressure', as it were. I don't think this is likely, even though madness is a significant part of the play. Having another mad character doesn't really do much, as far as the plot is concerned, at least. It would be a pretty sweet little coincidence, but that's all.
I happen to think that it's a combination of all three options, cliche as that may be. All of them can be argued successfully, all are accurate descriptions of Gertrude's character, and all are very tragic, which makes a lot of sense, given the title of the play.
I agree with Karen...
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good point about Gertrude being more sincere about her feelings than Claudius. This would point to her innocence, since there's no sense in saying the way her character acts is deceptive. Shakespeare probably meant to convey her ignorance of the murder in this way.
In the part of the movie we just saw today (Act V), Gertrude acts entirely unaware of Claudius poisoning the drink to kill her son, and so falls victim to his scheming. It would make sense if she didn't know about the time Claudius killed her husband either.