Hamlet

1. Re-read Hamlet's soliloquy in Act 2 Scene 2, from

"Hamlet: Ay, so god buy to you! Now I am alone. O,

what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" (line 543)

to

"O, vengeance!

Why, what an ass am I!" (line 578).

What impression do you gain of Hamlet and his state of mind at this

point in the play? How far is it consistent with his portrayal elsewhere in

the play?

Hamlet is one of the best-known plays, written by William Shakespeare. It tells the story of young Prince Hamlet, who bears the same name as his father, the King of Denmark, who has recently died unexpectedly. Hamlet's uncle, Claudius, has inherited the throne and taken the former King's wife (Prince Hamlet's mother), Gertrude, as his own. This has grieved Prince Hamlet greatly; these consequences, and the appearance of the ghost of his father, whom inform Hamlet of his unjust death, caused by Claudius, has angered him intensely. He then begins to avenge the murder of his father, by planning to kill his uncle, King Claudius.

Hamlet feels isolated and alone, due to the death of his father, "now I am alone." Act 2, Scene 2, (line 543). He is in mourning, and is very sad throughout the play, this sadness, turns to anger. He also shows how disgusted he is with himself, "what a rogue and peasant slave I am," (line543). He feels maddened about his father's murder, and his mother's marriage to his uncle. He is embarrassed as he feels he cannot express his wishes regarding the murder of his father. He also believes himself to be a coward. "Yet I...unpregnant of my cause, and can say nothing - no, not for a king upon whose property and most dear life a damned defeat was made." (Act 2, Scene 2, lines 593-597). He feels he is a coward because he has a much bigger purpose to take action than the actors do; yet, they express more than he does. He feels that he needs to find more proof so that he can feel sure of himself, free of conscience, to actually kill Claudius. Hamlet is angry and embittered. "But I am pigeon liver'd and lack gall to make oppression bitter, or ere this I should ha'fatted all the region kites with this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain!" (Act 2, Scene 2, lines 573-576). This shows his resentment towards his mother's new husband, and how he would like to pay him back for the murder of his father. He is full of hatred towards his uncle, for his scheming, and disgust for his mother's sexuality.

Hamlet feels the disgust, and repulsion of his mother's marriage to Claudius, by only looking at them, "She married. O, most wicked speed dexterity to incestuous sheets", Act 1 Scene 2, (lines 162-163). He also shows