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Hamlet Act 1, Ophelia and Gertrude, Hamlet, olivier 1948, Claudius,…
Hamlet Act 1
general context
many of Shakespeare's plays focus on this subject, particularly the anxiety of the people, betrayals
'Chain of being' nobles are closer to God, Shakespeare subverts as the higher powered nobles are more corrupt
transference of power between monarchs mimics fears at the time regarding Queen Elizabeth's sucessor
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Based on a medieval Scandinavian tale chronicled by Saxo Grammarical (Danish Historian);
Prince Amleth sees his uncle murder his father, he pretends to go mad to lull his father into a false sense of security. When he grows up he slaughters his uncle with his father's sword.
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Gertrude mirrors Mary Queen of Scots who remarried her husband's suspected murder a few months after his death
Hamlet's uncertainty mirrors the political, social and religious fears of the time - rumours of Irish and Spanish invasion and uncertainty around the religious future under potential successors, Catholic or Protestant. Liz was kind to Catholics, others not so much
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Machiavellianism - (The Prince) immoral actions are fine if they create glory or survival of the leader
Polonius based on Sir William Cecil, chief minister who believed in spying
Ghost appears in acts 1 and 5. In music theory a perfect ending is the root chord (1) and the fifth (5)
Hamlet's focus on thinking is seen as a sign of femininity so in 19th century productions he was often played by women
scene 2
Quotes
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'Our sometimes sister, now our queen.'
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'The hand more instrumental to the mouth, than is the throne of Denmark to thy father.'
But now, my cousin Hamlet, my son.'
'Not so, my lord, I am too much in the sun.'
'Seems, madam? I know not seems.'
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tis a fault to heaven, a fault against the dead, a fault to nature.'
'This too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew.'
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'So excellent a king, that was to this Hyperion to a satyr.'
'Married with my uncle, my father's brother, who is no more like my father than I to Hercules.'
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Synopsis
Claudius makes a speech to Elsinore's court, manipulating them into believing he is a good king and not a murderer. Horatio tells Hamlet of the Ghost. Hamlet is suicidal.
scene 4
Quotes
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'I'll call thee Hamlet, King, father, royal Dane.'
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'What if it tempt you to the flood, my lord, or to the dreadful summit of the cliffe that beetles o'er his base into the sea.'
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Synopsis
Marcellus, Horatio and Hamlet go to the last seen location of the Ghost and Hamlet follows the Ghost away.
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Ophelia and Gertrude
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'I would give you some violets, but they all withered when my father died'
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'Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister.'
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'Almost as bad dear mother, as kill a king and marry his brother'
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'Tis in my memory locked, and yo alone shall have the key of it'
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Hamlet
'That this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself to a dew'
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'Married my uncle, my fathers brother, who is no more like him than I to Hercules'
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'I am but mad north north west, when the wind is southernly, I know a hawk from a handsaw'
'Thy commandment all alone shall live in the book and volume of my brain, unmix'd with baser matter'
'Villain, villain, smiling damned villian!'
'To be or not to be, that is the question.'
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olivier 1948
Hamlet interpretations
critics
Hamlet's choice to be, at a deeper level, represents a profound and confirmed preference for not being' - Ferne
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'The audience are entertained because they are asked to see, feel and understand' - Alexander
'Ophelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and language.' - Showalter.
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'Gertrude chose a brother over a dead Hamlet; Ophelia chose a father over a living Hamlet.' - Stanton
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hamlet is portrayed as a deeply trouble, disturbed young man who is struggling to cope - curt southern
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branaugh 1996
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mirrors - reflection, identity, all characters mirror one another
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zefferelli 1990
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hamlet relieved, not disturbed by polonius' death
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cumberbatch 2013
where's child's soldier costume, regression during madness
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Hamlet isolates himself, going into winding towers - shows madness
get thee to a nunnery, Hamlet switches from calm to mad on word father
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'It stripped the play of its political elements an instead presented Hamlet as an alienated and hollow individual
Claudius
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'My words fly up, my thoughts remain blow, words without thoughts never to heaven go.'
'Of crown, of life, of queen'
'Our sometimes sister, now our queen'
'O, my offence is rank, it stinks to heaven'
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Laertes and Horatio
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'What if it tempt you to the flood, my lord, or to the summit of a dreadful cliff which beetles o'er its base into the sea?'
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GHOST
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'My life, my crown, my queen, all at once dispatched'
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scene 1
Quotes
'Who's there?'
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harkens to end of play, the who is arguably Fortinbras, the ghost represents him as shown by the armour
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'Young Fortinbras, of unimproved mettle, hot and full'
'Tis now struck twelve'
scene begins at midnight but ends at dawn - supernatural element altering time - alternatively hours are symbolic not literal, for dramatic effect
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Synopsis - Bernado, Francisco, Marcellus and Horatio witness the Ghost. They decide to tell Hamlet of this and introduce Fortinbras.
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Polonius and Fortinbras
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'His means of death, his obscure burial'
scene 3
Quotes
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'Fear it, Ophelia, fear it, my dear sister.'
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scene 5
Quotes
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'Harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood.'
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'Of life, of crown, of queen, at once dispatched.'
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And you, my sinews, grow not instant old, but bear me stiffly up.'
'Thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain, unmix'd with baser matter.'
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'It is an honest ghost, that let me tell you.'
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'Rest, rest, perturbed spirit.'
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