The beginning of the key scene is important because, Hamlet has been summoned by his mother, who is furious with him for events surrounding the play-within-the-play, in which it has been suggested clearly that Hamlet’s father has been murdered by his brother. Hamlet, however, confronts his mother, still unhappy that she is married to his uncle, Claudius. Polonius has been sent to spy on Hamlet on behalf of Claudius. Hamlet kills Polonius, apparently believing it to be Claudius. Old Hamlet’s ghost appears for the second time to remind Hamlet of his mission of revenge for his father’s murder.
The ghost asks Hamlet to avenge his “most foul murder.” However, he warns Hamlet not to let revenge consume his mind. Ironically, Hamlet states “I’ll wipe away all trivial, fond records, all saws of books, all forms, all pressures past, that youth and observation copied there, and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain, unmixed with baser matter”(Shakespeare I.V.106-111). In order for Hamlet to avenge his father, first he needs the proper evidence. Hamlet decides to create a play about a man who kills his brother, hoping that when Claudius sees it, he has a reaction showing his guilt. It is when Hamlet gets proof of Claudius’ guilt that he allows his emotions to dictate his actions.
Later in the last scene of Act 1, Hamlet accompanies the guards to the platform on which the ghost was spotted. Surely, the ghost appeared and beckoned Hamlet. He followed and the ghost revealed a terrible secret to him. The ghost revealed the murderer, Claudius. King Hamlet's ghost uttered to Hamlet, “The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown” (1.5.39).
“How now, a rat? Dead for a ducat, dead.” (III, iv, 27). Polonius is murdered by Hamlet through the arras separating the room and the halls. Hamlet at first believes that he killed the king – then proceeding to further tear down his mother’s wrongdoings. “A bloody deed – almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his brother.” (III, iv, 32-33).
(Hamlet, I.ii.156-159) He was later followed by a ghost. It was his father speaking to him telling Hamlet that he had been poisoned by his brother, Hamlets uncle. “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown.” (Ghost, I.v.40-41) Hamlet was outraged, and knew something had to be done. His mother married the man that killed his father. Hamlet was confused and left in a state of despair.
- The ghost talks to hamlet again because he is mad Claudius is still alive (3.4.127.) - Claudius exile's Hamlet to England for the murder of Polonius (4.3.44-51.) - Claudius is told that Hamlet is on his way back home and then talks to Laertes, Polonius's son to murder Hamlet with a poisoned sword (4.7.169-186.) - Lastly Hamlet kills Claudius forcing him to drink the poisoned drink (5.2.356-357.) 2) The Hamlet and Ophelia subplot: Characters involved Hamlet, Ophelia, Laertes, Polonius - Laertes tells his sister, Ophelia that Hamlet is just flirting with you and will later give you false hope so he and her father wants her to end it, so she agrees to it (1.3.143.)
When the Ghost and Hamlet finish their dialog Hamlet agrees to seek revenge against Claudius, but still doesn’t act. As the story goes, Horatio and Hamlet decided to test the King conscience with the re-act of the play of the king Hamlet death, so that way Hamlet could tell if the Claudius was guilty by his reaction, so after the performance the prince find Claudius kneeling alone praying. “Now might I do it pat. Now he is a-praying.
Shaneeza Rooplall 4U01 December 10, 2012 Passage Analysis Act I Scene II – King speaks to court In this passage, Claudius the new king of Denmark speaks about the fallen king Hamlet whose tragic death has become a shock to the kingdom. Shakespeare go through many themes such as, corruption, power hungry and appearance vs. reality. Firstly, I would like to show how Corruption is shown in this quote. Claudius is putting aside the death of his brother to announce the marriage of him and his sister in law and future wife Gertrude. This is corrupting the mind of young Hamlet, which they think is making him go crazy.
The main symbol of Hamlet Hamlet is a tragedy with the main character Hamlet wanting to seek revenge for his father’s murder. His father’s ghost comes to him to tell him that his brother Claudius was the one who murdered him. So the tragedy formula then ensues and main characters start to drop like flies when Hamlet is thinking of his plan to kill Claudius. The symbols in Hamlet are what to me keep the story somewhat interesting and the fact that Hamlet ages a lot in this play. The biggest symbol that portrays to the play and even is the symbol for the play itself is Yorick’s skull.
The personality traits of insanity and intellectuality also contribute greatly to the death of Hamlet. Hamlet’s tragic flaw is his procrastination. Without a doubt, Hamlet portrays procrastination and indecisiveness multiple times in the play. The ghost of Hamlet’s father visits him in the beginning of the play informing Hamlet that he was murdered by his own brother, Claudius: “The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/ Now wears the crown”(I.v.44,45). Furthermore, Shakespeare exhibits how Hamlet chose to devise a plan of acting mad, rather than avenging his father’s death immediately, progressing to his demise.