Act 1 Scene 4 Flashcards
The Ghost appears to Hamlet and follows him
How is pathetic fallacy shown at the beginning of the scene?
Hamlet: “The air bites shrewdly, it is very cold.”
What do Hamlet and Horatio hear?
“[a flourish of trumpets, and canon fire within]” of a toast being drunk in the castle.
What does Hamlet think of the trumpets and canons?
“It is a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance” - it is a tradition better left out.
What does Hamlet think of what Claudius is doing and in relation to the other countries that witness it?
“This heavy-headed revel east and west makes us traduced and taxed of other nations.” Claudius will make the countries “clepe us drunkards” and “soil our addition” - Claudius is making Denmark look very bad.
How does Hamlet foreshadow what is going to unfold?
“The dram of eale doth all the noble substance of a doubt to his own scandal” - one drop of poison can ruin everything good.
What dramatic effect is used here?
“[Enter ghost]” - it builds tension because of the presence of the supernatural.
“[ghost beckons]” - the calling builds more tension
How can we see that Hamlet is religious?
“Angels and ministers of grace defend us. Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damned, bring with thee airs from heaven, or blasts from hell, by thy intents wicked, or charitable” - he refers back to religion.
How is Hamlet direct with the ghost?
” O answer me.”
How do Marcellus and Horatio overstep their boundaries and prove they are caring and good soldiers?
They tell Hamlet directly “do not go with it” “do not my lord”
Why does Hamlet ignore the warnings of Marcellus and Horatio? Why is this important later on?
“I do not set my life at a pin’s fee, and for my soul, what can it do to that being a thing immortal as itself?” - Hamlet is not afraid of losing his life and he believes his soul, in being supernatural as the ghost, cannot be corrupted by it. This changes because Hamlet then becomes corrupted by his thoughts and his actions.
How can we see that Horatio is worried about Hamlet and therefore, shows his good character?
“What if it tempt you toward the flood my lord, or to the dreadful summit of the cliff… which might deprive your sovereignty of reason and draw you into madness?” This foreshadows later and Horatio shows how he’s worried about Hamlet’s wellbeing. He also is quite realistic because Hamlet does end up losing his mind.
Why does Hamlet still go?
“My fate cries out… still I am called” - he believes it is his duty and his destiny.
How is tension built through dramatic effect at the end of the passage?
“[exeunt the ghost and Hamlet]” and this makes us wonder what will happen. And then the soldier decide “tis’ not fit thus to obey him” and “[exeunt]” to follow him too.
How does Marcellus foreshadow the later events?
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”
