Fathers & Sons

Question 1

HAMLET’s hyperbolic praise of his father in Act 1, Scene 2

Answer 1

‘So excellent a king, that was to his Hyperion to a satyr’

Question 2

Laertes absolving Hamlet in act 5 scene 2

Answer 2

‘“Exchange forgiveness with me, Nobel HAMLET, mine and my father’s death come not upon thee, nor thine on me” “heaven make thee free of it. I follow thee”
UNITY between avenging sons - dramatic significance of absolution BUT not religious as LAERTES is not a priest

Question 3

Laertes’s admittance of guilt in act 5 scene 2

Answer 3

LAETRES: ‘I am justly killed with mine own treachery’
SYMPATHY from audience who knows it was claudiu’s treachery and manipulation - absolution to LAERTES…{this scene is filled with violence because Shakespeare knew his audience liked action and violence as hangings and bear-baiting was popular at the time}

Question 4

Avenging sons parallel: Hamlet to Laertes in Act 5 Scene 2

Answer 4

Ill be your foil Laertes
DOUBL EMEANING - dramatic foil BUT garuably by the end of the play they mirror each other more than reflect - both avenging songs who take action but are ultimately CLAUDIUS’s puppets

Question 5

POLONIUS to Laertes then Ophelia 1.3

Answer 5

‘Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice…you do not understand yourself so clearly’

Question 6

Hamlet praising father 3.4

Answer 6

‘Hyperion’s curls…an eye like Mars’