Further Critical References Flashcards
Where is a contrast between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie seen in Hamlet?
Hamlet mocks Polonius
Claudius orders R+G
An example of a ‘Marx’ social revolution in Hamlet
Laertes taking control- works ‘with’ Claudius to get justice for his Father
(Marxism) What makes Polonius seem like part of the bourgeoisie?
The way he orders Ophelia around, treats he like an objects in order to profit and prosper socially.
(Marxism) how does the aristocracy go to immoral levels to fulfil their own needs?
Claudius gets the crown by killing his brother- by doing so he corrupted himself and the whole of society
(Jung) What can Ophelia’s flowers be seen as symbols of?
Other characters psyches
(Jung) are the characters in Hamlet aware of the dark sides of their personalities?
They’re unaware of the dark aspects of their personalities and project their shadows onto other people
(Jung) What are Horatio and Fortinbras representative as?
The ‘self’ archetype - balance and morality
(Beauvoir) key ideas
Gender is different from biological sex
Society expects each gender to behave in a specific way
Women are oppressed and valued for their looks only/maternal functions
Women are the second sex-seen as less powerful
(Jung) key ideas
All people share a collective ‘unconscious’-part of our psyche we are not aware of that operates on an instinctual level
Part of this is symbolic character types or archetypes which can be deducted from examining human behaviour.
(Marx)key ideas
Capitalist Society is based on making profit and doesn’t focus on on the interests of all people
The proletariat make money for the bourgeoisie who control the means of production.
These two classes are in conflict and this will lead to social revolution.
(Beauvoir) how can Ophelia’s madness be linked to the abandonment of men
She is sympathetic and engaging with powerful men and when Laertes leaves, Polonius dies and Hamlet abandons her she no longer has authority of the male world.
(Freud) key ideas
The human psyche has three parts
ID- fulfils urges without thought of morality or consequence
Ego- decision making (reason and strategy)
Superego- our conscious. How we feel guilt. Morals learnt from society and parents
Oedipus Complex
Theory that boys want to sleep with their mothers and therefore resent their farther.
(Freud) where does Hamlets d easier to sleep with his mother come from?
His ID- the delay in killing Claudius comes from Hamlets recognition of Claudius’ ID
(Freud) What does the ghost represent?
Hamlets superego (3.4) his superego seems to control his desires.
(Aristotle)key ideas
Tragedy- change of fortune from good to bad
Suffering that creates sympathy (pathos) and emotional relate (catharsis)
Tragic hero- morally good, hubris, make a tragic mistake
Tragedy- change of fortune from good to bad
Suffering that creates sympathy (pathos) and emotional relate (catharsis)
Tragic hero- morally good, hubris, make a tragic mistake
(Nietzschean) key ideas
Life without meaning, purpose or value(nihilism)
-embrace envy and shun wake Christian ideology’s
(Nietzshean) link to Hamlets indecision
‘Knowledge kills action, for action requires a state of being in which we are covered by the veil of illusion’
(Dessida- deconstructive theory )
Key ideas
Language is a system of signals- words only have meaning because we contrast them with others
Wishing binary opposites there is a hierarchy
Deconstructive reading will try to expose the way these oppositions work
(Deconstructive) Hooper 2003
‘Puns and dangerous doubles’ in Hamlet’s and Claudius’ characters
(Deconstructive) Hamlet and Gertrude
Hamlet try’s to justify her crime in 3.4 and does so by contrasting his father and Claudius
(Locke) key ideas
Argues against the idea that people were born sinful and evil
Suggests that people are born with ‘a clean slate’
The way that children are brought up has a significant impact on who they become when adults
(Locke) Why is Hamlets father’s death significant?
When he died his moral guidance died which lead him to want to seek revenge
