hamlet Flashcards
“A little more than kin, and less than kind”
- Spoken by hamlet in Act one Scene two
- hamlet states this to Claudius
- Alludes to the newly formed ‘paternal” relationship he is to have with him (whilst he is also his uncle)
- demonstrated the tension and conflict between the rwo
“But no more like my father, than I to Hercules”
- Greek mythology
“They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase soil our addition”
- demonstrates the diffference between hamlet and Claudius
- hamlet wants his country to be respected, uphold its honour
- whereas Claudius has skipped to the revelry
“O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew”
- hamlets soliloquy after everyone leaves the court
- Depressed and suicidal
- suicide is a sin
“Frailty, thy name is woman”
- hamlets soliloquy
- hamlets feels his mother has mother has married so quickly after the marriage (betrayal and conflict)
- gender inequality
“But break my heart, for I must hold my tongue”
- hamlets experience is isolating, he cannot trust anyone with his fathers secret
- his revenge drives a wedge between him and ofhers
“I’ll speak to it though He’ll itself should gape and bid me hold my peace”
- demonstrates hamlets ego, he doesn’t belive the ghost (the supernatural) can harm him
- his position means he can come to no harm
“To me it is a prison”
Said by Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; he’s referring to not being able to leave Denmark because he is the future heir; he’s also pretending to be mad at this point
“I am but mad north-northwest when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw”
Said by Hamlet to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern; he’s pretending to be mad, but he’s also trying to hint to them that he’s just pretending it
“You are a fishmonger”
Said by Hamlet to Polonius; pretending to be mad; basically called him a poor commoner
“O Jephtah, judge of Israel, what a treasure hast thou!?”
Said by Hamlet to Polonius; Jephtah was compelled to sacrifice his daughter; another comment on Polonius’s daughter, Ophelia
“The play’s the thing Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
Said by Hamlet to himself; part of a soliloquy; he believes that his plan with the players and the play will reveal that the ghost told the truth and that Claudius did have something to do with his father’s death.
Get thee to a nunnery
The first time Hamlet says this he is saying it out of love for Ophelia, he is worried about her.
The second time, he is telling her to get out of his sight becasue she lies to him.
he was hoping that her loyalties would lie with him.
He compares her relationship with her dad to puppet strings.
Now I could drink hot blood
Hamlet finally has passion to do the deed
he knows the ghost is truthful and Claudius is truly guilty
this is the turning point for hamlet which has taken him a long time to reach. he is finally passionate with the desire to kill, but he must go see his mother first
To be or not to be that is the question
Hamlet is contemplating suicide and whether it is better to suffer the hardships of life or to kill yourself and face whatever comes after death.
This is the real reason that hamlet is not killing Claudius.
He keeps them… be dry again
Hamlet to Rosencrantz
The King is like an ape who keeps “nuts” (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern) in his mouth. When he needs them, he’ll squeeze them like a sponge. Hamlet is saying that Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are tools of the King
Your worm is your only emperor… that’s the end
Hamlet to King
Hamlet says that humans fatten up creatures to fatten themselves up. It matters not so because a fat king and a lean beggar is the same meal for maggots. Hamlet is foreshadowing to Claudius’ eventual death
How all occasions… spit my dull revenge
Hamlet to self
Hamlet chides himself for his dull revenge. His procastinate nature serves as a foil to young Fortinbras’ determination
Rightly to be great… at the stake
Hamlet to self
True greatness is not only fighting for good reason but also being ready to quarrel when your honor is at stake
O, from this time forth… or be nothing worth
Hamlet to self
If any of Hamlet’s thoughts are not violent, in which they do not relate to his revenge plan, he’ll consider them worthless. His determination is stirred anew due to inspiration from Forinbras
“alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, horatio: a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back one thousand times. And now, how abhorred in my imagination it is!”(V,1, 172)
Speaker: Hamlet
Meaning: Hamlet is disgusted and horrified at how one of the court jesters remains (Skull) is just nothing but bone as he is disgusted about how disrespectful the corpses are being treated.
“But i am very sorry, good horatio,that to laretes i fought myself; For by the image of my cause i see the portrait of his.”(V,2, 81)
speaker: Hamlet
Meaning: hamlet feels bad for being mean and loosing himself to his self hatred.
“If it be now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not now, yet it will come. readiness”(V,2, 212)
Speaker: hamlet
meaning: death is always appearing in life and not to forget it. if it comes early in life it will not visit later, if it visits later in life it will invading it.
I am constant in my purpose
Spoken by hamlet
In scene two to the others
That might your nature honour and exception roughly awaken
Spoken by hamlet
In act two of scene five
