Hamlet Flashcards
“A little more than kin, and a little less than kind.”
A1S2, Hamlet’s first line (an aside), introduces his love for wordplay and puns, but also his deep-set sadness surrounding Gertrude, Claudius and grief.
“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”
A1S2 the final line of Hamlet’s first soliloquy, proves that he is truly disgusted by the marriage “within a month”
“The funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.”
A1S2, further proof that Hamlet cannot get past the speed in which Gertrude remarried, and Denmark getting past King Hamlet’s death so quickly
“Words, words, words.”
A2S2 Hamlet dismisses Polonius, as he tries (and fails) to outwit Hamlet, suggesting Hamlet is a gifted politician - so why hasn’t he done anything since Act 1?
“Denmark’s a prison.”
A2S2, Hamlet feels completely trapped in his situation, and he reveals more to Rosen+Guild than they realise. Hamlet’s trappings are also proved because of the spying and surveillance Claudius is using, and his ‘moral duty’ to revenge his father.
“The plays the thing wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the king.”
A2S2 Hamlet’s rhyming couplet to surmise his plans for Act 3, to prove Claudius’ guilt. Also “conscience” - an important word when it comes to Hamlet’s inaction and indecision.
“To be or not to be that is the question - whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer”
A3S1 Hamlet’s morals come into question in this soliloquy, as he questions his duty to the Ghost, his cowardice in avoiding murder, and the implications of killing himself as a solution.
“To die, to sleep - to sleep, perchance to dream.”
A3S1, Hamlet looks forward to his own death, as he sees the positives in “dreaming” and being free in the unknown.
“The undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveller returns.”
A3S1, Hamlet’s thoughts on the afterlife, he believes he would go to the same place if he kills Claudius (or himself) - so what does he have to live for at all? Weirdly, Hamlet never mentions purgatory despite meeting the ghost.
“Conscience does make cowards of us all.”
A3S1 Hamlet decides that thinking prevents action and that’s why he cannot kill Claudius yet! And people would rather remain unhappy than venture into the unknown.
“I will speak daggers to her but use none.”
A3S2 Hamlet emphasises the power of his words here, as he decides to confront Gertrude verbally rather than physically after the Mousetrap.
“Alas poor Yorick! I knew him Horatio.”
A5S1 Hamlet has a bit of an epiphany about the inevitability and equality in death, noting that even the great (“Alexander”) are eaten by worms and decayed (similar comments are made in A4S3 about Polonius’ body, but Hamlet seems a lot more joking there.) This moment clearly shows how much he has changed as a character since Act 4, as he finally understands the nature of death.
“I loved Ophelia; forty-thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum.”
A5S1, Hamlet compares his experience to Laertes, and dismisses his grief as less important (perhaps comparable to Act 1, and Gertrude’s “common” insistence, Hamlet has become who he hated). Also this is somewhat ironic, as Hamlet has never really proved his love for Ophelia whatsoever, so maybe Claudius is right to call it “madness”?
“There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, ‘tis not to come.”
A5S2 Hamlet seems resigned to his fate to Horatio, and he knows he likely will not survive the duel with Laertes, there are echoes of “to be or not to be” (A3S1) in this moment, as he comes to terms with his own inevitable death.
