Hamlet 5:2 Flashcards
‘Rashly -/ And prais’d be…’
‘Rashly -/ And prais’d be rashness for it - let us know,/ our indiscretion sometime serves us well,/ When our deep plots do pall, and that should learn us/ There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,/ Rough-hew them how we will.’ - Hamlet
- finally embracing the reckless confidence and irrationality that he lacked in the early scenes, perhaps giving hope that he can finally avenge his father
‘There’s a divinity that…’
‘There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,/ Rough-hew them how we will.’
what does Hamlet say he found in the ‘grand commission’ he stole from Ros and Guil?
‘royal knavery!’ - H
‘an exact command […] That, on the supervise, no leisure bated,/ No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,/ My head should be struck off.’ - H
‘That, on the supervise, no…’
‘That, on the supervise, no leisure bated,/ No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,/ My head should be struck off.’ - Hamlet
what is the command that Hamlet replaces the orders to kill him with?
‘That, on the view and knowing of these contents,/ Without debatement further more or less,/ He should those bearers put to sudden death,/ Not shriving-time allow’d.’ - Hamlet
- in other words, Ros and Guil will be executed instead of Hamlet
‘Why, man, they did make…’
‘Why, man, they did make love to this employment;/ They are not near my conscience; their defeat/ Does by their own insinuation grow:/ ‘Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes/ Between the pass and fell incensed points/ Of might opposites.’ - Hamlet
- defence of sending R and G to their deaths
- he feels no guilt as they brought it upon themselves
‘Why, what a…’
‘Why, what a king is this!’ - Horatio to Hamlet
- H is finally stepping into his role
‘Does it not, think thee, stand… And with such…’
‘Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon/ He that hath kill’d my king and whor’d my mother;/ Popp’d in between th’election and my hopes;/ Thrown out his angle for my proper life,/ And with such coz’nage - is’t not perfect conscience/ to quit him with this arm?’ - Hamlet
- ‘kill’d my king’ implies a sort of distance from his father, seeing him as a ‘king’ rather than parental figure like his ‘mother’
- ‘th’election and my hopes’ ie. the throne and expectation of succession > become more about himself than his father? found a real motivator
‘is’t not perfect…’
‘is’t not perfect conscience/ To quit him with this arm? And is’t not to be damn’d/ To let this canker of our nature come/ In further evil?’ - Hamlet
- presenting Claudius as an evil or cancer that needs to be cut out
‘And a man’s…’
‘And a man’slife no more than to say ‘one’.’ - Hamlet
- it doesn’t take long to kill a man
‘But I am very sorry…’
‘But I am very sorry, good Horatio,/ That to Laertes I forgot myself;/ For by the image of my cause I see/ The portraiture of his.’ - Hamlet
‘young Osric’
- represents the future
- physical representation of Claudius’ plan
- exemplifies the theme of flattery
- Hamlet treats him awfully, making him hard to like
‘Dost know…’
‘Dost know this water-fly?’ - Hamlet about ‘young Osric’
- irrelevant, fleeting
‘Thy state is more…’
‘Thy state is more gracious; for tis a vice to know him. He hath much land, and fertile.’ - Hamlet about Osric
- unnecessarily cruel, suggesting it is better to not know the ‘water-fly’ Osric
- his ‘fertile’ ‘land’ explains his place at the court, he is rich and useful
‘He hath much…’
‘He hath much land, and fertile. Let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king’s mess. ‘Tis a chough; but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt.’ - Hamlet
- represents how the court system worked with anyone who had land and money able to eat at the king’s table - Hamlet seems to dislike this way of the world, perhaps showing a contradictory view to previous statements
- a ‘chough’ was a crow or jackdaw, an insult at Osric’s chatter
‘I thank your lordship…’
‘No, believe me…’
‘It is…indeed.’
‘But yet methinks…’
‘Exceedingly…’
‘I thank your lordship; it is very hot.’ - Osric
‘No, believe me, ‘tis very cold; the wind is northerly’ - Hamlet
‘It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.’ - O
‘But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot’ - H
‘Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry’ - O
- showing Osric’s obsequiousness, Hamlet is playing with Osric like he did with Polonius knowing that they will flatter him
‘his Majesty bade me signify…’
‘his majesty bade me signify to you that ‘a has laid a great wager on your head.’ - Osric to Hamlet
- audience is aware of the plan coming into action
‘Sir, here is newly come to…’
‘Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing. Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.’ - Osric
- building up jealousy
- Hamlet, in response, uses complex vocabulary and long-winded sentences in order to mock Osric
‘The King, sir, hath wager’d with…’
‘The King, sir, hath wager’d with him six Barbary horses; against the which he has impon’d, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns ‘ - Osric
- ‘six Barbary horses’ on Hamlet to win, ‘six French rapiers and poniards’ on Laertes to win
‘I will win for…’
‘I will win for him an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.’ - Hamlet
- accepts the challenge
‘To this effect, sir…’
‘To this effect, sir, after what flourish your nature will.’ - Hamlet to Osric
‘This lapwing…’
‘This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.’ - Horatio about Osric
- a comment on Osric’s youth (a young chick, just hatched hence the ‘shell’)
- could also be a comment on Osric’s hat (possibly) back on his head
- Lapwing’s were also famous for scurrying around
'’A did comply, sir, with…’
'’A did comply, sir, with his dug before ‘a suck’d it.’ - Hamlet about Osric
- saying he bowed politely to his mother’s nipple before suckling
‘drossy age’
‘drossy age’ - Hamlet
- degenerate times
‘The Queen desires you to use…’
‘The Queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes before you fall to play.’ - Lord to Hamlet
- asking him to be courteous, perhaps even to apologise (which he sort of does)
‘You will lose…’
‘I do not think…’
‘You will lose this wager, my lord.’ - Horatio
‘I do not think so; since he went into France I have been in continual practice.’ - Hamlet
‘I shall win at the…’
‘I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think how ill all’s here about my heart; but it is no matter.’ - Hamlet
- has a bad feeling but ignores it as womanly (‘as would perhaps trouble a woman’)
‘It is but foolery…’
‘It is but foolery; it it is such a kind of gain-giving as would perhaps trouble a woman.’ - Hamlet
- dismissing his bad feeling as womanly, Horatio encourages him to listen to his gut
‘If your mind dislike…’
‘If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will forestall their repair hither, and say you are not fit.’ - Horatio
‘Not a whit, we defy…’
‘Not a whit, we defy augury: there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.’ - Hamlet
- protestant belief that God intervenes directly in human affairs
‘If it be now…’
‘If it be now, ‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come - the readiness is all. Since no man owes of aught he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes? Let be.’ - Hamlet
- a sort of fatalism and inner peace, he accepts not knowing when he will live or die
- a significant change from his soliloquies earlier in which he becomes lost in thinking
‘Since no man owes…’
‘Since no man owes of aught he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes? Let be.’ - Hamlet
- “since no one really understands our life on earth, what difference does leaving it early make?”
‘Give me your…’
‘Give me your pardon, sir. I have done you wrong;/ But pardon’t, as you are a gentleman./ This presence knows,/ And you must needs have heard how I am punish’d/ With a sore distraction.’ - Hamlet
- already giving excuses and evading real blame
‘What I have done…’
‘What I have done/ That might your nature, honour, and exception,/ Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.’ - Hamlet
‘Was’t Hamlet wrong’d…’
‘Was’t Hamlet wrong’d Laertes? Never Hamlet./ If Hamlet from himself be ta’en away,/ And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes, then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it.’ - Hamlet
- doesn’t even acknowledge the actions as being his
- by switching to third person he presents an “objective” debate that determines Hamlet was not responsible and even claims that Hamlet was ‘wrong’d’
‘Who does it…’
‘Who does it then? His madness. If’t be so,/ Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong’d;/ His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy.’ - Hamlet
- trying to almost argue the other side, as if Hamlet has been wronged not Laertes
- evades blame, rendering his apology meaningless
‘I have shot my…’
‘I have shot my arrow o’er the house/ And hurt my brother.’ - Hamlet
- implying accident
what is Laertes’ response to Hamlet’s “apology”?
- cold, distant, formal
- ‘I am satisfied in nature’
- ‘I stand alloof, and will no reconcilement/ Till by some elder masters of known honour’
- ‘I do receive your offer’d love like love,/ And will not wrong it.’
‘I am satisfied…’
‘I am satisfied in nature,/ Whose motive in this cse should stir me most/ To my revenge; but in my terms of honour/ I stand aloof’ - Laertes in response to Hamlet’s apology
- formal and distant (it was dishonourable to not accept an apology)
‘I stand aloof, and will no…’
‘I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement/ Till by some elder masters of known honour/ I have a voice and precedent of peace/ To keep my name ungor’d’ - Laertes in response to Hamlet’s apology
‘I do receive your…’
‘I do receive your offer’d love like love,/ And will not wrong it.’ - Laertes
- it was dishonourable not to accept an apology
‘I’ll be your foil…’
‘I’ll be your foil, Laertes, in mine ignorance/ Your skill shall, like a star i’th’darkest night,/ Stick fiery off indeed.’ - Hamlet
- ‘foil’ refers to a fencing sword (like the ones they are using), a dark setting for a jewel (implying that Hamlet’s performance will allow Laertes’ to shine), and a literary device associated with contrasting characters (like Laertes and Hamlet)
‘Your Grace has laid…’
‘I do not fear…’
‘Your Grace has laid the odds a’ th’ weaker side.’ - Hamlet
‘I do not fear it: I have seen you both;/ But since he’s better, we have therefore odds.’ - Claudius
- he doesn’t care because Hamlet will die
‘Set me the stoups…’
‘Set me the stoups of wine upon that table./ If Hamlet give the first or second hit,/ Or quit in answer of the third exchange, […] The King shall drink to Hamlet’s better breath’ - Claudius
- reminds the audience of the culture of drinking that Hamlet dislikes
‘And in that cup an…’
‘And in that cup an union shall he throw,/ Richer than that which four successive kings/ In Denmark’s crown have worn’ - Claudius
‘Stay, give me…’
‘Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine;/ Here’s to thy health.’ - Claudius (because Hamlet won ‘A hit’)
- some interpretations believe the ‘pearl’ is the poison
‘He’s fat, and scant…’
‘He’s fat, and scant of breath./ Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows./ The Queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.’ - Gertrude
- about to drink from the cup left for Hamlet (poisoned)
what does Claudius say in relation to Gertrude being about to drink the poisoned cup?
‘Gertrude, do not drink.’ - C
‘[Aside] It is the poison’d cup; it is too late.’ - C
- little effort to stop her, this could suggest that his desire to be rid of Hamlet supersedes his love for his wife
‘[Aside] And yet it is almost…’
‘[Aside] And yet it is almost against my conscience.’ - Laertes
- having second thoughts, perhaps he sees an alternative to Claudius’ plan
‘[Laertes wounds…’
‘[Laertes wounds Hamlet: then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.]’ - SD
- both men are doomed
‘Why, as a woodcock…’
‘Why, as a woodcock, to mine own sprnge, Osric;/ I am justly kill’d with mine own treachery.’ - Laertes
- honourable end for him really, accepting that he deserves his fate
- ‘Ay, springes to catch woodcocks’ - Polonius, 1:3
‘She swoons to…’
‘No, no, the…’
‘She swoons to see them bleed.’ - Claudius (trying to cover up)
‘No, no, the drink, the drink! O my dear Hamlet!/ The drink, the drink! I am poison’d. [Dies.]’ - Gertrude
‘O, villainy…’
‘O, villainy! Ho! let the door be lock’d/ Treachery! seek it out. [Laertes falls.]’ - Hamlet
- determined to stop the culprit (so Gertrude can be avenged)
‘Hamlet, thou art…’
‘Hamlet, thou art slain;/ No med’cine int he world can do thee good;/ In thee there is not an hour’s life;/ The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,/ Unbated and envenom’d.’ - Laertes
- full confession/revelation
‘The foul practice/ Hath…’
‘The foul practice/ Hath turn’d itself on me; lo, here I lie,/ Never to rise again.’ - Laertes
‘Thy mother’s…’
‘Thy mother’s poison’d./ I can no more. The King, the King’s to blame.’ - Laertes
‘The point envenom’d…’
‘Treason…’
‘The point envenom’d too!/ Then, venom, to thy work. [Stabs the King.]’ - Hamlet
‘Treason! Treason!’ - All
‘Here, thou incestuous…’
‘Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damned Dane,/ Drink off this potion. Is thy union here?/ Follow my mother. [King dies.]’ - Hamlet
- seeking revenge for his mother not father
‘He is justly…’
‘He is justly serv’d:/ It is a poison temper’d by himself./ Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet./ Mine and my father’s death come not upon thee,/ Nor thine on me! [Dies.]’ - Laertes
‘You that look…’
‘You that look pale and tremble at this chance/ That are but mutes or audience to this act,/ Had I but time […] I could tell you -/ But let it be.’ - Hamlet
‘Horatio. I am…’
‘Horatio. I am dead:/ Thou livest; report me and my cause alright/ To the unsatisfied.’ - Hamlet
‘Never believe…’
‘Never believe it./ I am more an antique Roman than a Dane;/ Here’s yet some liquor left.’ - Horatio
- shows their genuine bond
- Roman’s considered suicide an honourable death, he is saying that he will kill himself to follow Hamlet
‘If thou didst ever…’
‘If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,/ Absent thee from felicity awhile,/ And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,/ To tell my story.’ - Hamlet
‘O, I die…’
‘O, I die, Horatio!/ The potent poison quite o’er-crows my spirit.’ - Hamlet
‘I cannot live to hear…’
‘I cannot live to hear the news from England,/ But I do prophesy th’election lights/ On Fortinbras; he has my dying voice.’ - Hamlet
- restitution for Fortinbras
- Hamlet can say this because he is the defacto King (finally taking on the role)
‘Now cracks a…’
‘Now cracks a noble heart. Good night, sweet prince:/ And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!’ - Horatio
- response to Hamlet dying (‘[Dies]’)
‘This quarry cries…’
‘This quarry cries on havoc. O proud death,/ What feast is toward in thine eternal cell/ That thou so many princes at a shot./ So bloodily hast struck?’ - Fortinbras
- pile of bodies, death “feasting”
‘The sight is…’
‘The sight is dismal;/ And our affairs from England come too late:/ The ears are senseless that should give us hearing/ To tell him his commandment is fulfill’d,/ That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead.’ - Ambassador
- ambassadors bring news to Claudius who is already dead, it is also not the news he would have wanted as the wrong people are dead
‘And let me speak…’
‘And let me speak to th’yet unknowing world/ How these things came about. So shall you hear/ Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts;/ Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters;/ Of deaths put on by cunning forc’d cause’ - Laertes
‘I embrace my…’
‘I embrace my fortune;/ I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,/ Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.’ - Fortinbras
‘Of that I shall have…’
‘Of that I shall have also cause to speak,/ And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more.’ - Horatio
- will speak for those who cannot (Hamlet)
‘But let this same be…’
‘Let this same be presently perform’d,/ Even while men’s minds are wild, lest more mischance/ On plots and errors happen.’ - Horatio
- immediate retelling of the story in order to avoid further plots and errors
- shows he values openness and honesty
‘Let four captains…’
‘Let four captains/ Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage;/ For he was likely, had he been put on,/ To have prov’d most royal; and for his passage/ The soldier’s music and the rite of war/ Speak loudly for him.’ - Fortinbras
- Hamlet will be the first in the play to get their funeral rites, ‘passage’ to the afterlife or funeral procession
- assuming based on himself - we don’t get the impression that Hamlet was a soldier
- legitimacy, order restored
- Fortinbras will be the king H would have been, taking command
‘Take up the…’
‘Take up the bodies. Such a sight as this/ Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss./ Go, bid the soldiers shoot.’ - Fortinbras
- the only comment on the others, pretending Claudius never happened
