Hamlet Act 1.1 Quotes

Question 1

sentiles

Answer 1

*Enter Barnardo and Francisco, two sentinels.

Alexandra Shephard: masculine self-control basis for patriarchy in Renaissance England

Question 2

middle of 1.1

Answer 2

elements of stichomythia - in media res

Question 3

who

Answer 3

“Who’s there?” Bernardo

Traditional sentry challenge given by minor characters to establish atmosphere of paranoia, espionage (government spying on ppl)
A suspicion of a threat – and a question of identity

Question 4

nay

Answer 4

“Nay, answer me. Stand and unfold yourself.” Francisco

Symmetry in the power dynamic between these two minor characters, challenging each other. Unfold = normally applied to cloth or otherwise inanimate and yet here applied to human beings - passive human, insulting

Question 5

long

Answer 5

“Long live the king!” Bernardo

Primary method of identification is political loyalty

Question 6

there

Answer 6

“Who is there?” Francisco

Maynard Mack, 1952: “Hamlet’s world is pre-eminently in the interrogative mood”&raquo_space;> agreed, b/c the frequency and rather aggressive tone of these short, urgent questions. However… ultimately the question of Elsinore as a whole is answered - it’s too corrupt and must be taken over by Fortinbras.

Question 7

touching

Answer 7

“Touching this dreaded sight” Bernardo

Synaesthesia- indicates the tension and confusion within the scene

Question 8

tush

Answer 8

“Tush, tush, ‘twill not appear”

Repeated colloquial ‘tush’ (shush) indicates his easy, almost complacent scepticism

Question 9

fortified

Answer 9

“your ears / That are so fortified against our story,” Bernardo

‘Fortified’- military/siege imagery, Horatio’s defending his better opinion (shows his scholar characterisation)

Question 10

beating

Answer 10

“The bell then beating one—” Bernardo

broken iambic pentameter - refects tension,disruption symbolically - the ghost disrupts Denmark

Question 11

usurp’st

Answer 11

“What art thou that usurp’st this time of night,” Horatio

Usurp: political connotations, refers to ghost ‘usurping’ King Hamlet’s appearance. Could also have reference to Claudius’ usurping - they aren’t aware of this yet but his word choice is ironic.

Question 12

offended

Answer 12

“It is offended.” Marcellus

Simple sentence- adds comedic effect to an otherwise tense scene

Question 13

exits

Answer 13

*Ghost exits.

It’s unclear whether the Ghost cannot be heard, or is choosing not to speak. Shakespeare deliberately keeps it ambiguous: later on, only Hamlet hears him, even when Gertrude is in the same room in Act 3 Scene 4.&raquo_space;> Ghosts could not be heard unless spoken to.

Question 14

answer

Answer 14

“will not answer” Marcellus

Humanising the ghost and giving it power to choose and control the scene

Question 15

believe

Answer 15

“Before my God, I might not this believe” Horatio

Separates religion and the supernatural - trying to use logos and understand but also believing the existence of the ghost despite rationality

Question 16

avouch

Answer 16

“Without the sensible and true avouch / Of mine own eyes.” Horatio

Horatio is putting a lot of power in his own sanity whereas the other are less confident, as he’s a scholar he has more belief in his perception than the others

Question 17

not

Answer 17

“Is it not like the King?” Marcellus

Less confident than Horatio, he is questioning as if he lacks the intelligence to make the convictions and is insecure in his perception of the ghost, although it’s also a lack of belief almost and he’s still loosely denying the ghost by asking

Question 18

combated

Answer 18

“Such was the very armor he had on / When he the ambitious Norway combated.” Horatio

Masculine imagery of Old Hamlet with armor and in combat&raquo_space; juxtaposes the initial lack of masculinity of the soldiers&raquo_space; sets the scene for later on in the play when Hamlet enters not resembling Old Hamlet
- HOWEVER maybe through power dynamics Old Hamlet or the ghost is presented as more masculine than he actually he is due to his status

Question 19

strange

Answer 19

“‘tis strange”

Peter Goldman, 2001: “the Ghost hearkens back to the late medieval world of magic and superstition, the Catholic doctrine of Purgatory”

Question 20

eruption

Answer 20

“This bodies some strange eruption to our state” Horatio

Literal: a volcanic eruption – unpredictable, uncontrollable, destructive, force of nature Metaphorical: abrupt, shocking, violent collapse of… Hamlet’s mental state? The “rotten” “state” of Denmark – the supreme political authority in a given territory

Question 21

tell

Answer 21

“tell me” Marcellus

imperative verbs, shows he is concerned and wants to be informed
Part A: Marcellus functions as an audience surrogate, requesting exposition about the play’s political situation as a whole.

Question 22

brazen

Answer 22

“And why such daily cast of brazen cannon” Marcellus

This anticipates modern concerns about the military-industrial complex - every resource spent on war strengthens and damages a country

Question 23

can

Answer 23

“That can I” Horatio

exposition (backstory), horatio functions as a useful authority

Question 24

emulate

Answer 24

“pricked on by a most emulate pride,” Horatio

Hamlet - Fortinbras contrast

Question 25

valiant

Answer 25

“in which our valiant Hamlet”
“His fell to Hamlet” Horatio

When KH won, Fortinbras had to give up the lands he had conquered by contract

Question 26

young

Answer 26

“So by his father lost. And this, I take it,

Is the main motive of our preparations,

The source of this our watch, and the chief head

Of this posthaste and rummage in the land. “ Horatio

SWITCHES FROM EXPOSITION OF FATHERS TO THE SON IN THE PRESENT - Fortinbras wants to recover WHAT HE VIEWS as his father’s rightful possessions

Three young men trying to get revenge or their just rights?

Question 27

Julius

Answer 27

“mightiest Julius fell” Horatio

foreshadowing - impending doom via Roman history

Question 28

enter

Answer 28

*Enter Ghost.

Coleridge, 1818: the play is about the importance of “an equilibrium between the real and the imaginary worlds”
- contrast- nature is at an imbalance with the presence of the ghost. the characters are uncomfortable, nervous.

Question 29

blast

Answer 29

“blast me.—Stay, illusion!” Horatio

caesura and enjambment indicates alert, sense of panic/stress

Question 30

speak

Answer 30

“Speak to me.”

imperative phrases repeated to challenge a ghost – an inhuman power, with human speech) – power struggle over the Ghost and perhaps over their own fears

Question 31

partsian

Answer 31

MARCELLUS

Shall I strike it with my partisan?

HORATIO Do, if it will not stand.

BARNARDO ’Tis here.

HORATIO ’Tis here.

stichomythia, finishing each other’s sentences, secuirty blanket, human pack

Question 32

summons

Answer 32

“And then it started like a guilty thing / Upon a fearful summons.” Horatio

De-personification of an ambiguous object – the Ghost

Question 33

nice-looking

Answer 33

when I am no longer as nice-looking as I am now - nor

Nora has a sense of the true nature of her marriage, even as early as Act One. She recognizes that Torvald’s affection for her is heavily dependent on her looks and her more, insightful and manipulative side is displayed. For the first time, readers are aware of how Nora is not always as naive as she seems to be.