Hamlet Act 3.2

Question 1

utt’rance

Answer 1

GUILDENSTERN But these cannot I command to any

utt’rance of harmony. I have not the skill.

Interesting comment - merely performing the motions of an action doesn’t mean you are completing the substance of an action - reflects play’s wider concerns of performance vs genuine action

Question 2

upon

Answer 2

You would play upon me

ham - 1. direct address&raquo_space; ostensibly polite but fairly openly aggressive

2. extended metaphor of Hamlet as a musical instrument and a passive object to be ‘played’ - in old and modern senses of word > played = manipulated

> played = made to perform

> played = to perform on > played = like a game

> played = gambling

3. Thus Hamlet’s short speech here is almost an open accusation of Guildenstern’s true nature as a spy Analyse it more!