Hamlet Flashcards
Drama Revision
What are the first words of the play?
‘Who’s there?’
At what time does the play begin?
Midnight
What is happening as the play begins?
There is a changing of the guard
What is the correct term for a tragic hero’s fatal flaw?
Hamartia
What type of play is Hamlet?
revenge tragedy
Which classical playwright influenced Shakespeare?
Seneca
How is Hamlet different to Shakespeare’s earlier tragedies?
It is more complex - not solely based on violence and sensationalism.
Which other Renaissance play is thought to have influenced Hamlet?
The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd
Who is the scholar and sceptic that we meet in the first scene?
Horatio
What law was passed in 1542?
The witchcraft act - this made witchcraft a crime punishable by death.
Who wrote Daemonologie?
James I
What was Daemonologie?
A pamphlet written by James I warning about the dangers of black magic.
What does Francisco say in 1.1 - ‘I am_______at heart’
sick
In 1.1, what does Horatio say of the ghost - ‘it bodes some strange______to our state’
eruption
How does Marcellus refer to the ghost in 1.1 - ‘a _______ sight’
dreaded
How does Horatio refer to the ghost in 1.1 - ‘it harrows me with ______ and _________
fear and wonder
How is Old Hamlet presented in 1.1?
A brave and successful warrior
Whilst the men watch for the ghost in 1.1, we also learn that Denmark is preparing for….?
war
What is the name of the character that wants to reclaim the lands lost by his father?
Young Fortinbras
How is Young Fortinbras described in 1.1 - ‘unimproved mettle_______ and full,
hot - meaning he is hot-headed and aggressive
Which quotation in 1.1 presents Young Fortinbras as aggressive and violent?
‘unimproved mettle hot and full’
The aim of tragedy is to arouse sensations of_______ and ________’ (Aristotle)
pity and fear
‘The opening scene of Hamlet is as well _______ as that of any play ever written’ (T.S. Eliot)
constructed
In 1.1, what does Horatio say of the ghost - ‘it started like a _________ thing’
guilty
Who was on the throne when Hamlet was first performed?
Elizabeth I
Why was there anxiety about Elizabeth’s reign during the time the play was performed?
Elizabeth was growing older and had no children or obvious successors
What was The Bishop’s Ban?
A ban (put in place in 1599) on any text that was seen as blasphemous or unpatriotic.
How long had Elizabeth I reigned for when Hamlet was first performed?
40 years
What is the style of metre used to structure Claudius’ speech in 1.2?
Iambic pentameter
‘Though yet of Hamlet _________ dear brother’s death’
our
Why does Claudius repeatedly use the plural voice in his 1.2 speech?
To unite the royal court, suggesting they share the same grief.
How does Claudius’ speech in 1.2 juxtapose the previous scene?
His speech is long, calm and measured, juxtaposing the short choppy rhythms of the opening scene.
‘with one auspicious and a dopping _______’
eye
‘Claudius shows every sign of being an excellent ________ and king’ (Knight)
diplomat
How does Claudius deal with the threat from Young Fortinbras?
He takes a diplomatic route, choosing to write to Norway (the uncle of Young Fortinbras)
‘nor have we herein barr’d/Your better ___________’
wisdoms
In 1.2, how is Claudius presented as a different king to Old Hamlet?
Claudius favours diplomacy in dealing with Young Fortinbras, whereas Old Hamlet is depicted as a valiant warrior king.
In 1.2, Hamlet is dressed in ‘suits of __________ black
solemn
What are some of the words that Claudius uses to appear balanced and logical?
‘Though’/’Yet’/’Therefore’
Why was there anxiety about Elizabeth I at the time the play was performed?
She was reaching the end of her reign and had no obvious successors.
What had Elizabeth I provided to England during her reign?
stability, after a previous period of significant change and a number of different monarchs
Who was the monarch when the play was perfomed?
Elizabeth I
How long had Elizabeth I reigned when Hamlet was performed?
40 years
Which critic said ‘Claudius shows every sign of being an excellent diplomat and king’
Knight
‘_______ madam? Nay, it is. I know not ________’
seems
‘A little more than kin, and less than ________’
kind
‘I have that within which passes _________’
show
‘Ay ________, it is common’
madam
What formal term does Hamlet call his mother in 1.2?
Madam
What technique is used in the quotation: ‘A little more than kin, and less than kind’?
pun
‘Hyperion to a ________’
satyr
What is a satyr?
A lustful half man half goat
‘____________ thy name is woman’
frailty
Of whom is the following referring?’Frailty thy name is woman’
Gertrude
‘a ________ that wants discourse of reason/Would have mourned longer’
beast
‘no more like my father/Than I to _________’
Hercules
‘the salt of most ___________ tears’
unrighteous
Whose tears are called ‘unrighteous’ and what does that word mean?
Gertrude - it means insincere
Which Gods does Hamlet compare his father to in 1.2?
Hyperion (a sun god) and Hercules
Which figure of the time might have influenced the presentation of Gertrude?
Mary Queen of Scots
In what way might Mary Queen of Scots influenced the presentation of Gertrude?
MQoS, like Gertrude, failed to observe a proper mourning period for her husband and married the man many thought had killed him.
In 1.2, where is Laertes granted permission to return to?
University in Paris
In 1.2, which quotation shows Claudius flattering the royal court?
‘nor have we herein barr’d/Your better wisdoms’
What does hamartia mean?
a fatal flaw (that leads to the downfall of a character)
Who is Polonius?
A royal advisor; father of Ophelia and Laertes
‘A __________ in the youth of primy nature’
violet
‘___________ it no more’
Think
Who tells Ophelia, ‘Think it no more’?
Laertes
‘your chaste ________ open’
treasure
What technique is used in the phrase ‘chaste treasure’?
metaphor
Which word does Laertes repeat when speaking to Ophelia in 1.3?
Fear. e.g. ‘Fear it, Ophelia, fear it’/’best safety lies in fear’
‘the _____ galls the infants of the spring’
canker
What is the ‘canker’ that Laertes says ‘galls the infants of the spring’?
The cankerworm - a phallic image that suggests that purity becomes corrupted by sex.
What is the semantic field that Polonius uses in 1.3 when talking to Ophelia about her relationship with Hamlet?
Semantic field of money/currency
Who says ‘contagious blastments are most imminent’ and what is being described?
Laertes - in 1.3, describing how Ophelia’s relationship with Hamlet will inevitably lead to corruption and contagion.
‘_________ blastments are most imminent’
contagious
‘Think yourself a _______’
baby
Who tells Ophelia to ‘think yourself a baby’?
Polonius - suggesting she is foolish and naive, and does not understand her relationship with Hamlet.
‘you have taken these __________ for true pay’
tenders
After Polonius lectures Ophelia in 1.3 about her relationship with Hamlet, how does she respond?
‘I shall obey, my lord’ - she is completely obedient.
‘you do not understand yourself so clearly/As it behoves my __________’
daughter
‘you speak like a ______ girl’
green
Who tells Ophelia ‘you speak like a green girl’?
Polonius - meaning she is naive in how she sees her relationship with Hamlet.
Which word (beginning with a) describes a ghost or ghost-like image?
apparition
Which word (beginning with a) describes something that is uncertain or unclear?
ambiguous
Which word (beginning with o) describes a public speaker?
orator
Which word (beginning with e) means to be fluent or persuasive when using words?
eloquent
Which word (beginning with m) refers to a feeling of deep sadness?
melancholy
Which word (beginning with d) means a god or godlike figure?
deity
Which word (beginning with d) means deceitful?
duplicitous
Which word (beginning with p) refers to a system controlled by men?
patriarchal
‘they are brokers/Not of the ________ which their investments show’
dye
What does Polonius mean when he says to Ophelia: ‘they are brokers/Not of the dye which their investments show’
He uses a metaphor to suggest that Hamlet’s promises are like counterfeit money.
‘Ophelia is deprived of thought, _______ and _________’ (Showalter)
sexuality and language
Which critic said: ‘Opelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and language’?
Showalter
‘In Shakespeare’s society, the ideal female is cherished for her youth, ___________ and purity’ (Rogers)
beauty
Which critic said: ‘In Shakespeare’s society, the ideal female is cherished for her youth, beauty and purity’?
Rogers
What did Elizabeth say of her own femininity: ‘I know I have but the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart of a ________’
king
In order to appear an untouchable and perfect beauty, Elizabeth I conducted her relationships in the style of a…..?
Petrarchan lover
Due to her unmarried status and supposed ‘purity’, what was Elizabeth I sometimes called?
the virgin queen
In 1.4, how does Hamlet refer to the ghost: ‘a spirit of health or a _______ damn’d’?
goblin
In 1.4, what famous line does Marcellus say, suggesting that the ghost perhaps symbolises a corruption within Denmark?
‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’
In 1.4, Horatio worries that the ghost may in fact be a devil that will ‘tempt [Hamlet] toward the ____________?’
flood
Who presented herself in court as a Petrarchan lover?
Elizabeth I
Young Fortinbras as a character is rash and impetuous, contrasting the play’s more thoughtful protagonist. What word (beginning with f) describes juxtaposing characters?
foil (dramatic foil)
Where does Hamlet attend university
Wittenberg
What is the significance of Hamlet attending university at Wittenberg?
It was the ‘birthplace’ of The Protestant Reformation, one of the key events of the Renaissance. Thus, Shakespeare presents Hamlet as a product and symbol of this era.
‘Ay springes to catch __________’
Woodcocks
Who says the following: ‘Springes to catch woodcocks’?
Polonius - suggesting that Hamlet’s promises are traps (springes) to ensnare Ophelia (a ‘woodcock’ - an easily caught bird)
‘Speak I am __________ to hear’
bound
Who says ‘Speak I am bound to hear’, and to whom does he say it?
Hamlet to the ghost - suggesting he feels a sense of filial duy
Which word (beginning with f) means the relationship between son and parent.
filial
‘________, ____________, O ____________, if thou didst ever thy dear father love’
list (listen)
‘Haste me to know it, that I may _______ to my revenge’
sweep
‘__________ me to know it, that I may sweep to my revenge’
haste
‘The __________ that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown’
serpent (biblical imagery that presents Claudius as a blasphemous figure who has gone against God)
Who is compared to a serpent?
Claudius - ‘The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown’
What are the connotations of the following: ‘The serpent that did sting thy father’s life/Now wears his crown’?
Biblical imagery - Claudius is compared to the serpent in The Garden of Eden, a figure of deceit whose actions went against God.
‘thy _________ all alone shall live’
commandment
How might you describe the tone of the ghost’s language in 1.5?
Much of the ghost’s language takes an imperative tone. E.g: - ‘list, list, O list’ - ‘Mark me’ - ‘now, Hamlet, hear’ - ‘remember me’
Who says ‘I have sworn’t’ and when do they say it?
Hamlet says it after speaking to the ghost in 1.5 - showing how he sees his promise to his father as an unbreakable sacred pact.
‘I have ___________’
sworn’t’
What was the name of Shakespeare’s son?
Hamnet
When did Hamnet (Shakespeare’s son) die?
1596 - approximately five years before Hamlet was first performed.
How might Hamlet have been influenced by Hamnet’s death?
Hamnet/Hamlet were at this time the same name; some have suggested the focus on father-son relationships in the play is shaped by Shakespeare losing his only son.
‘All duties seem _________ to Hamlet’ (Von Goethe)
holy
Which critic said: ‘all duties seem holy to Hamlet’
Von Goethe
Hamlet is rather an __________ than an agent’ (Johnson)
instrument
Which critic said: ‘Hamlet is rather an instrument than an agent’
Johnson
Hamlet is rather an instrument than an ____________ (Johnson)
agent
What is the name of Polonius’ servant who he sent to spy on Laertes?
Reynaldo
What word (beginning with e) means to be cut off from the church?
excommunicated
In what year was Elizabeth I excommunicated by the Pope?
1570
Why was Elizabeth I excommunicated by the Pope in 1570?
For making England a Protestant nation
Why did Elizabeth I establish a spy network?
To combat the threat posed by her Catholic enemies in Europe and in England; they wanted to overthrow the Protestant Elizabeth I and replace her with a Catholic ruler (Mary QoS)
Which word (beginning with s) refers to ideas of close observation, and is one of the play’s major themes?
surveillance
‘Put on him what _______ you please’
forgeries
Who says ‘put on him what forgeries you please’ and what is being referred to here?
Polonius tells Reynaldo to spread untruthful stories about Laertes in order to find out about his recent behaviour.
What does the name Reynaldo mean?
fox-like
How does Reynaldo respond to Polonius’ instructions that he slanders Laertes?
He is concerned that such untruthful suggestions would taint Laertes’ honour.
‘I have been so ___________’
affrighted
Who says ‘I have been so affrighted’
Ophelia - after Hamlet bursts into her chamber acting erratically (and maybe feigning madness)
Which quotation means to feign madness?
‘antic disposition’
What does Hamlet mean when he says that he intends to put on an ‘antic disposition’
He means that he intends to feign madness
How does Polonius respond to Ophelia’s ‘affrighted’ emotional state in 2.1?
He tells Ophelia ‘go we to the king’, using his daughter’s distress to gain favour with Claudius.
In 2.2, what does Claudius ask Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to do?
spy on Hamlet and ‘gather/So much as from occasion you may glean’
Who does Claudius grant ‘quiet pass’ through Denmark?
Young Fortinbras
Why does Claudius grant Young Fortinbras ‘quiet pass’ through Denmark
Because he has made ‘vow before his uncle never more/To give the assay of arms against’ Claudius. Instead, he will travel through Denmark to invade Poland.
In 2.2, how does Polonius metaphorically describe the news he has of Hamlet’s strange behaviour?
‘the fruit to that great feast’ - this conveys his self-importance and pomposity.
Who describes his thoughts as being ‘the fruit to that great feast’?
Polonius
In 2.2, what does Gertrude instruct Polonius, suggesting she sees him as being unnecessarily verbose?
‘More matter, with less art.
In 2.2, how does Shakespeare craft Polonius’ language to present him as self important and somewhat ridiculous.
Shakespeare gives Polonius language that is unnecessarily complex with his syntax muddled. E.g. when speaking of Hamlet, Polonius says: ‘That he is mad, ‘tis true: ‘tis true ‘tis pity; And pity ‘tis ‘tis true’
In 2.2, what does Hamlet call Polonius?
A fishmonger
Why might Hamlet’s insult to Polonius (calling him a ‘fishmonger’) be considered a pun.
A fishmonger was another name for a brothel-keeper (or a fleshmonger - a seller of ‘flesh’). Hamlet is suggesting Polonius treats Ophelia like a prostitute, using her for his own gain.
‘to be ___________, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand’
honest
Who says the following, to whom? ‘to be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand’
Hamlet to Polonius.
After Polonius exits the scene in 2.2, what does Hamlet say in reference to the royal advisor?
‘these tedious old fools’
What was the Babington Plot?
A plot in 1586 to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I and replace her with the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots,
When did The Babington Plot take place?
1586
What does the word eponymous mean?
A person giving their name to something.
What is the significance of ‘the rainbow portrait’?
The eyes and ears patterned on Elizabeth’s dress in this portrait link to her spy network and the surveillance of the time.
How weary, stale, flat, and ____________// Seem to me all the uses of this world!
unprofitable
How does Shakespeare structure the rhythms of Hamlet’s speech in his first soliloquy, e.g.
The frequent punctuation creates a much slower rhythm, representing Hamlet’s melancholic state. This is a direct contrast to the free flowing nature of Claudius’ speech that opens 1.2
Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing // Quarreling ____________’
drabbing
Who says the following: ‘Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing, Quarreling drabbing’?
Polonius - he instructs Reynaldo to make up shocking stories about Laertes to discover the nature of his behaviour in Paris.
What does ‘drabbing’ mean and who uses this word?
Drabbing = using prostitutes. Polonius says this when telling his servant (Reynaldo) to spread untruths about Laertes.
What technique is used here: ‘Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing // Quarreling, drabbing’
Listing. Shakespeare uses this to show how far Polonius will go to discover the nature of Laertes’ behaviour and, more importantly, to protect his own reputation.
What is the name of the play that Hamlet asks the players to perform?
The Murder of Gonzago
Hamlet can be privileged in madness to say things about the corruption of __________/___________ (Mack)
human behaviour
Which critic says the following: ‘Hamlet can be privileged in madness to say things about the corruption of human behaviour.’?
Mack
Which word (beginning with e) means to feel weaker and deprived of a male identity?
emasculated
What word (beginning with i) means lacking honour?
ignoble
What does ignoble mean?
Lacking honour
‘Rogue and _________ slave’
peasant
Why does Hamlet call himself a ‘rogue and peasant slave’?
He sees his behaviour as lowly and ignoble. He calls himself a ‘slave’ as he feels trapped - by his own moral indecision and the pact he has made with his father.
‘___________ liver’d’
pigeon
‘must like a __________ unpack my heart with words’
who*re
Why does Hamlet call himself a ‘who*re who must ‘unpack my heart with words’
He feels that his inaction is cheap and undignified. Hamlet feels a sense of self loathing that he feels compelled to constantly unpick his emotions, rather than acting.
‘___________ of my cause’
unpregnant
‘The play’s the thing/Wherein I’ll catch the conscience of the ___________’
king
Why is a rhyming couplet used at the end of Hamlet’s soliloquy in 2.2
It represents him reaching a resolution and finding a relative sense of certainty.
Which critic? ‘Hamlet seems incapable of deliberate action’
Hazlitt
‘Hamlet seems incapable of ___________ action’ (Hazlitt)
deliberate
‘Hamlet’s delay is due to…a form of _____________’ (Bradley)
melancholy
Why does Hamlet call himself ‘pigeon liver’d’
In the Elizabethan era, the liver was seen as the storehouse or courage. Hamlet is therefore saying that he is cowardly for not taking action.
3.1 begins in the middle of Claiudius speaking - what is the correct term for this?
media res
What is media res?
A term meaning ‘in the midst of things’ - where a scene opens in the middle of a conversation, e.g. 3.1 - ‘and can you by no drift…’
In 3.1, Claudius compared his ‘most pained word’ to the harlot’s….?
‘plastering art’
In 3.1, Claudius compares the harlot’s ‘plastering art’ to his….what?
‘most painted word’
Why does Claudius compare the harlot’s ‘plastering art’ to his ‘most painted word’?
They are both constructions used to conceal immorality.
What technique is used in the phrase, ‘to be, or not to be’?
parallel phrasing
‘the slings and arrows of outrageous ____________’
fortune
‘a __________ of troubles’
sea
Why does Hamlet compare life to facing ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’?
He is suggesting life is unpredictable and governed not by merit or justice, but by luck and chance.
What key period might Hamlet be seen as embodying?
The Renaissance
What does Renaissance mean?
rebirth (of questioning and curiosity)
What was the name of the philosophy that gained prominence during The Renaissance period which placed ‘man as the measure of all things’
Humanism
What was Humanism?
An intellectual movement of The Renaissance period that placed ‘man as the measure of all things’
How is Hamlet attending Wittenburg university perhaps significant?
Wittenburg was where The Protestant Reformation (one of the key events of The Renaissance) began. Thus, Shakespeare links Hamlet to the changes of The Renaissance period.
What dramatic technique does Shakespeare use for Claudius’ confession in 3.1?
aside
In 3.1, why does Shakespeare use an aside (rather than a soliloquy) for Claudius’ confession?
It presents him as cunning and duplicitous
In his 3.1 soliloquy, what does Hamlet refer to death as - ‘the undiscovered ________________’?
country
To what is Hamlet referring when he talks of ‘the undiscovered country’?
death
‘for in that sleep what __________ may come’
dreams
What is Hamlet referring to in his 3.1 soliloquy when he questions ‘for in that sleep what dreams may come’?
The uncertainty of what comes after death
‘the native hue of resolution/is __________ over by the pale cast of thought’
sicklied
‘the native hue of ___________ is sicklied over by the pale cast of thought’
resolution
In his 3.1 soliloquy, how does Hamlet present thought and rationality: ‘the native hue of resolution/is sicklied over by the pale cast of thought’
Thought is a form of corruption/disease that infects our natural instinct to act.
Which word (beginning with d) means without emotion?
dispassionate
In which part of the play might Hamlet most obviously be described as dispassionate?
In his 3.1 ‘to be, or not to be’ soliloquy. Although he is considering life and death, the tone and rhythm of Hamlet’s speech is measured and in control.
‘The single characteristic of Hamlet’s character is by no means hesitation but the strong conflux of ___________ forces.’ (Swinbourne)
contending
Which critic? ‘Hamlet is a tragedy of thought.’
Bradley
‘Hamlet is a tragedy of ______________.’ (Bradley)
thought
‘Beauty will sooner transform/honesty from what it is to a ____________’
bawd
What is a ‘bawd’ and in which quotation is it mentioned?
bawd = woman in charge of a brother. Hamlet says to Ophelia in 3.1, ‘beauty will sooner transform/honesty from what it is to a bawd’?’ He is suggesting that beauty is a corrupting force.
‘get thee to a ___________’
nunnery
Which critic? ‘The single characteristic of Hamlet’s character is by no means hesitation but the strong conflux of contending forces.’
Swinbourne
What are the different meanings of a ‘nunnery’?
- A place where nuns live - a setting of purity and virtue. 2. Slang for a brothel - a place stereotypically associated with disease and corruption.
‘I have heard of your ____________’
paintings
What does Hamlet mean when he tells Ophelia in 3.1 ‘I have heard of your paintings
He knows of her artificiality and the way she deceptively conceals her inner corruption.
‘You jig and amble, and you ________’
lisp
What does Hamlet mean when he tells Ophelia ‘you jig and amble and you lisp’?
That she talks and moves in an affected and artificial way, putting on a performance of innocence.
We can imagine Hamlet’s story without _________ but ____________ literally has no story without Hamlet.’ (Edwards)
Ophelia
Which critic? ‘We can imagine Hamlet’s story without Ophelia, but Ophelia literally has no story without Hamlet.’
Edwards
What does Hamlet call the play that is performed?
The Mousetrap
Which word (beginning with a) means to be forgiven for your sins?
absolution. E.g. In his soliloquy in 3..3, Claudius is shown to desperately want absolution.
Where does Claudius decide to send Hamlet?
England
Who is told to accompany Hamlet to England?
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
What is the Great Chain of Being?
This was a common belief in the Elizabethan era based on the idea that God created a social order for everybody. This meant that the king or queen was there because they had been chosen by God.
What was the name of the common belief in the Elizabethan era that suggested that the king or queen was the chosen representative of God on earth?
The Great Chain of Being
Which word (beginning with r) means the act of killing a king?
regicide
What does regicide mean?
The act of killing a king
my offence is rank, it smells to heaven/It hath the _________________ eldest curse upon’t’?
primal
What is Claudius referring to when he says that his ‘offence…hath the primal eldest curse upon’t’?
He compares his murder of Old Hamlet to the story of the brothers Cain and Abel, Cain being the world’s first ever murderer.
Why does Claudius compare his killing of Old Hamlet to the story of Cain and Abel?
He is conveying that what he has done is not just a crime, but a deeply blasphemous act against God.
Is there ___________ enough in the sweet heavens/To wash it white as snow’
rain
Is there rain enough in the sweet heavens/To wash it white as ____________’
snow
How does Shakespeare use juxtaposing colour imagery in his soliloquy?
Claudius wants his soul to be cleansed and ‘washed as white as snow’, but he feels that his ‘bosom [is as] black as death’.
‘My crown, mine own ambition, and my _____________?’
queen
‘My crown, mine own ___________, and my queen?’
ambition
How does Shakespeare present Claudius via the repeated possessives: ‘My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen’?
That he feels a sense of ownership, over the crown and queen, despite having gained both immorally. This forms the basis of his conflict: he wants to repent but also doesn’t want to give up what he has gained.
‘Claudius is not a ______________, he is morally weak’ (Mabillard)
monster
Claudius is not a monster, he is morally weak’ (_________)
Mabillard
‘Claudius is not a monster, he is morally _____________’ (Mabillard)
weak
‘_____________ is not a monster, he is morally weak’ (Mabillard)
Claudius
‘Claudius’ soliloquy gives the impression of _____________ pageantry rather than sincere contrition.’ (Arnold)
rhetorical
Claudius’ soliloquy gives the impression of rhetorical pageantry rather than sincere contrition.’ (__________)
Arnold
‘Claudius’ soliloquy gives the impression of rhetorical pageantry rather than sincere ______________.’ (Arnold)
contrition
What does the phrase ‘rhetorical pageantry’ mean and which critic uses it?
rhetorical pageantry = an impressive display of language. Arnold uses this when he says that ‘Claudius’ soliloquy gives the impression of rhetorical pageantry rather than sincere contrition.’
What does the word ‘contrition’ mean?
The state of feeling remorseful
‘heart with strings of ____________’
steel
Who talks of having a ‘heart with strings of steel’?
Claudius, in his soliloquy, suggesting his crime has made him emotionally hardened and therefore unable to fully repent.
What is the significance of 3.4 taking place in Gertrude’s private closet?
It represents Hamlet invading her private world and exposing her.
What is the technique used in 3.4 here: ‘Gertrude: Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended//Hamlet: Mother, thou hast my father much offended
Stichomythia
Why does Shakespeare use stichomythia in 3.4 (closet scene), e.g.
To convey how Hamlet is unwilling to accept his mother’s authority - it makes clear from the scene’s opening that Hamlet will defiantly challenge Gertrude.
‘Thou wretched rash _____ fool’
intruding
Who is called a ‘wretched rash intruding fool’
Polonius (just after Hamlet kills him)
‘let me wring your ____________’
heart
‘You go not till I set up a glass/Where you may see the _________ part of you’
inmost
What does Hamlet mean when he tells his mother: ‘You go not till I set up a glass/Where you may see the inmost part of you’?
That he is going to force her to ‘see’ her true self and her inner corruption.
What word (beginning with p) is a tragic term meaning an irreversible change in fortune?
peripeteia
‘Gertrude is a moral ________________’ (Muir)
defective
‘Gertrude is a ____________ defective’ (Muir)
moral
‘speak no more/These words like ____________ enter into my ears’
daggers
Who says: ‘speak no more/These words like daggers enter into my ears’
Gertrude - after Hamlet has confronted her in 3.4.
‘the __________ sweat of an enseamed bed’
rank
‘an eye like ___________ to threaten and command’
Mars
Who is said to have ‘an eye like Mars to threaten and command’
Old Hamlet (Hamlet describes his father like this in the closet scene)
‘A king of shreds and ________’
patches
What does Shakespeare suggest about how Hamlet sees Claudius when he describes him as ‘a king of shreds and patches’?
He sees Claudius as inauthentic and lacking a solid or meaningful royal identity.
What is significant about Hamlet comparing his father to Mars (‘an eye like Mars to threaten and command’)
Mars was the God of war - hence we see how Hamlet sees his father as a powerful and impressive deity figure.
‘The ghost is the _______ of Hamlet’ (Wilson)
linchpin
What does linchpin mean, and which critic uses this word ‘‘The ghost is the linchpin of Hamlet’
linchpin means the element that holds everything together. This is used by Wilson:
‘the very ___________ of your brain’
coinage
What is described as ‘the very coinage [of Hamlet’s] brain’
The ghost when it reappears in the closet scene - this makes clear how Gertrude does not see it, and perceives the spirit to be a figment of her son’s imagination.
What word, meaning extremely persistent, is used to describe Ophelia in the opening of 4.5?
importunate
‘Twere good she were spoken with, for she may strew ____________ conjectures’
dangerous
Which character is being referred to here? ‘Twere good she were spoken with, for she may strew dangerous conjectures’
Ophelia
What is the significance of Ophelia being described like this: ‘Twere good she were spoken with, for she may strew dangerous conjectures’
It presents her as having a ‘dangerous’ and influential voice, which is very different to how she is silenced earlier on in the play.
In 4.5 , what phrase does Ophelia repeat showing that she demands to be heard?
‘pray you mark’
How does Ophelia sing about the concealment of Polonius’ murder, and his lack of a proper burial?
‘larded with sweet flowers/Which bewept to the grave did not go’
How does Ophelia sing about Hamlet’s dishonesty and the way he took her honour?
‘Let in the maid that out a maid/never departed more’
In 4.5, what does Claudius repeatedly call Ophelia to try and belittle and dismiss her?
pretty Ophelia
Although Ophelia’s songs seem the ramblings of a madwoman, how does Shakespeare suggest they have some meaning?
They have a regular metre
What do the columbines that Ophelia gives out represent?
deception and marital infidelity
What is significant about Ophelia saying, ‘I would give you some/violets but they withered all when my father died’,
Violets symbolise innocence and faithfulness - therefore she is suggesting that her father’s murder has left Denmark corrupted and impure.
‘Through madness, Ophelia suddenly makes a _________/____________ of her being’ (Charney)
forceful assertion
Through madness, Ophelia suddenly makes a forceful assertion of her being’ (________)
Charney
‘Poor Ophelia/Divided from herself and her fair ___________’
judgement
Who says the following: ‘Poor Ophelia/Divided from herself and her fair judgement’?
Claudius says this in 4.5 to belittle and dismiss Ophelia’s comments about the corruption of the royal court.
Who is compared to ‘the ocean, overpeering of his list’
Laertes in 4.5 - a metaphor that presents him as wild and out of control.
What are the stage directions in 4.5 that present Laertes as a powerful and influential figure.
Enter Laertes with followers
‘Where is _________ king?’
this
What is the significance of Laertes asking ‘where is this king’?
He is questioning the legitimacy of Claudius’ rule - hence him saying ‘this’, rather than ‘the’, king.
‘the drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me _____________’
bastard
Who says: ‘the drop of blood that’s calm proclaims me bastard’?
Laertes - this shows that he thinks to be calm, and not seek vengeance, would betray his father’s memory.
‘To hell ___________! Vows to the blackest devil’
allegiance
Who says: ‘To hell allegiance! Vows to the blackest devil’?
Laertes in 4.5 - showing that he is willing to risk damnation in order to avenge his father.
What was the name of the private revenge acts in the 1600s that were associated with threats to family honour and reputation.
blood feuds
What were blood feuds?
Private revenge acts that were associated with threats to family honour and reputation.
‘Laertes is like a ___________’
Prosser
Ophelia is a ____________ we have never really known’
lesser
Ophelia is a lesser we have never really known’ (___________)
Kerrigan
Laertes is like a hurricane’ (__________)
Prosser
Which word (beginning with m) means to be cunning and manipulative?
machiavellian
What does Machiavellian mean?
to be cunning and manipulative
In 4.7, how does Claudius manipulate Laertes by flattering the memory of Polonius?
He refers to him as his ‘noble father’
What is the significance of Claudius telling Laertes that ‘He [a Norman soldier] gave you such a masterly report…for your rapier most especial’
He flatters him by suggesting Laertes is a renowned dualist so that he will fight Hamlet.
The writing of which political thinker may have influenced the presentation of Claudius?
Machiavelli - whose political text ‘The Prince’ suggested that sometimes rulers must act ignobly to achieve their goals.
What was the name of Machiavelli’s political text that suggested rulers must act ignobly to achieve their goals?
The Prince
‘are you like the _________ of a sorrow?’
painting
Who questions ‘are you like the painting of a sorrow?’
Claudius asks this of Laertes, questioning whether his grief is genuine of simply an elaborate construction.
Her clothes spread wide/And ____________-like awhile they bore her up’
mermaid
Who is described as a ‘creature native’, and what does it mean?
Ophelia is described like this when Gertrude gives news of her death- this means a creature born and equipped to live in water.
What is the significance of Ophelia being described as ‘mermaid-like’ and a ‘creature native’ when Gertrude gives news of her death?
This shows how, even in death, Ophelia is not given a true or real identity - she is instead presented as a mythical, magical being.
Which word (beginning with d) means the closing stages of a plot.
denouement
What does denouement mean?
It is a term used to describe the final stages of a plot.
‘Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to ___________’
clay
‘Alexander returneth to the ____________’
dust
‘In the final act, Hamlet accepts his world and we discover a ____________/__________’ (Mack)
different man
In the final act, Hamlet accepts his world and we discover a different man’ (________)
Mack
What is the significance of Hamlet referring to Caesar and Alexander, and commenting on how they have ‘turned to clay’/returneth to the dust’?
We see Hamlet accepts death and how all living things, irrespective of their greatness, must die.
‘lay her in the earth and from her fair and ____________ flesh may violets grow’
unpolluted
Who says the following and of whom? ‘lay her in the earth and from her fair and unpolluted flesh may violets grow’
Laertes says this of Ophelia as she is buried in 5.1
‘Hamlet is a tragedy without _____________’ (Frye)
catharsis
Hamlet is a tragedy without catharsis’ (_______)
Frye
Which word (beginning with c) means a release from intense emotions?
catharsis
‘I have shot an arrow o’er the house and hurt my ____________’
brother
Who says the following: ‘I have shot an arrow o’er the house and hurt my brother’?
Hamlet to Laertes in the final scene. We see a form of reconciliation here, as the tragic prince acknowledges that his anger was misdirected, hurting someone he held dear.
‘Give me your ________, sir. I have done you wrong.’
pardon
‘Exchange __________ with me, noble Hamlet’
forgiveness
Who says: ‘Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet’?
Laertes in the final scene.
‘Bear Hamlet like a __________ to the stage’
soldier
What is the significance of Young Fortinbras at the end of the play saying: ‘Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage’?
It shows that, in death, the eponymous character finally gains the heroic identity that he has craved for much of the play.
‘I have some rights of ___________ in this kingdom’
memory
