Hamlet - Scene Quotes Act 1 Flashcards
‘Who’s there ?’
Barnado
A1 s1
Imperative mood & interrogative
Foreshadows ambiguity
Foreshadows the fragile state of Denmark
‘This bodes some strange eruption to our state’
Horatio
A1S1
Key quote
Eruption cannotes volcanic activity - natural form of destruction
This contrasts the ghost’s supernatural state
Serves to enlarge the disruption of nature the death has caused
‘Young fortinbras of unimproved mettle, hot and full!’
Horatio
A1S1
Referring to Hippocrates 4 humours
Choleric was associated with violence
Foreshadows fate at end of play
‘Palmy state of Rome a little ere the mightiest julius fell’
Horatio
A1S1
Theme of tyranny and dramatic irony
Metatheatricallity
Julius assassinated to improve state of empire due to tyranny
‘Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen th’ imperial jointress to this war like state’
Claudius
A1 S2
Theme of incest
Instability of Denmark
‘A little more than kin and less than kind’
Hamlet
A1S2
Consolidates that he disapproves of marriage
Guttural alliteration - disgust
’ Tis common that all that lives must die’
Gertrude
A1S2
Epitomises the unsympathetic mother - doesn’t take on stereotypical maternal role
Dysfunctional family
’ Tis unmanly grief’
Claudius
A1S2
Emasculation due to grief
’ Our chiefest courtier, cousin, and our son ‘
Claudius
A1S2
Puts court before family in prioritees
’ Moiety competent was gagèd by our king’
Horatio
A1S1
Archaic language
Feudal distance
Old medical rule of old hamlet contrasts with Claudius’ modern diplomacy & politics
Argument that Claudius saved Denmark from tyranny
’ Like a guilty thing ‘
Horatio
A1 S1
Horario acts as audience on stage
Reflects Protestant weariness of ghosts resulting in audience having to be persuaded
Claudius’ speech
A1S2
Rhetoric speech - use of persuasive language
Introduction to Claudius in duplicity -use of binary opposition; ‘ our dear brother’s death The memory be green’
Use of plural pronouns; our,we, us
’ Cast thy lighted colour off’
Gertrude
A1S2
Separation through costume
Branagh 1996 Gertrude in wedding dress - emphasises contrast
’ Comfort of our eye’
Claudius
A1S2
Claudius’ need for control = hamartia
Fear of hamlets actions lead him to madness and action
Fear creates his own enemy
Hamlets first soliloquy
A1S2
Creates intimacy with audience
Exposes Claudius and Gertrude as villains in hamlet’s eyes following their performative act infront of the court ‘incestuous sheets’
Self loathing- ‘ o that this too tooq buried flesh would melt’ ‘ self-slaughter’
Connotation of the garden of Eden ‘ unweeded garden’ ‘things rank and gross in nature’ ‘ thy name is woman’
Comparisons ‘ no more like my father than l to Hercules’ ‘ Hyperion to a satyr’
’ i came to see your father’s funeral’
‘ it was to see my mothers wedding’
Binary opposition - mirroring Claudius’ language in speech - led scholars
To suggest Claudius as hamlets father - emphasised in Branagh
’ Fashion and a toy’
‘ not permanent, sweet, not lasting’
‘ suppliance of a minute’
‘ perhaps he loves you now’
Laertes
A1S3
Semantic field of time/interest
Link to fickle love in other tragedy - Romeo metatheatre
’ Lose your honour ‘
‘ lose your heart or your chaste treasure open’
Laertes
A1S3
Discussion of bodily worth of women
’ Do not believe his vows’
‘ l shall obey, my Lord’
Polonius & Ophelia
A1S3
Command & family dynamics
‘Obey ‘ reflects hamlet in A1 S2
‘ Be thon a spirit of health or goblin damned,
….. Airs from heaven or blasts from hell
….. Intents wicked or charitable’
Hamlet
A1 S4
Binary opposition (Claudius language) of heaven and hell
‘ Somethings is rotten in the state of Denmark’
Marcellus
A1S4
‘ strange eruption to our state’
Disease and corruption
’ doomed…. Confined…. Fires … foul crimes ….. burnt and purged … prison house’
Ghost
A15
Semantic field of punishment and suffering
Evoking pity - pathos
In purgatory
‘If thou didst ever thy dear father love… revenge his foul and most unnatural murder’
Ghost
A1S5
Conditional clause - manipulation
Superlative for exaggeration
’ Wings as swift as meditation or thoughts of love may sweep to my revenge’
Hamlet
A1S5
Contrasting semantic fields of speed
Exemplifies hamlets two hamartias of impulsivity and inaction
