U6 L7 Hamlet Flashcards
What is the complete title of Hamlet?
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
What does catharsis mean?
cleansing/relieving of emotions by art
What does purgation mean?
cleansing
What is soliloquy?
speech made by actor to themselves
What does tragedy mean in terms of drama?
- deals with serious subjects
- tragic hero with flaw that leads to downfall
- character must be hero, admire except flaw
How does a tragedy end?
unhappily
What is the nature of the final catastrophe of a tragedy?
inevitable
Ultimately, the purpose of a tragedy is to make an audience feel what?
calm
What might be a ghost’s nature and purpose?
- trick of mind
- returning to unfinished task
- blessed spirit with divine permission
- evil spirit/devil returning in form of dead person
What is a list of characters called?
Dramatis Personae
Why was Denmark preparing for a possible war?
- Hamlet’s father filled Norway king
- Norwegian king’s son planned revenge
- Hamlet’s father won some land from Norway
Why does Laertes think Hamlet will never marry Ophelia?
- Hamlet bases all actions on consideration of his position in life
- Hamlet’s noble birth won’t allow him to marry her
In Act 1 Scene 1, how many times does the Ghost of King Hamlet appear to Horatio?
2 times
What did the Medieval church forbid in terms or marriage?
man marrying dead brother’s wife
How many months had passed before Gertrude married Claudius?
two months
Where was the university that Hamlet and Horatio attended?
Wittenberg
What does pompous mean?
filled with self-importance
What do the first four scenes of Act 1, Hamlet provide?
- familiarizes the tragedy
- intros characters, tone, situation etc
What scene contains the exciting force?
Scene 5
What is the exciting force?
incident that starts conflict/struggle between two opposing interests
What does Gertrude, Claudius, Polonius, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern think is the reason for Hamlet’s madness?
G- death of Hamlet’s father and marriage
C- death of Hamlet’s father
P- Ophelia’s rejection of Hamlet’s love
RG- not being named king after father’s death
What news does Voltemand and Cornelius bring to Claudius in ACT 2?
Norway king ordered Fortinbras to direct attention to Poles
Act 2 provides what aspect of the tragedy?
rising action
What happens in a rising action?
hero gains domination over opponent (Hamlet is sure Claudius killed his father)
Some drama critics believe the climax of Hamlet happens in which part?
- Hamlet get’s the chance to kill Claudius while he’s praying
- But refrains
What happens to the roles of the two conflicting characters during the climax?
switch/reverse (other side gains power)
Act 3 Scene 4 provides what aspect of the tragedy?
falling action
What happens in the falling action?
- hero’s down fall
- emphasizes opposing force activities
Which is shorter, the falling or rising action?
falling action
What is the tragic force?
- dramatic element closely related/identical with climax
- initiates falling action
