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| Character | Hamlet | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Young Adult (20-35) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Angry | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Tragedy | |
| Description | Hamlet plans his revenge on Claudius | |
| Location | ACT II, Scene 2 | |
Summary
The play is set in Denmark at the Castle Elsinore. King Hamlet has just died and his brother, Claudius, has replaced him and also married his dead brother's wife, Gertrude. Hamlet is still grieving over his father's death.
In the first scene of the play two watchmen, Bernardo and Marcellus, along with Hamlet's friend Horation, witness the apparition of a ghost that they believe is the spirit of King Hamlet. The ghost doesn't say anything and disappears. They decide to bring Hamlet the next time, thinking that the ghost, if it's really Hamlet's father's spirit, will maybe address his son. That night the ghost appears again and speaks to Hamlet. He says that he is indeed his father's spirit and has come back to reveal the cause of his death, that is he was poisoned by his brother, King Claudius. He asks Hamlet to avenge his death. Hamlet starts planning the revenge and decides that part of his plan will be to pretend to be gone mad.
This monologue comes at the end of ACT II, Scene 2. During the scene Hamlet meets Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain of the court, who thinks Hamlet is mad because of his love for his daughter Ophelia. He also meets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet's friends from Wittenberg, who the king has summoned hoping that they will be able to cheer Hamlet up. Hamlet also welcomes a theatrical troupe that has just arrived at the castle. They will perform a play in the castle the next day and Hamlet asks one of the actors to deliver a speech for him.
When everybody leaves Hamlet curses himself. He was impressed by the spirit of the actor who shows passion for something that is only fictional. He says that he, even if he has strong and real motives, can't feel the same passion. He also plans to have the troupe perform a play that will remind the king of the murder of King Hamlet. He will observe his reaction and will be able to understand if he is really guilty or not.
In the first scene of the play two watchmen, Bernardo and Marcellus, along with Hamlet's friend Horation, witness the apparition of a ghost that they believe is the spirit of King Hamlet. The ghost doesn't say anything and disappears. They decide to bring Hamlet the next time, thinking that the ghost, if it's really Hamlet's father's spirit, will maybe address his son. That night the ghost appears again and speaks to Hamlet. He says that he is indeed his father's spirit and has come back to reveal the cause of his death, that is he was poisoned by his brother, King Claudius. He asks Hamlet to avenge his death. Hamlet starts planning the revenge and decides that part of his plan will be to pretend to be gone mad.
This monologue comes at the end of ACT II, Scene 2. During the scene Hamlet meets Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain of the court, who thinks Hamlet is mad because of his love for his daughter Ophelia. He also meets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two of Hamlet's friends from Wittenberg, who the king has summoned hoping that they will be able to cheer Hamlet up. Hamlet also welcomes a theatrical troupe that has just arrived at the castle. They will perform a play in the castle the next day and Hamlet asks one of the actors to deliver a speech for him.
When everybody leaves Hamlet curses himself. He was impressed by the spirit of the actor who shows passion for something that is only fictional. He says that he, even if he has strong and real motives, can't feel the same passion. He also plans to have the troupe perform a play that will remind the king of the murder of King Hamlet. He will observe his reaction and will be able to understand if he is really guilty or not.
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| HAMLET Now I am alone. O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I! Is it not monstrous that this player here, But in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all his visage wann'd, Tears in his eyes, distraction in's aspect, A broken voice, and his whole function suiting With forms to his conceit? and all for nothing! For Hecuba! What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do, Had he the motive and the cue for passion That I have? He would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech, Make mad the guilty and appal the free, Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears. Yet I, A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak, Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, And can say nothing; no, not for a king, Upon whose property and most dear life A damn'd defeat was made. Am I a coward? Who calls me villain? breaks my pate across? Plucks off my beard, and blows it in my face? Tweaks me by the nose? gives me the lie i' the throat, As deep as to the lungs? who does me this? Ha! 'Swounds, I should take it: for it cannot be But I am pigeon-liver'd and lack gall To make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal: bloody, bawdy villain! Remorseless, treacherous, lecherous, kindless villain! O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murder'd, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words, And fall a-cursing, like a very drab, A scullion! Fie upon't! foh! About, my brain! I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a play Have by the very cunning of the scene Been struck so to the soul that presently They have proclaim'd their malefactions; For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players Play something like the murder of my father Before mine uncle: I'll observe his looks; I'll tent him to the quick: if he but blench, I know my course. The spirit that I have seen May be the devil: and the devil hath power To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps Out of my weakness and my melancholy, As he is very potent with such spirits, Abuses me to damn me: I'll have grounds More relative than this: the play 's the thing Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king. |
