Act Four Language: Cameron

1) 4.2 Hamlet
"I am glad of it. A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear."

-I'm glad that you don't understand what I am saying. Sly words are never to be understood by fools.

-These phrases give you a little view of Hamlet's real feeling towards Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. It lets you know how foolish he really finds them to be.

2) 4.4 Hamlet
"...Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple..."

- Now whether it is animal-like madness or cowardly hesitation."

-This phrase gives you the clue that Hamlet is really beating himself up about his hesitation to avenge his father's death. You can tell that he is disappointed in himself and he doesn't understand why he has put it off for so long.

3) 4.5 Laertes

"This nothing's more than matter."

-This nonsense she is speaking means more than rational speech.

-This gives you a sense of Ophelia's true insanity. She is driven mad, much to everyone's dismay and what she says is more proof of her insanity than anyone can ever describe in rational speech. 

Who's Who Act III: Cameron

Hamlet: After a misunderstanding, he loses Ophelia and is finally driven to madness.
Claudius: Has decided to send Prince Hamlet away after Ophelia returns her gifts and letters to Hamlet, because he is afraid of what Hamlet could do to harm his spot on the throne.
Polonious: Had told Ophelia to reject Hamlet's love to protect her virtue. But began to fear that he was the cause of Hamlet's madness
Ophelia: After returning Hamlet's gifts, she began to watch the prince fall apart. She realizes that love can drive good men crazy, and she fears that she is the cause for Hamlet's madness

Clarification Questions Act 2: Cameron

1) In scene II, line 548, what does the word "scullion" mean?
2) Why does Hamlet question the actor when he says "The muffled queen"?
3) Why is Polonious spying on his son? What does he expect to find?
4) In scene II, line 127, what does the phrase "table-book" mean?

Themes Act I: Cameron

The theme for act one is betrayal. This is because Prince Hamlet feels betrayed by both his mother, Gertrude, and his uncle Claudius, after returning home for his father's funeral to find that his mother had remarried his uncle. This was an incestuous act, and it was of great shock to him.

Personal Reaction abbie Clark

.. I knew it was going to end in tragedy but not to this extent. Everyone dies, everyone except Horatio so that he can tell Hamlet's story. I was not expecting Gertrude's death whatsoever, and I can't believe Claudius did not stop her from drinking from the cup. He didnt try hardly at all, just said something along the lines of "Gertrude, don't drink from that". She was trying to rebel against his control by this point because she finally saw Claudius for the man that he was, so in a way her stuborness played a part in killing her too.  Hamlet finally seeks his revenge against Claudius and I was glad but in a way sad because even though Hamlet had killed Polonius already, I didn't really think his character would allow him to kill Claudius. He would never go through with it before hand, but I suppose when Claudius took away the last thing he loved, Gertrude, he went off. The deaths got less shocking and shocking as they went along, I think I just kind of got used to the idea much like the gravedigger got used to death. It's funny how habit can make us get used to anything. Just as it is funny that one day, all of our accomplishements wont matter because we'll just be another meaningless skull in the ground. That I think is what Hamlet was saying; no matter who we are or what we do, we will die and become one with the Earth. I turned that thought in my head a couple of times because I had never thought about it before. This Act made me think about a lot of things in detail. The thought who has the right to kill another popped into my mind again several times. I think Shakespeare was exploring this idea through Hamlet's internal conflict of seeking revenge.

Clarification Questions

Did Rosencrantz and Guildenstern deserve their fate?

Did Ophelia kill herself, or did "the water come to her, and drown her"

Does Hamlet realize that he might not come out of this fight alive? 




The lines of right and wrong and easily blurred in this tragedy; on one hand I see where Rosencratz and Guildensterns might have deserved their fate just by simply betraying Hamlet, but then again who has the right to end a life except for God? As for Ohelia, well she was insane at the time. She wasn't in her right mindset so she didnt know what she was doing, whether it be accident or intentional, I would declare Ophelia's death as suicide. 
I do think Hamlet realizes he wont make it out alive. He forshadows his own death by talking of a bad feeling he has and hugs Horatio before he sets out to fight. 

Personal Reaction, Annie Cruz

     By the end of Hamlet I was very shocked. I didn't really have any knowledge of Shakespear before we read Hamlet, so I was not use to all the tragedy endings. I found the battle between Hamlet Laertes to be very suspensful. The tension that had built up through out the whole entire book was released during Act 5. I believe that Laertes was spiteful, angry, and depressed over his fathers death, but I feel like he wouldn't of actually seeked revenge on Hamlet if he was given enought time to mourn over his fathers death. King Claudius acted as a catalyst and filled him with anger and reasons to take revenge on Hamlet. The fact that after Laertes was stabbed he apologized to Hamlet and revealed the truth, shows that he did have remorse for the actions he had participated in with King Claudius.
     The part of Act 5 I was most eager to see was when Hamlet finally found revenge on the King. This was a very important part on the play and I was very happy to see that he finally fulfilled his fathers wishes. But, I was also disappointed that Hamlet had to die. This story was filled with many deaths, arguements, and misconceptions. Overall, I found it to be a very interesting book.