Monday, November 2, 2009
Hamlet: Act 3.
We find that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have failed to find what is causing Hamlet to act the way he is. With this, Polonius and King Claudius decide to bestow themselves (or hide themselves) in order to spy on a meeting between Hamlet and Ophelia. (To find reasoning for his insanity). Through the duration of their meeting we see that Hamlet knows Ophelia's father and king are spying. He will not say he knows, but he and Ophelia realize it. He even asks her where her father is and she lies to him and he is completely aware. He keeps yelling to her for her to go to a nunnery that is what would be best. Also, we see him questioning what he should do. Should he kill himself? Would it be better? But what is to come in his afterlife? He is one very confused man trying to sort things out in a mixed way, involving mainly revenge. (Knowing Polonius is there) he begins contradicting his words. One minute he will say he loves her then turn around and say he never loved her. Truly, I do believe he loved her after all. (We see when he realizes she was dead he jumped into her gave along with Laertes who hated him. He did not care what the others did to him and he grieved over her). Next we come across Polonius and Claudius who have planned that Hamlet be sent to England if the cause of Hamlet's madness is not found through Hamlet's talk with his mother. (Hamlet's mother hopes the cause be love). In the scene following Hamlet and Horatio confirm their plan to keep eye on Claudius' reaction towards the play and the people start to enter for the play. Hamlet sits down by Ophelia and talks very bitterly towards her almost as if it is his way of getting back at her (he seemed not be able to believe that Ophelia would not fight for their love and not listen to her father). The play starts and so0 does Hamlet's commentary. He thinks what is going on to be comical he gets his revenge (on Claudius) and a show. The play implies that the queen married the man for money when she found her husband dead and none of it was for love. As the play grew more similar to the real story Claudius became more and more impatient. As the murder scene came and played out perfectly what happened in real life he lost it. His conscientious and anger got a hold of him he stopped the play and left. After all of this the Queen asks for Hamlet to come to her room to speak with him. He would speak daggers, but nothing of the literal sort. (maybe not [but Polonius on the other hand]). Due to the play and the guilt he felt Claudius wants Hamlet gone.. now. He will send him to England with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and Polonius comes in to tell him he will be spying on Hamlet's discussion with his mother. After that Claudius begins to show his regret for killing King Hamlet. He tries to go into prayer and Hamlet comes sneaking behind him without him knowing. With the intent to kill Claudius he does not for if he did during prayer he would go to heaven (Hamlet did not think he deserved it). He was hesitant in the action and decided to wait until he was doing a misdeed to ensure his damnation. Next we are brought into conversation with the queen and Hamlet. He is very upset and is taking it out on her a little much. his harsh words startle her and she yells for help. This also startles Polonius and he is stirred bringing attention to himself. Thinking it to be Claudius hiding behind the tapestry, Hamlet stabs the man. It was not, however, it was Ophelia's father. The ghost then appears to remind Hamlet that his purpose was to avenge the murderer of his father not to hurt his mother. Gertrude thinks him mad because he is talking to nobody (ghost) and pities him for it. (It leaves). Hamlet pleads that she not return to the bed of his uncle and that they want to send him to England (death) . She does not listen, however (as we will see).
Hamlet: Act 2.
In this act we see Ophelia enter very upset. Hamlet has just met with her and his actions seemed to be one who has gone mad. She comes to tell her father of these happenings. Ophelia informs her father, Polonius, that she was doing what he ordered her to do by sending the letters back to Hamlet since she was not allowed to see him (and in others words finalize the reality of the situation that she was "dumping"him). Because of this Hamlet came to her grabbed her stared her down saying nothing at all, but Ophelia could tell by his eyes the way he felt. Polonius thought him to have gone crazy and ordered that they go to the king to tell him of it. In the mean time, the king and queen have decided to call upon Rosencrantz and Guidenstern (old friends of Hamlet's) to spy on him. They want to know whats going on. Polonius and Ophelia then come in to inform him Ophelia has said, but were interrupted by Hamlet's coming. Hamlet starts to act like he doesn't know Polonius to bash him (and just to play around with him because he well knows that Polonius thinks him to be crazy). Soon Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive and begin their spying. They have betrayed Hamlet and he knows it. He begins to play around about traitors without bringing it to the forefront without them realizing he knows and is furious. Next in this act the players arrive. One of them acts out a story and during this Hamlet begins to see that this man has such emotion and effort in the words he speaks. This is the type of effort and emotion he has not shown in avenging the one who killed his father like it should be. At this he conjures up the idea to have them put on a play quite similar to the murder of his father. During this play they will observe the king to see if his true conscientious will show. If so then the ghost had told the truth and he was the murderer, but if not then they shall forget that this ghost had said any of it.
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