Tuesday, 6 June: Renaissance / early modern tragedy: Shakespeare, Hamlet

discussion-starter: Nathan Brown

Brian Blessed as the ghost of Hamlet’s father

Picture: http://www.du.edu/~jlechuga/Shake-Kenneth%20Branagh.jpg

Problem: The murder of Hamlet’s father, the king, and then, how to expose Claudius, the murderer; and somewhat, Queen Gertrude’s quick marriage to King Claudius

Spectacle:

·the appearance of the former king’s ghost at the beginning of the play

·Act 5, Scene 1, page 401-Laertes leaps into Ophelia’s grave, he and Hamlet fight with each other

Discovering the Truth About the Problem:

·Hamlet presents a play which is identical to the story of King Claudius and Gertrude-

to see if Claudius becomes uncomfortable with the subject matter

page 379: “I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, even with the very comment of thy soul, observe thy uncle.  If his occulted guilt do not itself unkennel in one speech, it is a damned ghost we have seen...

Characteristic of Tragedy:

·the death of Ophelia offstage-Queen Gertrude announces that Ophelia has drowned: “One woe doth tread upon another’s heel, so fast they follow.  Your sister’s drowned, Laertes.” (page 398).

Tragic Ending:

·Hamlet ends with the deaths of Gertrude, Laertes, Claudius, and finally Hamlet

·justice is restored in that Claudius has died for murdering Hamlet’s father, but Laertes, Gertrude, and then Hamlet are casualties of this justice

·the death of the tragic hero comes into play at the conclusion when Hamlet dies

Questions:

1. Why do you think Ophelia committed suicide (beside the death of her father)?
   
2. Why do you think Gertrude married Claudius so quickly after her husband’s death?