Scene Analysis: Hamlet Essay

A university scholar whose studies are interrupted by his fathers demise, Hamlet is exceptionally thoughtful and reflective. He is predominantly drawn to complicated issues or questions that cannot be answered with any conviction. He is enigmatic. There is constantly more to him than the other characters in the play can decipher; even the most cautious and intelligent readers come away with the sagacity that they dont make out everything there is to discern concerning this personality. Hamlet essentially tells other characters that there is more to him than meets the eyeparticularly, his mother, Rosencrantz along with Guildensternbut his appeal involves much more than this. When he articulates, he sounds as if theres rather something significant hes not saying, maybe something even he is not conscious of. The aptitude to inscribe soliloquies and dialogues that generate this achievement is one of Shakespeares most remarkable achievements. (SparkNotes Editors 1-5)

As the scene begins, Hamlet is giving guidance to the players on how to "hold...the mirror up to nature" (3.2.22). This makes one presume that Hamlet wishes the concert to be as realistic and practical as possible, in order to have an enhanced likelihood that it would "catch the conscience of the King," however he goes ahead at such degree that we might deduce that Shakespeare took the occasion to air some of his pet peeves regarding actors. When Hamlet tells the players to go get prepared for the show discovers that the King and Queen are prepared to observe the play. Initially, Hamlet says that his tribute of Horatio is genuine, since he has stands to gain nothing by flattering him (Horatio), who is an underprivileged man with nothing to present but companionship. Horatio is a stable man, one who can take "Fortune's buffets and rewards" with "equal thanks." In fact, Hamlet observes in his friend a value that he does not have, and he says, Give me that man, that is not passion's slave, and I will wear him... (3.2.71-72) (Hussein 155)

At this summit, Hamlet himself gets self-conscious, as well, saying "Something too much of this." He afterwards asks Horatio's assistance in observing the King throughout the presentation of the play. Horatio willingly consents, and guarantees that the King will not "[e]escape detecting." Hamlet remarks "They are coming to the play; I must be idle" (3.2.90); however he is actually much more than unoccupied. He instantaneously begins messing with other people's intellects. When the King asks him how he's feasting, he replies, "Excellent, I' faith; of the chameleon's dish: I eat the air, promise-crammed: you cannot feed capons so" (3.2.93-95). A chameleon was believed to consume air, and with a jibe on air / heir. Here, Hamlet is implying that the King pledged he would be successor to the throne, but that guarantee isn't even chicken feed. With an additional joke, Hamlet refers to Polonius as a "calf," and then turns his concentration to Ophelia.

He requests Ophelia, "Lady, shall I lie in your lap?" During Shakespeare's time the word "lie" could be employed in the sexual logic bestowed to "sleep with," and "lap" might contain a strong sexual connotation, as well. Unsurprisingly, Ophelia says, "No, my lord," although once Hamlet returns to her with "I mean my head upon your lap, she says Aye, my lord." This bestows Hamlet an opportunity for an exceedingly spiteful retort, "Do you think I meant country matters?" (3.2.116). (speak the phrase "country" audibly a number of times, and you'll get it.) (Bradley 38)

After an extra malicious jibe from Hamlet, Ophelia protects herself by saying "You are merry, my lord." She implies that Hamlet is merely creating comic stories, but Hamlet revolves that around by replying that everybody must get cheerful, "for, look you, how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours" (3.2.126-127). He mocks his mother through the play and it turns out that the play is directed to play with the psychology of the people around. Hamlet says, "They fool me to the top of my bent" (3.2.384). Here, he actually implies that if he's playing the fool, it's their mistake. Guildenstern, Polonius and Rosencrantz have handled him like a fool, cheerful and somnolent and poking and questioning, and he's ailing of it. He is almost ready to kill his mother after finding out the truth about the kings murder case. (Bloom 23)

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human. New York: Riverhead Books, 1999. Print.

Bradley, A. C. Shakespearean Tragedy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, reprint edition 2007. Print

Eliot, T. S. Hamlet and His Problems. In the Sacred Wood. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, reprint edition 1997. Print

Greenblatt, Stephen. Hamlet in Purgatory. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2001. Print.

Husain, Adrian A. Politics and Genre in Hamlet. New York: Oxford University Press, reprint edition 2007. Print.

SparkNotes Editors. Spark Note on Hamlet. SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 24 Feb. 2011.

Wilson, John Dover. What Happens in Hamlet? New York: Cambridge University Press, 1951. Print.