hamlet, prince of denmark act iii, scene i a room in the castle (the textbook: pp.76-77)

Hamlet, Prince of DenmarkHamlet, Prince of Denmark

Act III, Scene IAct III, Scene IA room in the castleA room in the castle((The textbook: PP.76-77The textbook: PP.76-77))

The Aim of This Class

Background Information The Text

The Fragment of A Film Questions on the Soliloquy Written Work

I. The Aim of This Class home

1. To enable the students to appreciate the figurative expressions, which may enrich their cultural & linguistic knowledge, in this soliloquy so that they may get a better understanding of it.

I. The Aim of This Class

2. To enable the students to have a fairly good idea of Hamlet’s mental conflict and character.

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II. Background Information

1. The Nature of Tragedy

2. Soliloquy

3. Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet

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II. Background Information back 1. The Nature of Tragedy 1. The Nature of Tragedy Tragedies were concerned with the Tragedies were concerned with the harshness and apparent injustice of life. harshness and apparent injustice of life. They involved the trials and eventual death They involved the trials and eventual death of a hero who was an important person and of a hero who was an important person and whose death led to the downfall of others. whose death led to the downfall of others. Often, the hero’s fall from happiness was due Often, the hero’s fall from happiness was due to a weakness in his character (a weakness to a weakness in his character (a weakness such as the overweening ambition of such as the overweening ambition of Macbeth, the uncontrolled jealousy of Macbeth, the uncontrolled jealousy of Othello or the excessive pride of Othello or the excessive pride of Coriolanus.). Coriolanus.).

II. Background Information back

Hamlet is among the most complex of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes and it is thus not easy to pinpoint one specific flaw which brought about his untimely death. But it would be true to say that he was a thinker involved in a dilemma which could only be resolved by a man of action. His inability to act swiftly & decisively in connection with his father’s murder brought havoc to the Danish court.


Hamlet belongs to a genre of plays often called “revenge tragedies”. These were popular in Elizabethan England and in them a hero was called upon to punish an evildoer for a crime he had committed. Often in such plays therewas a ghost who could not rest until the person who had caused his death was killed. The ghost in Hamlet is thus a traditional figure whose role was to urge the hero to avenge an evil deed.


2. Soliloquy A soliloquy is a dramatic device

which allows a character to reveal his thoughts to the audience but not to the other characters in the play. In Shakespeare’s time soliloquies were widely used. When an actor was alone on the stage he could speak aloud his thoughts, thus giving the audience clear insights into his character and his intentions.


The soliloquy is used quite frequently in Hamlet. The Prince addresses the audience directly on six occasions

(lst: in Act I, Scene2, 129-59 when he is oppressed by the problems surrounding him, his father’s death and his mother’s fickleness; 2nd: in Act II, Scene2, 522-80 when he contrasts his failure to respond to his father’s murder with the actor’s expression of grief for imaginary characters;

II. Background InformationII. Background Information The soliloquy is used quite The soliloquy is used quite

frequently in Hamlet. The Prince frequently in Hamlet. The Prince addresses the audience directly on addresses the audience directly on six occasions six occasions

(lst: in Act I, Scene2, 129-59 when (lst: in Act I, Scene2, 129-59 when he is oppressed by the problems he is oppressed by the problems surrounding him, his father’s surrounding him, his father’s death and his mother’s fickleness; death and his mother’s fickleness; 2nd: in Act II, Scene2, 522-80 2nd: in Act II, Scene2, 522-80 when he contrasts his failure to when he contrasts his failure to respond to his father’s murder respond to his father’s murder with the actor’s expression of grief with the actor’s expression of grief for imaginary characters;for imaginary characters;

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II. Background InformationII. Background Information

6th: in Act IV, Scene 4, 32-66 6th: in Act IV, Scene 4, 32-66 he reveals his firm intention he reveals his firm intention to take his vengeance at the to take his vengeance at the earliest possible opportunity earliest possible opportunity while at the same time he while at the same time he condemns his earlier condemns his earlier inactivity. ) inactivity. )

(cf. Monologue: more often (cf. Monologue: more often than not, a poetical device, than not, a poetical device, e.g. e.g. My Last DuchessMy Last Duchess by by

Robert Browning1812--1889).Robert Browning1812--1889).

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3. Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet:3. Some of the Problems Troubling Hamlet:

(1) His father was murdered by his uncle who (1) His father was murdered by his uncle who has become the king of Denmark; has become the king of Denmark;

(2) His mother was married to his uncle right (2) His mother was married to his uncle right after his father’s death;after his father’s death;

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(3) The Ghost of his father urged him to seek (3) The Ghost of his father urged him to seek revenge for his murder, but Hamlet was not quite revenge for his murder, but Hamlet was not quite sure that the ghost was his father’s spirit, for he sure that the ghost was his father’s spirit, for he feared it might have been a devil sent to torment feared it might have been a devil sent to torment him; him;

(4) His former friends Rosencrantz & Gildenstern (4) His former friends Rosencrantz & Gildenstern were dispatched by the king to spy on him (A were dispatched by the king to spy on him (A betrayal of friendship! As a humanist he attached betrayal of friendship! As a humanist he attached great importance to friendship);great importance to friendship);


(5) His girl friend (5) His girl friend Ophelia was sent as a Ophelia was sent as a tool to find out whether tool to find out whether or not he was really or not he was really mad(A betrayal of love!). mad(A betrayal of love!).

One incident after One incident after another seems to reveal another seems to reveal to him that the time is to him that the time is “out of joint”, and man “out of joint”, and man is not good as he had is not good as he had imagined.imagined.

III. The Text home

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark

ACT III SCENE I A room in the castle

Hamlet:Hamlet:

To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

V. Questions on the V. Questions on the SoliloquySoliloquy

Direction: Here are some questions Direction: Here are some questions which aim to direct your attention to which aim to direct your attention to some of the important points in some of the important points in Hamlet`s troubled thoughts. You Hamlet`s troubled thoughts. You should try to answer all the questions should try to answer all the questions in English .in English .

Question 1Question 1 Question 2 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 3 Question 4 Question Question 5 5 Question 6 Question 6 Question Question 7 7

V. Questions on the SoliloquyV. Questions on the Soliloquy

1.1. How does Hamlet explain what is “to be” and How does Hamlet explain what is “to be” and what is “not to be”? Quote his own words, and then what is “not to be”? Quote his own words, and then try to explain what was meant by the phrases.try to explain what was meant by the phrases.

““To be” To be” Your quote: Your quote: to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous

fortune. fortune. to live by enduring the injustices and miseries of to live by enduring the injustices and miseries of

the life.the life.


““Not To beNot To be”” Your quote: Your quote: to take arms against a sea of to take arms against a sea of

troubles, and by opposing end troubles, and by opposing end them. them.

Your understanding: Your understanding: to fight against and end to fight against and end ““ a sea of a sea of

troubles troubles ”” at any cost (including, by at any cost (including, by taking his own life).taking his own life).


2. 2. ““ `Tis a consummation `Tis a consummation devoutly to be wish`d.devoutly to be wish`d.””---What is ---What is this ideal state, according to this ideal state, according to Hamlet?Hamlet?

Your answer: Your answer: Hamlet longed to end all his Hamlet longed to end all his

sufferings, and death seemed a sufferings, and death seemed a perfect solution .perfect solution .


3. What is death compared to ? 3. What is death compared to ? What makes one hesitate to end What makes one hesitate to end the troubles of life by death ?the troubles of life by death ?

Your answer: Your answer: Death is compared to sleep. The Death is compared to sleep. The

thought of what dreams may thought of what dreams may come in that sleep of death come in that sleep of death makes one hesitate to end the makes one hesitate to end the troubles of life by death.troubles of life by death.


4. 4. ““ There`s the respect that There`s the respect that makes calamity of so long life makes calamity of so long life ””---What does the word ---What does the word ““ respect respect ”” mean here ? mean here ?

Your answer: Your answer: consideration.consideration.


5. What 5. What ““ puzzles the will puzzles the will ”” of of death ? death ?

Your answer: Your answer: The dread of something after The dread of something after

death.death.


6. What influence, according to 6. What influence, according to Hamlet, do thoughts have upon Hamlet, do thoughts have upon resolution and action ? resolution and action ?

Your answer: Your answer: Too much thinking has weakened Too much thinking has weakened

the resolution and delayed the the resolution and delayed the action.action.


7.(an essay 7.(an essay question) What question) What do you learn do you learn about Hamletabout Hamlet’’s s mental conflict mental conflict and character and character through this through this soliloquy? soliloquy?

Reference Reference Words:Words:

detached, reflective, analytic , detached, reflective, analytic , moral, his thoughts , moral, his thoughts , philosophical rather than philosophical rather than practical, his concerns , the practical, his concerns , the nature of things , his feelings , nature of things , his feelings , a deep sorrow over the a deep sorrow over the injustice and vanity , injustice and vanity , melancholy , procrastination , melancholy , procrastination , commit suicide, cannot bear commit suicide, cannot bear the social injustices and the social injustices and grievances, conscious of his grievances, conscious of his own weakness, think too muchown weakness, think too much


In this soliloquy, Hamlet is In this soliloquy, Hamlet is detacheddetached, , reflectivereflective, , analyticanalytic and and moralmoral. . His His thoughtsthoughts were were philosophical rather philosophical rather than practicalthan practical; ; his concernshis concerns were on were on the nature of thingsthe nature of things rather than any rather than any specific plans for actions; specific plans for actions; his feelingshis feelings were of were of a deep sorrow over the a deep sorrow over the injustice and vanity,injustice and vanity, ““a sea of troublesa sea of troubles”” which brought pains into human life. which brought pains into human life. His His melancholymelancholy and and procrastinationprocrastination are are also revealed. Here he is pondering on also revealed. Here he is pondering on the question of life and death.the question of life and death.


He is thinking of He is thinking of committing suicidecommitting suicide. But . But he hesitates for he doubts whether he hesitates for he doubts whether death can give him rest and peace. death can give him rest and peace. Besides, he is not sure whether the Besides, he is not sure whether the world of death would be better than this world of death would be better than this one. He gives the reasons why he wants one. He gives the reasons why he wants to commit suicide. Apart from his to commit suicide. Apart from his personal revenge(He hasn`t mentioned personal revenge(He hasn`t mentioned it in this soliloquy), he it in this soliloquy), he cannot bear the cannot bear the social injustices and grievancessocial injustices and grievances. He is . He is conscious of his own weaknessconscious of his own weakness of of thinking too much thinking too much which makes him which makes him dilatory, allowing many opportunities to dilatory, allowing many opportunities to slip away.slip away.


VI. Written WorkVI. Written Work Write a prose paraphrase of this Write a prose paraphrase of this

soliloquy.soliloquy.

hamlet, prince of denmark act iii, scene i a room in the castle (the textbook: pp.76-77)

Documents

fathers death

background information6th

background information1

fathers murder

act iv

prince of denmark act

untimely death

eventual death