This was a great chapter, some very rich monologues by Hamlet and some very clever plays on words by him as well. He is intentionally harsh but sly of tongue to his mother, Ophelia, and especially to the King and Polonius. I love the use of the play, The Mouse Trap, to put in the face of the King his own actions. The play is really a mirror for the King to see himself and feel his guilt of breaking up a marriage, of killing his brother and King. Most of all the play is Hamlet's chance for certain confirmation of the King's guilt and therefore his greenlight to seek revenge. This moment is where the play slopes downward into blood and tragedy; the body count begins in this act with the murder of Polonius.
Hamlet is a sharp youth, and depending on the information available in the Mish-Mash, he is probably about 20 years old. He is very astute for that age. His plan to use a play to Catch the consience of a king, is worthy of a chess master. It is many moves ahead of his enemies. He follows this with his own knowledge that they will send him away. He decides that he will play along and do as the King wishes. He also convinces his Mother to defer the wishes of the King after he gives her a viscious monologue about the previous king's regal nature and the current kings commoner stature. He also kills Polonius, the one person the king leans on for everything and his only advisor. In doing this he isolates the king.
I think Act 3 is about conscience. Hamlet has finally decided to seek revenge and thus abandons his conscience, which he had considered to be cowardly. Hamlet also brings the King to his conscience as well as his mother to hers. He uses the play to shine the light of truth in the face of the king. He uses a powerful speech to bring his mother to her conscience. Lastly he kills Polonius and in turn destroys the woman he loves, Ophelia. This action will eventually bring Hamlet back to his conscience when later he sees the burial of Ophelia. In this third act, however, Hamlet has decided that revenge is greater and more important than conscience, than doing right.
What do you think the ghost means when he says to Hamlet: O! step between her and her fighting soul; Conceit in weekest bodies strongest works: Speak to her, Hamlet. What is it he means to tell Hamlet?
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I think the ghost is telling Hamlet that his mother is weak and to help protect her.
ReplyDeleteI agree with David. It is important to remember that the ghost is her former husband, the one who cared and cherished and loved her for many years. He obviously feels pained at her distress and is telling Hamlet to go to her, protect her, and care for her in her time of distress.
ReplyDeleteI think that the ghost is telling Hamlet to get the queen to realize the wrong that she has done. By that help her to free her tormented "fighting" soul from her own evil actions.
ReplyDeleteGertrude is becoming troubled at this point, and she is feeling a lot of pain. He's asking Hamlet to aleviate her pain. I believe the part about "conceit in weakest bodies strongest works", the ghost is saying that because Gertrude isn't used to this kind of pain, it will hurt her the worst.
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