Hamlet

1.Ophelia tells Polonius that Hamlet acts strangely. 2.Polonius thinks that Hamlet is crazy – cause: rejected love. He wants to immediately inform the king ( Note: nobody asked him ). 3.R&G arrive at Elsinore, invited by Claudius. 4.Claudius believes that Hamlet acts strangely because he is still sad for his father’s death. 5.R&G are asked to spy on Hamlet, report to Claudius who will be ‘grateful’ ($).

6. News from Norway: Fortinbras will not attack Denmark. But he will attack Poland. 7. He needs permission from Claudius to pass his troops through Denmark (map) (?!?!).map 8. Polonius: the 1st one to declare Hamlet mad. He reads to the king and queen Hamlet’s love letter adressed to Ophelia. 9. Polonius wants to prove that he is right about Hamlet’s madness: he plans to spy on Hamlet and Ophelia; Claudius and himself will hide behind curtains and listen to their private conversation ( Note: nobody asked him ).

Geographical context: University of Wittenberg

10. Hamlet calls Polonius a ‘fish-seller,’ and Polonius denies this job. Hamlet says that fish-sellers are ‘very honest men’ – in other words: ‘Polonius, you are a liar.’ ‘Fish-seller’ = ‘selfish’, Polonius you think only of yourself! 11. In the Bible there is a story about an old man who asked God to make him rich. In return, he promised God to sacrifice ‘the first person who goes out of his house’. His daughter was sacrificed for her father’s desire to be rich (she was burnt alive). 12. Hamlet compares Polonius with the man in the Bible – secret message: I know that you are ready to sacrifice Ophelia’s happiness for your job (her feelings). Polonius doesn’t understand (did not read the Bible).

13. Hamlet knows that R&G did not come just to see him. He makes R&G confess that they work for Claudius. 14. Hamlet confesses that he is depressed and he will act strangely from now on (he tries to tell R&G the truth, but they do not understand). 15. Actors come to Elsinore to entertain the royal family. 16. Hamlet has a plan: ask the actors to play something similar to his father’s death. If Claudius becomes nervous – proof that the ghost was right (Hamlet will write the script for the play: The Mousetrap).

Quotes: 1.‘He took me by the wrist and looked at me strangely for a long time. Then, without a word, he walked out of the room, looking at me over his shoulder.’ 2.‘If you can discover the reasons for his strangeness, … we shall both be very grateful.’ 3.‘To beautiful Ophelia, I have little skill with words. I do not have the language to describe my pain. But I love you. I am yours for ever, my dear Lady, for as long as this body is mine.’ 4. ‘As a result, the Prince fell into sadness. He stopped eating and sleeping. In the end, he became the madman that we all pity today.’

Quotes: 5. ‘we can hide in the shadows and watch them. If I am wrong about his love for my daughter, I will become a farmer.’ 6. ‘She must stay out of the sun. It is dangerous for her health.’ 7. ‘Old men have grey beards, small minds and weak legs.’ 8. ‘The world has lost all its meaning. Nothing seems beautiful. Men cannot please me and women cannot either.’ 9.‘We passed a group of actors on our way to the castle. 10.‘You see, I have played a joke on my uncle-father and aunt-mother. They think that I am crazy. But I am only crazy some of the time.’