“Hamlet” Laertes [instant reaction / revenge] Ophelia [madness / suicide] Fortinbras [political action] Horatio [talk / narration] From one perspective, Hamlet is a focus of self- consciousness, carefully managing his interactions with external others. He is thus a precursor of modern dramatic characters. From another perspective, Hamlet interacts with other characters who represent actions and emotions that are options for Hamlet himself. He is thus an echo of medieval, allegorical dramatic figures.

Hamlet cloaks the Ghost’s secret behind an “antic disposition” How strange or odd soe'er I bear myself, As I perchance hereafter shall think meet To put an antic disposition on, That you, at such times seeing me, never shall, With arms encumber'd thus, or this headshake, Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase, As 'Well, well, we know,' or 'We could, an if we would,' Or 'If we list to speak,' or 'There be, an if they might,' Or such ambiguous giving out, to note That you know aught of me: this not to do, So grace and mercy at your most need help you, Swear.

Hamlet attempts to prove the Ghost’s tale by sift Claudius Claudius and Polonius attempt to sift Hamlet through Ophelia, Rosencrantz & Gildenstern Two months interval between Act I & II What has he done in this time? Why does Hamlet wait to enact revenge?

Brood, sink into a slough of despond (getting into character?) Or to plan a fitting revenge? Doesn’t want to injure the Queen Must prove the Ghost’s tale Must develop his inane character, which would give him the freedom of speech and action that he relishes

Hamlet’s costume: Ophelia: “…with his doublet all unbraced, / No hat upon his head, his stockings fouled, / Ungart’red, and down-gyved to his ankle, / Pale as his shirt.” (According to historians, he adopts the guise of a forelorn lover, a la Romeo)

Hamlet and Ophelia: greatest puzzle of the play? Greater than the delay? Hamlet once loved her, but ceases to do so after the Ghost’s tale. In Act V, he tells Laertes he always loved her. Why does he cease to love her?

Mother’s incest? Hamlet says to his mother: “…such an act / That blurs the grace and blush of modesty, / Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose / From the fair forehead of an innocent love / And sets a blister there.” (branding of a harlot?) Tells Ophelia, “Get thee to a nunnery” and to ban all marriages (referring to his Mother too?)

Hamlet treats Ophelia like a prostitute, but why? Polonius says to Claudius and Gertrude: At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him: Be you and I behind an arras then; Mark the encounter: if he love her not And be not from his reason fall'n thereon, Let me be no assistant for a state, But keep a farm and carters.”

Hamlet overhears what Polonius says!