| “That can I. At least the whisper goes so: our last king, Whose image even but now appeared to us, Was as you know by Fortinbras of Norway, Thereto pricked on by a most emulate pride, Dared to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet (For so this side of our known world esteemed him) Did slay Fortinbras, who by a sealed compact, well ratified by law and heraldry, Did forfeit, with his life, all (those) his lands Which he stood seized of, to the conqueror.” | From Scene 1 90-1001. Horatio2. King Hamlet hurt Fortinbras’ pride so they fought each other. Hamlet won and took Fortinbras’ land as determined by a deal made between them. 3. Prick’d on by emulate pride: metaphor (comparing his pride to something that is being pricked). 4. – |
| “Horatio says tis but our fantasy And will not let belief take hold of him Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us. Therefore I have entreated him along with us to watch the minutes of this night, That if again this apparition come, he may approve our eyes and speak to it.” | From Scene 1 28-341. Marcellus2. Horatio does not think that the ghost is real but they are trying to prove him wrong. They think that he will only be convinced if he sees the ghost with his own eyes. 3. Watch the minutes= metonymy (an idea related to the action of watching/waiting). approve our eyes=metonymy (idea related to proving something). 4. Something is wrong with Denmark and they want the ghost to tell him what it is. |
| “Good, Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not forever with thy vailed lids seek for thy noble father in the dust. Thou know’st ’tis common; all that lives must die, Passing through nature to eternity.” | From Scene 2 70-751. The queen2. Stop wearing black (literally), stop mourning your father.3. Imagery: “veiled lids” or metonymy (literally you don’t look with lids. Simile: “look like a friend” Metonymy: “let thine eyes…” the eye isn’t related to how you act (saying to act like a friend to the new king of Denmark abstract action related to viewing). 4. Stop mourning your father. Rude to say that–disconnect to what she understands he is going through. |
| O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew, Or that the Everlasting had not fixed His cannon ‘gainst (self-slaughter!) O God, God How (weary,) stale, flat, and unprofitable Seem to me all the uses of this world!” | From Scene 2 133-1381. Hamlet2. Hamlet is done with this world. He wants to kill himself. Everything in the world is null. 3. Metaphor or hyperbole: “too solid flesh would melt” his wish to no longer exists is comparable to his wish that his flesh would melt. Pun: “His canon,” Literal: (canon means divine law) God’s law is fixed against self slaughter. Metaphorical: fixing a canon (weapon) towards yourself to kill yourself. 4.Hamlet wants to end his life. |
| “Marry, I will teach you. Think yourself a baby That you have ta’en these tenders for true pay, Which are not sterling. Tender yourself dearly, Or (not to crack the wind of the poor phrase, Running it thus) you’ll tender me a fool.” | From Scene 3 114-1181. Polonius2. Don’t be immature and you must hold yourself to a higher standard. 3. Pun: tender: affection vs. money. Ophelia thinks Hamlet’s love is real and Polonius thinks it like money. Pun: sterling: not valuable because sterling is valuable. His love has no value4. Hold yourself to a higher standard or you’ll make me look like a fool. |
| “Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for luxury and damned incest. But, howsomever thou pursues this act, Taint not thy mind, nor let they soul contrive Against thy mind, nor let they soul contrive Against thy mother aught. Leave her to heaven And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge to prick and sting her.” | From Scene 5 89-951. The Ghost2. The Ghost wants Hamlet to avenge his death but not do anything to his mother. Her own guilt and the wrath of Heaven will be enough. 3. Metaphor: comparison of thorns to guiltMetaphor: bed is compared to a couch. Bed is for married couples and a couch is for affairs. Comparison of proper and affair relationship. 4. Same as meaning. |
Hamlet Act 1 Passages
September 11, 2019