James Bantugan

Period 2
8 February 2017

Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark

For each character, cite quotes and other evidence (commentary ok too) of their motives and intrigues. Whats REALLY
going on with these people? What are the possibilities? Quote chosen (Act, Scene, Line #s) eg: Hamlet: No (III, i, 96)

Act Hamlet Claudius Gertrude Polonius

Act I Do not believe his vows, for We pray to you, throw to Why, she would hang on Tender yourself more
they are brokers, Not of earth this unprevailing woe him As if increase of dearly, Or (not to crack the
that dye which their and think of us as of a appetite had grown By what wind of the poor phrase,
investments show, But father; for let the world take it fed on. (I, ii, 147-149) Running it thus) youll
mere implorators of unholy note, you are the most tender me a fool. (I, iii, 116-
suits, Breathing like immediate to the throne. (I, Within a month, Ere yet the 119)
sanctified and pious bawds ii, 110-113) salt of most unrighteous
(I, iii, 136-139) tears Had left the flushing in In Act I scene iii, Poloniuss
For your intent In going her galld eyes, She conversations with his two
And so, without more back to school in married. O, most wicked children shows his wise and
circumstance at all, I hold it Wittenberg, It is most speed, to post With such fatherly character. In his first
fit that we shake hands and retrograde to our desire, dexterity to incestuous talk with Laertes (lines 64-
part, You, as your business And we beseech you, bend sheets! (I, ii, 158-162) 87), he advises him to have
and desire shall point you you to remain Here in the a sense of tact before
(For every man hath cheer and comfort of our In the beginning of the story, speaking, to have good
business and desire, Such eye, Our chiefest courtier, we learn that Gertrude had friends, to not waste money
as it is), and for my own cousin, and our son. (I, ii, married Claudius just days on entertainment, to listen
poor part, I will go pray. (I, 116-121) after the death of King carefully to others and to be
v, 142-147) Hamlet. Her son, Prince modest in character and
In this act, King Claudius is Hamlet, tells the audience appearance. Poloniuss
Its been two months since trying to cheer up and scold that she participated in wisdom and prudence
King Hamlet died and Hamlet for overly mourning incestuous sexual discourse demonstrates that he wants
Hamlet is still mourning him his father. There are two with her dead husbands his son to be successful and
as well as being salty important notes to take from brother. to stay out of trouble in
towards his mother and this first conversation from order to uphold the family
new father. the king. The first is that reputation. In his discussion
Claudius is guaranteeing with Ophelia (lines 95-145),

Act II For if the sun breed
maggots in a dead dog,
being a good kissing
carrionHave you a
daughter? (II, ii, 197-199)
Anything but to th purpose.
You were sent for, and
there is a kind of
confession in your looks
which your modesties have
not craft enough to color. I
know the good king and
queen have sent for you.
(II, ii, 300-304)
I have of late, but
wherefore I know not, lost
all my mirth, forgone all
custom of exercises, and,
indeed, it goes so heavily
with my disposition that this
goodly frame, the Earth,
seems to me a sterile
promontory; (II, ii, 318-322)
Hamlet the throne when he
dies to assure him that hell
be able to reign over the
kingdom just as his father
before him. The second is
that the king wants Hamlet
to stay in Denmark instead
of going back to Wittenberg
so that he may keep an eye
on him.
When Claudius talks with
Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern, he mixes up
their names. This shows
that Claudius doesnt pay
attention to Hamlets
friends. This conversation is
a hint that either the king
cares for Hamlet or wants
his friends to spy on him.
he tells her to deny any
affections from Hamlet
because he is deceptive
about his love with her.
I doubt it is no other but theWhat company, at what
main His fathers death expense; and finding By this
and our oerhasty marriage. encompassment and drift of
(II, ii, 59-60) question That they do know
my son, come you more
Gertrude obviously nearer Than your particular
understands what Hamlet is demands will touch it. Take
feeling because of the you, as twere, some distant
situation that she ended up knowledge of him (II, i, 11-
in. There isnt much that she 15)
says in this act. But if t be he I mean, hes
very wild, Addicted so and
so. And there put on him
What forgeries you please
marry, none so rank As
may dishonor him, take
heed of that (II, i, 20-23)
Polonius wants to spy on
his son in order to find out if
Laertes is obeying his
fathers wishes. This is
another moment in which
Polonius tries to preserve
his reputation as a noble

[Hecuba] would drown the
stage with tears And cleave
the general ear with horrid
speech, Make mad the
guilty and appall the free,
Confound the ignorant and
amaze indeed The very
faculties of eyes and ears.
Yet I, A dull and muddy-
mettled rascal, peak Like
John-a-dreams,
unpregnant of my cause,
And can say nothing (II,
ii, 589-596)
Why, what an ass am I!
This is most brave, That I,
the son of a dear father
murdered, Prompted to my
revenge by heaven and
hell, Must, like a whore,
unpack my heart with
words And fall a-cursing
like a very drab,(II, ii, 611-
615)
Ill have these players Play
something like the murder
of my father Before mine
uncle. Ill observe his looks;
Ill tent him to the quick. If
he do blench, I know my
course. The spirit that I
have seen May be a devil,
and the devil hath power T
man running the state of
Denmark. It also
demonstrates his spymaster
trait in which he wants to
have information on every
political thing that happens.
Madam, I swear I use no art
at all. That hes mad, tis
true; tis true tis pity, And
pity tis tis truea foolish
figure, But farewell it, for I
will use no art. (II, ii, 104-
107)
At such a time Ill 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 falln thereon (II, ii,
176- 179)
Polonius believes that the
source of Hamlets distress
is his love for Ophelia.
 assume a pleasing shape;
yea, and perhaps, Out of
my weakness and my
melancholy, As he is very
potent with such spirits,
Abuses me to damn me.
(II, ii, 623-632)

This act is probably one of

the most controversial
parts concerning Hamlets
state of mind. In the
previous act, Hamlet told
Horatio that hell pretend to
be crazy. However, Hamlet
could also be suffering a
mental illness caused by
the anxiety and depression
of his fathers death, and
his uncles and mothers
marriage.

Act III Was not like madness.
Theres something in his
soul Oer which his
melancholy sits on brood,
And I do doubt the hatch
and the disclose Will be
some danger (III, ii, 178-
181)
Hamlet is continuing to
pretend to be insane as
he talks with Polonius in
this scene. This may or
may not prove that he is
truly crazy but can be used
Love? His affections do not
that way tend; Nor what he
spake, though it lacked form
a little, Was not like
madness. Theres
something in his soul Oer
which his melancholy sits
on brood, And I do doubt
the hatch and the disclose
Will be some danger; which off the rose From the fair
for to prevent, I have in
quick determination (III, i,
176-182)
And for your part, Ophelia, I It shall do well. But yet do I
do wish That your good believe The origin and
beauties be the happy commencement of his grief
cause Of Hamlets wildness Sprung from neglected love.
(III, i, 42-44) How now, Ophelia? You
need not tell us what Lord
Such an act That blurs the Hamlet said; We heard it all.
grace and blush of modesty, (III, ii, 190-194)
Calls virtue hypocrite, takes
Behind the arras Ill convey
forehead of an innocent myself To hear the process.
love And sets a blister there, Ill warrant shell tax him
makes marriage vows As home; And, as you said
false as dicers oaths (III, iv, (and wisely was it said), Tis
to prove that he is. I like him not, nor stands it 49-54) meet that some more
safe with us To let his audience than a mother, (III,
Ay, truly, for the power of madness range. Therefore You cannot call it love, for at iii, 30-34)
beauty will sooner prepare you. I your your age The heyday in the
transform honesty from commission will forthwith blood is tame, its humble In this act, (Spymaster)
what it is to a bawd than dispatch, And he to England And waits upon the Polonius continues to
the force of honesty can shall along with you. The judgment (III, iv, 78-80) perform his covert spying
translate beauty into his terms of our estate may not missions in order to learn
likeness. This was endure Hazard so near s as Hamlet describes the thoughts and motives of
sometime a paradox, but doth hourly grow Out of his Gertrudes sexual urges Hamlets actions. In Scene
now the time gives it proof. brows (III, iii, 1-7) with the king to be immoral one, Polonius and the King
I did love you once. (III, i, and biologically impossible. listen to Hamlets
121-125) Claudius believes that monologue about suicide
Hamlet truly is insane for and his heartbroken
Get thee to a nunnery. Why some reason other than conversation with Ophelia.
wouldst thou be a breeder love. In these quotes, he Later in scene four,
of sinners? (III, i, 131-132) shows his compassion as a Polonius is stabbed through
father and believes that a curtain because he
This scene could indicate Hamlet needs some time wanted to spy on Hamlet
multiple hints as to the away from home. Then and the Queen. His role
relationship between again, this could also mean ultimately led to his
Hamlet and Ophelia. One that hed want Hamlet away downfall.
possibility is that Hamlet from Denmark since he
only loved Ophelia for sex could cause some trouble
and wasnt intending on that could ruin his reign.
marrying her. Thats why
he told her to go to a O, my offense is rank, it
nunnery which is slang for smells to heaven; It hath the
a whorehouse. Another primal eldest curse upon t,
possibility could be that he A brothers murder (III, iii,
loved Ophelia and wanted 40-42)
her to go to an actually
nunnery for protection Of those effects for which I
since the king cant did the murder: My crown,
intervene with Church mine own ambition, and my
business. queen. (III, iii, 58-59)
 When he is drunk asleep,
or in his rage, Or in th
incestuous pleasure of his
bed, At game, a-swearing,
or about some act That has
no relish of salvation in t
Then trip him, that his
heels may kick at heaven,
And that his soul may be
as damned and black As
hell, whereto it goes (III, iii,
94-100)
This quote shows Hamlets
resolve to kill Claudius
when hes sinning so that
his soul would go to Hell.
Act IV How stand I, then, That
have a father killed, a
mother stained,
Excitements of my reason
and my blood, And let all
sleep, while to my shame I
see The imminent death of
twenty thousand men That
for a fantasy and trick of
fame Go to their graves like
beds, fight for a plot
Whereon the numbers
cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough
and continent To hide the
slain? O, from this time
forth My thoughts be
In these quotes, Claudius
confesses his sins to the
audience.
But so much was our love,
We would not understand
what was most fit, But, like
the owner of a foul disease,
To keep it from divulging, let
it feed Even on the pith of
life. (IV, i, 20-24)
And England, if my love
thou holdst at aught (As my
great power thereof may
give thee sense, Since yet
thy cicatrice looks raw and
red After the Danish sword,
and thy free awe Pays
homage to us), thou mayst
not coldly set Our sovereign
Mad as the sea and wind Dead
when both contend Which is
the mightier. In his lawless
fit, Behind the arras hearing
something stir, Whips out
his rapier, cries A rat, a rat,
And in this brainish
apprehension kills The
unseen good old man. (IV, i,
7-12)
To my sick soul (as sins
true nature is), Each toy
seems prologue to some
great amiss. So full of
artless jealousy is guilt, It
spills itself in fearing to be
bloody or be nothing worth!
(IV, iv, 59-69)
This quote shows how
ashamed Hamlet is
because he was unable to
murder the king at the right
moment. He contrasts
himself to the Norwegian
army landing in Denmark
since they actually get
things done compared to
himself.
Ere we were two days old
at sea, a pirate of very
warlike appointment gave
us chase. Finding
ourselves too slow of sail,
we put on a compelled
valor, and in the grapple I
boarded them. On the
instant, they got clear of
our ship; so I alone
became their prisoner.
They have dealt with me
like thieves of mercy, but
they knew what they did
(IV, vi, 15-21)
This letter to Horatio talks
about how Hamlet escaped
the trip to England. Out of
nowhere, pirates attack his
ship. Seeing that the
situation was dire, he
process, which imports at spilt. (IV, v, 22-25)
full, By letters congruing to
that effect, The present One woe doth tread upon
death of Hamlet. Do it, anothers heel, So fast they
England, For like the hectic follow. Your sisters
in my blood he rages, And drowned, Laertes. (IV, vii,
thou must cure me. Till I 187-188)
know tis done, Howeer my
haps, my joys will neer In Act III, Hamlet asked his
begin. (IV, iii, 67-77) mother to never tell the king
about their conversation.
Laertes, I must commune These beginning lines are
with your grief, Or you deny evidence that she clearly
me right. Go but apart, sided with the king. She
Make choice of whom your probably still loves her son
wisest friends you will, And since he is her child but
they shall hear and judge might also fear him due to
twixt you and me. If by the crazy encounter.
direct or by collateral hand
They find us touched, we
will our kingdom give, Our
crown, our life, and all that
we call ours, To you in
satisfaction (IV, v, 226-233)
O, for two special reasons,
Which may to you perhaps
seem much unsinewed, But
yet to me theyre strong.
The Queen his mother Lives
almost by his looks, and for
myself (My virtue or my
plague, be it either which),
She is so conjunctive to my
life and soul That, as the
star moves not but in his
boarded the enemy ship
and was captured. He is
then to be expected to
come home soon. This
quote shows that either
Hamlet has connections
with these pirates or that it
was an actually pirate
attack. It is most likely the
former.
sphere, I could not but by
her. The other motive Why
to a public count I might not
go Is the great love the
general gender bear him,
Who, dipping all his faults in
their affection, Work like the
spring that turneth wood to
stone, Convert his gyves to
graces, so that my arrows,
Too slightly timbered for so
loud a wind, Would have
reverted to my bow again,
But not where I have aimed
them. (IV, vii, 11-26)
Learning that Hamlet has
randomly murdered
Polonius, Claudius needed
Hamlet to leave and be
assassinated in England
since he could be a threat to
his reign. What makes
matters worse is that
Laertes has returned with a
mob and demands that he
sees his father. Claudius
demonstrates his rhetorical
skills and was able to calmly
convince Laertes that
Hamlet killed Polonius
without angering him. He
then proceeded to plot an
assassination attempt for
Hamlet when he would
return.
Act V I loved Ophelia. Forty Stay, give me drink. Gertrude, do not drink. I will, Still Dead
thousand brothers Could Hamlet, this pearl is thine. my lord; I pray you pardon
not with all their quantity of Heres to thy health. (V, ii, me. It is the poisoned cup. It
love Make up my sum. 306-307) is too late. (V, ii, 317-319)
What wilt thou do for her?
(V, i, 285-287) Thy mothers poisoned. I No, no, the drink, the drink!
can no more. The King, the O, my dear Hamlet! The
Looks like Hamlet really did Kings to blame. (V, ii, 350- drink, the drink! I am
love Ophelia. This scene 351) poisoned. (V, ii, 340-341)
showed how emotional he
was towards her. He is justly served. It is a There could have been
poison tempered by himself. multiple possibilities as to
Why, man, they did make (V, ii, 359-360) why Gertrude drank the
love to this employment. poisoned wine. One reason
They are not near my The king carries out his plot could be that she knew
conscience. Their defeat by placing a poisoned gem about the kings plot and
Does by their own (union) in a chalice of wine. wanted to protect Hamlet by
insinuation grow (V, ii, 64- When Hamlet would score drinking his wine. Another
66) some hits on Laertes, the reason could be that she
king would drink, drop the was just thirsty and just
This shows how gem, then hand it to Hamlet happened to not listen to
unforgiving Hamlet can be for a sip. The result, the king that time.
when his friends betrayed ironically, was that he ended
him and followed orders up poisoning Gertrude and
from the king. himself.

Give me your pardon, sir. I

have done you wrong; But
pardon t as you are a
gentleman. This presence
knows, And you must
needs have heard, how I
am punished With a sore
distraction. What I have
done That might your
nature, honor, and
 exception Roughly awake, I
here proclaim was
madness (V, ii, 240-246)

In order to ask for

forgiveness from Laertes,
Hamlet blames Poloniuss
death on his insanity.

Here, thou incestuous,

murdrous, damnd Dane,
Drink off this potion. Is thy
union here? Follow my
mother. (V, ii, 356-358)

Hamlet finally takes his

revenge.

Analysis Hamlet was probably the
most astonishing character
in the entire play. We are
first introduced to Hamlet in
Act I, when the king talks
about his obsessive
mourning of his father two
months after his death. In
scene v of the same act,
Hamlet meets his
deceased father and is
informed of Claudiuss
murderous scheme. He
sets out to plot against
Claudius but decides to
pretend to be crazy in
order to have an excuse for
his future actions. In the
Throughout the play,
Claudius showed the most
intrigue out of the four main
characters. In Act I, we
learn that Claudius
murdered his brother by
pouring poison in his ear
and then married his wife to
establish his legitimacy. This
is later confirmed in the
prayer scene in Act III, when
Claudius confessed his sins
to the audience but was still
ungrateful for committing
them. In order to maintain
his position of power and
protect his life, he attempted
to assassinate Hamlet
In this play, Gertrude was In the first three acts,
seen as either a victim or Polonius was viewed as the
accomplice of the kings prime minister and
plots. It was awfully spymaster of Denmark. In
suspicious how she married his conversations with his
Claudius days after her children, he expected them
husbands death and even to behave properly like
participated in incestuous noblemen so that they
discourse with him. This wouldnt tarnish their
shows that either she was reputation. In Act II, he sent
having an affair with spies to watch over Laertes
Claudius or was just in France and even planned
sexually deprived from not Ophelia and Hamlet to get
having a living husband. married in the future.
The claim that Gertrude Polonius acts as the
could be an accomplice is spymaster when he spies
justified when she told the on Hamlet twice; Hamlets
king about her encounter conversations with Ophelia
next couple acts, he twice. The first time was with Hamlet in her closet. and Gertrude. His need for
speaks nonsense and when he forced Hamlet to Gertrude could have also information on Hamlet was
plays around with other go to England to collect been a victim of Claudiuss his ultimate downfall when
characters in an eccentric tribute and wrote a letter to murder plots. In the ending he was stabbed through a
way. There is debate of the English authorities to of Act V, she drinks the curtain.
whether hamlet truly was assassinate him when he poisoned cup either
insane due to the vast arrived. The second time because she wanted to
amount of pressure and was when he poisoned a sacrifice herself for Hamlet
anxiety from the prior drink to give to Hamlet or because she was just
events in his life. Later on when he was sword fighting thirsty.
in Act III, Hamlet finally with Laertes. In the end, I
resolves his determination believe he received a just
after confirming that punishment for his crimes
Claudius was the murderer when Hamlet forced him to
when he left during the drink the poisoned wine.
murder scene in the play.
He shows his
determination to murder
the king when he
indiscreetly murdered
Polonius, assuming him to
be the king. Somehow in
Act IV, he gets away with
Poloniuss murder and
escapes his assassination
in England when pirates
took him captive. When he
returned home in Act V, he
ends up directly and
indirectly killing all of the
main characters in the
story except Horatio. He
finally got his rightful
revenge but at the cost of
his kingdom and everyone
he knew and loved.