Why does hamlet pretend to be mad

Response Questions for Hamlet

Introduction:

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is an extremely complex play; therefore, trying to cover all aspects of it would not do it justice in the short amount of time we have in a five-week semester; therefore, what we will do is focus on a specific theme that runs throughout the play, so for each act, these will be the topics that you should focus on for your essay. You will use these same questions/themes that are posted below for each day’s discussions. Today's readings are Act 1. Your ideas should grow and develop as we read each act. First I will give you some background information and then the themes that you can turn into thesis statements:

Background

What I would suggest is that you Google “No Fear Shakespeare,” and under Hamlet, you will find the Elizabethan translation with the Modern translation right beside it. I do not mind your using the modern translation to help you understand the play; however, the quotes that you use in your essay need to be the Elizabethan version.

If any of you have ever read the King James Version of the Bible, it is written in Elizabethan English, and the language is rich and colorful. Shakespeare wrote during the reign Queen Elizabeth, and then when she died, he wrote during the reign of King James who is the one who commissioned the King James Version of the Bible. No one knows for sure, but if not Shakespeare, at least, his contemporaries of the time, would have had input on this particular translation of the Bible.

During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, England thrived, and the arts flourished, which can be attested to by the greats, such as Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe who wrote Dr. Faustus. England saw an era of peace, which allowed the arts to grow. Please keep in mind that not just the rich or educated attended plays, but the lower classes also attended, which means they understood the, at times, rather lofty language of Shakespeare. It’s odd when you think about the fact that some people have a tendency to look down upon previous generation’s intelligence.

Play

Hamlet is driven to kill Claudius because the ghost has told him that he is his murdered father, “old King Hamlet,” and he wants Prince Hamlet to seek revenge for his death by killing Claudius. During Elizabethan time, people honestly believed in ghosts, so this would not have seemed outrageous to them, as perhaps it would to us today.

Although you may not prefer Shakespeare’s writing, his themes are timeless. His plays are known worldwide and have been adapted by almost every culture. In class, all I have to say is “Shakespeare,” and even students who are from another country or US students who simply do not like to read know who he is. His plays have lasted because he writes about human nature, and that is something that never changes and is always relevant.

I have posted for your entertainment, and I do suggest that you watch it for that reason, “The Three Little Pigs” done in Elizabethan English by an extremely talented comedian.

Response Question One (Act I:

Themes:

Following are themes that you should note while reading the play, which could also be turned into paper topics. For instance, you could argue for or against Hamlet’s being mad. Some scholars think that he was feigning (pretending) madness while others think he was actually mad. You could take a stand one way or the other and turn it into a thesis statement and then find three points from the play that support it:

· Madness is a major theme in the play.

Background

There is no doubt that later in the play, poor Ophelia does go completely insane; however, in Act I after Prince Hamlet has spoken to the ghost who is supposed to be his dead father, he tells Horatio and the guards that he is going to feign or pretend to be mad so that he can find out whether his uncle is guilty of killing his father or not. Until almost the end of play, he displays strange behavior.

· The question you should ask yourself as you read the play is whether Prince Hamlet is only acting mad or is he truly mad?

· Misogyny [dislike of women] is also a major theme in the play:

Background

Prince Hamlet is disillusioned by his mother who marries his uncle, which, by the way, during Hamlet’s era, a widow marrying her dead husband’s brother was considered “incest.” Not only has Claudius stolen his mother’s affection, but he has also stolen the crown away from Prince Hamlet. Furthermore, Ophelia, Hamlet’s love, is told by her father not to see Hamlet anymore because he is above her station, and he probably would never marry her, which would be a major problem if she should become pregnant with Prince Hamlet's child. She complies with her father's demands and does not see Hamlet again.

· Do you think that Hamlet is justified in his sometimes cruel treatment of his mother and Ophelia, or are there other ways he could have handled the situation? Consider also that during this time era, Ophelia was probably around 14, which isn't as scandalous as it would be today, but she is still young.

· Inaction versus Action:

Background

Although he is only in the background of the play, Prince Fortinbra of Norway is a trying to win back Denmark, which was lost to Old King Hamlet the year Prince Hamlet was born. Fortinbra, which means fortune’s arm, has to be stopped from attacking Norway at the beginning of the play, which Claudius does handle well. When he can’t attack Denmark, he decides to attack Poland, who has done nothing to Norway, but he just wants to keep his men in fighting practice. At the end of the play, when everyone is dead, Fortinbra returns from conquering Poland, finds Hamlet’s entire clan dead, and becomes king. Throughout the play, although he is completely in the background, he is constantly taking action. On the other hand, Hamlet does not seem to know when to take action. He devises plots and schemes to try to prove whether or not what the ghost has told him about Claudius having murdered his father is true or not. Each time he has the opportunity to act, he doesn’t, that is until he is in his mother’s room, and in a fit of rage, he kills poor Polonius, Ophelia's father, by mistake. Some scholars think that he is a thoughtful person who would make a good king. Some say he is too indecisive. As you read the play, you decide whether you think that he would make a good king or not or even perhaps, whether or not Fortinbras was not destined to become king because he is bold.

As you read the play, take a position on the above themes and state it clearly and then give at least one to two quotations from the play that support your position. When we have finished reading the play, you should have a fairly good idea which one of the major themes you would like to cover in an essay, what you want to say, and you will have the quotes to support it. For example, your thesis could be “In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince Hamlet demonstrates that he would be a good king [or bad king] because he does – and list your three points.

· Do you think the ghost is Hamlet’s father, or do you think it is evil. Why?

· Do you think that Hamlet’s idea to pretend to be mad so that he can trick his uncle, King Claudius, into confessing a good idea or a bad one? Explain your answer.

Response Question Two (Act II)

As the plot develops, we find that Hamlet is surrounded by people that he cannot trust. Review the following questions and answer

· Why does this act open with Polonius and Reynaldo? What does this tellus about Polonius's character, and what theme or motif does it introduce in the play?

· How does the interaction between Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern help to explain what's wrong with Hamlet? Why are Rosencrantz and Guildenstern in Denmark?

· Why is the first player’s speech important to the play?

· What does he decide to do at the end of this speech?

Response Question Three (Act III)

Please respond to the first two questions for Act III:

1. What does Hamlet’s soliloquy, or the famous “to be or not to be” speech, reveal about Hamlet’s character? [Soliloquy means, he’s talking to himself again.]

2. When Hamlet e encounters Ophelia walking the great hall, he speaks harshly to her. Why is he so cruel to her?

The following questions you don’t have to respond to but you will need to understand them before writing an academic essay covering this play:

1. What happens during the “play-within-a-play?” How do the speeches and actions reflect what is going on in the state of Denmark? How does the king respond? Is Hamlet’s technique wise or effective? What does it prove?

2. How is Hamlet’s second major interaction with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern different from his first encounter with them? What does Hamlet mean when he says that they cannot play him like a flute? Who are they really working or spying for?

3. Do you think that Gertrude knew that about the murder?

Please continue to develop your ideas as you read through Act III. Make sure to research to see if other scholars may share your opinion, as you will have to bring in outside sources on this essay also. I would use Google.Scholar or the Tech Library to make sure that you are reading scholarly material. I have posted information regarding how to do scholarly research in the Course Requirement link.

Response Question Four (Act IV)

Please answer the following questions about Act VI.

1. Would Hamlet made a good king? In Act VI, Fortinbras has asked permission to attack Poland, mainly just to keep his troops in fighting order. Hamlet finds it puzzling that people would fight over a piece of worthless land. Whose point of view is sounder? Before answering this through a twenty-first century perspective, please consider the times that they lived in, which was an era when a country were expected to wage war, and it was how a great leader was judged. Consider how well respected Hamlet’s father, the old King Hamlet, whom Claudius murdered. The old King had defeated Fortinbras father, the King of Norway, and was beloved by his people. Would Hamlet’s attitudes have reflected the time period in which he lived, and although I respect Hamlet’s attitude toward waging war for war’s sake, nevertheless, did he have strong enough will power and character to protect Denmark if he, instead of Claudius, had been made king because Fortinbras was a man of his time and without a doubt would have waged war against Denmark to retake the land his father lost? In other words, would Hamlet have made a good king? (In the Mel Gibson movie version of Hamlet, Fortinbras is only briefly mentioned; however, although he is only in the play for a few scenes, he is a driving force in the play.)

2. Is Hamlet mad or is he just pretending? Before answering this question, ask yourself why would he take this tactic? What purpose does it serve? Compare Hamlet’s feigned (pretend) madness to Ophelia’s real madness? Does she give hints in her mad rant that makes one believe that she and Hamlet may have been actual lovers? Why does Hamlet turn on her so viciously and why does Hamlet, after not taking any action throughout the play, thrust his sword blindly through the tapestry, killing Polonius, Ophelia’s father? Also, instead of confronting Claudius, he has a vicious fight with his mother? Why?

You don’t have to answer this question for the DQ, but it is one you might consider for a paper topic:

How would you compare Laertes to Hamlet? Consider that Laertes, unlike Hamlet, returns intent on killing the man who has killed his father without hesitation. Why is Hamlet less present in this act than he has been in previous scenes?

Response Question V (Act V)

1

This is your last response questions for Hamlet. It covers Act V.

1. Would Horatio make a good advisor to Fortinbras? Consider that he has been the “man of the golden men,” means simply means that he is someone whom you could count on to always give good advice and remain calm in a crisis. Horatio is the person who warned Hamlet not to talk to the ghost; he advises him not to fight Laertes.

2. How has Hamlet’s indecisiveness led to the death of his entire family or has it? Hamlet is constantly criticized by critics for his indecisiveness; however, unlike Laertes who knows exactly who killed his father, Hamlet has the word of a ghost; however, even after the play and he knows that Claudius is guilty, he still hesitates killing Claudius but during a rage against his mother, he accidentally kills poor Polonius, Ophelia, his love’s, father. A case can be made either way, and I look forward to reading your responses.

You don’t have to answer this question for the DQ, but it is one you might consider for a paper topic:

How does poison function in this play? Let’s look at it, old King Hamlet dies when Claudius pours poison in his ear. The king is the heart of the kingdom, and when a king dies or is deposed, the kingdom suffers. When Claudius pours poison in the old king’s ear, it courses throughout his body and kills him. Did Claudius, in essence, kill the kingdom itself or at least the kingdom as they knew it under old King Hamlet’s reign? Is poison an analogy for what happens during the play? Consider that Hamlet’s entire family is dead at the end of the play.

Points to Remember

Remember, that a thesis paragraph contains your thesis (argument), and I prefer that beginning writers also post their three points in the thesis paragraph since at this point, I am trying to help you understand that the thesis paragraph is the roadmap of your essay. Refer back to the information and example that I posted for the short story. The format will be a three-point enumeration essay.

By now, you should have a clearer idea of which theme you will choose for your essay. If not, you need to start narrowing in your ideas. Remember, the more focused your thesis statement, the better your essay will be. Today, please refer to the themes that we have been discussing and apply them to Act V, Scene ii. [Please note the way that I have structured the act and scene is how you should use them as in-text citations in your essay. For example Act V, i, 1-5 - - this is the Act, Scene, and Line Number].