Translation Help

[risphil]

Can anyone help me understand these two lines?

Ophelia
"O, what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!
The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword;
The expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
The observed of all observers, quite, quite down!" (act 3 - scene 1)

Hamlet
"for any thing so overdone is
from the purpose of playing, whose end, both at the
first and now, was and is, to hold, as 'twere, the
mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature,
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of
the time his form and pressure." (act 3 - scene 2)

[Crazy Writer]

Hey dude,
Sorry- I'm in a bit of a rush but I can try to explain what Ophelia is trying to say. Well, she says these lines after she's seen Hamlet's madness and denies his love for her. In this scene, she is shocked at Hamlet's sudden change of character. When she says "O what a noble mind is here o'erthrown!"- she's saying that his good/sain mind no longer exists or has been thrown away (As he is acting mad-crazy). "The courtier's, soldier's, scholar's, eye, tongue, sword"- She's describing and reminiscing on his characteristics as he is smart, a soldier and scholarly in speech. "Th' expectancy and rose of the fair state"- Describes that he is the promising flower of the nations/states (Denmark's) future (As he is the Prince). 'The glass of fashion and mould of form'- continues her description of him as the model of proper style and behaviour. 'The observed of all observers'- the center of the courts attention. 'quite, quite down!'- here she is saying how all of his characteristics and prospects for the future have been destroyed completely.

She ponders on his change of character and madness and cannot believe that this could happen to such a loved, respected and smart guy that she loved.

[Gladys]

Hamlet commands the troupe of actors to perform in a subtle way so as to confront each member of the audience with the reality of their own behaviour, with stark truths.

He, of course, is most concerned with the murderer Claudius and his queen, Gertrude.