hamlet

[cathy38]

I'M IN NEED OF HELP!!!!!!

I have a paper to write on Hamlet due in a few weeks. I'm so new to shakespeare, here are the questions so help me PLEASE.

Q1. Hamlet, at least in the beginning of the play, is merely toying with Ophelia's affection. Did he or did he not love her?

Q2. Other than kill his brother, was Claudius really a bad person?

Q3. Explain how Fortinbras whose appearance is after the climax is nonetheless a major force and character in this saga

Q4. Was Queen Gertrude an accomplice in Claudius's murder scheme or wasn't she?

[JBI]

Have you read the play?

[Tournesol]

Cathy, these are all very, very debatable questions...they're questions that people may have asked for centuries. There is no concrete answer for them.

You see, all the questions deal with characters' intentions at actions - which nobody knows!!! We can only speculate...

JBI is right, you definitely need to read the play, and then write informed discussions based on the questions.

The play is a very enjoyable read, don't think of it as a task.

Good luck!

[stro]

I hope it isnt too late! Im a Theatre Student who has been teaching Shakepeare for the last three years - I just read your ?'s and I appologize for the more or less rude answers - yes there are clear answers to your questions:

1. The first time we meet Ophelia is in Act I ScIII, Laertes ( Ophelia's brother) tells her ( and the audience) that hamlet truly does love her, the only reason we dont hear that from Hamlet himself earlier is becaue - remember, hamlet is mourning his father's death. Ophelia does like Hamlet, she just know she has to be careful. - Once Hamlet sees the ghost of his father he decides to go "crazy" - all the mean things he says to Ophelia are just lies to make everyone think he is truly crazy so he can kill the king. I know this is a lot of info but.... In Act V Sc I Hamlet is at Ophelia's funeral - he jumps out at Laertes and yells "I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantityof love, make up my sum." Simply, yes he loved her, sadly, Shakespeare is never kind to his women in plays.

2. Claudius.... well, yes and no. For the purposes of the play, the symbol of death, yes, he is a bad guy. Even if he were greatest guy ever before, what he did turned him bad along with all his past actions.

3.You are right - :) I just wrote an essay on Hamlet subplots - the real only purpose for Fortinbras is to, from the very beginning, create a constant threat/fear/tention through the play - Hamlet ends the way it does to prove that no matter what happens, life goes on. The King, Queen, Prince, Laertes, Poloniuse, Ophelia are all dead yet, Fortinbras is King and time goes on

4. NO! First - The all knowing Ghost of Old King Hamlet spasificly says not to harm the Queen - During the Players play, the Queen is confussed by the Kings sudden action - If none of that makes scense - Act III Scene IV , Hamlet, alone with his mom says:" With tristful visage, as agianst the doom, Is thought-sick at the act" Queen responce: "Ay me, what act, That roars so loud and thunders in the index?" Honestly, she may know what happened - possibly - but she had no hand in it.

Well - i know that was quick but I hope that was helpful and that I was able to tell you in time! Good luck! Cheers!

[stro]

if you need any more help please ask - I will be sure to answer first so you dont have to worry about . . . . .^

[juliannaborbely]

Dear Cathy,
Consider what H says at the grave in Act 5 as part of your answer for Q1. Also, the scene in which he visits her in her room. It is not Ophelia the girl he loved he had a problem with, but women in general. "Frailty, thy name is woman." (a1 sc2). + "...wouldst thou be breeder of sinners?" (a3 sc1) he doesn't want her to give birth to children who'll grow up and become sinners, doomed people

Q2 "Other than murder his brother"??? Isn't that enough?! Besides, the guy liked drinking ("Denmark drinks today" a1sc2 l. 125 and many other examples)

Q3 Consider parallel between Fortinbras and Hamlet ...and Laertes

Q4 Text doesn't indicate. At least, in my reading.

Best,
JB

[huntress4eva]

all questions could be answered either way given your perception or interpritation on the play. I disagree with stro answer to question 4 as the queen side with claudius a lot of the play and allows his take to be the right one. Such as Act one scence 2 claudius court Gertrude is true to claudius and not hamlet. "Cast the knighted colour of." also she married in such a short space of time afterwards there seems to be something a bit wrong with that if she wasnt in on the plan.

[Gladys]

On Q4, isn't Gertrude just the sunny optimist, who never thinks in the deep way of her son? Besides marrying too early her husband's brother (moral incest), the many words regarding her guilt amount to naught.

[Louis Red]

Oh my god!!!!!!you are asking for the answer to on the internet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!if my student did that,i would give them a F

[NotWoodhouse]

Wouldn't it be better to help your student understand and give the constructive criticism rather than well basically tell them they're idiots?

Cathy please don't hesitate to ask questions. Literary themes can be easy to overlook when you're not use to that sort of language. Your questions were answered so I just want to encourage you, not to be afraid to ask questions.

[stlukesguild]

I hope it isnt too late! Im a Theatre Student who has been teaching Shakepeare for the last three years - I just read your ?'s and I appologize for the more or less rude answers - yes there are clear answers to your questions:

Nonsense! The people here are not rude. The people here are simply tired of being asked by lazy students to do their homework for them. In most cases it certainly seems as if the student hasn't even read the book. Perhaps if the poster had more than one or two postings to his/her credit (suggesting they merely joined on the outside chance of conning at least one person on the site into doing the homework) one might be talked into offering some help. Or what if the student offered up some of his or her own thoughts... showing that he/she is attempting to use his/her own mind and that he/she has actually read the book? But far too often we get these new posters who will probably never post again... (or certainly not until they have another essay due tomorrow on a book they haven't read) seeking someone here to do their homework for them. I'm glad you could be of assistance.:rolleyes:

[Beewulf]

all questions could be answered either way given your perception or interpritation on the play. I disagree with stro answer to question 4 as the queen side with claudius a lot of the play and allows his take to be the right one. Such as Act one scence 2 claudius court Gertrude is true to claudius and not hamlet. "Cast the knighted colour of." also she married in such a short space of time afterwards there seems to be something a bit wrong with that if she wasnt in on the plan.

The question asks whether Gertrude is an accomplice to murder, not whether she is sympathetic to Claudius. The fact that Gerturde sides with Claudius doesn't mean she knows about the murder, or that she endorsed or participated in it.