Insights from Critics on Hamlet's Character and Themes
Swinburne
•
“The single characteristic of Hamlet’s innermost
nature is by no means irresolution or hesitation
or any form of weakness, but rather the strong
conflux of contending forces”
•
Paraphrased: A characteristic of Hamlet’s
innermost nature is not irresolution or hesitation,
but a desire to prove an argument right and the
struggle to overcome dangers.
Samuel Johnson
•
Hamlet is, through the whole play, rather an
instrument than an agent.
•
he makes no attempt to punish Claudius, and
his death is at last effected by an incident
which Hamlet has no part in producing
Von Goethe
•
Impossibilities have been required of Hamlet;
not in themselves impossibilities, but such for
him.
•
All duties seem Holy for Hamlet
Bradley
•
Hamlet is unable to carry out the sacred duty,
imposed by divine authority, of punishing an
evil man by death
Coleridge
•
Paraphrase: Shakespeare seems to have
wished to exemplify the moral necessity of
balance between our senses and our minds. In
Hamlet, this balance seems disturbed; his
thoughts and imagination are far more vivid
than his actual perceptions.
•
Hamlet is obliged to act on the spur of the
moment
Wilson Knight
•
Claudius, as he appears in the play, is not a
criminal. He is—strange as it may seem—
a good and gentle king, enmeshed by the chain
of causality linking him with his crime. And this
chain he might, perhaps, have broken except for
Hamlet, and all would have been well.
•
Hamlet is an element of evil in the state of
Denmark
Wilson Knight
•
Claudius can hardly be blamed for his later
actions. They are forced on him. As King, he could
scarcely be expected to do otherwise. Hamlet is a
danger to the state, even apart
from his knowledge of Claudius’ guilt. He is
inhuman (…) he is feared by those around him.
They are always trying in vain to find out what is
wrong with him. They cannot understand him. He
is a creature of another world. As King of
Denmark he would have been a thousand times
more dangerous than Claudius.
Wilson Knight
•
Hamlet is a figure of nihilism (The rejection of
all religious and moral principles, often in the
belief that life is meaningless) and death.
•
He is in fact the poison in the veins of the
community.
•
The question of relative morality of Hamlet
and Claudius reflects the ultimate problem of
the play
Alexander
•
The play does not offer any conclusions about
what is the right repsonse to the questions it
poses about human aggression, not because it
is confused but because Hamlet is aware that
more than one single set of answers exists.
•
The proof of the King’s guilt does not solve
Hamlet’s problem. The question remains, how
does one deal with such a man, without
becoming like him?
Belsey
•
Revenge is not justice. It is rather an act of
injustice on behalf of justice
•
Revenge is always in excess of justice
•
Claudius is still in possession of the crown and
Gertrude and is planning the death of Hamlet
(…) in these circumstances revenge is a
political as well as a moral issue
•
Revenge exists on a margin between justice
and crime
Alexander
•
The desire for vengeance is seen as part of a
continuing pattern of human conduct.
•
The audience are entertained because they
are being asked to see, feel and understand a
little more about the hidden springs of action
which are supposed to drive the characters.
Alexander
•
The feeling of failure and frustration, which
Hamlet himself recognizes, is created by this
rapid alternation between the language of blood
revenge and the language of conscience.
•
The other characters in the play do not hesitate
to act because they are sure of their own values
and beliefs. Fortinbras and Laertes act because
they believe that certain actions are right or
honourable.
Marilyn French
•
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sacrifice the
bond of human friendship to a social propriety
Rebecca Smith
•
Although he clearly loves her- Claudius shares the
Hamlets’ conception of Gertrude as an object.
She is possessed as one of the effects of his
actions.
•
Gertrude uses her dying words to warn Hamlet of
the poison, but doesn’t accuse Claudius.
•
Gertrude has not moved in the play toward
independence; only her divided loyalties and her
unhappiness intensify.
Rebecca Smith
•
Polonius seems to love his children; he seems
to have the welfare of the kingdom in mind.
His means of action, however, are totally
corrupt.
•
Female virtue is identical with chastity; thus
Polonius (…) trained his daughter to be
obedient and chaste and is able to use her a a
piece of bait for spying.
Showalter
•
Ophelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and
language.
•
She represents the strong emotions that the
Elizabethans as well as the Freudians thought
womanish and unmanly.
•
Hamlet’s disguist at the feminine passivity in
himself is translated into violent revulsion
against women and into his brutal behaviour
towards Ophelia
Brucher
•
Revengers create their own civil justice, often
in ways that imitate or even mock divine
justice and that compromise their own moral
impulses.
•
The problem is that while a diabolically
ingenious killing may offend our moral
responsibilities, it may also appeal to our
fantasies about power, control and poetic
justice in a corrupt world
Unknown
•
There is the simple, inescapable fact that the attempt
to rid Denmark of its villain-king has left the country in
a worse state than it was at the outset.
•
Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are a pair of faceless
automatons (imitating human beings) and serve as an
element of comedy in the tragedy. When the King
thanks “Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern” the
Queen thanks “Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz”.
They are so alike that they are almost indistinguishable.
Key vocabulary to use
•
Social disorder
is reflected in the play
•
Seneca
is the creator of the genre
•
Antithesis
is the opposite of something
•
Ubiquitous
refers to an idea or a feeling which
is present everywhere, e.g. corruption
•
Jacobean
establishes when the play was set
•
Patriarchal
refers to a male dominated society
Key vocabulary to use
•
Soliloquy/soliloquies
refer to Hamlet’s
monologues which are directed at the
audience
•
Middleton uses
asides
for a similar effect
•
Retribution
means the same as revenge
•
Malcontent
refers to a person disillusioned
with the society
•
Hubris
describes excessive pride and over
confidence
Key vocabulary to use
•
Hamartia
is another term for fatal flaw
•
Anagnorisis
refers to the moment in the play when a
character makes a critical discovery
•
Stichomythia
is when dialogue is used as alternating lines (as
seen in the closet scene)
•
Plethora
refers to an excess of something
•
Inexorable
describes something which is impossible to stop.
•
Circumlocutious
is a word for unnecessarily wordy speech
•
Louche
can be used to describe something or someone of
of questionable taste or morality
•
Quixotic
refers to something exceedingly idealistic
•
Convoluted
means extremely complex
•
To
ruminate
is to think of something deeply
Various critics provide intriguing perspectives on Hamlet's character and the themes within the play. Swinburne emphasizes Hamlet's inner nature as a conflux of forces, while Samuel Johnson views Hamlet more as an instrument than an agent. Von Goethe discusses the challenges faced by Hamlet in fulfilling duties considered holy. Coleridge highlights the imbalance in Hamlet's thoughts and actions, and Wilson Knight delves into the complex characters of Hamlet and Claudius, shedding light on their roles in the state of Denmark.
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HAMLET Critics and key vocab http://people.brandeis.edu/~teuber/ earlycrit.html
Swinburne The single characteristic of Hamlet s innermost nature is by no means irresolution or hesitation or any form of weakness, but rather the strong conflux of contending forces Paraphrased: A characteristic of Hamlet s innermost nature is not irresolution or hesitation, but a desire to prove an argument right and the struggle to overcome dangers.
Samuel Johnson Hamlet is, through the whole play, rather an instrument than an agent. he makes no attempt to punish Claudius, and his death is at last effected by an incident which Hamlet has no part in producing
Von Goethe Impossibilities have been required of Hamlet; not in themselves impossibilities, but such for him. All duties seem Holy for Hamlet
Bradley Hamlet is unable to carry out the sacred duty, imposed by divine authority, of punishing an evil man by death
Coleridge Paraphrase: Shakespeare seems to have wished to exemplify the moral necessity of balance between our senses and our minds. In Hamlet, this balance seems disturbed; his thoughts and imagination are far more vivid than his actual perceptions. Hamlet is obliged to act on the spur of the moment
Wilson Knight Claudius, as he appears in the play, is not a criminal. He is strange as it may seem a good and gentle king, enmeshed by the chain of causality linking him with his crime. And this chain he might, perhaps, have broken except for Hamlet, and all would have been well. Hamlet is an element of evil in the state of Denmark
Wilson Knight Claudius can hardly be blamed for his later actions. They are forced on him. As King, he could scarcely be expected to do otherwise. Hamlet is a danger to the state, even apart from his knowledge of Claudius guilt. He is inhuman ( ) he is feared by those around him. They are always trying in vain to find out what is wrong with him. They cannot understand him. He is a creature of another world. As King of Denmark he would have been a thousand times more dangerous than Claudius.
Wilson Knight Hamlet is a figure of nihilism (The rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless) and death. He is in fact the poison in the veins of the community. The question of relative morality of Hamlet and Claudius reflects the ultimate problem of the play
Alexander The play does not offer any conclusions about what is the right repsonse to the questions it poses about human aggression, not because it is confused but because Hamlet is aware that more than one single set of answers exists. The proof of the King s guilt does not solve Hamlet s problem. The question remains, how does one deal with such a man, without becoming like him?
Belsey Revenge is not justice. It is rather an act of injustice on behalf of justice Revenge is always in excess of justice Claudius is still in possession of the crown and Gertrude and is planning the death of Hamlet ( ) in these circumstances revenge is a political as well as a moral issue Revenge exists on a margin between justice and crime
Alexander The desire for vengeance is seen as part of a continuing pattern of human conduct. The audience are entertained because they are being asked to see, feel and understand a little more about the hidden springs of action which are supposed to drive the characters.
Alexander The feeling of failure and frustration, which Hamlet himself recognizes, is created by this rapid alternation between the language of blood revenge and the language of conscience. The other characters in the play do not hesitate to act because they are sure of their own values and beliefs. Fortinbras and Laertes act because they believe that certain actions are right or honourable.
Marilyn French Rosencrantz and Guildenstern sacrifice the bond of human friendship to a social propriety
Rebecca Smith Although he clearly loves her- Claudius shares the Hamlets conception of Gertrude as an object. She is possessed as one of the effects of his actions. Gertrude uses her dying words to warn Hamlet of the poison, but doesn t accuse Claudius. Gertrude has not moved in the play toward independence; only her divided loyalties and her unhappiness intensify.
Rebecca Smith Polonius seems to love his children; he seems to have the welfare of the kingdom in mind. His means of action, however, are totally corrupt. Female virtue is identical with chastity; thus Polonius ( ) trained his daughter to be obedient and chaste and is able to use her a a piece of bait for spying.
Showalter Ophelia is deprived of thought, sexuality and language. She represents the strong emotions that the Elizabethans as well as the Freudians thought womanish and unmanly. Hamlet s disguist at the feminine passivity in himself is translated into violent revulsion against women and into his brutal behaviour towards Ophelia
Brucher Revengers create their own civil justice, often in ways that imitate or even mock divine justice and that compromise their own moral impulses. The problem is that while a diabolically ingenious killing may offend our moral responsibilities, it may also appeal to our fantasies about power, control and poetic justice in a corrupt world
Unknown There is the simple, inescapable fact that the attempt to rid Denmark of its villain-king has left the country in a worse state than it was at the outset. Guildenstern and Rosencrantz are a pair of faceless automatons (imitating human beings) and serve as an element of comedy in the tragedy. When the King thanks Rosencrantz and gentle Guildenstern the Queen thanks Guildenstern and gentle Rosencrantz . They are so alike that they are almost indistinguishable.
Key vocabulary to use Social disorder is reflected in the play Seneca is the creator of the genre Antithesis is the opposite of something Ubiquitous refers to an idea or a feeling which is present everywhere, e.g. corruption Jacobean establishes when the play was set Patriarchal refers to a male dominated society
Key vocabulary to use Soliloquy/soliloquies refer to Hamlet s monologues which are directed at the audience Middleton uses asides for a similar effect Retribution means the same as revenge Malcontent refers to a person disillusioned with the society Hubris describes excessive pride and over confidence
Key vocabulary to use Hamartia is another term for fatal flaw Anagnorisis refers to the moment in the play when a character makes a critical discovery Stichomythia is when dialogue is used as alternating lines (as seen in the closet scene) Plethora refers to an excess of something Inexorable describes something which is impossible to stop. Circumlocutious is a word for unnecessarily wordy speech Louche can be used to describe something or someone of of questionable taste or morality Quixotic refers to something exceedingly idealistic Convoluted means extremely complex To ruminate is to think of something deeply
