Title: Hamlet

Subject: Act 1 scenes 1,2

Date: 5.03.24

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Key Points:

• Main Ideas
• Key words
• Questions that connect points
• Important points

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<aside> ✏️ Notes:

Main lecture notes

natural and supernatural fact-reality - proof - science vs astrology omen ghost real-unreal-> TRUTH

• Importance of the Ghost
• Significance of midnight 12pm
• Darkness vs Daylight
• In christian terms that is the uncanny, cant be hold in up any good.
• apparition is another term for ghost
• Otherworldy creature spoken in Latin
• Restlessness
• Horatio speaks latin because he is a scholar
• Metaphorical expression Buried Denmark meaning dead king
• Ghost of the king appeared in his armor
• Why in a war like form? Foreshadowing of an upcoming war
• Check for Symbolical meanings
• Modern values + Renaissance.
• Sledded poleaxe on the ice? Scandinavian, old weapon. Father is a relic of the past. Swords vs Words
• Wittinberg symbol of secular teaching Martin luther.. Scholar Hamlet
• Hamlet stuck between the conflict of modern and old
• Elements of the supernatural. which enriches his theatre. Shows it as nonrealistic drama
• plausible characters. taken from real life
• three unities is played by him he challanges
• martial preperation
• Agreed to yield his land to Old Hamlet Young Fortinbras wants to reclaim
• Christmas time
• Holy sacred time
• Cock crows 3 times symbolism to Jesus upcoming
• Trumpet of the morning
• Bird of Dawning
• Christian element
• He send 2 messengers to Uncle of Fortinbras to stop him
• Hamlet compared with Laertes
• A little more than kin and less than kind. He likes to play with words. A punster5
• What is the significance of his first speech? He shows his characteristic as in he is a punster, he is annoyed, he is troubled by this unnatural marriage, he use in disguise with witty language. Master of the language. Every speech we find out more about him.
• the word pun is insuffficient, a whole sort of group of associations go with the word sun the pronunciation of the word sun = the pronunciaiton of the word son
• Hamartia tragic flaw of Hamlet: Overthinking and lack of determination
• Dust symbol
• Fruitful river a kenning for teardrops
• Impious stubborness
• Why cant hamlet kill his uncle easily yet he postpone? Parricide He will have no other purpose? (search article)

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<aside> 📎 Summary:

A brief summary and conclusion about the notes/lecture

In the first Monologue he is idealizing his father

Hamlet claims that his mothers sexual appetite is increased so that she married his uncle.

His mother felt weak against her sexual desires.

How his uncle resembles his father, he resembles to Hercules (defines himself as anti-hero, mock hero even)

• Importance of the Ghost: The Ghost, which is the spirit of Hamlet’s deceased father, plays a significant role in the play. It sets the play in motion by revealing the truth about King Hamlet’s death and urging Hamlet to seek revenge
• Significance of midnight 12pm: worth noting that many significant events, including the appearances of the Ghost, occur at night or in darkness.
• Darkness vs Daylight: In Hamlet, darkness often symbolizes uncertainty, danger, and the supernatural. The Ghost, for example, appears during the hours of darkness
• In Christian terms that is the uncanny: In Hamlet, the uncanny is often associated with the supernatural, such as the appearance of the Ghost. The play explores themes of death, the afterlife, and the unknown, all of which can be considered uncanny
• Apparition is another term for ghost: In the context of Hamlet, an apparition refers to the Ghost of King Hamlet
• Otherworldly creature spoken in Latin: In Hamlet, Horatio, who is a scholar, speaks to the Ghost in Latin. This is because Latin was considered the language of the church and was believed to have power over spirits
• Restlessness: Restlessness in Hamlet is often associated with Hamlet’s inner turmoil and indecision
• Horatio speaks Latin because he is a scholar: Horatio, being a scholar, is educated and knows Latin. He uses Latin to communicate with the Ghost
• Metaphorical expression ‘Buried Denmark’ meaning dead king: the death of King Hamlet and the metaphorical ‘death’ of the state under Claudius’ rule are significant themes in the play
• Ghost of the king appeared in his armor: The Ghost appears in the same armor that King Hamlet wore when he battled against Fortinbras of Norway. This could symbolize that the Ghost is ready for battle, possibly foreshadowing the conflict to come
• Why in a war like form? Foreshadowing of an upcoming war: The Ghost’s warlike appearance could foreshadow the political conflict that unfolds in the play, including the threat of invasion from Fortinbras of Norway
• Check for Symbolical meanings: Many elements in Hamlet carry symbolic meanings, such as the Ghost (representing the past and the demand for revenge), the poison (symbolizing betrayal and corruption), and Yorick’s skull (symbolizing death and the futility of life).
• Modern values + Renaissance: Hamlet, written during the Renaissance, reflects the values of that period, including the emphasis on humanism and individualism. However, its exploration of universal human themes such as mortality, revenge, and moral corruption gives it relevance to modern values as well.
• Sledded poleaxe on the ice? Scandinavian, old weapon. Father is a relic of the past. Swords vs Words: The reference to a ‘sledded poleaxe’ in Hamlet is a metaphor for King Hamlet, representing him as a warrior from a past era. This contrasts with the present era, where words (rhetoric, deceit) are the weapons of choice, especially for characters like Claudius.
• Wittenberg and Martin Luther: Wittenberg is the university where Hamlet was studying at the beginning of the play1. This university is historically significant as the intellectual center where Martin Luther, the initiator of the Protestant Reformation, was a scholar This could symbolize Hamlet’s scholarly and philosophical nature.
• Conflict of Modern and Old: Hamlet is often seen as a character stuck between old moral codes of honor and revenge, and more modern forms of introspection and moral questioning
• Supernatural Elements: The ghost of Hamlet’s father is a significant supernatural element in the play. It adds a sense of mystery and fear, and drives the plot by demanding Hamlet to seek revenge
• Plausible Characters: The characters in Hamlet are complex and realistic, with their own motivations, flaws, and conflicts
• Three Unities: The three unities of time, place, and action, derived from Aristotle’s Poetics, are often challenged in Shakespeare’s plays, including Hamlet
• Martial Preparation: The martial preparation refers to the military activities in the play, such as the impending invasion by Fortinbras
• Land Yielding and Reclaiming: King Hamlet had killed King Fortinbras in single combat, causing Norway to forfeit some lands to Denmark. Young Fortinbras seeks to reclaim these lands
• Christmas Time and Holy Sacred Time: There is a belief mentioned in the play that no spirit dares stir abroad during the sacred time of Christmas
• Cock Crows 3 Times: The crowing of the cock is often associated with the biblical story of Peter denying Jesus three times before the cock crows.
• Hamlet’s First Speech: Hamlet’s first soliloquy reveals his grief over his father’s death and his anger at his mother’s hasty remarriage. It shows his ability to express profound and complex thoughts, indicating his intelligence and depth of character.
• Hamartia: Hamlet’s tragic flaw is often considered to be his indecisiveness or his tendency to overthink, which leads to his inability to act swiftly
• Dust Symbol: The symbol of dust in Hamlet often represents death and the idea that all humans return to dust after death.
• Fruitful River:. If it’s a kenning for teardrops, it could symbolize sorrow or grief.
• Impious Stubbornness: This phrase could refer to Hamlet’s stubborn pursuit of revenge, which goes against religious commandments.
• Why Hamlet Postpones Killing His Uncle: Hamlet delays killing Claudius for several reasons. He wants to be sure that Claudius is guilty, he is concerned about the moral implications of murder, and he struggles with his own indecisiveness and melancholy.

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