Analysis Of Hamlet Acts 1 And 2

Name: Steven P Sanderson II Date: 10/13/06 Class: Introduction to Literature Professor: M. R. Garcia 100 word analysis on Hamlet Acts I and II To start off this play is definitely a work of art. It not only sets the stage for modern day stories and plays but teaches morals at the same time, something I believe we can all agree seems to not even exist today even in the smallest sense of the meaning. To get right into the thick of things as the play does. Hamlets uncle marries his mother, becoming to family functions at one time, even disgusting in that time and era. What’s exceptionally disturbing about the matter is in the manner in which his uncle became his new father and King. Hamlet becomes so enraged at what is going on with his uncle and his mother that he has thoughts of killing himself and it becomes a real chore for him not to do so, based on the principals that he holds dear to himself. He does not want to go through with the act of killing himself because God views it as a sin. Hamlet feels that his mother and uncle are not only shaming themselves with this incestuous relationship but in the process defaming his dead father and himself. This is evident in line 143 when Hamlet compares his father to Hyperion the Sun God and his uncle to a Satyr, which is an ugly half man half goat creature, who is lecherous on top of it. Another way that is evidence of how lowly Hamlets uncle thinks of his father is that the food from the funeral ceremony he reuses for his wedding ceremony as if nothing is sacred to him. His uncle is using the fruits of someone else’s loss to try and help bring in his own better days. Later on in the story Hamlet’s friends tell him that they have seen a ghost of his father. Hamlet at first does not believe them and wants to see for him self. When he does see his father’s ghost he asks him if God has seen fit to raise him from the

grave. Hamlets father proceeds to tell him later that his deceitful uncle is the cause of his death through poisoning him. At hearing this Hamlet becomes enraged and asks his father if he would like him to avenge his death. He states that his uncle did this not only marry his mother but to become king, since he was next in line. This definitely shows that there is a power struggle inside of the family. Hamlets father also seems upset that his wife would disrespect him and Hamlet by marrying his brother so soon, and for doing it period. Hamlets mother may not notice what her new husband is doing since he courted her with extreme deceit. Hamlet states starting in line 105 of scene 5 that he would wipe away all false and trivial images and sayings of his uncle if he wanted him to because of the wrongfulness he imposed upon the family and his father. In Act 2 Polonius has his servant Reynaldo spy on his son Leartes who is in Paris at the time. He tells Reynaldo to use any means necessary to find out what his son has been up to in Paris. He even goes so far as to tell Reynaldo to use deceit and false stories about Leartes to gain insight into his doings. He also tells Reynaldo to use false stories to teach Leartes a lesson in reputation, which shows me that Polonius believes that ‘image’ is everything. Polonius hears from his daughter Ophelia that Hamlet is there and seems to be in extreme distress, she illustrates his appearance and Polonius says that he must be mad for her love. He says this because of the way that Ophelia describes Hamlets condition, which is of a spurned lover. Hamlet unknowingly to her does this on purpose so that he may find out what Polonius intentions are, and to what he has been up to. Polonius has some stage people come into his home and they act out a play. Hamlet upon watching this comes up with a plan to see if Polonius would get upset

with. Hamlet tells one of the stage kids to learn some new lines about a dozen or so. In these lines he will re-enact the death of Hamlets father.