Table of Contents
What is the primal eldest curse?
SARAH: When Claudius says that his offense has the primal eldest curse upon it, he’s referring to the biblical story in Genesis where God places a curse on Cain for killing his brother Abel, just as Claudius has killed his brother, King Hamlet.
What role does the political situation play in Hamlet?
One part of the role played by the political situation is to add to the danger and suspense. During the time of the play, Denmark is not without enemy’s. Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway, smolders against Denmark because Hamlet ‘s father, the King of Denmark, killed his father, the King of Norway.
What are the main conflicts in Hamlet?
Major Conflict Hamlet feels a responsibility to avenge his father’s murder by his uncle Claudius, but Claudius is now the king and thus well protected. Moreover, Hamlet struggles with his doubts about whether he can trust the ghost and whether killing Claudius is the appropriate thing to do.
What is Elsinore in Hamlet?
“Elsinore” is the English spelling of Helsingør, a town on the eastern coast of Denmark. The castle made Helsingør famous as a cultural center, and Hamlet’s Elsinore is also a cultural center. Just like Frederick, Claudius is visited by travelling actors.
Who is the real villain in Hamlet?
Claudius is the primary antagonist in Hamlet. He thwarts Hamlet by killing his father. And when he usurps the Danish throne, Claudius denies Hamlet the future that rightfully belongs to him.
What is revealed by Claudius’s soliloquy beginning with O my offense is rank it smells to heaven?
Who said O my offense is rank it smells to heaven? In this soliloquy, Claudius confesses the deed and recoils at its smell. It is “rank” (that is, “rancid”), so rank that the vile odor wafts all the way to heaven.
Does Ophelia think Hamlet is mad?
Choose the correct answer: She knows that refusing to marry Hamlet will make him go insane. Polonius reads a letter to Claudius and Gertrude, and Ophelia overhears it.
What is Claudius’s main concern?
Claudius’s main concern is that Hamlet has discovered that he, Claudius, killed Hamlet’s father. Claudius shows no grief that Polonius has been killed: he apparently doesn’t care. Claudius’s acute concern is to save his own skin.
Do same villains send to heaven?
A villain kills my father, and I, my father’s only son, send this same villain to heaven. Seems like I just did him a favor. He killed my father when my father was enjoying life, with all his sins in full bloom, before my father could repent for any of them.
Who says O my Offence is rank it smells to heaven?
‘O, My Offence Is Rank It Smells To Heaven’, Spoken by Claudius, Act 3 Scene 3.
What does Claudius mean when he says O my Offence Is My words fly up my thoughts remain below Words without thoughts never to heaven go rank it smell to heaven?
In this quote, Claudius argues that his murdering his brother was marked by this notorious curse. The use of this allusion shows his guilt for committing his brother’s murder.
Does Gertrude believe Hamlet is mad?
Hamlet speaks to the apparition, but Gertrude is unable to see it and believes him to be mad. The ghost intones that it has come to remind Hamlet of his purpose, that Hamlet has not yet killed Claudius and must achieve his revenge. He urges her as well not to reveal to Claudius that his madness has been an act.
Who reveals the location of Polonius’s body?
Hamlet
Why can’t Gertrude see the ghost?
This makes me think only Hamlet can hear it. But that doesn’t explain why Gertrude can’t see the Ghost. Why is that? It can’t be because the Ghost can only appear to whom he wants to avenge his murder (since the guards see him).
Does Claudius feel guilty?
Accordingly, does Claudius feel guilty? Claudius feels guilty about killing his brother. We can see Claudius;s remorse when he is talking to God and gives his monologue about his his murder.
Why did Hamlet kill Polonius?
Hamlet believed that Claudius was spying on him from behind the tapestry and hoped to kill his unscrupulous uncle. Overall, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius after mistaking him for King Claudius, who he believes is spying on him from behind the tapestry in Gertrude’s chamber.
Who is the protagonist in Hamlet?
Prince Hamlet
How does Hamlet react to killing Polonius by mistake?
Hamlet feels no remorse over killing Polonius, even though he did so by accident and, remarkably, even though this is the father of the woman he supposedly loves. He merely says of him, as if he is so much garbage: I’ll lug the guts into the neighbor room.
Where is the real Elsinore located?
Kronborg is a castle and stronghold in the town of Helsingør, Denmark. Immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Kronborg is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Northern Europe and has been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites list (2000).
Why doesn’t Hamlet kill the king while he is kneeling?
Hamlet delays killing Claudius because Claudius represents Hamlet’s innermost desires to sleep with his mother Gertrude. Hamlet may believe he is delaying from fear of sending Claudius to a “heavenly” afterlife; however, there are times when Hamlet could have killed Claudius when he was not at prayer.
Is Claudius sorry for his crime?
Claudius’ problem is that he has two tasks to undertake, and the two are incompatible: he wants to beg forgiveness for his crime, but he isn’t truly sorry for it (he enjoys being King, and being married to Gertrude, his brother’s widow). So he finds himself at an impasse.
Why does Gertrude think Hamlet is mad?
She doesn’t see the apparition of Hamlet Sr. so she believes that Hamlet Jr. is hallucinating. That and he is literally plotting to assassinate Claudius with monomaniacal obsession.
What is the political situation in Denmark as Hamlet begins?
The political situation in Denmark is that Old King Hamlet killed the King of Norway and now young Fortinbras, King Norway’s son, wants to avenge his father’s honor and regain the lands that were lost years ago to King Hamlet. Crisis that have already occurred was King Claudius killing King Hamlet.