Concetti Chiave
- Hamlet's story begins with the death of his father, the king of Denmark, and his mother's quick marriage to his uncle Claudius, who is revealed to be the murderer by the ghost of Hamlet's father.
- Hamlet pretends to be insane to uncover the truth, staging a play that mirrors his father's murder, which provokes a guilty reaction from King Claudius.
- The play's tragic events include Hamlet accidentally killing Polonius, Ophelia's descent into madness and subsequent death, and a poisoned fencing match that leads to multiple deaths, including Hamlet's.
- Revenge plays, prominent in Elizabethan theater, focus on themes of vengeance, with Hamlet being the most famous example, highlighting the struggle between thought and action.
- Psychoanalytical interpretations of Hamlet suggest an oedipal complex, with Hamlet's hostility towards his uncle linked to his complex relationship with his mother.
The beginning of Hamlet
The history of Hamlet begins with the father's death, king of Danimark, The queen, Gertrude, Hamlet's mother, has immediately married with died king's brother, Claudius. Hamlet meets his father's ghost, on the battlements of Elsinore; the father tells him that Claudius is guilty of his murder. In fact, while He was sleeping, the brother poured a poison into his ear. It is thanks to his brilliant mind that Hamlet pretends to be insane to observe the king and queen, so Hamlet asks the players to insert a same scene of the death of his father, in a Cort play. The king gets confuse and his reaction confirms that Claudius is guilty of the death of his brother.
Tragic consequences
Then, by mistake, Hamlet stubs with a dagger Polonius, hidden behind a curtain, because He believed that It was Claudius. Ophelia, Polonius'daughter and Hamlet's lover, after his father's death, goes crazy and She drowns herself. Laerte, another Polonius'son, want to take his revenge. The king uses him to kill Hamlet during a fencing match. Laerte uses a poisoned foil causing the death of the main character, who, before dying, kills Laerte and mortally wounds the king. The queen, by mistake, drinks a poisoned cup that was intended to Hamlet and she dies.
Popularity of revenge plays
The revenge plays were very popular in the Elizabethan theater. These plays, influenced by Seneca, have as main theme the revenge. In fact the main character tries to take his revenge in a crime.
The most famous revenge play is Hamlet. Its monologue is the most famous of all Shakespeare’s plays. Hamlet is so popular because He wasn't a hero but a character full of doubts and uncertainties in which We can recognize ourselves. The play is very close at our sensibility. Hamlet doesn't try immediately to take his revenge but He ponders of what He has to do and He doesn't know if he has to kill or not himself. It’s an example of the thought that kills the action. The critics believe that in Hamlet the language is fundamental because there are not important the event but the way in which the things are said.
Psychoanalytical interpretation
We don’t observe a plain language but very tormented and allusive like our unconscious. The depth of this tragedy was unknown to other revenge play. This story wasn't invented by Shakespeare, but He reworked it. The critics gave a psychoanalytical reading believing that Hamlet’s hate towards uncle is caused as well also to oedipal relationship with his mother, an excessive jealousy towards her.
Oedipal relationship
The word oedipal derives from a Greek tragedy in which the king Edipo had a morbid relationship with his mother. Edipo was the son of the king of Thebes, to which had been announced (foretold) by an oracle that would be killed by his son. So the king gave the child to the peasants asking them to kill him but They decided to keep him. Then Edipo killed the king mistaking him for a vagabonds and so Thebes was hit by plague. Edipo, not knowing that She was his mother, married her. When he discovered that, her mother hung herself and Edipo blinded.
Domande da interrogazione
- What event sets the stage for the conflict in Hamlet?
- How does Hamlet confirm Claudius's guilt?
- What are the tragic consequences of Hamlet's actions?
- Why is Hamlet considered a popular revenge play?
- How do critics interpret Hamlet's relationship with his mother?
The conflict in Hamlet begins with the death of the king of Denmark, Hamlet's father, and the subsequent marriage of Queen Gertrude to Claudius, the deceased king's brother. Hamlet later learns from his father's ghost that Claudius is guilty of the king's murder.
Hamlet confirms Claudius's guilt by staging a play that reenacts his father's murder. Claudius's disturbed reaction to the play reveals his culpability in the king's death.
Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius, leading to Ophelia's madness and eventual suicide. Laertes seeks revenge, and during a fencing match, both he and Hamlet are fatally wounded. The queen also dies after drinking poison intended for Hamlet.
Hamlet is a popular revenge play because it explores themes of doubt and uncertainty, resonating with audiences. Unlike typical heroes, Hamlet is introspective and hesitant, making him relatable. The play's language and psychological depth also contribute to its enduring appeal.
Critics offer a psychoanalytical interpretation, suggesting that Hamlet's animosity towards Claudius is partly due to an oedipal relationship with his mother, Gertrude. This theory posits that Hamlet's excessive jealousy and complex emotions stem from this dynamic.
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