Initial Reaction: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern remind me of the many times a friend of mine went behind my back. She talked about me to my other friends in the most disrespectful way. Just like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were going behind Hamlet's back, working with the king and queen to get to the bottom of his sudden madness.
Character Analysis: I chose the queen for this act. Queen Gertrude is a confused mother and wife that does not have even the slightest clue of the one who murdered her husband, King Hamlet. She wants only what is best for Hamlet and yet selfish at the same time. She remarried quickly after King Hamlet's death. So at the same time, it is possible that she may have known the details of Claudius' successful attempt to murder the King. In act three she allows Claudius and Polonius to set up a plan so that they know what lead to his madness. She repeatedly wonders as to why her son has gone mad. In Act III, Scene 4, she and Hamlet have a major conversation about the death of his father and her marriage to Claudius. At that moment, Gertrude feels ashamed and full of guilt because Hamlet brings out the inner self of his mother. Towards the end she feels frightened by Hamlet when he claims that there is a ghost of his father.
Theme Analysis: One of the themes in Act three is guilt or sin. Gertrude feels guilty by King Hamlet's death. In Act three, Scene 4 she says, "Oh Hamlet, say no more! You have made me see my inner self, and it's indelibly stained with guilt." So she can see that her marriage to Claudius made her look like a villian just as much as Claudius. Her son's madness made her feel more guilty. Sin can also be a theme because Hamlet kills polonius thinking it is the king behind the curtains. But Hamlet does not feel it is so. He says, "A murderous deed! Almost as mad, good mother, as to kill a king, and marry his brother..." I think Act 3 is the climax of the play because Claudius knows now that Hamlet knows he is the one who murdered the king. It is the turning point in the play.
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Does Gertrude feel guilty because she was involved in the murder of King Hamlet or does she feel guilty because she married her son's Uncle so soon after his death? I still don't know!
ReplyDeleteI never really thought that Gertrude was savvy enough to know about the original murder. Perhaps I've underestimated her. I always assumed her guilt was for what she assumed was the effect of her remarriage on Hamlet.
ReplyDeleteYour theme is definitely on point, Fatima. In addition to Hamlet compelling the Queen to face her own guilt-ridden heart, his murder of Polonius also drove Claudius to succumb to his guilty conscience as well. Great observation! This theme was undeniably plagued with guilt.
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