Monday, March 25, 2013

Hamlet Reading #6



      In Act III scene iv, Hamlet and Gertrude begin their conversation with a banter that goes back and forth. Hamlet will repeat what Gertrude says but change her lines a little in order to how he sees fit. After Hamlet kills Polonius, Hamlet has longer lines, but is more straight forward in what he wants to say to her. Their exchange in this scene is really the first time they have had the time to speak to each other without anyone watching, and Hamlet is definitely taking advantage of that fact by being blunt about how he views the Queen. Gertrude exclaims “O Hamlet, speak no more! Thou turn’st my eyes into my (very) soul, And there I see such black and (grained) spots As will (not) leave their tinct” (III. iv. 99-102). Hamlet prior to these lines went on in great length at what she had done to his father. Gertrude seems to realize the brevity of the situation and how mad Hamlet is. She for once seems to agree with Hamlet, yet she does not want to talk more about the situation, because she believes that no matter what she God will never forgive her. Hamlet does continue on though, and she continues to beg Hamlet to stop. The Ghost then comes in, and makes Hamlet look crazy, and Gertrude shifts her attention to her son, and her concern over his sanity.

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