What does Hamlet mean by the following? Please comment to this post with your interpretation.
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd
His canon 'gainst self-slaughter! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable,
Seem to me all the uses of this world!
Fie on't! ah fie! 'tis an unweeded garden,
That grows to seed; things rank and gross in nature
Possess it merely. That it should come to this!
But two months dead: nay, not so much, not two:
So excellent a king; that was, to this,
Hyperion to a satyr; so loving to my mother
That he might not beteem the winds of heaven
Visit her face too roughly. Heaven and earth!
Must I remember? why, she would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown
By what it fed on: and yet, within a month--
Let me not think on't--Frailty, thy name is woman!--
A little month, or ere those shoes were old
With which she follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears:--why she, even she--
O, God! a beast, that wants discourse of reason,
Would have mourn'd longer--married with my uncle,
My father's brother, but no more like my father
Than I to Hercules: within a month:
Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears
Had left the flushing in her galled eyes,
She married. O, most wicked speed, to post
With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!
It is not nor it cannot come to good:
But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.
My interpretation is he is upset with everything that has happened, he is indirectly calling and telling us what he sees his family members as and is foreshadowing a possible later conflict that we may see later on in the story. He is telling us how he sees his life at the moment, but must hold his tong for he knows he has limits in what he should say.
ReplyDeleteThis passage is Hamlet's reaction to his family/his family's actions after the death of his father. He feels angry and almost disgusted directly towards his mother. He goes out of his way to point out multiple times that it's only been about a month since his father died, and his mother has already gone and married his uncle and gotten over it. We can clearly see he thinks exactly what he expresses here in this passage and nothing different. He's not confused or confused about how he feels, but takes time to express his anger and disgust with his mother's actions since the death of his father.
ReplyDeleteI mainly see two things in Hamelt's first Soliloquy
ReplyDelete1) He is definetly upset with his Uncle's and Mother's/Aunts reaction and quick recovery to his father's death.
and
2) There is definite foreshadowing of later conflicts to come from the differences of opinions and behaviors within his family.
I think that Hamlet is expressing his emotions to his family turmoil that is going on. Although not showing this in public, Hamlets emotions are ripped apart from his fathers death, to his mother marrying his uncle, and all the in between details of his family. He wants to express this sorrow about his family but in the last line conveys that he cannot for he must hold his tongue.
ReplyDeleteHamlet was expressing what he felt about the death of his father and how his mother took it. By remarrying right away, Hamlet felt that his mother was a disgrace and was dishonoring the family.
ReplyDeleteThe real purpose of this portion of the play was to establish all the relationships in the family and to tell where everybody stood emotion-wise.
My interpretation is that Hamlet disapproves of his mother's actions. Not being entirely sympathetic to his father's death, then ultimately marrying his uncle within a month did not sit well with Hamlet. This speech adds to the exposition of the plot, and outlines family relations.
ReplyDeleteIn his soliloquy Hamlet poured out his emotions on how he felt about his father's death and where his mother stood amongst it. Her being completely unconcerned and disgraceful about the subject and marrying again as if death wasn't a big deal. He is summarizing to the audience the relationship he has with is family.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the video did an amazing job expressing to us what we couldn't exactly hear in the speech.
Hamlet is angry at his mother for bed hopping so soon after his father's death. He also seems to have been very close with his father and that is why he believes his uncle and mother should be more understanding of his feelings right now instead of pushing him towards his new responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteJust like Ophelia Hamlet is slowly becoming mad, except he is mad with anger and disgust towards his mother's quick remarriage. He doesn't understand how she could have been so close to him and then just forget about his kindness the first chance she got. He even places her lower than a wild animal. His mother's action has made him so angry that he cant even enjoy anything in life because of it and whats worse is he has to keep all of these strong emotions to himself. Ophelia and Hamlet aren't in such different positions.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is outraged with what his mother has done to say the least. However, just in this moment, he decides to unleash his anger in a more subtle way by pronouncing it through speech. He cannot believe that his mother would so soon change her love interest. One must contemplate however if Hamlet's mother is driven by love or by wealth. The most obvious conclusion would be by wealth and although Hamlet does not directly say this, he most certainly implies it. In the end this soliloquy also foreshadows future events where Hamlet releases his anger in a less subtle manner.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is basically describing his dissatisfaction and misery about recent events, most notably the "incest" regarding his Uncle and his mother. In addition, he describes how quickly this event came to be by describing it with "dexterity". The death of his father has caused a deep sense of loss in Hamlet, and it does not make him any happier that his mother does not seem to be taking this loss very seriously.
ReplyDeleteIn this scene, Hamlet was venting his feelings towards his mothers sudden actions. I believe that he had such negative feelings towards his mother because she didn't seem as bothered as Hamlet by her husbands death and instead went off to marry Hamlets uncle. He is most bothered by the fact that his uncle and mother don't seem to be bothered by the way that Hamlet feels and don't take his feelings into consideration. I believe that this scene foreshadows some future family problems with Hamlet, his mother, and his uncle.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is discussing his feelings towards his mothers promiscuous behavior. Just two months after his fathers death his mother and his uncle decide to marry. This made Hamlet envious towards the two. Not to mention they have no sympathy towards Hamlet for losing his father. In fact, they say he is less of a man for having emotions. Hamlet knows his father is irreplaceable and is trying to keep his cool this scene but it seems as if he is about to burst.
ReplyDeleteHe's seriously wondering why he doesn't just kill himself and he's angry that God made rules that spoke against suicide or self harm. Then he says that everything around him is like "an unweeded garden." He thinks that nothing good comes out of the soil of Denmark. Only grotesque things like his fate of becoming his uncle's son and his mother remarrying not even 2 months after her "beloved" husband's death. And the King had loved and protected her so much and it had seeeeemed that she was in love with him too, but due to recent events he doesn't trust his memories of the past anymore. BUT since everyone is against him, he must hold his tongue on the subject.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is angry with the situation he has found himself in, and feels that god dealt him a bad hand this time around. His father passed away just two months ago, so he is in mourning, yet he is told by his mother and uncle that he shouldn't be and to move on. He also sees that they have clearly moved on for his mother has already remarried to his uncle and his uncle has taken his fathers old spot as king. His misses his father and is unhappy with how quickly he is being forgotten.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy, Hamlet expresses his feelings towards his mothers sudden actions after the passing of her late husband. He showed negative feelings towards his mother seem as nothing had ever happen like she wasn't even bothered by it. Hamlet was greatly affectedby his fathers death, but his mother went off to marry Hamlets uncle. He found it quite shocking to the reaction of his uncle and mother.They didnt care about his feelings. this shows that their will be family problems throughout the play.
ReplyDeleteThe soliloquy is a combination of disapproval and disgust felt by Hamlet due to the relationship that has evolved between his uncle and mother. He goes on to describe the relationship she had with Hamlet's father and how it was good. Hamlet is outraged at the short amount of time it has taken his mother to get over the death if his father. At the end of the soliloquy Hamlet tells of how even though is is against the relationship between his uncle and mother he still does not have the right to judge her actions and her happiness pleases him.
ReplyDeleteThis soliloquy demonstrates the anger Hamlet feels. The events in his life have led him to feel much stress. First his father dies which Hamlet (the son) is mourning because his father was a great man, but now Hamlet's father is gone. To make things worse, not even two months later, Hamlet's mother marries his uncle, and Hamlet's mother and stepfather both tell him to man up and get over his father's death and her mother's ridiculous marriage.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this soliloquy, it seems that Hamlet is suicidal, but blames God for not allowing him to take his own life. He remembers his father in positive ways, and praises the man that he was. Hamlet was however, completely dissatisfied with his mothers' actions. After marrying her brother-in-law and being in "incestuous sheets", Hamlet blames his mother for his issues and depression.
ReplyDeleteThis passage explores the emotions felt by hamlet after his father died. Of course he is very upset and is hving trouble moving on but he is even more hurt when his mother seems to be moving on as if nothing happened. He is amazed she had the nerve to marry her husbands brother (hamlet views this as incest) but he bites his tongue. Holding in all these emotions reflects Hamlets character as someone who is very non-confrontational. This text may also function to foreshadow the future conflict within hamlet ad whether he should bite his tongue or speak out against why he views as incorrect.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is, to put it colloquially, pissed, frustrated, saddened, and upset. He is pissed because his mother, after only one month, has married Cladius and has told Hamlet to "get over it." Life moves on, it's not good to dwell on the past. Hamlet, who revered his father above all else and viewed him as a respectable man, simply cannot agree. His father was too important, too precious, for him to simply "get over". He cannot see how this marriage will lead to anything good "It is not nor it cannot come to good...", however he also feels that it is not in his right to chastise his mother for actions he does not agree with. All he can do is vent his anger and frustration, shouting at himself or at a wall.
ReplyDelete"Hopping" into to uncle Claduis' bed, his father's corpse not even cold, Hamlet connotes his rage towards his mothers seemingly indifference/lack of mourning towards her late husband. Hamlet ruminates on possible outlets blaming god and undeserved misfortune(suicide a cowardly but contemplated solution yet just as hastily defunct)for his anger, thus sparking his "revenge quest" to learn the truth of his father's demise/ lack of investigation nor care from his mother.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is mad with world and with the events that have unfolded in the past two months. He's angry that his father has passed away and not even two months later, his mother is married to his father's brother. They tell him to move on even though it has only been two months. He speaks of his mother unfaithfulness to his father in pretty much the bottom half of the soliloquy.
ReplyDeleteHamlet's soliloquy shows his admiration for his late father and describes the trully amazing man he was. It also introduces the readers/audience to the growing resentment Hamlet now has for his mother, who he views as a weak and shallow woman who he considers unfaithful to his father and to him. Yet he is compelled to keep his discontent to himself.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of the soliloquy is that Hamlet was very close to his father, therefore his fathers death affected him in very strongly. Hamlet is hurting because his father died and the fact that his mother married his uncle is not making anything better.Hamlet talks about how his father was a great man and that his mom is the reason for his depression.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Hamlet is showing how he feels about his fathers death. He is stating his anger and dissaproval of his mother's actions in marrying his uncle right after his father died. His mother is telling him to get over it and move on with his life.
ReplyDeleteI thought that poor Hamlet was feeling abandoned by a mother, who now left him to grieve without any comfort because of the shotgun wedding. A new step-father within two months, whose marriage so notably is incestuous, still he holds his tongue because they are the royal family. And Amanda had a great point that his mother had no ability to refuse the advances that would have been made because she was a woman otherwise it would have been insubordination. Still the monologue reflects the sting and feelings of betrayal that is associated by this re-marriage.
ReplyDeleteHamlet's soliloquy express his anger towards his closest relatives' actions. He is disgusted at his mother that she would, in a way, betray the memory of his father and move on so quickly. Not only that, she married the brother! It makes you wonder if they had been having an affair for her to move on so quickly or she is desperately in love with being the queen.
ReplyDeleteMy interpretation of this soliloquy is that Hamlet is upset by his mother's remarriage with the “brother in law”. He is expressing/ releasing his anguish/frustration. Hamlet wants to commit suicide but he can’t because the god had forbidden it. The lines: “It is not nor it cannot come to good. But break my heart, for must hold my tongue” foreshadows the action Hamlet going to take for revenge.
ReplyDeleteWhat i got out of it was that hamlet was very close to his father and admired him very much. Also that he is very discontent with how only two months after the death of her husband his mother married his uncle and was completely stoic in response to his death.
ReplyDeleteHere Hamlet is expressing his grief, frustration, and confusion. He cannot comprehend his mother's willingness to forget his father, and to go forth in her new marriage to his brother. This is just a sort of "venting" and descriptions of Hamlet's emotions as the play begins.
ReplyDeleteHamlet's shows his anger towards the situation that was going on. Knowing that his mother went on and married his uncle, irratated the most because it was that long since his father's death. It surprised him that his mother was doing fine (which you would've expected the total opposite of it). Instead Hamlet was the one suffering the most for his father's death.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is going on about how he lost his father two months ago. His mother was loved by his father very much. She held the same feelings for him. It is hard for Hamlet to understand that his mother only after one month of his father’s death would remarry and not only remarry but remarry with her dead husband’s brother. This is a heart breaking truth that Hamlet must now live with. Towards the end he says he wants to say something but he can’t so he must hold his tongue. Obviously there is a lot of pain and anger in Hamlet during this scene. I do wonder if Hamlet would still be this upset of his mother marrying his uncle if she would have allowed herself more time after the death to emotionally and mentally heal from the memory of Hamlet’s father. It is possible that Hamlet would have reacted the same way that he did but at the same time it is still too soon in the healing process so Hamlet is still extremely emotional and worked up on the whole idea. This scene is basically Hamlet expressing how he feels.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is very very upset about his situation. His father died, his mother married his uncle, and his mother is telling him to buck up and be a man. He is expressing his anger that his mother didn't even wait two months before hopping in bed with another man. Hamlet's idol, his father, being disregarded so quickly. The speech is just his rage to the world over his death, which plays an important part in him seeking revenge.
ReplyDeleteI'm not very good with interpreting these things.. but in my opinion. He is angered by all the events that are going on in his life. He is sad and mad and confused at his fathers passing, his mothers re-marriage and the fact he is told to get over it all and focus on what is yet to come. I think this soliloquy is foreshadowing some major events that are coming up.
ReplyDeleteIn this soliloquy by Hamlet we can see that he disapproves his mother and uncle's marriage. He doesn't think that it's right because his dad was a great man and didnt derserved this. It't only been a month since Hamlet's father dead and he is mad because his mother didnt show any respect for him, and especially his father's brother. what type of family is that? We see that those three will have a lot of problems in the near future.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to go very deep into this. It's obvious he's not just upset, he's out right angry. He points out both his mother and uncle's lack in morals that is displayed through their equal lack of grief. After a mere two months they are in a rush towards a casual lifestyle(which Hamlet finds not to be casual whatsoever, marrying your step-brother is rather odd after all) and are completely inconsiderate of the feelings he has on the situation, which only furthers his anger towards them.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is just not happy about how quickly his mother has moved on from her husbands death, knowing he passed away a month ago! He does not know whether to think if her true feelings have changed about her dead husband or she is just after the wealth that the other men carry. He does not want to think bad about his mother in any way but her actions are making her look bad and he can not help but think bad thoughts of her. Especially since she is having relations with Hamlet's uncle who is Hamlet's fathers brother. He hold much emotion about this whole situation and he feels so strongly to speak of his feelings but in the end he holds it in in precaution that he might hurt someone in the end.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is both mourning the death of his father and cursing his mother for her actions. He condemns her for marrying so quickly after King Hamlet's death (to Hamlet's uncle, no less!) and struggles to accept the changes in his life. He cannot come to terms with the happiness of life before his father's death, and the disarray of life at the present. He also laments that he cannot rightfully speak out against his mother's marriage to King Claudius.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is obviously upset with his mother marrying his uncle. His father just died and things are moving too fast in his opinion. He is going on and on about how she cant even wait two months before hopping in bed with another man and that disgusts Hamlet. Also, he cannot talk to anyone about how he feels because his uncle and mother both think that this situation of him being upset affects his manhood. Not only is he upset, but also has no one to talk to.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is upset and confused and frankly, ticked off. He doesnt understand how his mother could not only marry so quickly after her hunsbands death, but marry his brother; her brother-in-law! I feel like this confusion angers him more than the fact that it acctually happened. Why would she want to marry her deceased husbands brother in the first place? Had they been 'fooling around' before he had died? In this siloloquy, Hamlet accurately represents a modern day teenagers reaction to parents divorcing or remarrying (aside from his diction, of course).
ReplyDeleteHamlet is mentioning how he feels towards his father's death and his mother's action of marrying Claudius, Hamlet's uncle. The tragedy of his father's death was great, and the reader could pick this up in the beginning of the soliloquy. The decision Hamlet's mother made of moving on two months after Hamlet's fathers death was an emotional downfall for Hamlet. A storm of feelings were evoked and Hamlet mentioned his mixed emotions on the situation at hand.
ReplyDeleteIn this scene hamlet is just voicing his fustration, anger, and dissaprovement close relatives. He cant get over the fact that his uncle has gotten over his own brothers death so fast. Another thing that disgusts him is that his mother is already remarried. Not only did she remarry with in a month of her husbands death but she married her husbands brother! All of this begins to drive him crazy and it just foreshadows what will happen in the scenes to come
ReplyDeleteHamlet means to portray his disgust with the actions of his own mother. Obviously she has great influence in his life as any mother does and it's difficult for him to be exposed to her weakness hand in hand with her somewhat whorish ways. Hamlet feels his save haven is tainted and bursts out in somewhat of a childlike tantrum in protest to his mothers actions.
ReplyDeleteHamlet is upset over the death of his father and to make it worse his mother married his uncle. His mother remarried very quickly after his father's death making him angry because it hasn't even been 2 months since his father's death. He is distraught with these events and the fact that his father's death isn't even being payed attention to that much. Hamlet is basically angry with the world.
ReplyDeleteI relate to Hamlet over this subject. So I understand how someone who was supposed to be there for you, ends up being too self centered to cause anything but that of being a burden. I find that our situations differ in some aspects, yet it's the raw emotions perceived that I can connect to.
ReplyDeleteHamlet feels really hurt that his mom who for years was in puppy love with his father, could so easily replace him with another guy. He's also bewildered as to why she would marry his uncle, and why his dad's death doesn't seem to mean anything to them. He feels wounded but is too used to doing what his parents tell him to that he can only voice his real thoughts in private.
ReplyDeleteI feel like Hamlet is disgraced my the incest in the family. Even though it was accepted at the time, he still doesn't approve of it. He doesn't like the corruption in royalty that would motivate his uncle to marry his mother soon after his father died. He feels compassion towards his late father, compassion that only he possesses. He fervidly hates his stepfather and mother for their marriage and the scandal behind it. He knows he can't do anything about the situation because it's a normal thing to happen in the times, he just doesn't like it because it directly affects him and no one else seems to care about Hamlet Sr.'s death.
ReplyDeleteThis long speech describe his madness over his uncle and mother for their "don't care, suck it up!" Reaction towards his father's death. Also he is angry about his situation and how his mother just forget about his father and marry his uncle right away.
ReplyDeleteThe passage sets an immediate tone for what the rest of the play is going to entail. Hamlet seems to be fighting his inner self due to his emotions caused by the recent turmoil in his life. Hamlet is so eager to express his hatred towards his mother yet has been raised not to do so. I can only imagine how an event such as this and then having to keep quiet about how you feel could tear someone apart.
ReplyDeleteThe passage shows Hamlet's extreme anger with his mother and uncle, Cladius, as well as Hamlet's ability to grow so quickly unnerved. Hamlet gets to the point where he is in a rant, getting progressively more angry then controlling himself with, "Break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue,". His use of "break" shows the severity in which his fathers death had brought his forlorn feelings. Hamlet shows self control, but at the price of his own self comfort, the question is, how long can Hamlet be under this controlled state?
ReplyDeleteHamlet is obviously very upset at the way everyone is dealing with the death of his father, especially with his mother and uncle Claudius. It upsets him that his mother has quickly moved on from his father into another bed of another man, and it he seems to be very passionately against such "incest". Yet at the same time, he does not want to say anything, maybe for fear of being considered unmanly or grieving a little too much.
ReplyDelete