"The closet scene is a key scene in "Hamlet". It incorporates many of the central themes in the play and highlights the weakness of Gertrude and the strength of Hamlet." Discuss with reference to interpretations you have seen and read. .
Act III scene IV, also known as the "Closet scene," is a key scene in "Hamlet" as it is the first time in the play that Hamlet and Gertrude are alone and engage in more than passing conversation. To establish the importance of this scene and how it reflects the personalities of the characters concerned it is important to study and respond to various interpretations.
This scene is often interpreted in two contrasting ways, one where Hamlet's behaviour is due to sexual jealousy and one where he is considered to be a caring son. I personally believe the latter to be a more justifiable presentation of Hamlet's true character. This is because the audience is only too aware of the effect his father's death has had upon him. Subsequently, his resentment of the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude, could be perceived as a natural reaction, "A little month; or e"er those shoes were old with which she followed my poor father's body." Also, Hamlet is more often than not seen as the "hero" of the play with whom the audience most relates and because of this I feel that Hamlet having sexual feelings for his mother distorts the heroic persona established in previous scenes.
A common interpretation of the "Closet scene" often used in modern productions of the play does portray Hamlet as having an oedipal desire for his mother. Zeffirelli (1990) interprets this scene in such a way and strongly shows the manifestation of sexual jealousy visually by the way Hamlet, for example, threatens Gertrude towards her bed with a sword. The most powerful example from this version is the way in which Hamlet lies on top of his mother pretending to have sex with her whilst delivering the line, "Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love," with contempt.
Hamlet Hamlet is a young man who's father dies and his life is turned upside down. ... Hamlet is battling his conscience. ... Hamlet is extremely indecisive. ... Hamlet wants to kill his uncle because he killed hamlets father. ... Hamlet only trusts Horatio. ...
Hamlet's Revenge In Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, there is a theme of revenge. ... Hamlet behavior was erratic. ... Laertes openly curses Hamlet. ... Laertes wounds Hamlet. ... Hamlet kills Claudius. ...
The old king Hamlet is murder by Claudius and therefore Hamlet must take his revenge. ... Hamlet begins to doubt the ghost. ... Hamlet is contradicts himself. ... Hamlet's next problem is that of morality. ... Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Hamlet In the play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, Hamlet never loses his sanity, in his plan to feign madness. ... It is after this statement that Hamlet begins to act mad. ... Guildenstern asks Hamlet what he means by this and Hamlet professes he is "" . . . but mad north-north-west. ... Polonius believe he [Hamlet] was mad. ... In a conversation, Gertrude questions Hamlet's sanity. ...
Laertes is a mirror to Hamlet. ... Laertes is decisive and Hamlet is not. ... Fortinbras acts as Hamlet's inspiration; he motivates Hamlet to go forward with his plan to kill Claudius, which in the end leads to Hamlet's downfall. ... Horatio is Hamlet's friend and solid rock on whom Hamlet can trust and depend. ... Horatio cared for Hamlet greatly, and so Hamlet cared greatly for Horatio. ...
KING Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius? HAMLET At supper. ... If Claudius does not stand on one side of a titanic conflict, his betrayal of Hamlet's father and Marriage to Hamlet's mother, do ignite one: Hamlet's conflict with himself. ... In the end Hamlet dies along with most of the principle characters whether they were duplicities against Hamlet or not. ... By the end of the play Hamlet has thoroughly explored the question but like Hamlet, it remains an enigma. ...
Hamlet The study of Shakespeare's Hamlet has been one that is very extensive as well as enormous. ... A critic of Hamlet once said, "a man set out to read all the books about Hamlet would have time to read nothing else, not even Hamlet." ... "Hamlet is the tragedy of reflection. ... For where Hamlet saw that "the time is out of joint," Hamlet himself was "out of joint." ... (Mack. 64) Hamlet begins his questioning with the death of elder Hamlet. ...
Hamlet 1 Throughout Hamlet, Hamlet expresses his thoughts via several soliloquies. ... In this scene, Hamlet is being "set up" by Ophelia, Polonius, and Claudius. ... This is quite different than the "emotional Hamlet" seen in 1.2, or the "vengeful Hamlet" seen in 1.5. ... The three claim to be concerned for Hamlet's mental state of mind. This is ironic, because as the characters within the play see Hamlet mentally deteriorating, readers see Hamlet mentally developing. ...
Hamlet Tania Kozie-Slobodzian Hamlet is categorized as one of Shakespeare's tragedies. ... Horatio a friend of Hamlet tells Hamlet that he is afraid because he thinks he has seen a ghost who resembles the late King. ... The Ghost of Hamlet's father appears in front of Hamlet. The ghost is in fact Hamlet's late father. ... Now that Hamlet is said to be crazy, Polonius goes to the King and tells him about Hamlet's strange behavior concerning Ophelia. ...