My initial reaction to Hamlet, Act One was confusion. Although I am still not used to old English, I believe I am starting to make sense of it. As of now, this act has only reminded me of a soap opera, with all of the drama that has been portrayed. With the mother marrying her dead husband’s brother, whom we learn has killed the king, and now the son must get revenge on his father’s death. Hamlet is the son of the late great king Hamlet. I believe his fatal flaw is trusting his new “father,” or the new king and staying home instead of going back to his studies. Although he does fit Aristotle’s description of a tragic hero his greater good could kill him in the end. He is bothered by his uncle’s comments on why he is still mourning over his father’s death, and how there is no question to why his mother and uncle have already gotten married two months after his father’s death. The theme of life and death is brought up in this act a few times. With the death of the late king Hamlet, comes the life of Hamlet’s mother and uncle’s marriage, “With mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage” (line 12) King Claudius, we learn killed his brother the late Hamlet, and probably plans to kill Hamlet as well. I believe Shakespeare is trying to make a point that with every death a new life begins. Death is all around us and cannot be escaped by any.
I felt that Shakespeare did include a lot of tension and drama very early on in this story. I think this is an excellent way of capturing his audiences' attention early on, similar to how many movies and TV shows are made today. I like how you pointed out his fatal flaw. I never noticed it before but I completely agree with you that by agreeing to stay at the castle, Hamlet has sealed his fate for the rest of the events in the story to take place.
ReplyDeleteI also thought of a soap opera while reading the first act. There was so much drama and each character seemed to be enthralled in everything that was going on. Shakespeare did seem to devote the first act to life and death and it's inevitability.
ReplyDeleteI didn't really think of it but now that you mention it, it is kind of like a soap opera huh? I like how you saw life and death intertwined like that. I think that Hamlet being so young was not able to cope with the death and the wedding seemed too joyous for him to handle. In other words he didn't know how to control his emotions.
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