Month: November 2015

In Gertrudes Chamber, Polonius enters and tells her to be harsh to Hamlet upon his arrival whilst he hides behind a tapestry. When Hamlet arrives Gertrude tells him that he has offended his father, meaning his stepfather Claudius. He interrupts her telling her that he will make her fully aware of the profundity of her sin. Gertrude begins to fear for her life and cries out for help. Hearing this, Polonius also calls out for help. Hamlet realises someone is behind the tapestry and suspects that its Claudius. He cries “How now! a rat?”.  He draws his sword and stabs it through the tapestry instantly killing Polonius. Hamlet asks whether its the King or not. Gertrude says it was a bloody deed but Hamlet responds by saying it was almost as bad as murdering a King and marrying his brother. The ghost appears but only Hamlet is able to see it. Gertrude is confused and the ghost tells Hamlet to describe how it looks but the Ghost disappears. Hamlet convinces Gertrude that his madness is only an act and makes her promise to not tell Claudius. He tells her that he regards Rosencrantz and Guildernstern as poisonous snakes. He then leaves dragging along Polonius’s body.

Claudius begins to feel that Hamlet is a threat and summons Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to take Hamlet to England immediately. He says that because Hamlet is a threat to the King he is a threat to the people of Denmark. The two friends of Hamlet agree and leave. Claudius begins to pray at his private altar asking for forgiveness from his sins. He says that he has commited the biggest primal sin of ‘killing his brother’ and it is sin too big to be forgiven. Hamlet sees Claudius praying and see’s it as a perfect moment to kill him. However, he realises that Claudius killed his father in his sleep leaving him in purgatory awaiting entry into heaven. If he were to kill Claudius now he would go straight to heaven avoiding his eternal punishment. Polonius then enters informing Claudius that the prince is on his way to see Gertrude and Polonius will be eavesdropping on their conversation.

Hamlet speaks to the actors and instructs them to act out a play called ‘Murder of Gonzago’ which has a similar story as to what happened to the dead King Hamlet. Hamlet explains to his trustworthy friend Horatio that the play will demonstrate whether the ghost he saw is telling the truth or is a ‘dammed ghost’ (liar). As the play goes on, Claudius asks Hamlet what the play is called in which Hamlet replies “Mouse trap” in which he claims is based on a true story from Vienna. Claudius calls the light on and for the play to end, he is not happy and storms out. Hamlet and Horatio debrief agreeing that the ghost is telling the truth and Hamlet prepares to kill the King during the night. Gertrude tells Hamlet she has to speak to him later on in her chambers.  He agrees.

The King and Queen enter with Guildenstern, Rosencrantz, Ophelia, Polonious and other members of the court. The King questions Hamlet’s friends about their findings but can only admit that he is distracted but has not said by what. Thereafter,  the King ordered Gertrude to leave so that he and Polonius could spy on a meeting between the prince Hamlet and Ophelia. Polonious instructs Ophelia to read a book so that when the prince enters it does not look suspicious as to why she may be by herself. Hamlet then enters the scene by saying his famous “To be or not to be” soliloquy. He assumes Ophelia is reading prayers and asks her to pray for him. She tells him that she would like to return the gifts he gave her but he denies giving her gifts at all. He then appears to go insane stating that Opehlia should go to a nunnery and that women are all liars, he then leaves. Ophelia is a state of shock and Claudius along with Polonius come out to speak of the events which just took place. Claudius is now doubting that love has driven Hamlet mad but Polonius continues to insist that that is the problem. He tells the King that he would eavesdrop on a meeting between Hamlet and his mother, the Queen, later on. Claudius agrees.

To exist or not to exist, thats the dilemma,
Whether its better to think its honourable to suffer,
The sieges of bad fortune,
or to take up our arsenal of arms against our sea of problems,
to end them by fighting? To die: to sleep,
That’s it, for sleep is a beautiful sayonara,
to all the emotional trauma and stress,
that we are exposed to, is an accomplishment,
To be sought eagerly. To die, to sleep,
To sleep, maybe to have dreams, oh theres the catch;
For in deaths sleep, what dreams come before us,
when we have left this mortal life

The King, Claudius, and Queen, Gertrude, enter with Rosencrantz and Guildernstern. The King called Hamlets school friends to spy on Hamlet and to report back to him. The two men leave in search for the young prince and Polonious enters getting the King and Queen’s attention. He claims to knowing what the source of Hamlets madness but said he will elaborate further once an ambassador arrives from Norway. Gertrude believes that her son is still grieving over her ex-husbands death and quick re-marriage. Polounius re-enters with the ambassadors who say that the brother of the slain King of Norway stopped his nephew young Fortinbras from invading Denmark.