Today we reenacted Act 5, Scene 2 of William Shakespeare's Hamlet. Sarah, my skull-wielding student (pictured above) pointed out something students often say the first time they read the play:
"None of this would have happened if Hamlet had killed Claudius when he had the chance!"
She's right. None of the this would have happened if King Claudius was killed while praying in Act 3, Scene 3. Claudius would be dead, Hamlet would be avenged, and Polonius, Ophelia, Laertes, and Queen Gertrude would all still be alive.
Point taken.
But once we mapped out all of the murders on the board, we thought differently....
In the classic tragedy cycle, every revenger is created by an act of atrocity. The first "atrocity" to open the play Hamlet is, of course, the murder of King Hamlet. This realization made Sarah say:
"OK, so none of this would have happened if Claudius hadn't killed King Hamlet!"
For discussion:
What do you think is the greatest atrocity in the play Hamlet? After reenacting Act 5, Scene 2, what event seems to have determined the ending most?
What do you think is the greatest atrocity in the play Hamlet?
ReplyDeleteI think the greatest atrocity in the play Hamlet is the affair between Claudius and Gertrude. Not only does this romance take place too shortly after the death of King Hamlet, but it puts a huge strain on Hamlet's delicate mental state during the time of the play.
After reenacting Act 5, Scene 2, what event seems to have determined the ending most?
I think the killing of Polonius was probably the biggest factor in the ending of the play, Polonius not been killed, the ending would certainly be different, as Hamlet's madness would not be so pronounced and Laertes would not have returned to avenge his father.
Emily, you make an interest remark about atrocity! Between all of the murders and bloodshed in Hamlet, it's easy to overlook Claudius and Gertrude's affair as being "atrocious" (not just by today's or Tudor England's moral standards, but also by the definition of the Greek Tragedy Cycle).
DeleteI also like the way you point out Polonius's catalytic affect to Hamlet's madness. Do you see a connection with Hamlet's increasing madness after the death of Polonius and the one experienced by Ophelia?