Hamlet Group

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hippychix
Student
High School - 9th Grade

I'm finding Act 1, Scene 2 of Hamlet difficult on account of Claudius' long-winded speech. Anyone else find this? How can I get past it?

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Posted by hippychix on Tuesday July 28, 2009 at 8:20 AM and tagged with act 1 scene 2, character development, characterization, characters, claudius, difficult scenes: act 1-scene 2, exposition, hamlet, melancholy.

Answers:

  1. ms-charleston-yawp
    ms-charleston-yawp Teacher
    High School - 11th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Yes, Claudius does seem to be long-winded here.  In my opinion, when Claudius acts this way, he is putting on a show to cover up the obvious issue that he married Hamlet's mother far too soon after the funeral of Hamlet's father.  This important part of the exposition can, in fact, be found in this first long-winded speech.  Here is the most famous line from that speech that explains what I mean:

    With an auspicious and a dropping eye, / With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage, / In equal scale weighing delight and dole, Taken to wife. (1.2.11-14)

    In other words, Claudius is trying to prove that Hamlet's dad's death was met with both joy and sadness because Gertrude is now queen.  Claudius urges all to look beyond the sadness to the joy of a new marriage (which is quite shocking, actually). 

    Earlier on in the speech, Claudius also reiterates the important fact that Hamlet is unable to find the joy because he is too upset by his father's death.

    Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death / The memory be green, and that it us befitted / To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom / To be contracted in one brow of woe. (1.2.1-4)

    Yes, this proves once again that even other characters notice that Hamlet is in fact melancholy in nature which can help explain his other ruminations, including his contemplation of suicide which appears later in the play.  Furthermore, give the play some time and it's sure to get more bloody, sensual, and interesting!  Ha!

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/act-scene-2-summary-analysis
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/claudius-character-analysis

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    Posted by ms-charleston-yawp on Tuesday July 28, 2009 at 9:01 AM


  2. jagtig

    The speech contains the essence of the crisis affecting Denmark:

    http://www.tailsntales.com/eng/sha/ham/tex/sel_1.html#anchor228845

    Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras,

    Holding a weak supposal of our worth,...

    ...Importing the surrender of those lands

    Lost by his father, with all bonds of law,

    This link is to the lines which show how Claudius sent Cornelius and Voltimund to put thebrakes on his nephew, and stop the dangerous adventure. In this he was successful.

    In other words, King Fortinbras, once defeated and slain by King Hamlet, had a son who now rises, perhaps opportunistically, to reclaim his father's holdings, his patrimony.

    In the end he gets the whole kingdom.

    http://www.tailsntales.com/eng/sha/ham/tex/sel_11.html#anchor258808

    http://www.tailsntales.com/eng/sha/ham/tex/sel_1.html#anchor231557

    http://www.tailsntales.com/eng/sha/ham/tex/sel_3.html#anchor276317

    Are joyfully return'd.

    The ambassadors from Norway, my good lord,

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    Posted by jagtig on Wednesday July 29, 2009 at 9:36 AM