Hamlet Group

Question:


johnnyutah
Student

What is Osric's function in "Hamlet"?

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Posted by johnnyutah on Friday January 26, 2007 at 11:34 AM and tagged with characters, hamlet, osric.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    What is Osric's function?
    While Osric has several minor functions in the play (he is, for example, one of many foils used to show Hamlet's mind), his main purpose is to deliver the challenge to the duel with Laertes.

    Greg

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/hamlet/575

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    Posted by gbeatty on Monday February 26, 2007 at 8:25 AM

  2. kevinkirk
    kevinkirk Teacher

    eNotes Editor

    Osric is an overdressed, pretentious, "dandy" who is also a cause for some hmuor. His task is to deliver Laerte's challenge and to creaate another comic scene before the final scene showing all the deaths of the major characters,(except Horatio).

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    Posted by kevinkirk on Friday March 23, 2007 at 9:36 AM

  3. revolution
    revolution Teacher
    Doctorate

    He is an affected courtier who plays a minor role as the King's messenger and as umpire of the fencing match between Hamlet and Laertes.

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    Posted by revolution on Monday July 20, 2009 at 7:04 AM

  4. efc1878
    efc1878 Student
    College - Sophomore

    Answer taken down.

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    Posted by efc1878 on Friday December 4, 2009 at 9:33 AM