If Hamlet has escaped his liminal state, when? And if not, does he ever?
- Hamlet has escaped his liminal state with the switch from ears to eyes, and killing Polonius. However, Emily is not convinced that he has escaped, feels he is acting and theatrical in his actions of dying. In Act 3, Hamlet switched, but returned during Act 5.
- Hannah agrees that Hamlet has made up his mind that he was going to take action and was comfortable with the idea of dying. He was trying remove "something" from Denmark. Nothing rotten anymore, so it is refreshing and Hamlet has a military funeral.
- Brittany believes Hamlet is saying the skull is important but now the person is just bones and lost their title of importance. Act 5, Scene 1, 100-114 --> "Why may not that be the skull of a lawyer?" Everyone ends up in the same state when they are dead
- Emily agrees that everyone loses their identity once they die. Emily believes Hamlet is "dead" after Act 3.
- Caffrey does not like the way everyone dies in the end because he never actually avenged his father's death. Killing Polonius was the easy way out. Gertrude did not get to feel the aftermath of Old Hamlet's murder. Hamlet had the opportunity to kill Claudius but backed out.
- Scene 5 was boring because Hamlet made a big deal of taking revenge but instead, decides to poison Claudius
- Act 5, Scene 2, 363 --> Laertes, won't hold anything against you
- 5.2.240 --> Hamlet talks in third person, sign of going crazy? Hamlet has not made much progress towards liminality. Proves that Hamlet is going crazy. Too scared to avenge his father's death, now that time is actually here to kill, backing out.
- 5.2.330 - Confusing. What is happening? Hamlet is questioning his decision, backing out again to kill Claudius. Reference back to "To be or not to be" soliloquy? No way of escaping "it". What is "it"? Could it be Claudius' death? Inevitably of death is what he faces in the graveyard.
- After Act 3, are all of his thoughts and actions perfectly aligned?
- To me, I find Hamlet an ambiguous character. Although he does kill by the end of the play, his words are still seen in some instances as contradictory. His plan to take revenge is not exactly concrete because he poisons Claudius rather than stabbing him when he had an opportunity to. Hamlet's words are greater than his actions because he continuously backs out of opportunities to kill.
What does Shakespeare seem to think is absolute about existence?
- When they pick up the skulls, they talk about how they remember the people. "No, faith. not a jot; but to follow him thither, with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it, (as thus:) Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander returneth to dust, the dust is earth, of earth we make loan..." (5.1.214-223) --> Progression for Alexander the Great to something insignificant --> A title of importance, or even if you are a low status citizen, in the end, everyone crumbles into something of little significance
- How do you know if you are alive if you do not know what dying is?
- Is death an absolute state? --> everyone has different ideas of how one dies, Shakespeare may believe you turn into almost nothing, some people you may reincarnate
- Is your soul absolute? --> Ghost appears showing spirit; Hamlet is questioning grave digger and saying that person does not have a soul so it is not actually a person
- Gravediggers are arguing because Ophelia might have committed suicide so they do not know if she should actually be buried. Being buried because she is rich.
- Shakespeare's idea of death could be different than Hamlet's actions and thoughts
- Is ANYTHING absolute? (Textbooks, writing, ideas?)
- How many Hamlet's are there? (Loving, crazy, abusive)
- Hamlet says he loved Ophelia more than any brother could --> completely different side of Hamlet shown
- Everyone has a roll in each of their identities (friend, daughter, wife, teacher)
- Shakespeare asks "Who's there?"
- Wordiest Shakespearean play
- End with Fortinbras' words
- Hamlet states that he should have been king --> first time he shows he wants to be royal status
- Hamlet is a disappointing character
- What really is, according to Hamlet? --> no answer
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