The Madness Of Prince Hamlet Essay Research — страница 2

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until very near the end. He is then moved to swear that he should kill Claudius when he says, I should ?ai fatted all the region kites With this slaveis offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! O, vengeance! Why, what an ass am I? (2.2.581-585) He makes this big buildup of what he should have done and how he will be revenged and he shoots it down in the next line. This passage is the model of Hamletis cognitive dissonance. After all of this swearing and support of the value of acting and words, he backs out of it again. He canit decide whether to play the role or not. Words are further condemned when he says, ?Must, like a whore, unpack my hart with words? (2.2.587). So he is now condemning role playing. Being caught in the middle he decides that he needs more proof of the Kings guilt when

he says, ?The playis the thing / Wherein Iill catch the conscience of the King? (2.2.606-607).Before the mouse trap is to be played, Hamlet runs into Ophelia and makes some telling statements. Upon the issue of Opheliais beauty Hamlet says, ?That if you be honest and fair, your honesty should admit no discourse to your beauty? (3.1.109-110). He is saying that Ophelia can be honest and fair, but that, honesty being an inward trait, and fairness being an outward trait, cannot be linked. He goes on further to say that Ay, truly, for the power of beauty will sooner transform honesty from what it is to a bawd that the force of honesty can translate beauty into his likeness. (3.1.13-15) So not only can the inner and outer self not be linked, but acting, or the show or exterior, will

transform oneis inner self to match the exterior show. He says this just after denying that words and acting are important. By what he says here, if he would only act the part he wouldnit have a problem taking action. Then he contradicts himself yet again when he says ?God hath given you one face, and you go make yourselves another?(3.1.146-147). He just said that appearance is all and now chastises women for changing it. He is bouncing back and forth between supporting acting and denouncing it. Whenever he is in support of acting he is also ready for vengeance. When he swings back to support acting again he says, It hath made me mad. I say we will have no more marriages. Those that are married already-all but one-shall live. (3.1.149-151) The ?one? Hamlet is referring to must be

the King. So it returns to vengeance and acting going together. In the next scene the conflicting action is similar, but less obvious.When Hamlet is advising the player on how his lines should be read he says, ?Suit the action to the word, the word to the action? (3.2.17-18). If Hamlet would follow his own advice he would not have a conflict. This shows that he is not consistent within himself. Hamlet is saying one should not distinguish between word and actions, but he does maintain this separation. Yet when Hamlet speaks with Horatio he praises him for being objective, levelheaded, and for having a consistent character. He is praising Horatio for being true to himself, not being an actor. Hamlet says, Give me that man That is not passionis slave, and I will wear him In my

heartis core, ay, in my heart of heart, As I do thee. (3.2.69-72) Hamlet is saying this because he wants Horatio to watch the King at the play. He is unsure of his uncleis guilt, and he wants proof. He wants it from someone who he thinks is honest throughout. It comes back to acting and vengeance or in this case he has failed in his vengeance and needs Horatio to agree with him. Hamlet says to Horatio, Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt Do not itself unkernnel in one speech, It is a dammed ghost we have seen, (3.2.77-80) Proof, however, does not have any thing to do with the role Hamlet is supposed to play, but there is more to it than that. The interesting thing is that his uncle will be judged by how he acts during the play. If the King is a good actor, and does not show

his guilt, he will most likely not be killed. However, the King is not a good actor and when he rises Hamlet responds with, ?What, frighted with false fire??(3.2.254). Itis as if Hamlet is saying itis only a play, itis not real. He does say something to this effect a few lines before. ?Your majesty, and we that have free souls, it touches us not?(3.2.229-230). This new proof drives Hamlet to use more words. He is again to talk of killing, and he says, ?Now I could drink hot blood? (3.2.379). He again associates this with a role, that of Nero. ?The soul of Nero enter this firm bosom? (3.2.383). Later Hamlet again talks himself out of character and does not kill the King. He puts it off until later and says, When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, At gaming, swearing, or about