Soliloquy 4.4
How all occasions do inform against me, (35)
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not (40)
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45)
And ever three parts coward, I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause and will and strength and means
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:
Witness this army of such mass and charge (50)
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55)
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, (60)
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot (65)
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
And spur my dull revenge! What is a man,
If his chief good and market of his time
Be but to sleep and feed? a beast, no more.
Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not (40)
That capability and god-like reason
To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be
Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple
Of thinking too precisely on the event,
A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45)
And ever three parts coward, I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'
Sith I have cause and will and strength and means
To do't. Examples gross as earth exhort me:
Witness this army of such mass and charge (50)
Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd
Makes mouths at the invisible event,
Exposing what is mortal and unsure
To all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55)
Even for an egg-shell. Rightly to be great
Is not to stir without great argument,
But greatly to find quarrel in a straw
When honour's at the stake. How stand I then,
That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, (60)
Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see
The imminent death of twenty thousand men,
That, for a fantasy and trick of fame,
Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot (65)
Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause,
Which is not tomb enough and continent
To hide the slain? O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!
NOTES
[Source: http://shakespeare.about.com/od/studentresources/a/allinform.htm Amanda Mabillard, B.A. (Honors) is a
freelance writer specializing in Shakespeare, Renaissance political theory,
theatre history, comparative literary history, and linguistic topics in
Renaissance literature.]
inform against ] Accuse me.
market ] Employment.
discourse ] The power of reason. God gave human beings the
ability to reflect on life's events.
Looking before and after ] Our intelligence allows us to
analyze past experiences and make rational judgments about the future.
fust ] Grow mouldy. Hamlet is saying that God did not give us
the power of reason for it to go unused.
Bestial oblivion ] The forgetfulness of an animal. Our
capability to remember separates mankind from other animals or
"beasts". But Hamlet forgetting Claudius's deeds is clearly not why
he delays the murder.
craven scruple ] Cowardly feelings.
of ] From.
event ] Outcome.
quarter'd ] Meticulously analyzed (literally, divided into
four).
Sith ] Since.
gross ] Obvious.
mass and charge ] Size and cost. Hamlet is referring to the
army led by Fortinbras, prince of Norway. Hamlet wishes he had
Fortinbras's courage.
puff'd ] Inflated.
Makes mouths at the invisible event ] Shows contempt for (or
cares not about) the uncertain outcome of battle.
Rightly to be great...stake ] Truly great men refrain from
fighting over insignificant things, but they will fight without hesitation over
something trivial when their honour is at risk. "True nobility of soul is
to restrain one's self unless there is a great cause for resentment, but nobly
to recognize even a trifle as such as cause when honour is involved"
(Kittredge 121). Ironically, "Hamlet never learns from the Captain or
attempts to clarify what the specific issue of honor is that motivates the
Prince of Norway. In fact, there is none, for the play has made it clear that
Fortinbras's uncle, after discovering and stopping his nephew's secret and
illegal revenge campaign against Claudius, encouraged him to use newly levied
forces to fight in Poland...Since no issue of honor is to be found in
Fortinbras's cause, Hamlet, through his excessive desire to emulate the
Norwegian leader, ironically calls into question whether there is any honour in
his own cause" (Newell 143). [Mr. Cook adds: or, perhaps, Hamlet’s mind
has once again moved from the particular (Fortinbras and his army) to the
abstract (consideration of what defines greatness). It seems Fortinbras and his
army are not important in and of themselves but in how they “inform against”
(indict, critique, etc.) Hamlet’s inaction.]
twenty thousand men ] In line 25, it was 20000 ducats and only
2000 men. It is undecided whether this confusion is Hamlet's or Shakespeare's.
blood ] Passions.
trick of fame ] Trifle of reputation. But is not Hamlet jealous
of Fortinbras and his ability to fight in defense of his honour?
"Fortinbras is enticed by a dream, and thousands must die for it. Hamlet's
common sense about the absurdity of Fortinbras's venture shows the
pointlessness of his envy" (Edwards 193).
Whereon...slain ] The cause is not significant enough to
consume the thousands of men fighting over it, and the tombs and coffins are
not plentiful enough to hold those who are killed (continent = container).
1.
(Make connections!) In a paragraph compare what Hamlet
says in lines 36-49 of this soliloquy to what he says in lines 91-96 of his “To
be or not to be” soliloquy (below).
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.—
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry, (95)
And lose the name of action.—
2.
(Make connections!) In a paragraph explain how this
soliloquy is similar to the “O What a rogue and peasant slave” (2.2.576)
soliloquy. (Think about the role that Fortinbras plays in this speech and that
the First Player plays in the earlier speech: “What would he do, / Had he the motive and the cue for passion / That I have?”)
3.
(What’s your opinion?) Hamlet contrasts his own
cowardly thought with the actions of Fortinbras. Do you think Fortinbras is a
good role model for Hamlet? In other words, should Hamlet be more like
Fortinbras or not? Explain your answer in a paragraph. Use evidence from the
play and this soliloquy to develop your answer. (Like Hamlet, you might be able
to argue both “yes” and “no”.)
**********
4.4 soliloquy, directed by Kenneth Branagh, Hamlet played by Kenneth Branagh (1996)
4.4 soliloquy, directed by Gregory Doran, Hamlet played by David Tennant (2009)
**********
After watching the interpretations of the 4.4 soliloquy in Hamlet below decide which film best
conveys the full meaning of the text.
Begin with the text: the meaning of the text and the language
in the text. Then, consider how the director’s and actor’s choices influence
the meaning and the effectiveness of the speech. Consider the actor’s portrayal
of Hamlet. Consider his movements and the delivery of the lines. Consider the
director’s choices of props, setting and images, lighting, editing, music and
other sounds.
The Act 4 Scene 4 soliloquy is said by Hamlet after he finds out that Fortinbras is taking soldiers through Denmark to attack Poland, and it strikes Hamlet that so many men are going to die in a seemingly unnecessary and unprovoked battle and he spends most of the soliloquy wondering how it is that 20000 men are willing to die in that battle while he has yet to kill his uncle despite the fact that he has much more reason to kill Claudius then they have reason to attack Poland. He says, “How stand I then,
ReplyDeleteThat have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, Excitements of my reason and my blood,
And let all sleep?” Hamlet eventually comes to the conclusion that he should no longer be thinking on anything else but his rightful revenge. Or as he puts it, “O, from this time forth,
My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!”
I think both soliloquys were alright, with Branagh’s version being just slightly better than Tennant’s. Branagh’s version was better because he had more emotion throughout the entire soliloquy, and because this soliloquy is about Hamlet finally deciding to start exacting his revenge, it is extremely important that Hamlet’s character be shown with righteous anger and a will to do his job. But it is also important that Hamlet show a little bit of shame in the soliloquy, especially when he compares himself to Fortinbras. Branagh’s version did not really show Hamlet with any kind of shame, and that is something that Tennant’s version had. Tennant’s version also was better in the idea that he really built up the final line. Branagh’s also did this, but he was already in such a rage it was not so much different from the rest of the soliloquy. Except for these two examples, Branagh’s version was better overall because Tennant’s version seemed to lack zeal except for the last two or three lines.
The soliloquies are similar because he is comparing himself to Fortinbras and his army or willing soldiers. Hamlet is confused as to why Fortinbras, “delicate and tender prince” can lead an army of “such mass and charge” against Poland while Hamlet who has “father kill'd, a mother stain'd” can do nothing to avenge the throne. Fortinbras is similar to the first player in the earlier soliloquy because Hamlet compares himself to both of these people. In the earlier soliloquy Hamlet wonders why the player can produce such grief and anger from a script while Hamlet has none for his own father. All of the soliloquies are similar because in each one Hamlet is plunging the deepest depths of his soul and pondering human nature verses his own reactions in the recent tragedies. The “To be or not to be” soliloquy is slightly different because he is contemplating death more than his reaction but this connects to Hamlet’s scholarly background of thinking about everything he ever does and using logic before every action.
ReplyDeleteBetween the two scenes I believe that Branagh acted the best while I feel both actors and directors could have done better. In the Branagh scene the use of zoom and panning out as the speech ended was clever and a very good effect but there were also parts of the scene that could have been done better. I feel the setting could have worked but was not the best but what really took away from the scene for me was Branagh standing still with no movement. The way Branagh acted made up for the poor choice of movement. In the beginning you can almost see the contemplation on his face which transitions to anger as the soliloquy progresses.
In this soliloquy Hamlet has seemed to have reached a point where he is almost ready to finally act and take revenge. He sees himself as a coward for not doing so already and compares himself to Fortinbras who is ready to take action and risk the lives of thousands of men with little thought or consideration just because his honor is being questioned. Hamlet, however, has every reason to have acted already and killed Claudius but still has not done so. He is mad at himself and states, “Sith I have cause and will and strength and means, To do ’t. Examples gross as earth exhort me,” which I believe he intended to mean that he had everything he needed to do this and that the fact that he needed to kill Claudius was very simple. He also questions if Fortinbras ‘s reasoning is truly good enough to take such action but still realizes what he must do. Out of the two clips, I believe that Branagh’s version best displayed the meaning of the text. I thought the setting Branagh was in and the fact that he was so far away from anyone else in such a solitary and frigid environment made his contemplations within the soliloquy even more powerful. Tennant’s performance I did not believe had as much emotion as Branagh’s and the setting he was in I did not think had as much of an impact as the sight of Branagh surrounded by ice, snow, and mountains. The lack of any movement or factors to consider in Tennants version also made me like Branagh’s depiction more. The way Branagh preformed made me truly believe that it was the best way to convey the full meaning of the text.
ReplyDeleteIn the first lines of the 4.4 soliloquy, Hamlet talks about how the events happening around him are telling him to hurry up and take his revenge on his uncle. These lines tell us that “capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused…” meaning that God did not give humans the power to reason and think so that it would not be used. However, Hamlet also says that, “Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event…” meaning that the reason for Hamlet’s delay is probably because he keeps over thinking and this is the problem since Hamlet says that “A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45) And ever three parts coward, I do not know…” meaning that thoughts are one part wisdom and three parts cowardly. This, in turn, connects to the section of the to be or not to be speech when it says that “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all; And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought...” meaning that it is the act of thinking that makes us cowards.
ReplyDeleteThis soliloquy is similar to the “O What a rogue and peasant slave” soliloquy because in both of them, Hamlet says that it is the act of thinking that makes us cowards because as we tend to over think about things, we begin to hesitate and end up delaying the action completely. Also, we see that Hamlet is angry with himself again after he sees the army Fortinbras is bringing to exact revenge for his father’s death. Hamlet says to himself, “How stand I then, That have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, (60) Excitements of my reason and my blood, And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men,” meaning he feels shame that he keeps delaying to avenge his father’s death while Fortinbras has the initiative to bring an army of 20,000 men in order to fulfill the same goal.
Personally, I think Fortinbras is and is not a good role model for Hamlet. I think that he is a good role model because he has the drive and initiative in order to fulfill his goals as soon as possible. In the act 4 scene 4 soliloquy, Fortinbras has brought an army of 20,000 men in order to avenge his father’s death. However, he is not a good role model for Hamlet because of the very deed he plans to commit. The act of revenge has the power to hurt yourself and others. For example, Fortinbras plans to bring 20,000 men to a world of injuries and possibly, death.
I thought that both clips of the soliloquy captured its true meaning. Tennant’s version emphasizes the initiative Fortinbras has when it showed his army moving past Hamlet. Branagh’s version emphasized the drama by pulling away from Hamlet and showing the landscape. Both have adequate delivery of lines; Tennant being quiet and subtle to hint at the shame he feels while Branagh is bold and assertive to show his courage building in order to avenge his father’s murder. Both also have low lighting at one point in order to show the darkness of the vengeful deed about to be committed.
In Hamlet’s Act 4 Scene 4 soliloquy, he makes a similar reference to what he says in his to be or not to be speech. The lines he speaks in “To Be or Not to Be” are “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
ReplyDeleteAnd thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action.—“. In this current soliloquy, Hamlet talks about being a coward again. He questions what a man is, do they just sleep and eat all day? He considers them to be a beast, and he is not one of them. He thinks that “God: or whoever made these men sure had a reason to make such beasts. Surely he gave them all knowledge, will and strength. Hamlet feels like he is a coward because he does not have these things. He has avoided killing his uncle. It was the one thing his ghost father asked him to do. He also asked him not to bother his mother, and he did. Thinking about the task only distracts you more. This is what he was saying in his “To Be or Not to Be” soliloquy. This being said, Hamlet knows what he has to do, he just has to find the will power and strength to do it.
The Act 4 Scene 4 soliloquy is similar to the “O What a rogue and peasant slave” (2.2.576) soliloquy for various reasons. Hamlet is once again comparing himself to someone else. In the earlier soliloquy, he was comparing himself to a Player acting out Hamlet’s reality. The actor could put more effort and energy into acting than Hamlet could into avenging his own fathers’ death. In the Act 4 Scene 4 soliloquy, Hamlet is noticing Fortinbras’ determination and energetic activity to use as his own determination. He sees once again that he is not putting as much effort as he can into his own task, which is to murder the king. If Fortinbras can do it then he can. It inspires Hamlet to pull himself to get and start causing some damage and finally avenge his father’s death like he was supposed to. (part 1)
Like Hamlet, I am yes and no towards the idea that Fortinbras is a good role model for him. For the yes side, I am all about influence. Fortinbras was able to (without knowing) influence Hamlet to begin his own task. He pulled Hamlet away from being cowardly and pretty much showed him what to do. Hamlet was disappointed in himself for being such a coward. I am intrigued that Fortinbras’ visit is the one thing that really got Hamlet going. Not the ghosts visit again or the looks on his uncles face after the play, but a visit from Fortinbras. Having seen how determined he is showed Hamlet what he needed to do, and fast. Yet, I am also on the no side because I don’t like Fortinbras very much. I think he is deceiving and friends with Claudius. I wish Hamlet wasn’t acting so crazy, but that’s the point of the whole play. It would have been easier if Hamlet just killed his uncle right away without wasting time making plans for plays and the element of surprise. Fortinbras was too late to make that impression on Hamlet. If he showed up sooner, I’d like to hope Hamlet would have acted sooner but who knows. I do think Hamlet should be less like Fortinbras. If he could be like him in any way, I’d like him to have more confidence and will power. His life would have been a lot less crazy.
ReplyDeleteI think both film versions are pretty good in terms of fully understanding the text. The Branagh version is more exciting in means that Hamlet is full of fresh determination, and only sounds hopeful. Not once does the Hamlet in this version express disappointment or shame like the Doran version. The Doran version is much quieter and gives off the element of shame. He does not really express, however, excitement or determination to avenge his father’s death. The Doran version is once again cut oddly, I think. Yet, it makes sense for the scene. The background in this one is cold and depressing like the sound of Hamlets speech. It’s cold and snowy and dark. In the Bragnah version, it’s brighter and more of the landscape is shown. It certainly doesn’t seem as dark as the other version which makes sense because his speech isn’t shameful. Both versions however were equally good but different in ways that were special in their own way. (part 2)
Hamlet says, “If his chief good and market of his time be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Sure, he that made us with such large discourse, looking before and after, gave us not that capability and god-like reason to fust in us unused.” What he means by this is: What good is a man if his job is only to sleep and feed? God gave human beings the power to reflect on their own lives. We have the ability to analyze our judgments and make better decisions in the future. But, God did not give us the power of reason.
ReplyDelete“Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't.” What separates mankind from animals, is that we have the capability of remembering separate events from our lifetime. Hamlet says his thought is split into four parts. It is one part wisdom and three parts coward. Hamlet has the will, the strength, and the means to kill Claudius, yet he continues putting it off. This soliloquy is similar to “To be or not to be” because Hamlet is talking about courage in both of them. A “pale cast of thought” means that Hamlet is having a tinge of contemplation about killing Claudius. The “great pitch and moment” refers to a moment of significance when a falcon goes to its highest point before it dives down and catches it prey. In Hamlets case, the prey is Claudius. Hamlet is going to go to his highest point, meaning he must perfect his plan before he gets his revenge. “With this regard their currents turn awry” is a reference to the sea and its tides: "Because of their thoughts, their currents become unstable".
In “O what a rogue and peasant salve” Hamlet is comparing himself to the actor on stage. The actor could cry over something that wasn’t even real, and Hamlet can’t even show emotion after all the pain and trouble he has been put through. The actor could put more effort into the play than Hamlet could at getting revenge at Claudius. In the 4.4 soliloquy, Hamlet becomes aware of Fortinbras determination. Hamlet wonders how such a “delicate and tender prince” can lead such a strong army. Fortinbras and the First Player are similar because Hamlet compares himself to both of them. Hamlet doesn’t understand why these two people can portray such strong and powerful emotions when Hamlet can’t even get revenge for his own father’s death.
I think both yes and no about whether Fortinbras is a good role model for Hamlet. I think he is because Fortinbras strength can give Hamlet the courage to seek revenge on Claudius. Hamlet is really contemplating doing it; he keeps putting it off. Hamlet knows that he promised his father’s ghost that he would get revenge, but Hamlet also doesn’t know if it is the right thing to do. Hamlet doesn’t understand why other people can have so much emotion when he can’t. So since Fortinbras father was also killed, and he is now taking action, maybe Hamlet will gain the courage to do so as well. But on the other hand, I think that maybe Fortinbras isn’t a good role model. Hamlet has already done so much damage to the people around him, without even getting his revenge yet. He has tipped off Claudius that he knows what he has done, he has upset his mother, turned Ophelia mad, killed Polonius, etc. If Hamlet does become more determined to get revenge after witnessing Fortinbras reactions, the damage that could be done is unimaginable. Out of the two film clips, I think liked Branagh’s more. Tennant didn’t have as much emotion and the setting wasn’t very powerful. In Branagh’s Hamlet was surrounded by a vast landscape of mountains. I thought the huge, snowy mountains represented his problems: too big for Hamlet is handle. Also, I liked how the camera backed away from Hamlet at the end of the clip as is voice grew louder. It added intensity to what Hamlet was saying.
In both this and the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, Hamlet talks about the cowardice in man because even after the path is clear to him, he over thinks what is to be done and then cannot bring himself to do it. An example would be when Hamlet starts out by saying in the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.” Here his speech is very straightforward. Then in this soliloquy he says, “whether it be bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on the event, a thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward. Again, he is talking about how time can weaken your resolution to do what you feel needs to be done, but this time he expands this thought and says while it may have a bit of wisdom to it, it is mostly out of cowardice that we do not act. I personally feel like this is an excuse for himself not to kill his uncle, because we see throughout the play that his desire to get revenge weakens, and while in the earlier soliloquy he claims it is all cowardly, Hamlet later says there is something smart about not acting, although it’s still mostly foolish. In both soliloquies he also talks about how detrimental time can be in getting revenge because it gives you time to think about your actions and the repercussions. Hamlet says in the “To be or not to be” soliloquy, “And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought.” He says something similar to this when he uses “thinking too precisely on the event” as a reason to why we don’t just do what we need to get done.
ReplyDeleteHamlet has a habit of constantly beating himself up about not avenging his father’s death, and saying things along the lines of, ‘if you were in my position you’d really have something to be upset about’. For example, in the older soliloquy he says, “What would he do, had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have? He would drown the stage with tears and cleave the general ear with horrid speech, make mad the guilty and appall the free, confound the ignorant and amaze indeed the very faculties of eyes and ears.” In this soliloquy he instead talks about Fortinbras and his men, who are willing to follow him to their deaths for something that doesn’t even involve them. Hamlet goes on to say, “. How stand I then, that have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, excitements of my reason and my blood, and let all sleep?” This is also a good example of his own self-loathing that he feels for not killing Claudius. He talks about this in the earlier soliloquy, saying, “For it cannot be but I am pigeon-livered and lack gall to make oppression bitter, or ere this I should have fatted all the region kites with this slave’s offal.” Clearly, he is torn in two by the task his father’s ghost has placed upon him, and is looking for a way out without dishonoring himself or his father.
I want to say no straight off the bat without thinking about it because then I would be condoning murder, but even if I were Hamlet and in the situation that my father’s ghost had come back to tell me to avenge his death and I deeded a roll model, I would still say no. For starters, King Fortinbras’s and King Hamlet’s deaths were under completely different circumstances. King Fortinbras died a warrior fighting for what he believed in what appeared to be a fight originally intended to be ‘to the death.’ King Hamlet on the other hand had a vial of poison dumped into his ear while he slept, which hardly seems like a fair fight at all. Then, to top it off, the murder goes on to become the next king and marries his wife. Hamlet has every right to be furious about this, but under the circumstances I think he’s got more of a reason to be angry than Fortinbras. Fortinbras is also getting an army together to do the work for him, something necessary if you’re going to invade another country and are trying to take back land, but Hamlet is working alone. Plus, Fortinbras is trying to avenge the killing of his father by Hamlet’s father, and I think it’s kind of odd to use someone who’s angry at your father as the blueprints to avenge you father. It just doesn’t entirely make sense to me. So no, I don’t think Hamlet should be more like Fortinbras, because although he gets the revenge done, they’re in completely different circumstances.
ReplyDeleteUsually I like Branagh’s clips, but this time I think it was all wrong. True, they kept the whole soliloquy (which I don’t think they did in the Tennant version) but the feeling the clip gave was victory. It was almost like it was the final scene of the movie. The music played a big part in the mood being given off, and then there was the tone of voice Branagh used. The way he spoke was also as if he had won and gotten the revenge he had been striving for. I didn’t feel that way when I was reading it, and the fact that he said, “How stand I then, that have a father kill'd, a mother stain'd, excitements of my reason and my blood,
and let all sleep?” in an almost giddy manner caught me by surprise. Tennant’s version was much more subdued. There was an absence of music of any kind, which I felt was more appropriate and I liked how Hamlet was filming himself. It appeared as if he was making some sort of video diary. Movement in the Tennant version, however, was very limited because all you could see was his face. I kind of like seeing how the actors use the rest f their body to convey emotions and this is something Branagh did a lot of, although I don’t think they were right for the soliloquy.
These two excerpts from the soliloquies are similar in the sense that they both reflect on the fact that Hamlet still has not gotten revenge. Both touch on the fact that it is thought that is holding himself back. Both soliloquies talk about consciences which I thought was interesting. “Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event,” this quote shows that Hamlet realizes that it is because of his cowardly behaviors, and thinking to much of what he “needs” to do is what has caused him not to do it. This is relatable to the quote from the other soliloquy, “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;.” These two quotes are relatable because once again it is seen that Hamlet is aware of his cowardly actions due to his never ending thoughts. Both these excerpts deal with thought and consciousness, two things that Hamlet struggles with.
ReplyDeleteDanielle P
ReplyDeleteHamlet has recently been expelled to England by his uncle, Claudius. While on his way to England, he comes across Fortinbras who is eager for revenge. This gets Hamlet thinking, and he begins to think about his own tactics of revenge. He has realized he has been cowardly, and not acted upon what he knows he should do. He compares himself to a beast when he says, "That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion." What Hamlet is basically trying to say is that man has the power to decide what is just and unjust, and also has been given the power to act on it, and by not acting he is being nothing more than a cowardly, unable beast. Hamlet than says, "or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45) And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't." It is here that Hamlet is repondering the idea of thought. A man has a gut reaction to serious events, and if he thinks about those events too much his reaction is changed, and he begins to see differently. A man may not do hat he originally believes is needed of him if he overthinks a situation to too much detail. Both of these thoughts appear in his "To be or not to Be" soliloquy. He says, "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all", in his "To be or not to Be" soliloquy. This is exactly what he was trying to get across when he was saying his beastal oblivion quote, just in less words. Hamlet believes he is acting as a coward by not taking physical action against Claudius, and it is time this changed. He also says, "With this regard their currents turn awry, (95) And lose the name of action." This has the exact same point as what he wa saying in 4.4, when he says, "or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45) And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't." In both cases he is reflecting on how one overthinks a situation, and then becomes cowardly. Both of these soliloquies are very similar in nature.
Danielle P
ReplyDelete2. This soliloquy has similarities to his early Act 2 soliloquy. In both cases, Hamlet is under an massive amount of stress, and is beginning to fall deeper and deeper into a state of self hatred. In both cases, he compares himself to another. Here he is comparing himself to Fortinbras who is able to act when nothing is on the line besides his honor, he believes Fortinbras to be truly great because he is able to go after revenge in a much greater manner than Hamlet could ever see himself doing. In the Act 2 soliloquy, he compares himself to the player, who is able to act with such great emotion when he has no reason to, where as Hamlet can barely act in reality when he has everything on the line. In both soliloquies, Hamlet is fearing that he has become a coward, choosing to stay behind words more so than action, and in both cases he vows to take serious action, and put a stop to his cowardly ways. Here, he is even more revengeful because he claims that he will disregard any thought that is not violent. This can only mean one thing, death for Claudius.
3. I do not think Fortinbras is a good example for Hamlet. Hamlet even says, "Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55) Even for an egg-shell." It is here that Hamlet remarks on how serious Fortinbras is, but for a reason that seems small, and insignificant. Hamlet should not fight for what is not important, but only to create justice. I do agree with Hamlet's need for revenge, but he should never fight for a deed that is lost and done. I do agree with Hamlet's point that Fortinbras is strong, and backed by a large army. This is a good idea, and if Hamlet could do the same it may make his chances of winning even greater, but I believe Fortinbras is fighting a dead war, and Hamlet should neer resort to this.
Danielle P
ReplyDeleteClips:
In Doran's version, Hamlet's soliloquy is breifened. He cuts out the part about what makes someone truly great, but I believe he does a good job overall delivering the soliloquy. Tennant shows an angered emotion while delivering the speech, and often pauses, as if to reflect on what he has just said. His tone and agitation depict Hamlet's stress, and even maniacal side. His depiction is much like I'd picture Hamlet to be saying this soliloquy. Branagh's version on the other hand, takes a different approach. Branagh says the entire soliloquy, but delivers it with more pride than anger. Hamlet is proud of Fortinbras, and even seems proud when he claims if "my thoughts be bloody, or they be nothing at all." I can see where the prideful tone could be sought out, but I do not believe this is what Shakespeare was trying to get across. Hamlet is alone, and cold on his way to a foreign land to be killed, but yet he isn't angry? It doesn't seem to fit what is actually going on, and I believe the music in the background is too overdone. I do commend Branagh on zooming out while taping Hamlet's soliloquy. He starts by slowly doing it, much as Hamlet calmly begins his speech, and then speeding it up as Hamlets emotion gets more and more powerful. In the end, you get a lonely view of solely Hamlet and his cold, brutal surroundings. The scenery depicts how alone Hamlet must feel, and I do believe Branagh did a better job than Doran with scenery. All in all, I think Doran delivered the soliloquy better, but Branagh's effects added pathos to the soliloquy.
Meryl G
ReplyDeleteThis 4.4 soliloquy reminds me a lot of Hamlets "To be or not to be" speech in many ways. Throughout the soliloquy, Hamlet is comparing himself to Fortinbras in terms of leadership and bravery. In his "To be or not to be" speech Hamlet is confused at what he must do to seek revenge on Claudius, because he has spent too much time thinking and not taking action. Now he is comparing his lack of action, with Fortinbras's "over action" of invading Poland. Hamlet sees that Fortinbras is a man of action, not a man of thought and he questions wether or not he should be more like Fortinbras. The one big thing that Hamlet keeps getting hung up on is the fact that thousands of men are willing to die and kill, for an uncertain reason, where as Hamlet has all the reason in the world to kill Claudius. His confusion/ amazement is shown through lines 62-64 with the saying of, "And let all sleep? while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty- thousand men, That, for a fantasy and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds,". In my eyes, Hamlet is in disbelief when he says this. He can't imagine the amount of men's lives wasted, "Go to their graves like beds", on something that had no motive. Another point that struck me was when Hamlet is calling himself a coward. "A thought which, quarter'd hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;'". "Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't.". Here Hamlet is explaining how in his lifetime he has always done things, but at this point, he is asking himself, I have "will and strength and means", but why have I not taken action?
At the very end, Hamlet has convinced himself that from now on he will take action. "O, from this time forth, My thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" By saying his "thoughts will be bloody", we as readers assume that Hamlet has decided to kill Claudius.
Meryl G
ReplyDeleteI feel that Branagh's version of this soliloquy fits Hamlets confusion, lack of action, and his comparison to Fortinbras. The plain white, snow covered background seems to be untouched by any human feet, but will soon be trampled by Fortinbras's army on their way to invade Poland. The plain, clear background could also be a symbol of Hamlets confusion. His mind is filled with means of revenge, but nothing has happened yet, hence the untouched snow. In the Tenant version Hamlet is shown next to the marching army, but I feel like Hamlet had no reason to be there. Yes he is comparing himself to Fortinbras, but in that clip Hamlet seems almost to be part of the army, which is completely opposite to the soliloquy. The main point of the soliloquy his Hamlet saying how different one-another are in terms of taking action, which doesn't show very well when he looks to be marching with the action seeking army. Going back to Branagh's white background, the one thing that made me realize the white, untouched snow, was Hamlets very last line, "My thoughts be bloody". The snow has yet to be touched my a mans feet or his blood, and judging by that last line, it will be touched by a mans feet, but the blood of a king.
This soliloquy compared to the “o, what a rogue” soliloquy is very interesting. We see the same internal problems arising in Hamlet throughout all of his soliloquies. I think that in the “o, what a rogue” speech, Hamlet is admiring Fortinbras drive and incentive to get revenge for his fathers death. He sees that another man has been put in the same situation and has chosen to do much more than Hamlet has. He has taken a whole army to seek revenge while Hamlet has essentially done nothing. This relates to the anger seen in the 4.4 soliloquy. In this soliloquy, Hamlet discusses the fact that he still has done nothing. That he has taken advantage of the type of person God has created, and that him living and doing nothing has no purpose. It’s interesting because Hamlet goes off into tirades about how much drive and emotion he has put into getting revenge and I as a reader and Hamlet himself have seen no action.
ReplyDeleteIn Hamlet's 4.4 soliloquy, Hamlet connects how everything that has happened has gone against his reasoning and realizes that he has to stop thinking, continue with his plan for revenge and think of nothing but violence; bringing out his true feelings. After watching both interpretations of Hamlet's 4.4 soliloquy, I believe that Branagh's version conveys the full meaning of the text. As always, Branagh does a fantastic job playing Hamlet. He uses the right tone and appropriately raises/lowers his voice expressing Hamlet's anger. Branagh stands still, his eyes and head are the only movement of his body, which does not match the emotion. I found this to be very ineffective, as I did in his previous soliloquies. The music that he chooses to play isn't very effective because does not match the meaning of the text. I imagined it to be more evil and with faster in rhythm. I like how he chose the setting to be on the top of a mountain, this was very effective because it is showing how much in power Hamlet is starting to become of himself.
ReplyDelete(1) In Hamlet's "To Be or Not to Be" soliloquy, Hamlet refers to himself as a coward because he is afraid of death. He claims that thinking before acting is what causes him not to act. Then in Hamlet's 4.4 soliloquy, Hamlet takes his advice from the previous soliloquy by becoming angry with himself. He questions the reason of human existence if they don't go on and do what God chose for them to do; deciding to take action, not thinking of anything but violence. Overall, the two soliloquies forces Hamlet to realize that he has been acting cowardly, making excuses not to take revenge by thinking of logical reasons why not to do it and that he must do what he believes he was put on Earth to do.
ReplyDelete(2) This soliloquy compares to the "O What rogue peasant slave" in a way that Hamlet expresses his rage in both of them. In this soliloquy he becomes angry at himself after realizing how much of a coward he actually is for allowing himself to make excuses not to avenge the death of his father, due to hesitations of his logical reasoning. In Hamlet's "O What rogue peasant slave" soliloquy, he is angry at himself because the actor reacted to the tragedy better than he did, not having the reasons or motives for revenge as Hamlet does. He calls himself a coward again and starts to develop a plan for revenge.
(3) I do not think that Fortinbras is a good role model for Hamlet. The only thing admirable about him is that he has the will power to avenge his father's death. Fortinbras uses an army of 20,000 men in order to avenge his fathers death, which I believe is cowardly. It also took Fortinbras a number of years to finally take on his plan for revenge.
Danielle P
ReplyDelete1. Hamlet has recently been expelled to England by his uncle, Claudius. While on his way to England, he comes across Fortinbras who is eager for revenge. This gets Hamlet thinking, and he begins to think about his own tactics of revenge. He has realized he has been cowardly, and not acted upon what he knows he should do. He compares himself to a beast when he says, "That capability and god-like reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion." What Hamlet is basically trying to say is that man has the power to decide what is just and unjust, and also has been given the power to act on it, and by not acting he is being nothing more than a cowardly, unable beast. Hamlet than says, "or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45) And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't." It is here that Hamlet is repondering the idea of thought. A man has a gut reaction to serious events, and if he thinks about those events too much his reaction is changed, and he begins to see differently. A man may not do hat he originally believes is needed of him if he overthinks a situation to too much detail. Both of these thoughts appear in his "To be or not to Be" soliloquy. He says, "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all", in his "To be or not to Be" soliloquy. This is exactly what he was trying to get across when he was saying his beastal oblivion quote, just in less words. Hamlet believes he is acting as a coward by not taking physical action against Claudius, and it is time this changed. He also says, "With this regard their currents turn awry, (95) And lose the name of action." This has the exact same point as what he wa saying in 4.4, when he says, "or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on the event, A thought which, quarter'd, hath but one part wisdom (45) And ever three parts coward, I do not know Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do;' Sith I have cause and will and strength and means To do't." In both cases he is reflecting on how one overthinks a situation, and then becomes cowardly. Both of these soliloquies are very similar in nature.
2. This soliloquy has similarities to his early Act 2 soliloquy. In both cases, Hamlet is under an massive amount of stress, and is beginning to fall deeper and deeper into a state of self hatred. In both cases, he compares himself to another. Here he is comparing himself to Fortinbras who is able to act when nothing is on the line besides his honor, he believes Fortinbras to be truly great because he is able to go after revenge in a much greater manner than Hamlet could ever see himself doing. In the Act 2 soliloquy, he compares himself to the player, who is able to act with such great emotion when he has no reason to, where as Hamlet can barely act in reality when he has everything on the line. In both soliloquies, Hamlet is fearing that he has become a coward, choosing to stay behind words more so than action, and in both cases he vows to take serious action, and put a stop to his cowardly ways. Here, he is even more revengeful because he claims that he will disregard any thought that is not violent. This can only mean one thing, death for Claudius.
Danielle P (continued)
ReplyDelete3. I do not think Fortinbras is a good example for Hamlet. Hamlet even says, "Led by a delicate and tender prince, Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure to all that fortune, death and danger dare, (55) Even for an egg-shell." It is here that Hamlet remarks on how serious Fortinbras is, but for a reason that seems small, and insignificant. Hamlet should not fight for what is not important, but only to create justice. I do agree with Hamlet's need for revenge, but he should never fight for a deed that is lost and done. I do agree with Hamlet's point that Fortinbras is strong, and backed by a large army. This is a good idea, and if Hamlet could do the same it may make his chances of winning even greater, but I believe Fortinbras is fighting a dead war, and Hamlet should neer resort to this.
Clips:
In Doran's version, Hamlet's soliloquy is breifened. He cuts out the part about what makes someone truly great, but I believe he does a good job overall delivering the soliloquy. Tennant shows an angered emotion while delivering the speech, and often pauses, as if to reflect on what he has just said. His tone and agitation depict Hamlet's stress, and even maniacal side. His depiction is much like I'd picture Hamlet to be saying this soliloquy. Branagh's version on the other hand, takes a different approach. Branagh says the entire soliloquy, but delivers it with more pride than anger. Hamlet is proud of Fortinbras, and even seems proud when he claims if "my thoughts be bloody, or they be nothing at all." I can see where the prideful tone could be sought out, but I do not believe this is what Shakespeare was trying to get across. Hamlet is alone, and cold on his way to a foreign land to be killed, but yet he isn't angry? It doesn't seem to fit what is actually going on, and I believe the music in the background is too overdone. I do commend Branagh on zooming out while taping Hamlet's soliloquy. He starts by slowly doing it, much as Hamlet calmly begins his speech, and then speeding it up as Hamlets emotion gets more and more powerful. In the end, you get a lonely view of solely Hamlet and his cold, brutal surroundings. The scenery depicts how alone Hamlet must feel, and I do believe Branagh did a better job than Doran with scenery. All in all, I think Doran delivered the soliloquy better, but Branagh's effects added pathos to the soliloquy.
1. the tobe speech declares the human predicament more than anything else; kind of like what i just found written on the bottom of my keyboard: “use of keyboard or mouse may be linked to serious injuries or disorders.” the the fort soliloquy, on the other hand, merely makes reference to that predicament and expounds on the idea of action that takes place in fort’s case without “thinking too precisely on the event.” It must be noted, though, that while the the 91-96 of tobe summarize that monologue’s content rather plainly, the Fortinbras excerpt captures only Hamlet’s introductory statement which condemns his inaction in its supposition that action is man’s best mode of existential consummation (I surmise by his proposal of what a man is and by his apparent desire for resolution and obsession [at least in this instance] with the manliness and fulfillment of blind action that Fortinbras possesses) but the excerpt misses exactly that infatuation with Fort’s and the army’s sanguinary means that puts Hamlet’s proposal in perspective. yeah, both excerpts state an idea, but tobe reflects more on the idea thought and speculation is a dastardly characteristic while fort declares not the corrosiveness of thought, but the admirable and just aspects of demanding honor, or i can’t say it right--of pigheaded arrogance, action, stupidity, apathy, no. essentially, the two ideas only differ in the first one’s desperation over precarious position between deciding to live and deciding to die and in the second one’s admiration of manly action and its idea that action employs cunning and thought more than the beast’s misuse of “god-like reason.”
ReplyDelete2. a. both are meant to convey the same sentiment, the fort soliloquy merely expounds on the first, emphasizing Hamlet’s particular disposition and his own self hatred in relation to his idea of what a man should be (that is, like King Hamlet).
ReplyDeleteb. in both, Hamlet is trying to warm himself up to action, or to commit to the purpose of killing Claudius.
c. yes, the player and Fort act as models for Hamlet, each acting more than he and without his motivation, like he knows himself and knows that he acts best by using models, like his father was, so that he knows what he wants to be.
d. both have identical structure: a self condemnation (oh what a rogue..., I do not know
Why yet I live to say 'This thing's to do...), an accolade (this poor player here, but in a fiction...could force his soul so to his own conceit..he would drown the stage in tears...make mad the guilty and appal the free...amaze...eyes and ears, Led by a delicate and tender prince,
Whose spirit with divine ambition puff'd Makes mouths at the invisible event, Exposing what is mortal and unsure...for a fantasy and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds) , and a call to action (i should have fatted all the region kites wiht this slaves offal.. the play’s the thing, my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth!)
e. the first closes an act and the second precedes and explosion of action.
3. o.k. i can’t answer questions in yes or no, because my big sibs have conditioned me not to and Ii’ve since lost that ability, so i’ll just prove my mother’s opinion which is, “yes, and Inigo Montoya, too. He should just be less like himself” so--firstly, he’s miserable and finishes nothing he had wanted to get done, and only kills polonius, ophelia, r&g, while he would simply have walked up to claudius with a sword and and chopped off his head as soon as the ghost appeared, and maybe killed his mom, too, if only he’d been more like Fortinbras. Hamlet also obviously admires Fortinbras and his troops, saying “while, to my shame, I see The imminent death of twenty thousand men,That, for a fantasy and trick of fame, Go to their graves like beds, fight for a plot Whereon the numbers cannot try the cause, Which is not tomb enough and continent To hide the slain?” So, plainly according to his own self, his choices are inertia (being a beast of sleep and eating) or likening himself to the player, his father, even his uncle, and to laertes, and to Fortinbras. his own argument declares that his tragedy is self-made, all while he knows the solution to his troubles. any action is better than inertia, inaction, sloth, guilelessness, and self-obliviation.
oddly, the play makes an argument very different from the one Hamlet makes while he constantly admires macho men (one reason Brannagh’s interpretation fails so badly in light of Hamlet’s apparent self-hatred) and forces the reader to question the greatness of causing so much death like Hamlet and Fortinbras and King Hamlet did, and the play does so by disgusting the audience with the number of deaths of characters they’ve been introduced to--yet the play also forces the reader to admire Hamlet through self-association and fondness created by the intimacy of Hamlet’s soliloquies. Moderation is an easy answer, Hamlet is a play of extremes, dichotomy, and contrast--and it’s a tragedy.
4. hahahahahahahahahahahahahah! If only he didn’t take himself so painfully seriously i could laugh--poor thing! Brannagh is simply a dull, pathetic joke. Tennant doesn’t do his best, but in comparison he’s Hercules, no matter what he said in his first solo. o.k. the soliloquy declares that Hamlet, with his previous unworthiness and with the shame fortinbras puts him in, will now act on his plans and finally avenge his father. the tone seemed frustrated when i read it. he must have been excited, having just committed murder and now being sent to what he suspected was a death sentence (not quite, but something) in England. the coldness and the snow make Brannagh’s words stark and bold--but i refuse to call him hamlet so long as he refuses to act! Tennant accomplishes a passable execution of that frustrated tone, but maybe that’s just his naturally protuberant eyes. the space in Tennant’s is awkward, the way he’s so close to his camera and looks from side to side, like it’s all cramped and his breath is fuggy--but that makes his words seem aware of themselves (their weakness in themselves and power in their affect of Hamlet’s actions) although the space just ends up being distracting. i got bored even with tennant’s abridged version, so you can imagine the torture brannagh’s was, but this solo is naturally boring because it lacks beautiful language, it’s repetitive, it interrupts the action, and it restates what’s already been stated. maybe Shakespeare made it so long so they could prepare for the next scene.
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