《Hamlet赏析5PPT文档资料》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《Hamlet赏析5PPT文档资料（40页珍藏版）》请在金锄头文库上搜索。
1、HamletWilliam Shakespeare1 1. .Publicationl lWritten during the first part of the seventeenth century (probably in 1600 or 1601), Hamlet was probably first performed in July 1602. It was first published in printed form in 1603 and appeared in an enlarged edition in 1604. 2 2. .Settingl lThe story ta
2、kes place The story takes place in the country of in the country of Denmark in the late Denmark in the late medieval period.medieval period.3 3. .The Storyl lThe raw material that Shakespeare appropriated in writing Hamlet is the story of a Danish prince whose uncle murders the princes father, marri
3、es his mother, and claims the throne. The prince pretends to be feeble-minded to throw his uncle off guard, then manages to kill his uncle in revenge. 4 4. .Hamletl lThe Prince of Denmark, The Prince of Denmark, the title character, and the title character, and the protagonist. About the protagonist
4、. About thirty years old at the thirty years old at the start of the play, Hamlet start of the play, Hamlet is the son of Queen is the son of Queen Gertrude and the late Gertrude and the late King Hamlet, and the King Hamlet, and the nephew of the present nephew of the present king, Claudius.king, C
5、laudius. 5 5. .Hamlet continuedl lHamlet is melancholy, bitter, and cynical, full of hatred for his uncles scheming and disgust for his mothers sexuality. A reflective and thoughtful young man who has studied at the University of Wittenberg, Hamlet is sometimes indecisive and hesitant, but at other
6、times prone to rash and impulsive acts.6 6. .Claudiusl lThe King of Denmark, The King of Denmark, Hamlets uncle, and the Hamlets uncle, and the plays antagonist. The plays antagonist. The villain of the play, villain of the play, Claudius is a calculating, Claudius is a calculating, ambitious politi
7、cian, ambitious politician, driven by his sexual driven by his sexual appetites and his lust for appetites and his lust for power, but he power, but he occasionally shows signs occasionally shows signs of guilt and human of guilt and human feelinghis love for feelinghis love for Gertrude, for instan
8、ce, Gertrude, for instance, seems sincere.seems sincere.7 7. .Gertrudel lThe Queen of Denmark, The Queen of Denmark, Hamlets mother, recently Hamlets mother, recently married to Claudius. married to Claudius. Gertrude loves Hamlet Gertrude loves Hamlet deeply, but she is a deeply, but she is a shall
9、ow, weak woman shallow, weak woman who seeks affection and who seeks affection and status more urgently than status more urgently than moral rectitude or truth.moral rectitude or truth.8 8. .Poloniusl lThe Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of Claudiuss court, a of Claudiuss court, a pompous, con
10、niving pompous, conniving old man. Polonius is old man. Polonius is the father of Laertes the father of Laertes and Ophelia.and Ophelia.9 9. .Horatiol lHamlets close friend, Hamlets close friend, who studied with the who studied with the prince at the university in prince at the university in Witten
11、berg. Horatio is Wittenberg. Horatio is loyal and helpful to loyal and helpful to Hamlet throughout the Hamlet throughout the play. After Hamlets play. After Hamlets death, Horatio remains death, Horatio remains alive to tell Hamlets alive to tell Hamlets story.story.1010. .Ophelial lPoloniuss daugh
12、ter, a Poloniuss daughter, a beautiful young beautiful young woman with whom woman with whom Hamlet has been in Hamlet has been in love. Ophelia is a love. Ophelia is a sweet and innocent sweet and innocent young girl, who obeys young girl, who obeys her father and her her father and her brother, La
13、ertes. brother, Laertes. 1111. .Ophelia continuedl lDependent on men to tell her how to behave, she gives in to Poloniuss schemes to spy on Hamlet. Even in her lapse into madness and death, she remains maidenly, singing songs about flowers and finally drowning in the river amid the flower garlands s
14、he had gathered.1212. .Laertesl lPoloniuss son and Poloniuss son and Ophelias brother, a Ophelias brother, a young man who young man who spends much of the spends much of the play in France. play in France. Passionate and quick Passionate and quick to action, Laertes is to action, Laertes is clearly
15、 a foil for the clearly a foil for the reflective Hamlet.reflective Hamlet.1313. .Fortinbrasl lThe young Prince of The young Prince of Norway, whose father the Norway, whose father the king (also named king (also named Fortinbras) was killed by Fortinbras) was killed by Hamlets father (also Hamlets
16、father (also named Hamlet). Now named Hamlet). Now Fortinbras wishes to Fortinbras wishes to attack Denmark to attack Denmark to avenge his fathers honor, avenge his fathers honor, making him another foil making him another foil for Prince Hamlet.for Prince Hamlet.1414. .The Ghostl lThe specter of T
17、he specter of Hamlets recently Hamlets recently deceased father. The deceased father. The ghost, who claims to ghost, who claims to have been murdered have been murdered by Claudius, calls by Claudius, calls upon Hamlet to upon Hamlet to avenge him. avenge him. 1515. .The Ghost continuedl lIt is not
18、 entirely certain whether the ghost is what it appears to be, or whether it is something else. Hamlet speculates that the ghost might be a devil sent to deceive him and tempt him into murder, and the question of what the ghost is or where it comes from is never definitively resolved.1616. .Rosencran
19、tz and Guildenstern l lTwo slightly bumbling Two slightly bumbling courtiers, former courtiers, former friends of Hamlet friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg, who from Wittenberg, who are summoned by are summoned by Claudius and Gertrude Claudius and Gertrude to discover the cause to discover the cause
20、 of Hamlets strange of Hamlets strange behavior. behavior. 1717. .Themesl lThemes are the Themes are the fundamental and fundamental and often universal ideas often universal ideas explored in a literary explored in a literary work. work. 1818. .Theme of Certaintyl lWhat separates Hamlet from other
21、revenge plays (and maybe from every play written before it) is that the action we expect to see, particularly from Hamlet himself, is continually postponed while Hamlet tries to obtain more certain knowledge about what he is doing. This play poses many questions that other plays would simply take fo
22、r granted.1919. .Questionsl lCan we have certain Can we have certain knowledge about knowledge about ghosts? Is the ghost ghosts? Is the ghost what it appears to be, what it appears to be, or is it really a or is it really a misleading fiend? misleading fiend? Does the ghost have Does the ghost have
23、 reliable knowledge reliable knowledge about its own death, about its own death, or is the ghost itself or is the ghost itself deluded? deluded? 2020. .More Questionsl lMoving to more earthly matters: How can we Moving to more earthly matters: How can we know for certain the facts about a crime that
24、 has know for certain the facts about a crime that has no witnesses? Can Hamlet know the state of no witnesses? Can Hamlet know the state of Claudiuss soul by watching his behavior? If so, Claudiuss soul by watching his behavior? If so, can he know the facts of what Claudius did by can he know the f
25、acts of what Claudius did by observing the state of his soul? Can Claudius (or observing the state of his soul? Can Claudius (or the audience) know the state of Hamlets mind the audience) know the state of Hamlets mind by observing his behavior and listening to his by observing his behavior and list
26、ening to his speech? Can we know whether our actions will speech? Can we know whether our actions will have the consequences we want them to have? have the consequences we want them to have? Can we know anything about the afterlife?Can we know anything about the afterlife?2121. .Uncertaintyl lMany p
27、eople have seen Hamlet as a play about indecisiveness, and thus about Hamlets failure to act appropriately. It might be more interesting to consider that the play shows us how many uncertainties our lives are built upon, how many unknown quantities are taken for granted when people act or when they
28、evaluate one anothers actions.2222. .Theme of Actionl lDirectly related to the Directly related to the theme of certainty is the theme of certainty is the theme of action. How is it theme of action. How is it possible to take possible to take reasonable, effective, reasonable, effective, purposeful
29、action? In purposeful action? In Hamlet,Hamlet, the question of the question of how to act is affected not how to act is affected not only by rational only by rational considerations, such as considerations, such as the need for certainty, but the need for certainty, but also by emotional, ethical,
30、also by emotional, ethical, and psychological factors. and psychological factors. 2323. .Acting Recklesslyl lHamlet himself appears to distrust the idea that Hamlet himself appears to distrust the idea that its even possible to act in a controlled, its even possible to act in a controlled, purposefu
31、l way. When he does act, he prefers to purposeful way. When he does act, he prefers to do it blindly, recklessly, and violently. The other do it blindly, recklessly, and violently. The other characters obviously think much less about characters obviously think much less about action in the abstract
32、than Hamlet does, and action in the abstract than Hamlet does, and are therefore less troubled about the possibility are therefore less troubled about the possibility of acting effectively. They simply act as they feel of acting effectively. They simply act as they feel is appropriate. But in some s
33、ense they prove is appropriate. But in some sense they prove that Hamlet is right, because all of their actions that Hamlet is right, because all of their actions miscarry. miscarry. 2424. .Acting Foolishlyl lClaudius possesses himself of queen and crown Claudius possesses himself of queen and crown
34、 through bold action, but his conscience torments through bold action, but his conscience torments him, and he is beset by threats to his authority him, and he is beset by threats to his authority (and, of course, he dies). Laertes resolves that (and, of course, he dies). Laertes resolves that nothi
35、ng will distract him from acting out his nothing will distract him from acting out his revenge, but he is easily influenced and revenge, but he is easily influenced and manipulated into serving Claudiuss ends, and manipulated into serving Claudiuss ends, and his poisoned sword is turned back upon hi
36、mself.his poisoned sword is turned back upon himself.2525. .Deathl lIn the aftermath of In the aftermath of his fathers murder, his fathers murder, Hamlet is obsessed Hamlet is obsessed with the idea of with the idea of death, and over the death, and over the course of the play he course of the play
37、 he considers death from considers death from a great many a great many perspectives. perspectives. 2626. .Aftermath of Deathl lHamlet ponders both the spiritual aftermath of Hamlet ponders both the spiritual aftermath of death, embodied in the ghost, and the physical death, embodied in the ghost, a
38、nd the physical remainders of the dead, such as by Yoricks skull remainders of the dead, such as by Yoricks skull and the decaying corpses in the cemetery. and the decaying corpses in the cemetery. Throughout, the idea of death is closely tied to Throughout, the idea of death is closely tied to the
39、themes of spirituality, truth, and uncertainty the themes of spirituality, truth, and uncertainty in that death may bring the answers to Hamlets in that death may bring the answers to Hamlets deepest questions, ending once and for all the deepest questions, ending once and for all the problem of try
40、ing to determine truth in an problem of trying to determine truth in an ambiguous world. ambiguous world. 2727. .Revengel lSince death is both the Since death is both the cause and the cause and the consequence of revenge, consequence of revenge, it is intimately tied to the it is intimately tied to
41、 the theme of revenge and theme of revenge and justiceClaudiuss justiceClaudiuss murder of King Hamlet murder of King Hamlet initiates Hamlets quest initiates Hamlets quest for revenge, and for revenge, and Claudiuss death is the Claudiuss death is the end of that quest.end of that quest.2828. .Suic
42、idel lThe question of his own death plagues Hamlet as well, as he repeatedly contemplates whether or not suicide is a morally legitimate action in an unbearably painful world. Hamlets grief and misery is such that he frequently longs for death to end to his suffering, but he fears that if he commits
43、 suicide, he will be consigned to eternal suffering in hell because of the Christian religions prohibition of suicide. 2929. .“To be or not to be”l lIn his famous To be or In his famous To be or not to be soliloquy, not to be soliloquy, Hamlet philosophically Hamlet philosophically concludes that no
44、 one concludes that no one would choose to endure would choose to endure the pain of life if he or the pain of life if he or she were not afraid of she were not afraid of what will come after what will come after death, and that it is this death, and that it is this fear which causes fear which caus
45、es complex moral complex moral considerations to interfere considerations to interfere with the capacity for with the capacity for action.action.3030. .Motifsl lMotifs are recurring Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, structures, contrasts, or literary devices or literary devices that can he
46、lp to that can help to develop and inform develop and inform the texts major the texts major themes. themes. 3131. .Motif of Misogynyl lShattered by his mothers repugnant decision to marry Claudius so soon after her husbands death, Hamlet becomes extremely cynical, even neurotic, about women in gene
47、ral, showing a particular obsession with what he perceives to be a connection between female sexuality and moral corruption. 3232. .“Frailty, thy name is woman”l lThis motif of misogyny, or hatred of women, occurs only sporadically throughout the play, but it is an important inhibiting factor in Ham
48、lets relationships with Ophelia and Gertrude. He urges Ophelia to go to a nunnery rather than experience the corruptions of sexuality and exclaims of Gertrude, Frailty, thy name is woman3333. .Motif of Ears and Hearingl lOne facet of One facet of HamletHamlets s exploration of the difficulty of expl
49、oration of the difficulty of attaining true knowledge is attaining true knowledge is slipperiness of language. slipperiness of language. Words are used to Words are used to communicate ideas, but they communicate ideas, but they can also be used to distort the can also be used to distort the truth,
50、manipulate other people, truth, manipulate other people, and serve as tools in corrupt and serve as tools in corrupt quests for power. Claudius, the quests for power. Claudius, the shrewd politician, is the most shrewd politician, is the most obvious example of a man who obvious example of a man who
51、 manipulates words to enhance manipulates words to enhance his own power. his own power. 3434. .Use of Wordsl lThe sinister uses of words are represented by The sinister uses of words are represented by images of ears and hearing, from Claudiuss images of ears and hearing, from Claudiuss murder of t
52、he king by pouring poison into his murder of the king by pouring poison into his ear to Hamlets claim to Horatio that I have ear to Hamlets claim to Horatio that I have words to speak in thine ear will make thee words to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb. The poison poured in the kings ear by d
53、umb. The poison poured in the kings ear by Claudius is used by the ghost to symbolize the Claudius is used by the ghost to symbolize the corrosive effect of Claudiuss dishonesty on the corrosive effect of Claudiuss dishonesty on the health of Denmark. Declaring that the story that health of Denmark.
54、 Declaring that the story that he was killed by a snake is a lie, he says that he was killed by a snake is a lie, he says that the whole ear of Denmark is Rankly the whole ear of Denmark is Rankly abused. abused. 3535. .Symbolsl lSymbols are objects, Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or char
55、acters, figures, or colors used to colors used to represent abstract represent abstract ideas or concepts. ideas or concepts. 3636. .Yoricks Skulll lHamletHamlet is not a is not a particularly symbolic play, particularly symbolic play, at least in the sense that at least in the sense that physical o
56、bjects are rarely physical objects are rarely used to represent used to represent thematic ideas. One thematic ideas. One important exception is important exception is Yoricks skull, which Yoricks skull, which Hamlet discovers in the Hamlet discovers in the graveyard in the first graveyard in the fi
57、rst scene of Act V. scene of Act V. 3737. .Different Aspects of Deathl lAs Hamlet speaks to and about the skull of the As Hamlet speaks to and about the skull of the kings former jester, it becomes a symbol of kings former jester, it becomes a symbol of several different aspects of death, including
58、its several different aspects of death, including its inevitability and its disintegration of the body. inevitability and its disintegration of the body. Hamlet urges the skull to get you to my ladys Hamlet urges the skull to get you to my ladys chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, ch
59、amber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thick, to this favor she must comeno one can avoid to this favor she must comeno one can avoid death. He also traces the skulls mouth and says, death. He also traces the skulls mouth and says, Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know Here hung those l
60、ips that I have kissed I know not how oft, indicating his fascination with the not how oft, indicating his fascination with the physical consequences of death. physical consequences of death. 3838. .Decay of the Human Bodyl lThis latter idea is an important motif throughout the play, as Hamlet frequently makes comments referring to every human bodys eventual decay, noting that Polonius will be eaten by worms, that even kings are eaten by worms, and that dust from the decayed body of Alexander the Great might be used to stop a hole in a beer barrel.3939. .The End4040. .
