Matty G: Personal Response & Language Act 3

Language:

1. "...periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tears.." pg. 137 line 2

• An actor wearing a wig on his head, just simply yelling too loudly and ruining an important part of the play.

• In this context, it is  Hamlet's passion. His passion is trying to avenge his father's death. At this point, he is discussing with one of the actors before they perform the play. He is pestering the actor to make sure he gets this part right. This part of the play is crucial in Hamlet's clever plot to get his uncle to "commit" to his dreadful crime. If the actor half halfheartedly condones this part of the mini-play, or ruins it by just yelling the lines extremely loud, it will not register to Claudius what is really going on. In order for it to hit home, the lines Hamlet inserted in the play must be expertly delivered. 

2.  "Occulted" pg. 141 line 11

• deliberately hidden
• Hamlet discusses his true meaning for adding a few lines in the play with Horatio. He describes his uncle's evil deed as an occulted one; for he has managed to hide and trick all of Denmark into thinking that the old king died of some poisonous bite.

3.  "Do you think I meant country matters?" pg. 143 line 17

• did you think I was talking about sex?
• In this scene Hamlet provides several witty, comical remarks to Ophelia. This is a phrase I was unfamiliar with until now. Hamlet was flirting with her I suppose in front of Polonius and the rest of the crowd. He was a bit rude to her but this conversation they had also implies his view of women. As the conversation carry's on, he becomes funnier and his remarks are more vulgar towards her. Again, it just shows what he thinks of women.

4. "Wormwood" pg. 149 line 1

• bitter, harsh
• Hamlet described a particular scene in the mini-play as "Wormwood!" This statement followed a line from the Player Queen about how she would never marry a second time if her husband was to die. Obviously he yells this through the theater in order for everyone to hear, although it was directly stated for his mother's ears. Hamlet uses the mini-play to make many other ironic statements and toy with Claudius and his mother about their actions.

5. "Cozened" pg. 175 line 18\

• tricked or cheated
• Hamlet finally discusses with his mother why he is truly upset. He tells her that she has been cozened by an evil man that murdered her husband and Hamlet's father. He informs her of what Claudius is responsible for and that that is the origin of his acting mad. The fact that she went and married him and all the other things that are so wrong about their quick marriage is what has him so distraught.  

Personal Response:

This play has really grabbed my attention. I am dying to know if Hamlet actually gets the opportunity to right his father’s wrongful death through the killing of his uncle. I still haven’t thrown out the possibility that Hamlet might commit suicide in the end of the story. I was excited when Polonius died, because it affirmed me that Hamlet was serious in his intentions and not a coward. I don’t really have any dislikes, except my ongoing dislike for the old English style of writing. Other than that, this is an interesting play.