12 Matching Annotations
  1. Jan 2025
    1. So did it mine, 0796  And a most instant tetter barked about, 0797  Most lazar-like, with vile and loathsome crust 0798 80 All my smooth body.

      The ghost gives all the gruesome details about his death to his son, which doesn't seem very father-like because most fathers would want their kids to live their lives without being anchored down by how they died.

    2. A couch for luxury and damnèd incest.

      The ghost is tunnel visioned on Claudius being incestuous with the Queen because this is around the third time he's mentioned Claudius having sex with the Queen.

    3. Cut off, even in the blossoms of my sin, 0802  Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled, 0803 85 No reck’ning made, but sent to my account 0804  With all my imperfections on my head.

      Unhouseled means not having Eucharist (a Christian service) administered (OED). He also said he died when his sins were the greatest, meaning that Claudius' assassination is partly to blame for Hamlet being in hell.

    4. adulterate

      Could mean to make a poorer quality by adding another substance (OED). In the sense that Denmark is getting downgraded because of being mixed with Claudius and also that the Queen is getting downgraded because of marrying Claudius. This could also be referring to adultery.

    1. More honored in the breach than the observance.

      Hamlet states that he feels that the celebration is more honored in cases of breaking the law than following the law. This shows that Hamlet kind of knew something was wrong even before he talked to the ghost.

    1. These blazes, daughter, 0598  Giving more light than heat

      The relationship between Claudius and the Queen seems to be like a fire as well, since it gives off a lot of "light" but also getting married to your dead brother's wife doesn't seem like the most stable situation that would give off a lot of "heat."

    2. 0584  I do not know, my lord, what I should think.

      Instead of teaching Ophelia to be independent, Polonius is teaching her to only do what she is told, like a robot, which just seems like bad parenting.

    3. Ay, “fashion” you may call it. Go to, go to!

      Polonius keeps dismissing Ophelia without listening to her argument, which kind of goes against one of the pieces of advice he gave to Laertes before. He just seems like a arrogant hypocrite.

    4. If it be so (as so ’tis put on me, 0575  And that in way of caution), I must tell you 0576 105 You do not understand yourself so clearly 0577  As it behooves my daughter and your honor.

      Instead of asking her to clarify, he takes the opportunity to give advice that basically just repeats what Laertes says, which makes Polonius seem kind of arrogant.

    5. 0545  Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

      Claudius seems to be the complete antithesis of this because he completely disregards how Hamlet feels and yaps a bunch. Despite this being the case, Polonius still serves under Claudius.

    6. 0535  And these few precepts in thy memory

      It's cool that Laertes seems to get the advice-giving trait from his dad and that it's clearly displayed.