Class notes
Hamlet - Critical Anthology Summaries
- Course
- Institution
Summaries on the essays in the Critical Anthology (Hamlet only).
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
eawilson36
Reviews received
Content preview
H/W 26th January 2017Critical Anthology Summaries
Tragedy and Madness – Maynard Mack (section A)
Summary: - how often Shakespeare’s tragic heroes go mad
- Madness is a type of punishment
- How Shakespeare uses madness to present certain truths or ideas which may be
controversial
- Madness allows freedom of speech but is sometimes dismissed as fiction
For Evidence
“madness has a further dimension” – “There’s fennel for you, and columbaries.
Ophelia gives flowers to the others in the There’s rue for you… There’s a daisy, I would
height of her madness which convey a give you some violets” (4.5. 179-83)
message/ opinion
Shakespeare uses Hamlet as his vessel to His mother marrying Claudius, “O most
present his ideas. “Hamlet bout the wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to
corruption of human nature” incestuous sheets” (1.2. 156-7)
Claudius not regretting killing his brother
because he still loves what he gains from it
but feels guilty about that, “I am still
possessed of those effects for which I did the
murder…May one be pardoned and retain
th’ offence?’ (3.3. 53-6)
Against Evidence
Hamlet himself has insight in the truth “Excellent well, you are a fish monger” (2.2.
considering ‘Polonius with a fishmonger’ but 174)
what insight does this give Hamlet. It “though this be madness, yet there is
appears he’s just pushing his ‘guise of a method in’t” (2.2. 206)
madman’ referring a pompous man as a fish
monger is a joke and insult
The Shakespearean Tragic Hero – A.C. Bradley (section A)
Summary: - Shakespearean tragedy centres on one person, the ‘hero’
- Tragedies lead up to and include the hero’s death
- Suffering/ calamity are unexpected and contrasted with previous happiness or glory – are
chief sources of tragic emotions (e.g. pity) from audience
- The fall of the hero leads to the fall of everything else
For Evidence
“the story, next, leads up to, and includes, “O I die Horatio, the potent poison quite
the death of the hero” o’er-crows my spirit” (5.2. 354-5)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller eawilson36. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R105,90. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75759 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now