Merchant Of Venice III.i. and III.ii

In this section of The Merchant of Venice, the racism against the Jewish people really stood out to me. I practice Judaism as a religion, and to read these comments was offensive and degrading toward my religion. Toward the beginning of the section, Solanio and Salarino are conversing when Shylock walks in. Solanio says, "Let me say "amen" betimes, lest the devil/ cross my prayer, for here he comes in the likeness/ of a Jew" (III.i.20-22). Here, Solanio is referring to Shylock as a devil because of his religion. The devil is not often associated with positive connotations. Shylock is puzzled as to why Antonio speaks badly of him and takes his business: "what’s his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not/ a Jew hands, organs, dimen-/ sions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the/ same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to/ the same diseases, healed by the same means,/ warmed and cooled by the same winter and sum-/mer as a Christian is?" (III.i.57-63). Shylock is curious as to why Jewish people are treated differently than Christians. He says that a Jew's body is the same as a Christian's, and that people of both religions go through the same life processes.

Hamlet #8

In this section of the play, Hamlet is in the graveyard with Horatio. The two are talking with the gravedigger when a funeral procession arrives. hamlet is unaware that this is the funeral for Ophelia, since she drowned in the previous scene. When Hamlet learns that it is Ophelia who has died, he jumps into her grave alongside Laertes and declares his love for Ophelia. He says, “Forty thousand brothers / Could not with all their quantity of love/ Make up my sum” (V.i.285–287). Here, Hamlet is saying that his love for Ophelia is greater than that of forty thousand brothers. The King and Queen are astonished by this action from Hamlet. This only further shows that Hamlet is indeed crazy. However, hamlet is purely addressing his feeling for his love who has just recently died. hamlet has the right to be upset, yet, he is deemed crazy for expressing his true emotions.

Hamlet #7

In this section of Hamlet, Hamlet is influenced by Fortinbras' army to make a move on revenge for Claudius. In his soliloquy, he says, "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" (IV.iv.46-49). Here, Hamlet blatantly states that he has the willpower and the motivation to avenge his father, and that it is rather obvious. However, it is evident that throughout the beginning of the play, Hamlet has been putting off the murder of Claudius. In the second scene of act three, Hamlet states that he has the proof needed to murder Claudius and the passion to commit such an act. However, he goes to see Gertrude instead. Although Hamlet claims to have the means necessary to avenge his father, he keeps putting it off, perhaps showing that he is somewhat of a coward.

Hamlet #6

In this section of Hamlet, Hamlet criticizes his mother for marrying Claudius. The two of them get into a debate which showcases Hamlet's true feelings for Claudius, and the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude. In this scene, Hamlet's madness is highlighted when the ghost of his father arrives. Hamlet's mother cannot see the ghost, and she believes that Hamlet is crazy for talking to no one. This shows that Hamlet's plan of acting insane is working in the eyes of others, even though Hamlet knows that he is not necessarily acting in such a way. This scene also demonstrates a change in Hamlet's attitude. Rather than wanting to commit suicide, Hamlet must realize that he must avenge his father's death. He still sees the world in a negative manner, but wants to serve his father right. This argument between Hamlet and Gertrude also shows a certain characteristic of Gertrude. When discussing the act of sinning, the queen says, "O Hamlet, speak no more!/ Thou turn’st mine eyes into my very soul,/ And there I see such black and grainèd spots/ As will not leave their tinct" (III.iv.99-102). Here, Gertrude mentions that her sins are so thick and dark that they will never be washed away. Perhaps she realizes that she has wronged Hamlet and her dead husband for marrying Claudius.

Hamlet #5

In this section of Hamlet, Hamlet's play is performed to his family. Also, Polonius' plan is put into action. Toward the end of act three scene two, Hamlet is conversing with Guildenstern while players with recorders enter. Hamlet uses the recorder as a metaphor for Guildenstern's treatment toward him. He says, "Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing/ you make of me! You would play upon me, you/ would seem to know my stops. You would pluck/ out the heart of my mystery...'Sblood,/ do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?/ Call me what instrument you will, though you can/ fret me, yet you cannot play upon me" (III.ii.393-396,399-402). In this dialogue, Hamlet is saying that Guildenstern played him to uncover the mystery as to why Hamlet acts the way he does. Hamlet rhetorically asks if he is manipulative, and says that he cannot be fooled. This quotation is important in the play because Guildenstern is supposed to be Hamlet's close friend, yet is spying on him due to orders from the King and Queen. Earlier in the play, Hamlet believed that his friend was "true" to him, unlike his family. Here, that is proved false.

Hamlet #4

In this section of the play, the audience learns of Hamlet's true motives for revenge against Claudius. Hamlet is visited by friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern and says, "I have of late, but/ wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all/ custom of exercises, and indeed it goes so heavily/ with my disposition that this goodly frame, the/ earth, seems to me a sterile promontory" (II.ii.318-322). Hamlet also describes his views of the world around him: "the/ earth, seems to me a sterile promontory; this most/ excellent canopy, the air—look you, this brave o'er-/ hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted/ with golden fire—why, it appears no other thing to me/ than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors" (II.ii.321-326). From his quote, it is editable that Hamlet glorifies the earth, but then declares it as "a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors" (II.ii.326). Although Hamlet does recognize the positive and good qualities, he chooses to ignore them and focus more on the bad ones, which has an effect on his overall attitude. Hamlet goes on to describe people as well: "What a piece of work is a man! How noble in/ reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and mov-/ ing how express and admirable; in action how like/ an angel, in apprehension how like a god: the/ beauty of the world, the paragon of animals-and/ yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?/ Man delights not me" (II.ii.327-333). Here, Hamlet also glorifies humans by characterizing them as noble, infinite, god-like, and angelic. This statement contradicts another statement that Hamlet makes in his speech because to Hamlet, humankind is merely dust, which perhaps symbolizes death.

Hamlet #3

In this section of Hamlet, Hamlet has an encounter with the ghost who represents his dead father. The ghost shares with Hamlet the cause to his death, which leaves Hamlet with a thirst for revenge on his uncle, and the new king. The ghost tells Hamlet that he is trapped in the fires of purgatory until he has paid time for all of his past sins: "And for the day confined to fast in fires,/ Till the foul crimes done in my days/ of nature/ Are burnt and purged away" (I.iv.16-18). Purgatory is a place where souls are punished for their sins before entering heaven. The ghost tells Hamlet that the king was killed before he could repent for his sins, which is why he is in purgatory: "Unhouseled, disappointed, unaneled./ No reckoning made, but sent to my account/ With all my imperfections on my head" (I.iv.84-86). This idea of freeing sins is similar to the final act in Shakespeare's play Othello. Before Othello killed Desdemona, he told her to pray to free herself of all her sins from the past. Unfortunately, the king was not given such an opportunity to do so.