Hamlet Essay

Act III.4



I think that the act I have chosen is an essential part of the play Hamlet as it has various tragic incidents throughout.

For example, one of the first things that happen in this section is the death of Polonius. I feel that this is a very important feature as it is the first death that we, as the reader, 'witness'. This seems to me that it was meant to be a key feature of the play, perhaps to show the reader that something important has or is about to happen. It could also possibly symbolise that, although Hamlet so far had only been pretending to behave mad, he may have unwillingly actualy gone insane. I believe this as, undoubtedly, someone that willingly takes another persons life and feels no guilt or has no second thought about it is mentally unstable and, judging by how Hamlet reacts after he has murdered Polonius I would say he did not seem very bothered about it. Possibly the only thing that bothered him was that it was Polonius rather then the King. 'Nay, I know not. Is it the King?' 'Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!'
This moment is perhaps the beginning of Hamlets undoing. He can't go back on what he has done and now he must face the consiquence's of his actions; For example being sent to his death in England. We are already aware that the play is a tragedy so it is easy to feel the tension and mood of uneasyness that something horrificly bad is about to happen during this section..

Another tragic moment of this act is that we are able to see how Hamlet behaves towards his mother when they are alone for the first time. Although he is cleary angry and fustrated with his mother for what she has done, it seems to me that he still loves her in spite of it. He was already aware that he should not take revenge on his mother as he was warned by the Ghost to let her be, 'nor let thy soul contrive against thy mother aught.' However I feel that he would rather have shown her what she had done wrong anyway; to make her mistakes clear so she can seek some kind of redemption rather then experience such brutal revenge such as that that is fit for the king.
'Look here upon this picture, and on this, the counterfeit presentment of the two brothers.' Hamlet goes on to describe his father of a highly sort and then to bad mouth his uncle, shouting to his mother 'Have you eyes!' as he cannot understand how she cannot feel ashamed from being with a man of 'Grace' 'where every god did seem to set his seal.' to a man with a 'mildewed ear, blasting his wholesome brother' ' O shame, where is thy blush?'
Gertrude soon realises what terrible deed she has done 'speak no more. Thou turnest mine eyes into my very soul, and there I see such black and grained spots...'
It seems a shame that a mother and a son should be torn apart by such conflict that is not even their doing, this is one of the many reasons, including the reason previous, that I believe this act is very tragic and this moment adds a very strong, tragic impact to the whole play initially.