act 1

• "Our sometime sister, now our Queen"
• "A little more than kin, and less than kind."
• "Seems, madam! Nay, it is; I know not "seems"
• "O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew."
• "Frailty, thy name is woman!"
• "But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue."
• 'Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death'

  Claudius lacks sincerity when referring to the murder of the King that he produced

  euphemisms his role in this fratricide, regicide, murder
• 'Therefore our sometimes sister, now our queen'

  sibilance: illustrates the sly and guileful nature of this incestuous union
• 'A little more kin, and less than kind.'

  wordplay that conveys his bitterness towards Claudius

  form of detachment and disconnect from him
• 'Thou know't 'tis common - all that lives must die'

  Gertrude attempts to soothe Hamlet's seemingly irrational grief by conveying death as natural; however, the nature of OKH was much unnatural
• 'tis unmanly grief'

  Claudius emasculates Hamlet - introduces the idea of Oediupus Complex (Claudius achieves what Hamlet cannot - Gertrude - because he is more manly)
• 'Everlasting had not fixed/His canon 'against self-slaughter.'

  alludes to suicide - foreshadows Hamlet's constant fight against doubt, and death
• 'With such dexterity to incestuous sheets!'

  disgusted by the sexual nature of their union

  oedipus complex
• Have you your father’s leave? What says Polonius?

  Irony; Claudius pretends to respect the laws of respect in familial bonds yet he killed his brother lmao?
• These indeed “seem,”For they are actions that a man might play.

  Metatheatrical.

  Hamlet alludes to putting on a facade of grief to state his emotional grief extends what he is physically portraying

  seems to spite Claudius, suggesting he has perceived his faleshood/facade
• So excellent a king, that was to this/ Hyperion to a satyr.

  juxtaposition between the mighty King Hamlet, and Claudius..
• Why, she would hang on himAs if increase of appetite had grownBy what it fed on, and yet, within a month—Let me not think on ’t

  Questions Gertrude's ability to move on so quick, alludes to her high sexual appetite, again Oedipus complex
•  Frailty, thy name is woman!—

  misogyny lol. states that the fickelty (?), disloyal, sexually-charged, nature is due to her weak state as woman
• the salt of most unrighteous tears

  believes his mother's grief was false, perhaps echoes his whole idea about 'play'

  or alternatively, her betrayal means she isn't worthy of having ever grieved over the mighty King Hamlet
• The funeral baked meats Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

  depicts the close timing between the funeral and the wedding, it's diabolical tbh
• 'Th'imperial jointress to this warlike state'

  Claudius about Gertrude; connects past military and new military (embodies the shift from past war hero OKH to new tactical Claudius)
• "Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone with this affair"


  Claudius is manipulating the audience/court by strategically reminding them of their acceptance? idk Lowkey sycophantic here
• "to show my duty in your coronation"

  Laertes only came back for the wedding, suggests loyalty to the crown rather than the actual king
• "seems. madam? Nay, it is. I know not 'seems'."

  Hamlet criticises the hypocrisy of the court
• For Hamlet, and the trifling of his favour, Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood, A violet in the youth of primy nature"

  dictates Hamlet's affection to be due to his youth, he's in heat basically

  'boys will be boys' idealogy
• "Forward, not permanent, sweet, not lasting, The perfume and suppliance of a minute.No more."

  Hamlet's love will be sweet, but short-lived. Foreshadows the erruption of their relationship
• "for on his choice depends/ The sanity and health of this whole state"


  Hamlet's life is centralized by the good of Denmark

  kingship
• "Then wigh what loss your honour may sustain (...) or your chaste treasure open to his unmaster'd importunity"

  Ophelia isn't subject to the same grace as Hamlet if she engages in promiscuity. Her value is attached to her chastity.