Hamlet Close Reading

In the immortal work of the play writer Shakespeare, there is a play called Hamlet. Shakespeare decided that there should be several speeches that are very important to the story. There are also many things that help to contribute the importance of the story. Some depict a series of emotions that run through the characters. They help to explain more of what the individual character is feeling. The way that shakespeare decided to write the speeches is an excellent way to see the emotions coming off of the pages. 

One of the speeches that I decided to analyze is a speech given by one of the main characters Hamlet. He is going through a really rough time in his life with the passing of his father and the remarriage of his mother he gives off the most emotions through out the entire play. He has a lot of emotional and mental changes that we see through the writing of the speeches.With all that Hamlet is going through his mother and his uncle/stepfather are very worried about him and his abnormal behavior they decide to include some of Hamlet’s childhood friends to get the gist of what is going on. Hamlet gives a very emotional speech to his childhood friends.

In act two scene two of the play , the character Hamlet says “I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery, an your secrecy to the King and Queen molt no feather I have of late, but wherefore I know not,lost all my mirth , foregone all customs of exercises, and indeed, it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me 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 appeareth nothing to me but foul and pestilent congregation of vapors.”(2.2)

The speech given here Hamlet is basically saying he has some suspicions of why they are visiting. Considering he hasn’t seen them in quite some time it is a little unusual for them to be there with him. He brings up the idea that they are there for the King and Queen (His mother and Uncle/Stepfather) to seek out information on why he has been acting so strange. He also says that he is feeling a little bit of betrayal that they have not been around for a long time and that they appeared all of a sudden  with the command from the king and queen. They have all of a sudden appeared and they have came with not good intentions. Hamlet showed a lot of emotions towards his childhood friends because he has been going through some things. He says he has not been the same. He doesn’t enjoy the same activities. He is not the same person. He doesn’t seem the think the same things are fun anymore and things just aren’t going as good as they could go for him.