"That it should come to
this!" (Act I, Scene II)
What does it mean? Just after speaking to his mother Gertrude
and uncle (and step-father) King Claudius, Hamlet has his first of five
soliloquies. When Hamlet exclaims, "[t]hat it should come to this,"
he'd just finished describing how the world has gone to fodder. Then Hamlet
goes on to say how he cannot believe his mother would marry his father's
brother (i.e., Hamlet's uncle). This quote shows Hamlet's fury and shock at his
mother's remarriage. In Hamlet's mind, the world is in chaos and the remarriage
is the apex of things spiraling out of control. Soliloquies allow the audience
to see into a character's inner thoughts. The soliloquy as a whole belays the
reasons for Hamlet's initial deep melancholy and confusion that persists for
much of the play.
"Frailty, thy name is
woman!" (Act I, Scene II)
What does it mean? Hamlet is still speaking in his first of
five soliloquies. The "woman" he specifically refers to is his
mother. Hamlet felt she was weak, or not strong enough to mourn his father
longer. Hamlet goes on further to say that not even an animal or beast, who has
no reasoning skills, would have abandoned the mourning so quickly. All in all,
this shows how angry and confused Hamlet is by his mother's remarriage.
"Neither a borrower nor a
lender be; For loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the
edge of husbandry." (Act I, Scene III)
What does it mean? Here Polonius is giving his son, Laertes,
sound advice before Laertes returns to Paris. Polonius is really saying loaning
money to other people is dangerous. Often, people don't pay you back and you
use a friend because of the failed transaction. On the flip side, it is
distasteful to borrow money because it is impolite and usually indicates you
are living outside of your means.
"This above all: to thine
own self be true." (Act I, Scene III)
What does it mean? Again, Polonius is doling out sage advice
to his son, Laertes. Simply put, Polonius is telling his son "be
yourself." In the context of the play, Polonius is also telling Laertes to
be a gentleman and not "false to any man" (line 80). Overall,
Polonius's advice helps reveals a theme of irony that threads throughout the
play. Neither Polonius nor Laertes heeds the advice that Polonius gives in this
scene, and both perish due to their lack of adherence.
"Something is rotten in the
state of Denmark." (Act I, Scene IV)
What does it mean? At the end of Scene IV, a guard,
Marcellus, says these famous words to Horatio. After Hamlet follows the ghost,
Marcellus and Horatio know they have to follow as well, because Hamlet is
acting so impulsively. Marcellus's words are remarking on how something evil
and vile is afoot. This moment could be interpreted as foreshadowing of the
impending deaths of most of the principle characters.
"Though this be madness, yet
there is method in't." (Act II, Scene II)
What does it mean? At this point of the play, Hamlet and
Polonius are interacting onstage, but this quote is technically spoken by
Polonius to the audience, in an aside. What Polonius is saying is that, even
though Hamlet is talking crazy, it actually makes sense, or it has a
"method." Polonius's assertion is ironic because he is right and
wrong. Polonius believes Hamlet is acting "mad" because Hamlet's love
of Ophelia has driven him to such. While Polonius is correct to think that there
is reason behind Hamlet's actions, he is incorrect as to the cause. Hamlet is
purposefully acting mad to disguise his true mission to avenge his father's
murder.
"To be, or not to be: that
is the question." (Act III, Scene I)
What does it mean? As one of Shakespeare's all-time famous
quotes, Hamlet's words have stood the test of time and are often quoted even
today in both academia and pop culture. In the beginning of his fourth, and
best known, soliloquy Hamlet muses about the conundrum of suicide. He wonders
if one route is "nobler" than the next. At this point in the play,
Hamlet has been unable to act upon his motives for personal revenge, and this
frustrates him. Which is better, suffering as he has been or ending it all? The
tone of Hamlet's soliloquy is more meditative than angry, but he does seriously
consider suicide. He relates his personal struggle to the struggles that all of
mankind shares. Given that you don't know what happens after you die, Hamlet
realizes that death wouldn't be the ideal escape he craves.
"The lady doth protest too
much, methinks." (Act III, Scene II)
What does it mean? Hamlet's mother, Queen Gertrude, says this
famous line while watching The Mousetrap. Gertrude is talking about the queen
in the play. She feels that the play-queen seems insincere because she repeats
so dramatically that she'll never remarry due to her undying love of her
husband. The play-queen, in fact, does remarry. It is unclear whether Gertrude
recognizes the parallel between herself and the play-queen; Hamlet certainly
feels that way. This moment has an irony that is shown throughout the play.
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