Hamlet: Character Analysis ALL (condensed)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 มิ.ย. 2024
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In this video, I provide a condensed analysis of each of the play's important characters.
For detailed Character Analysis with evidence and quotes, see my Hamlet In-Depth Character Analysis playlist
Please Like and Subscribe. It helps a lot.
See Hamlet Character PLAYLIST for more detailed analysis, complete with QUOTES to use as evidence.
Hamlet Characters discussed in this Video:
- Hamlet 00:00
- Claudius 18:37
- King Hamlet 22:31
- Gertrude 24:20
- Polonius 26:46
- Ophelia 29:40
- Laertes 34:01
- Horatio 36:51
- Rosencrantz and Guildenstern 38:05
Writing a LITERATURE ANALYSIS ESSAY? See my practical guide with model papers:
• Literature Analysis
If you're interested in more Shakespeare analysis, see my other playlists:
ROMEO and JULIET:
• Romeo and Juliet
For Romeo and Juliet THESIS STATEMENT prompts see:
• Playlist
MACBETH:
• Macbeth Scene by Scene...
For Macbeth THESIS STATEMENT prompts see:
• Playlist
HAMLET:
• Hamlet Scene by Scene
For Hamlet THESIS STATEMENT prompts see:
• Playlist
OTHELLO:
• Othello
TWELFTH NIGHT:
• Twelfth Night
All commentary in this series is designed to help students:
- Prepare for GCSE, A-Level, IB, and AP evaluation
- Prepare for general quizzes and exams
- Generate ideas for analysis essays
- Participate knowledgeably in class discussions
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Gertrude and Claudius probably marry 2 months after the death of King Hamlet. Hamlet exaggerates when he says 1 month. Later in the play, Ophelia says 4 months have passed, suggesting a few months have passed throughout the course of the play. Which doesn’t quite seem right. Duration is not entirely clear.
In Hamlet's first soliloquy he says within a month. Cld that be exaggerated? Thanks for the vid by the way, have a midterm tomorrow, its helping with prep
You’re welcome, Alisa. Glad this is useful.
Hamlet is definitely exaggerating when he says Gertrude and Claudius married 1 month after the death of King Hamlet. It was probably 2 months, but near the end of the play, Ophelia says 4 months. Time duration is not entirely clear.
@@5QShakespeare oh ok. I'll use 2-4 month ref. Thx!
😅😅😮😮😮😢😢😢😮😮😮😅😢😮😮😮😮😮😂😢😮😢😮😮
I had two days to do a 5 page essay on hamlet and I cannot thank you enough for this video.
You're very welcome. Hope you did well:)
Helppp me too
I have an AP Lit exam, this video has made me feel comfortable enough to know what “great work” I will use for my third essay.
In like 10 hours
Thanks, Nevan. Glad you find the video useful:)
@@nevan6815 Good luck!
@@5QShakespeare I feel like I did well! My great work essay was great, I wrote about how Hamlet displayed indecision in the murder of his uncle, and how it reflects the great notion of his idealism and the conflict between action and thought, and how he is a foil. 💪
@@nevan6815 Right on!
Comparing him to Walter white was wild
Ha. Hope you found it useful:.
The most helpful analysis so far!! This channel will surely help me doing Shakespeare in my final year :)
Glad you like it:) Good luck!
34:32 I like laertes because of his public morality ( revenging for his father’s and sister’s deaths and revealing the ultimate evil once he knew Hamlet was fighting for the same morals as his, revenging for his father), and his motive of revenge, not due to fear of the unknown, but due to what he thought is right.
loved watching this, very interesting and the time went by so quickly!
Thanks, Mary. Glad you liked it:)
25:22 Juliet’s strength is explicit, Ophelia’s strength is implicit
True. What little strength Ophelia has.
Such a detailed analysis! Thanks for this.
You're welcome:)
The reason we felt sympathy for them, is because they can somewhat reflect ourselves. Romeo reflects our romantic attitudes, Hamlet reflects our sense of justice 18:06
Yes. All good writing must do this, otherwise, we can't relate to the protagonist.
Isn't it a bit far fetched to pathologize Hamlet? Yes, he may have narcissictic,histrionic or borderline (whatever this means) traits. But it is quite commonly accepted that every person has this traits in himself, albeit in different mixtures (some more prominent than others), because these traits correspond and respond to fundamental human fears and struggles: 1. to be oneself and therefore being separated from the others (disharmony) 2. To lose one's own identity/autonomy 2. the fear of finality/irreversability and inevitebilty of life and 4. the fear of uncertainty and instability of life.
Thanks for the insights, P. I agree, we all do have elements of Hamlet's character. That's what makes literature great: universality and accuracy. Regarding H's pathology, it's a good question. In other videos, I believe, I ask whether he'd have problems if he had been left alone at university, studying what suits his character. He's an artsy/philosophical guy. Not suited to the cut-throat world of politics.
Thanks man you might have just saved me for my test tomoz 🙏 xx
My pleasure. Good luck!
thank you so much for your analysis feel a bit more prepared to write my essay
Glad to help. Good luck:)
Thank you so much! This helped me understand Hamlet better.
You're very welcome. Glad it helps:)
14:39 At least Hamlet has Horatio who he can tell the truth, and partly the players. I think Ophelia is really being alienated
True. That explains to a great extent her mental illness and suicide. Good insights, B:)
Imna study this play in my current junior year in college of languages ,thank you ,it's worth seeing , appreciated .
Thanks:) I appreciate your support.
This video was SO helpful to me. Thank you so much!!!!!!
You're very welcome. Glad you like it:)
this helped me so much thank u!!!
My pleasure. Glad you found it useful.
OMG just the video I needed! it's awesome to watch a good-looking man talking about these themes so eloquently. New follower!
Ha! Thanks for the kind words, Elena. Glad you find the videos useful:)
@@5QShakespeare Can you please link me here your video about Wasteland? It's an interesting theme I want to delve deeper into but I couldn't find it anywhere :) Thanks
@@elena5607 Yes. VERY interesting theme. I recommend "Hero with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell, which is the source for a lot of the ideas presented here. Here is my discussion of it in Hamlet: th-cam.com/video/DKzM0UInzxY/w-d-xo.html
In Macbeth: th-cam.com/video/dCGqVUin3nU/w-d-xo.html
In Twelfth Night (Hero's Journey): th-cam.com/video/tdgyAxpGv0Y/w-d-xo.html
Shakespeare's writing of Claudius’s praying, in my opinion, is to show the evil and greed of Claudius, his sin is too much that his prayer can not send him to heaven
I agree. That's part of it. Much of what he says would resonate with his Elizabethan audiences.
the most helpful, thank you so much
You're welcome. Glad you found it useful:)
38:47 they can choose to tell Hamlet the death letter sent by Claudius, but they don’t, wasting their final agency
You are a life saver. Thank you so much.
Thanks Samita. Glad you find the videos useful:)
This analysis is very helpful 👍 I was wondering if you had any tips for memorizing lines for exams and which ones are most applicable?
Thanks, Turbo. Glad you found it useful. Many of the quotes I highlight in this series are famous and may appear on exams; besides that, I'd recommend paying attention to the passages your teacher spends time on. And, of course, you can always Google "famous hamlet quotes," etc. Not terribly insightful, I know, but every teacher/exam-writer is different and Hamlet is so long and thick with quotable passages, it's hard to make the call. Regarding memorizing poems, the best help can be found in this short anthology by Ted Hughes - "By Heart : 101 Poems and How to Remember Them". There's an audiobook version, as well, with Hughes reading the essay on memorization tips and the anthology selections. Highly recommended. Good luck!
@@5QShakespeare Thanks for the quick response, will definitely check that out
Absolutely incredible!!! Your analyses are unique, well-thought and incredibly intelligent. I feel mind-blown at every remark...Thank you for these amazing, valuable videos.
Thanks for the kind words, C. Glad you like the videos:)
Just discovered your channel sir. Just wow! Feel guilty getting this for free.
I'm really turned on to Shakespeare thanks to you. Will you do King Lear one day, by the way? Stay well.
Thanks for the kind words. Glad you like it:) Yes, I'll do all the biggies eventually. I think Twelfth Night is next.
Turned on??? Wtf bro
The influence of William Shakespeare has spread over in modern movies, dramas, Eastern and Western philosophies, English language and also in literature.
His plays delve into the issues of love, loss, treachery, honor, tenderness, anger, despair, jealousy, contempt, fear, courage, and wonder. They raise questions of morality, politics, war, wealth, and death. 10:01
Even in prisons, teachers find that Shakespeare offers contemporary connections that open pathways to learning for some of society's most marginalized.
Shakespeare remains relevant in the 21st century.
Sources: European Journal of Education Studies; Global Student Network; NoSweatShakespeare; Ovations College of Liberal Arts Magazine
Totally agree.
This is great, thankyou
You're welcome:)
Polonius Character analysis
Described as: 26:46
Self-assured, cynical, self-centred, flatterer, long-winded, sly, devious, false, shrewd, immoral, sermonise, meddling, political, arrogant, despicable, vain, hypocritical, manipulative, verbose, insincere, self-absorbed.
Source: Hamlet Notes WordPress
Helped me write an essay in character foils.
Glad to hear it!
"The rest is silence"
Hamlet
best video on Hamlet, but it would be better if you can put more quote in to support your answer, it's hard for me to find quotes that supports all the points.
Hi Lijun. Thanks for the feedback. Check out the other videos in the Hamlet series. I pick 5+ quotes to support analysis of Characterization and Theme. I think you'll find that useful.
@@5QShakespeare oh great! Thank for replying. My English Christmas test is tomorrow🥲
@@lijunma1258 Good Luck!
How easy psychology has made it for us to dismiss the perplexing mystery with a label which assigns it a place in the list of common aberrations. - Dag Hammerskjold, diary, qtd in WH Auden's introduction to Shakespeare's Sonnets, 1964
Great quote. I've considered that problem before. But I'm always confronted with the logical next question: How can we say anything about the perplexing mystery of people if unravelling the mystery is forbidden? After deep analysis (unravelling) maybe it's important to step back and re-view, re-see the characters as a whole as they develop throughout the work. Remember to see them as living beings, not lifeless specimens. Personally, the more I learn about people, the more mysterious they are to me. Labels are just tools -- a map and a flashlight; each of us still has to do the spelunking on our own.
Also, this might help (or make things worse!). See my new In-Depth Character Playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GQfyNAUQgcB8y3SLjTZhWsS.html&si=cZdnntNMc1knR5gy
I provide more evidence to prove my claims. I hope you find it interesting and useful. I've tried to convey how brilliantly mysterious Shakespeare has made his characters.
Thanks for the thought, Carla.
Please read the play.
I do a line by line analysis my SCENE WALKTHROUGH playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GRyMx3rM-gla3o-gBDBflkN.html&si=-ZVSoRbWXoF3-rUY
Close reading of the SOLILOQUIES: th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GQOes0xB53cnus-ev3_zM-G.html&si=gDB69AK4__zWkOHd
I supply quotes in my THEME playlist: my theme playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GSq3KiZXAjzndSwCR_h3nPE.html&si=HfENfBPA8NLpaaOw
and in my CHARACTER playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GQfyNAUQgcB8y3SLjTZhWsS.html&si=zVIxjGBz-E71MDde
Mr Maher
this is so helpful. i feel like, even though the play was about hamlet Shakespeare could have at least tried to give the women of the play some character and it's a pattern i've noticed with his work. even with lady macbeth, her descent into madness was too sudden and felt rushed and was honestly pathetic seeing as she wasnt even the one to physically commit the act of murder but hamlet was and it only made him more determined. with ophelia it was like he didnt even try to give her a personality and she was simply there to serve as a catalyst for the ending events of the play. hamlets mother wouldve have also been such an interesting character to explore, and there were so many scenes where there should've been more dialogue between hamlet and her that could behave contributed to the end or any important additional understanding of their relationship. just feel like his writing is lazy with his female characters, it's a real shame.
Hi CL. Thanks for your comments. That's a common criticism of Shakespeare, but I don't think it's fair. True, the women in Hamlet are not fully fleshed out, especially Gertrude, but I find Ophelia very true to type - timid, bullied young women have always exist, unfortunately. But Juliet? Smart, confident, and tough as nails. In many plays, the woman are very real and fully developed. (I disagree with you about Lady M. She is REAL, also unfortunately:)) Have you studied the comedies? Try Twelfth Night (th-cam.com/play/PLPa5TyZ8S8GQxFM7LwHhE3jCg6OzUci1f.html.) The women make the men look like a bunch of losers. Maria and Viola.
Oh, and I go deeper into Gertrude here: th-cam.com/video/CzUNF21B3tM/w-d-xo.html. And here: th-cam.com/video/9gHpfF4YFoU/w-d-xo.html. As you suggested, there is a lot of potential with her character, but we just don't know what to make of her. I find her a fascinating mystery, actually.
How about grief? And he knows the truth and can say nothing. And states that! And has to stand there and watch his murderous uncle with his mother. And thinks everyone around him are stupid. Which they are! Also he comes across as a teenager. His uncle tells him to grow up, thinking its just an unseemly grief, not that he knows he murdered his brother.
And he has one person who knows the Truth who helps him expose his uncles guilt.
Its also interesting he cant fight physically but he uses his artistic abilities to expose his uncle. So in a way he does fight. And he uses his Faith by not killing his uncle when he thinks his uncle is confessing. And wants to wait when he committs another mortal sin. To make sure he goes to hell.
Because they were Christians during this time. Also, he tested his uncle with the play because he knows the apparition could be a demon sent to decieve him thus damning his soul if he raises his hand unjustly towards his uncle. And would he want to be a murderer like his uncle?
Thanks for the good observations, Melinda. I talk about a lot of your points in other videos. Have a look at my expanded THEME playlist: th-cam.com/users/playlistCharactera5TyZ8S8GSq3KiZXAjzndSwCR_h3nPE&si=smvjG0UjnSsipfey
I'm working on an expanded CHARACTER Playlist now. Come back soon!
@5QShakespeare
And I binged Hamlet the Scott Campbell version. I actually went through the grief and said some of the things Hamlet said when I was 15. My dad had cheated and they separated. I went through deep grief. As an adult, I watched this version and it gave me some closure. I was in awe a play from hundreds of years ago could be relevant today in my life!
So true. Great literature is important, indeed. Holds up the mirror so we can see ourselves.@@melindamassey14
too many options - chaotic rather than illustrative - don't like your pop psychology which is an excuse for your lack of understanding
Lol