Hamlet Act I Scenes IV and V Notes

- Once Claudius has taken the throne he is partying nonstop
- Horatio: "Custom?"   Hamlet: "Yeah."
- Hamlet thinks it makes them look like drunkards and takes from their achievements as they are now seen as irresponsible
- Claudius is adding to Hamlet's suspicion because he is super happy but should still be grieving
- Hamlet recognizes the ghost as his father because of their close resemblance
- Hamlet asks why something so bizarre has happened and basically asks the reason for the ghost's presence
- Horatio warns Hamlet that the ghost might make him do something insane and sees him as a threat
- Marcellus: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." This is now a cliche accusation of wrongdoing
- Ghost is in a state of purgatory/limbo and says that Hamlet is bound to take revenge when he hears and that it will shock him into no return
- The ghost confirms that he is Hamlet Sr.'s spirit and was killed suddenly without a chance to correct all his previous wrongdoings
- Ghost: "Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder." - directive
- Denmark has been told that Hamlet Sr. was killed by a serpent in an orchard with a crown (Claudius)
- Claudius seduced Gertrude before Hamlet died and she lost affection for him
- When he was sleeping in orchard, Claudius poured poison in his ears that stopped his blood from flowing (everything stolen by him) and is a metaphor for his seduction of Gertrude
- Because he was killed without doing right, he was sent to a really torturous place in the afterlife
- Tells Hamlet to avenge because it's right (keep honor) and not let feelings interfere
- In giving burden to Hamlet, he tells him not to let it bring him down
- Tells him not to do anything to Gertrude, let God judge her in heaven and let her guilt eat her alive
- Hamlet now knows exactly what he has to do
- Hamlet doesn't say what he doesn't want to say since he is a calculating guy and ducking the question
- Hamlet: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." (Talking to the audience as well)
- Hamlet: "The time is out of joint: O cursed spite, that ever I was born to set it right!"
- Tells the players not to do anything to give it away and is warning that he will be acting weird to make people think that he has lost his guard