3.1.2

Hamlet's Heroic Status

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Hamlet's Heroic Status

For his tragedy to succeed, Shakespeare had to provide his hero with a heroic status.

Respect for Hamlet

Respect for Hamlet

Hamlet is respected by his subjects.
- Claudius speaks of “the great love” the public have for him.
- Ophelia sees him as the epitome of the renaissance man when she describes him as possessing, “The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s eye, tongue, sword”.

Hamlet's range of skills

Hamlet's range of skills

Ophelia’s praise for Hamlet’s mastery of different roles (“courtier… soldier… scholar”) also portrays him as a complex character with a dazzling array of skills and talents.
He is an intellectual, a “scholar” who has just returned from the prestigious university of Wittenberg, but also a “soldier” who we later see demonstrating his skill with a sword: a man of thought and action.

Reactions to Hamlet's death

Reactions to Hamlet's death

Ophelia may be biased, swayed by Hamlet’s romantic interest in her, but her judgement is echoed by other characters in the play, notably by Fortinbras’ judgement that, had he lived, he would “have proved most royal”.
Hamlet’s death creates a tragic sense of waste that such a man is destined to never succeed to the throne.

1

Introduction

1.1

Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet 1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story 1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet 1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1 2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2 2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3 2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2

Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1 2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3

Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events 2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas 2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2 2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3 2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4

Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1 2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3 2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4 2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events 2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas 2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6 2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5

Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events 2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events 2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind 3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status 3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind 3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2

Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime 3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3

Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude 3.3.2Gertrude's Character 3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4

Ophelia

3.5

Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia 3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6

Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia 3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4

Key Themes

4.1

Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2

Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3

Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet 4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4

Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet 5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure 5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2

Form

5.2.1Soliloquy 5.2.2Comedy

5.3

Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay 5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4

Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys 5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6

Context

6.1

Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession 6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy 6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism 6.1.4Regicide 6.1.5The Reformation

6.2

Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy 6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3

Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet 6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7

Critical Debates

7.1

18-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates 7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet 7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.2

20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet 7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3

Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism 7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet 7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4

Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms 7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

Jump to other topics

1

Introduction

1.1

Introduction & Background to Hamlet

1.1.1Introduction to Hamlet 1.1.2The Literary Tradition of the Hamlet Story 1.1.3Introduction to the Settings in Hamlet 1.1.4Introduction to Social Issues Raised

2

Plot Summary

2.1

Act 1: Key Events & Ideas

2.1.1Act 1, Scene 1 2.1.2Act 1, Scene 2 2.1.3Act 1, Scene 3 2.1.4Act 1, Scenes 4-5

2.2

Act 2: Key Events & Ideas

2.2.1Act 2, Scene 1 2.2.2Act 2, Scene 2

2.3

Act 3: Key Events & Ideas

2.3.1Act 3, Scene 1: Key Events 2.3.2Act 3, Scene 1: Key Ideas 2.3.3Act 3, Scene 2 2.3.4Act 3, Scene 3 2.3.5Act 3, Scene 4

2.4

Act 4: Key Events & Ideas

2.4.1Act 4, Scene 1 2.4.2Act 4, Scenes 2-3 2.4.3Act 4, Scene 4 2.4.4Act 4, Scene 5: Key Events 2.4.5Act 4, Scene 5: Key Ideas 2.4.6Act 4, Scene 6 2.4.7Act 4, Scene 7

2.5

Act 5: Key Events & Ideas

2.5.1Act 5, Scene 1: Key Events 2.5.2Act 5, Scene 2: Key Events 2.5.3Act 5, Scene 2: Key Ideas

3

Character Profiles

3.1

Hamlet

3.1.1Hamlet's Speech & Mind 3.1.2Hamlet's Heroic Status 3.1.3Hamlet's State of Mind 3.1.4Hamlet's Indecision/Action Taking

3.2

Claudius

3.2.1Claudius' Crime 3.2.2Changing Impressions of Claudius

3.3

Gertrude

3.3.1Mystery & Hamlet's View of Gertrude 3.3.2Gertrude's Character 3.3.3Gertrude's Relationship with Hamlet

3.4

Ophelia

3.5

Polonius

3.5.1Portrayal of Polonius & Treatment of Ophelia 3.5.2Polonius' Spying & Death

3.6

Laertes

3.6.1Laertes' Popularity & Relationship with Ophelia 3.6.2Laertes' Character Traits

4

Key Themes

4.1

Regicide in Hamlet

4.1.1Regicide in Hamlet

4.2

Madness in Hamlet

4.2.1Madness in Hamlet

4.3

Guilt & Punishment in Hamlet

4.3.1Guilt in Hamlet 4.3.2Punishment in Hamlet

4.4

Settings in Hamlet

4.4.1Physical Settings & Historical Setting of Hamlet

5

Writing Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure of Hamlet 5.1.2'Play Within a Play' Structure 5.1.3Play-Acting Motif

5.2

Form

5.2.1Soliloquy 5.2.2Comedy

5.3

Imagery

5.3.1Imagery of Corruption & Decay 5.3.2Imagery: Healing, Performance & Costume

5.4

Language

5.4.1Word Usage & Hendiadys 5.4.2Questions & Classical Allusions

6

Context

6.1

Social & Historical Context

6.1.1Elizabeth I & Succession 6.1.2Cosmic & Social Hierarchy 6.1.3Renaissance & Emergence of Humanism 6.1.4Regicide 6.1.5The Reformation

6.2

Literary Context

6.2.1Seneca Tragedy 6.2.2The Revenge Tragedy

6.3

Performance & Textual History

6.3.1Performance History of Hamlet 6.3.2Textual History of Hamlet

7

Critical Debates

7.1

18-19th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.1.1Introduction to Critical Debates 7.1.218th Century Commentary on Hamlet 7.1.3Romantic Commentary on Hamlet

7.2

20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.2.1Freudian Response to Hamlet 7.2.2Other Early 20th Century Responses to Hamlet

7.3

Feminist Readings of Hamlet

7.3.1Introduction to Feminist Criticism 7.3.2Feminist Readings of Hamlet 7.3.3Presentation of Ophelia

7.4

Marxist/Political Readings of Hamlet

7.4.1Introduction to Marxist Criticisms 7.4.2Marxist Readings of Hamlet

Practice questions on Hamlet's Heroic Status

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1
What does Fortinbras say of Hamlet after his death?Multiple choice

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Hamlet's Speech & Mind

Hamlet's State of Mind