Hamlet Act I Scene 2

Hamlet 

Act I, Scene 2

• Summary

- Claudius, the new King of Denmark, addresses the court confidently on the occasion of his hasty marriage to Gertrude following the sudden death of his brother, King Hamlet.

- He deals with Young Fortinbras's threatened invasion using diplomacy.

- He grants Laerfe's suit to be allowed to return to France. Laertes is the son of Claudius's first minister, Polonius. 

- Claudius and Gertrude accuse Hamlet of mourning his father excessively and Hamlet is denied permission to return to Wittenburg. 

- Left alone on stage, the grieving Hamlet expresses his melancholy and his contempt for the King and Queen. 

- Horatio, Marcellus and Bernando tell Hamlet about the Ghost. 

• Claudius Addresses His Court

Shakespeare sets up a contrast between the first two scenes:

- The first scene has a dark, foreboding atmosphere, but in this scene, Shakespeare introduces a brightly lit and seemingly  carefree court- it's even introduced by a "Flourish" (fanfare)

-  This "Flourish" seems inappropriate, given that King Hamlet has only recently died. There's a scene that the court is pretending that everything's normal and is trying to shake off the gloom and anxiety that lay beyond the castle walls in Scene 1. 

• Shakespeare Reveals Claudius's Character

-  Shakespeare introduces Claudius as an able king but he highlights some major character flaws.

- Claudius convinces the court to accept recent events by juxtaposing his brother's death with his marriage to Gertrude. However, his speech creates an uncomfortable impression- he uses odd combinations of words such as, "defeated joy" and "mirth in funeral" which don't together.

- Claudius's behavior towards Hamlet is also questionable- he asks Hamlet to treat him like a father, saying that when he dies, Hamlet will be king. However, without his intervention, Hamlet would probably be king already. 

- The first scene hints at the widespread concerns that exist in Denmark, but this scene reveals exactly how 'rotten' the state is. Claudius's corruption is a sign that Elsinore is vulnerable. Claudius admits that Fortinbras believes that "by our late dear brother's death/Our state to be disjoint"

• Hamlet is Introduced as a Solitary Thinker

-Shakespeare's presentation of Hamlet makes

- Claudius' behavior towards Hamlet is also questionable- he asks Hamlet to treat him like a father, saying that when he dies, Hamlet will be king. However, without his intervention, Hamlet would probably be king already. 

- The first scene hints at the widespread concerns that exist in Denmark, but this scene reveals exactly how "rotten" the state is. Claudius's corruption is a sign that Elsinore is vulnerable. Claudius admits that Fortinbras believes that "by our dear brother's/ Our state to be disjoint"

• Hamlet is Introduced as a Solitary Thinker

- Shakespeare's presentation of Hamlet makes him stand out. Only Hamlet wears black mourning clothes of  "nighted color"  in visual contrast with the colorful costumes of the est of the court. His isolation is made worse by the fact that nobody else appears hostile towards Claudius.

- Gertrude even suggests that…