Quote Analysis

Quote

Speaker/

Significance (Why does it matter?

Themes it addresses? How does it
develop the character(s)?)

Language (Figurative language?

Multiple meaning words? Tone/Mood?)

Gertrude/
While she
was
watching
the play

This is a significant quote

because Gertrude speaks about
how she feels about the play
and how the Player Queen acts.
This develops her character
because it shows that she is
frustrated because that is not
how she acted in real life.

This quote shows multiple

meanings because although she is
criticizing the Player Queen, its
because the Player Queen is
acting like her and Gertrude
believes that she is exaggerating
how it really happened.

Hamlet to
Ophelia
right before
the play
begins

Hamlet is telling Ophelia that

the meaning of the play will be
revealed by the actors and are
meant to spill the beans on
what is happening. This quote
addresses the theme of
revenge in that Hamlet puts on
the play to find out if Claudius
conscience is clean or if he did
actually kill his brother. Hamlet
in a way becomes obsessed
with the play, he wants the
actors to act a certain way so
when the time comes in the play
when the cousin kills his uncle
hopefully a reaction from
Claudius will put in motion his
revenge plans. Themes that
arise are women and honor.
Hamlet dislikes women and the
way they deceive people and
how they are not honorable to
their husbands just like his
mother. Women are no good.
The struggle between hamlet
and his mother's relationship
grows with this quote in place.

Hamlet mood is excited for Ophelia

and the rest of the people to see
the play. When he says they cant
keep counsel he means the
players will tell all the players cant
hide from the crowd.

context
The lady doth protest
too much methinks.

The players cannot

keep counsel.

I will speak daggers

to her, but use
none.

Hamlet
before he
enters
Gertrudes
closet

This quote shows anger in

Hamlet towards his mother but
also shows Hamlets loyalty
toward his father because he will
not harm his mother. Hamlet was
probably going to kill his mother
and Claudius but the ghost of his
father persuaded him to just talk
to her and she will understand
what happened. Hamlet is
honoring his father by listening
and following his directions on
how to deal with his mother.
Hamlet anger towards his mother
simmers down after talking to the
ghost, he says she has a weak
mind and heart , she cant help it.

The language in this quote is ironic

because although Hamlet says he
will use no daggers, he used one
to slice the curtain and kill
Polonius. The ghost is pretty
demanding in tone telling Hamlet
at all costs do not kill your mother.
When he says the quote he means
he will speak with the force of a
dagger but not actually use a
dagger.

Get thee to a
nunnery.

Hamlet/
While he
was talking
to Ophelia

Hamlet ends his relationship

with Ophelia this turns Ophelia
crazy and she ends up killing
herself because of it. This quote
addresses the women theme
and how they are nothing but
trouble you can't trust them
because theyll end up just
cheating on you, going behind
your back. Hamlet expresses
his true dislike for women and
what they were made to do on
this earth just create more
sinners to mess up the world.

This quote changes the tone of the

story because people now believe
that Hamlet is crazy because of
this. Also, Ophelia is hurt by this
because she loves Hamlet. Mood
is very somber because Ophelia is
heartbroken and Hamlet has lost it.
Hamlet is telling Ophelia she needs
to wash her body of her sins as a
women

Alas, how ist with

you, that you do
bend your eye on
vacancy.

Gertrude is
talking to
Hamlet
after
seeing him
talk to
space

This quote shows how Hamlet

might not just be acting crazy,
but has actually become crazy.

Gertrude doesn't know it but she is

alluding to the ghost Hamlet was
talking to. Bend your eye means
like look in the direction off into
space and talking to no one into
particular

Thou hast thy father

Gertrude is

This quote by Gertrude enrages

This quote is ironic in that she is

much offended.

talking to
Hamlet
after the
fiasco at
the
play.She is
not happy
with
Hamlets
actions

Hamlet into saying Mother, you

have my father much offended.
This is basically ousting her
about marrying the king's
brother in just a few months
after his death. This is
significant because Hamlet
goes on a rant and Polonius
makes a noise as he listens in
on the convo prompting Hamlet
to kill him and set the revenge
cycle into play.

talking about Claudius but she

offended king Hamlet by marrying
his brother/ murderer soon after his
death. Gertrude is disappointed in
Hamlets actions by making
claudius mad. Hamlet is enraged
that his mother would marry
another man so quickly after his
fathers death.

Call me what
instrument you will,
though you can fret
me, you cannot play
upon me.

Hamlet is
talking to
Rosencran
tz and
Guildenste
rn

In this quote Hamlet is calling

out Rosencrantz and
Guildenstern for spying on him
and working for Claudius as his
spies. He basically says I know
what you're doing and you can't
fool me you might think im crazy
but im not. A theme that this
quote addresses is appearance
vs reality because Rosencrantz
and Guildenstern think Hamlet
is crazy and are trying to figure
out why but its all and act.
Hamlet shows the two spies that
he is actually not insane and
knows whats going on, it was
all a game he was playing with
them.

What Hamlet is really saying is that

you can't play me for a fool like you
would an ordinary instrument.
Tone/Mood is enraged hamlet is
tired of all the sneaking behind his
back and planning things to try and
figure out what is wrong with him.
Hamlet uses an instrument to
symbolize himself.

Now might I do it,

now he is praying.

Hamlet
sees
Claudius
praying
and is
deciding
whether to
kill him or
not

Hamlet is debating whether to

kill Claudius or not he decides
not to because Claudius is
currently praying and if he kills
him then hell go straight to
heaven. This addresses the
theme of revenge Hamlet has
the perfect opportunity to kill
claudius avenging his father but

Hamlet is eager to avenge his

fathers death by killing Claudius
but he cant or else Claudius will go
to heaven. It is like your protected
by god when praying so if
someone does anything to you
when praying they will suffer the
consequences and you will reap
the benefits.

decides not to because he

wants Claudius to suffer for his
crimes in hell not heaven.
Hamlet seems unstable
throughout the play but he
knows exactly what hes doing
he has a plan to deceive people
so he can get the ultimate
revenge.
To be or not to be.

Hamlet is
pondering
over the
thought of
killing
himself
and if life is
really
worth it

Hamlet is asking if life is really

worth living for. All the troubles
that we face and the daily
heartbreak is it really worth
living when we could just end it
all. The unknown about after
death is what keeps Hamlet
from doing it. This quote shows
that Hamlet might actually be
losing it or that the death of his
father is really getting to him
and he can't take the pain
anymore. This quote connects
to the theme of complexity of
action, in that Hamlet is trying to
figure out what to do with
himself.

Quote

Speaker/
context

Significance (Why does it

matter? Themes it
addresses? How does it
develop the character(s)?)

Language (Figurative language? Multiple

meaning words? Tone/Mood?)

Hamlet is
talking to
Gertrude
after killing
Polonius

This quote and act of

killing Polonius forces
Claudius to ship Hamlet
off to be killed and puts
lateres in revenge

Tone is anger and disgust with his

mothers reaction to killing polonius
when she married a murderer.
When he says a bloody deed he's
alluding to killing Polonius. Hamlet

A bloody deed.
Almost as bad, good
mother, as kill a king
and marry with his
brother.

this quote has multiple meaning in

that it means to stay alive or to kill
myself. Or to avenge my father or
not to avenge my father. To love or
not to love any different things the
quote could correlate to. This
scene has a very somber tone to it
because Hamlet is really down on
himself and cant get over the loss
of his father.

I like him not, nor

stands it safe with us
to let his madness
rage.

who was
hiding
behind a
tapestry
she is
crying
about the
horrible
deed

mode. Also Hamlet calls

out his mom for
marrying a killer and he
thinks because she
married Claudius she
might have something
to do with the murder.
The theme of murder is
addressed Hamlet is
suggesting that his
mother had something
to do with his fathers
death even though he
knows she didnt.
Hamlet has truly
become a revenge
seeking animal and is
maddened by the
murder of his father.

is very sarcastic when he says

good mother because no good
mother would marry her husbands
brother two months after his death.

Claudius is
telling
Rosencran
tz and
Guildenste
rn that will
be going
with
hamlet to
england.
this is after
the play
has
commence
d

Claudius has had

enough of Hamlets
shenanigans and he
knows that Hamlet
knows about what he
did, in killing his brother.
Claudius is getting rid of
Hamlet so that Hamlet
does not end up killing
him or getting someone
else to kill him.
Corruption is a big
theme with this quote
getting rid of the prince
by killing him because
he knows Claudius
secret without
discussing it with his
mother. Claudius is
afraid of Hamlet and
what he is going to do
now but before he was
not worried because he

Claudius is very paranoid in having

to deal with Hamlet and his
madness. This quote foreshadows
Hamlets actions because he goes
crazy for revenge against Claudius.
Its ironic how Claudius sent Rosen
and Guild to get Hamlet killed but
they are the ones who get killed.

knew Hamlet did not

know about the murder.
If thou wilt needs
marry, marry a fool;
for wise men know
well enough what
monsters you make
of them.

Hamlet
goes on a
rant
towards
Ophelia
talking
about how
women are
evil

This scene and quote is

basically the end of
Hamlet and Ophelia's
relationship. Hamlet
complains about how all
women are sinners and
do nothing but cheat and
create more sinners.
Women play a huge role
in theme in Hamlet, such
as how they are treated
as less than men and
how horrible they are in
Hamlets eyes, even his
mother. This shows how
Hamlet has really lost it
all he does is go on rants
about women and his
feelings no one really
knows what's going on
with him but he does he
knows its all a face he
puts on.

Hamlets tone and mood in this

section of the book is very harsh,
hes telling Ophelia that she is a
sinner and witch who turns men into
monsters. Fools are basically stupid
men who don't know any better.

Be not too tame

neither, but let your
own discretion be
your tutor.

Hamlet is
directing
the players
on how
they
should act
on stage
while
performing

Hamlet wants the play

to run well so he can
get his point across to
spark a reaction from
Claudius to see if he
really had something to
do with his fathers
death. Basically what he
is saying is even though
i'm telling you do this
stuff on stage just act
with the flow don't force
anything.

Hamlet uses personification when

saying let your discretion be your
tutor. Hamlet is very eager for the
play to go well and as planne.
When he says be not too tame he
means act natural in a way don't
force the action.

O, step between her

The ghost

The ghost of Hamlets

Again personification is used in the

and her fighting soul.

Conceit in weakest
bodies strongest
works. Speak to her,
Hamlet.

is giving
Hamlet
advice
when
talking to
his mother

father is telling Hamlet

to seek out his mother
and tell her what truly
happened to him
because Claudius has
persuaded her and her
weak heart. He should
be able to persuade her
because he is her son.
This relates to the
theme of family ties
because you trust what
your family tells you or
thats what Hamlets dad
is thinking in this
situation. This
encounter with the
ghost makes Hamlet
want to save his mother
from Claudius and not
hate his mother like he
did before knowing she
had a weak heart.

text when the ghost says her

fighting soul. The quote has
multiple meanings, the ghost is
getting that the queen is weak
minded and easily persuaded by
Claudius and Hamlet needs to
explain what happened.

My words fly up, my

thoughts remain
below. Words without
thoughts never to
heaven go.

Claudius is
praying
and trying
to repent
his sins

Claudius realizes what

he has done and that
Hamlet knows as well.
Hes praying to the
heavens to protect even
though he has sinned.
But what he is saying
has no meaning so it
will never get to heaven.
This quote brings the
themes of religion and
revenge. Claudius is
unable to repent
because of the
magnitude of his actions
and he dont actually
feel sorrow for what he
did. Hamlet deserves to
kill Claudius. It needs to

My words fly up is personification

also he is alluding to heaven when
claudius says that. He alludes to
hell when he says his thoughts
remain below. Words without
thought means what you are saying
is not going to mean anything if you
truly don't mean it.

be done. We see a
different side of
Claudius, one who is
afraid for the future his
past slowly but surely
coming back to haunt
him for his acts. Doing
anything he can not to
get killed and go to Hell.
That even our loves
should with our
fortunes change. For
tis a question left us
yet to prove, whether
love lead fortune, or
else fortune love.

Player
King is
talking to
Player
Queen

The Player King is

saying that if fortune
should change from rich
to poor or poor to rich
love is unreliable. You
can never really know if
someone loves you
unless they stick with
you through the hard
times if not they are just
fake. The players are
basically calling out the
Queen and Claudius in
front of everyone. Honor
and appearance vs.
reality are themes
sought to be in this
quote the Player King is
calling out Gertrudes
honor saying that if you
truly loved King Hamlet
you would've never
married again.

There are multiple meanings in the

text in that he says love can change
with the movement of different
circumstances but it can be the
other way around as well.