The closet scene

Analyses v.v.1-15

In line 1 Hamlet speaks with an imperative tone with the word "Look here apon" in order to rebuche his mother for her behavior. The repetition "this" and "this" introduces us to the comparison between his father and his uncle.

In line 2 "The portrait of two brothers". Even if they are brothers, they are very different. Hamlet speaks of a "counterfeit" portrait because his uncle is disloyal and unfaithful.

In line 3  He is addressing to his mother, inviting her to focus her attention on the brow of Hamlet's father rich in grace. The brow is a metaphor to speak about the grace, his father had.

 In line 4  He is emphasizing his father's hair, which has got a mark of elegance (curls). Hamlet is comparing his father to a deus, explaining to his mother that his father was perfect.

In line 5  Here Hamlet is referring to another God.Hamlet is comparing his father to the king of war, Mars himself, who is able to threat and command people. He wants to underline the skills the abilities. His father comes out as a figure with qualities as a leader. He was the king.

In line 6 Hamlet continues to compare his father to a God . He describes his father as a divinity thus trying to make his mother feel guilty. In the last three lines we found a sort of trilogy.

In line 7 "New lighted on  heaving-kissing hill-". He makes a close up of his father; he magnificence the figur of the father.

In lines 8-9  Hamlets evidences that his father is perfect: he is teh combination between contenents and forms. The light is the perfect way to God, and to reach Salvation.

In line 10 After having  evidenced all his divine aspects he arrives to the "man". His father was a man who summed up all the best aspects of the Gods cited before.

In line 11 The use of the simple past evidences the differences between the two brothers. The verb "follows" makes Claudius seem just a bad copy.

In line 12 He wants that his mother looks at his uncle. Hamlet describes his uncle underlining his ugly aspects, and accusing him to infect his brother (Hamlet's father): Claudius is compared to a contagious desease. The contrast between his father and his uncle is underlined by the verses "This was your husband" and "Here is your husband" between what it was and what it is now. The language makes the reader understand the gap between the two men.

In line 13 He criticizes his mother for her choice. The verb to blast has got eighter a connotative or a denotative funtion.While his father had got eyes like Mars, Hamlet is now asking his mother if she has got eyes at all.

In lines 14-15  He is asking his mother how could she have married his uncle that is compared with a "moor" and his father to a "fair mountain". We find again the metaphor of a mountain (it was a hill in line7) when Hamlet speaks of his father,he is taller than the other, who is compared with a moor. He was better. Here Shakespeare opposes the two man by opposing height and lowness either on a physical or on a spiritual point of view Besides even the verbs "to feed" and "to batten" evidence the gap between the father and Claudius: the first has a positive connotation while the second has a negative one. Hamlet is acting as a jealeus baby. He is angry with is mother. 

Portrait

•1.     (noun) a painting, drawing or photograph of a person, especially of the head of shoulders: example : He had his portrait painted in uniform.

•2.    A detailed description of sb/sth: example: A portrait of life at the French court

To portray (verb)

•1.     To show sb/sth in a picture; to describe sb/sth in a piece of writing

•2.    ~ sb/sth (as sb/sth)  to describe or show sb/sth in a particular way, especially when this does not give a complete accurate impression of what they are like

 Portrayal (noun)

•1.     The act of showing or describe sb/sth in a picture, play, book, etc; a particular way in which this is done: example :He is best known for his chilling portrayal of Hannibal Lecter.