The Closet scene

The task wanted us to analyse an extract (lines 1-16 from) from “the closet scene” which is part of “Hamlet” written by William Shakespeare. First of all the name of the scene gives the reader the information that this part of the drama is taken place in an inner place. This might be a metaphor to refer to the inner feelings of the main character: Hamlet.

In this scene, Hamlet wants to make a comparison between two portraits of his father (the old king) and his uncle (new king). He wants to make his mother understand that she should not have married his uncle and that she should not have any kind of relationship with him any longer.

First of all in Shakespeare’s time portraits were psychological representations, as a consequence they give the observer an idea of how was the figure (he/she) like.

Hamlet uses the imperative to speak to his mother because he is not insecure, he is not hesitant, he knows what he wants. He wants to change his mother’s mind about the new king. He wants his mother to regret what she has done.

In the first line Hamlet invites his mother to look at the two pictures to make a comparison between the two man represented. (Look here upon this picture and on this/ The counterfeit presentment of two brothers). Hamlet says the demonstrative adjective “this” to underline that he is quite near to his mother in the scene. He uses also the word “brothers” to underline of the great differences between the two man who are actually really close together since they are brothers.

Hamlet starts his comparison from his father. This is not a case, as a matter of fact, he wants to highlight both the great esteem he feels for his father and his greatness. As a result he wants to magnify his father, the old king.

The main character carries on drawing his mother’s attention to his dead father brow. (See what a grace was seated on this brow). Hamlet uses the word “grace” to describe his father’s brow. This word belong to the semantic area of the divine. This means that Hamlet wants to put his father to the same level of God. The brow is a metaphor to refer to the great qualities of his father which are graceful.

Hamlet keeps on making a comparison between the features of his father and other gods. (Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;/An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;/A station like the herald Mercury New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill;). He says that his hair is curly like the Hyperion. In Shakespeare’s time curly hair was a symbol of elegance and beauty. Jove in the ancient Rome was the king among the gods, as a consequence Hamlet wants to underline that his father was a unique leader. Mars was the god of war. Hamlet says that his father’s eyes are like the Mars’ ones, to threaten and command, to underline that he was a great commander. The furthest god quoted is Mercury. He is the symbol for intelligence since he is able to analyse the word with different points of view. As a matter of fact, as regarding legends, Mercury was able to evaluate the world from both the “male point of view” and the female one.

Hamlet wants to underline the elegance of his father comparing him to Mercury who is just landed on a heaven-kissing hill.

The main character adds that his father was the result of the seals of the whole gods. (A combination and a form indeed,/Where every god did seem to set his seal,/To give the world assurance of a man:)

Hamlet concludes the description of his father saying “This was your husband”. Again here the main character wants to focus on the greatness of his father, in opposition with his uncle. As a matter of fact Hamlet says “look you now what follows”. He uses a tone of command with his mother: there is no trace of hesitation to underline his anger.

Hamlet keeps on making a similarity  between a diseased ear of corn and the new king. He says that his uncle infects also his brother. The main character makes this comparison to makes his mother regret what she is doing. (Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,/Blasting his wholesome brother). As a matter of fact Hamlet carries on saying “Have you eyes?/ Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,/And batten on this moor?”. He wants his mother to stop having any kind of relationships with his new husband since there will be no other great men like her old one.