The Close scene act III scene 4

Analysis v.v. 16-36

In line 15  Hamlet asks again his mother if she has got eyes at all. Sight should have been one of the senses that should have made her aware of her wrong choice.

In lines 16-17  Hamlet is underlining that his mother is too old to follow passion and instinct

In lines 18-19  Hamlet is rebuking his mother for her choice and he is asking her how could she step from this to this. Shakespeare here uses the repetition "this" "this" to point out the differences between the two brothers. The language is helping the meaning.

In lines 20-21 He is saying that his mother has got senses but she can't use them in the right way.

In lines 22-23-24 Hamlet says that her senses have no capacity to choose between these two brothers.

In lines 24-25 Hamlet is asking his mother what devil has decided to make she play blind man's buff. Again we notice the importance of the sight. He does not believe that his mother is really guilty and responsible for her bad choice; some devil is guilty for it.

In line 26 Hamlet says that her eyes are without touch and without sight.

In line 27 He is saying that his mother hasn't got any sense at all.

In line 28 Senses, even only one sick sense, shouldn't have made her confused.

In line 29 Here Shakespeare uses a change of tone and there is a break.

In lines 30-31-32 Again Hamlet speaks of the devil, "Rebellious hell" which is responsible of the behavior of his mother. Human body seems to be controlled by a rebellious devil.

In line 33 We find again the word "shame" which according to Hamlet should have stopped his mother.

In line 34 "The compulsive ardour" is the metaphor for youth.

In line 35 "Frost" is the metaphor for the mature age of his mother, she is supposed to be too old to feel sexual desires.

In line 36 Shakespeare uses these stong words to underline the lack of will of Hamlet's mother. Reason should be guide to the will.