While answering questions over at the new place, I found an angle on the big fight scene in Act 3. What, exactly, do you think is Romeo’s plan? I realize that he wants to prevent the fight – but more specifically, is he trying to keep Mercutio from hurting Tybalt? Tybalt from hurting Mercutio? Does he even think that far?
It’s probably unanswerable, but that’s never stopped us. I think it makes for an interesting take on the character, because if he thinks “I need to hold back Mercutio before he kills Tybalt,” well then he’s basically just sold out his best friend, hasn’t he? It could be, of course, that Romeo simply went for the logical person – Tybalt was trying to kill *him* (Romeo) after all, and if Romeo suddenly stepped in from of Tybalt’s sword, that would likely not have ended well.
While we’re on the subject, can we talk about exactly what Romeo’s mistake is, here? I’ve always sort of thought of the big moment as “Romeo grabbed Mercutio.” But why, is the question. Romeo appears to walk into that fateful encounter thinking “I no longer see the Capulets as my enemy, therefore the Capulets are no threat to me.” That’s a big lapse in character judgement. Tybalt has never been a threat because he’s a Capulet. He’s a threat because he’s a bad guy. This, ironically, is something that Mercutio knew all along. Mercutio didn’t hate Tybalt because Tybalt was a Capulet. Mercutio hated Tybalt because he *is* a good judge of character, and knew that Tybalt was trouble.
Category: Shakespeare Plays
William Shakespeare is widely regarded as one of the most influential playwrights in history, and his plays have been performed and studied for centuries. From the timeless tragedy of Romeo and Juliet to the hilarious antics of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s plays continue to captivate audiences around the world. Whether you’re a fan of tragedy, comedy, or romance, there’s a Shakespeare play for everyone. So why not revisit these timeless classics and discover the magic of Shakespeare for yourself?
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Hamlet's Letter to Mom
Enter a Messenger
How now! what news?Messenger
Letters, my lord, from Hamlet:
This to your majesty; this to the queen.KING CLAUDIUS
From Hamlet! who brought them?
Messenger
Sailors, my lord, they say; I saw them not:
They were given me by Claudio; he received them
Of him that brought them.KING CLAUDIUS
Laertes, you shall hear them. Leave us.
Exit Messenger
Reads
So I was reading Hamlet Act 4 today and noticed something. The messenger brings letters, clearly stated one for the king and one for Gertrude. Claudius then reads about Hamlet’s return, he discusses the plan with Laertes, and then Gertrude arrrives to tell of Ophelia’s death.
Does Gertrude ever get her letter? What’s in it, do you think? Is any mention made of it again?
Big Think : Lear, Hamlet, and Book Burning
Next Installment from Big Think includes a boatload of questions including:
* Which Shakespeare play would you save from a fire? [ Lear for me ]
* Which play would you let burn? (Maybe it’s not worded exactly that way, but that’s what I’m taking from it). Shrew gets no love here.
* “Are you a Hamlet or a Lear guy?” and is the difference between those two really “a young play” and “an old play”?
Devon Does Denmark : A Hamlet Comedy
This sounds entertaining. Imagine telling Hamlet from the perspective of the players. As a comedy.
The focus is on a ragtag band of actors from Devon, England, playing the hinterlands. They’re far afield in Denmark, where they happen upon Hamlet, brooding over the murder of his father. Hamlet hires the troupe to stage a play for the king depicting a similar situation, hoping to catch the king’s reaction as proof that he’s the culprit.
But this is not Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” Here, the title character is a vain wimp who complains about being cold and berates his bumbling guards. Other characters are hilariously altered as well: King Claudius is an imperious twit with a speech impediment. Queen Gertrude is a martini-swilling “cougar.” And Ophelia is birdbrained klutz. In this version, the players overhear that Claudius plans to kill Hamlet. They scramble to thwart the plot and to save their own skins.
The article doesn’t say whether they keep the bloodbath at the end, or if they change it for the sake of comedy. I’d be curious.
Hamlet is down!
It’s happened again — this time it was all fun and games over in Ireland until Hamlet almost lost an eye. I’m assuming that this is a freak accident that would have happened with any stage weapon, and not one of these crazy cases where the director insists on using real weapons. What I’m most curious about, though, is this:
The A.P. said that Mr. Madden sustained a cut beneath his eye and collapsed on stage, requiring the theater company’s artistic director, Alan Stanford, to go to the stage and explain to stunned audience members that this was not part of the play: the actor had been injured, and the play could not continue.
Not “the actor could not continue” – the play could not. Isn’t it common to have some sort of second for your lead, for situations like this? Or does that only apply if the actor is not able to go on at all?
I suppose a third option is that I’m being heartless, and the cast was unable to go on because they were too distraught at the injury to their Hamlet. Though I remember professional wrestler Owen Hart *dying* on a live pay-per-view event, and the show went on.