Bronce is working on the character analysis essay with a focus on the political Hamlet and he is spot on. The issue of succession was "the elephant in the room" during the time this play was written (around 1600), and considering how explosive discussing the future of the throne could have proven during the waning years of the Tudor dynasty, it is easy to figure out why Hamlet does not openly opine on his dashed dream of ascending to the throne. What evidence do you find that, when read against the grain, reveals Hamlet's political ambition?
For example, waiting for the play-within-the-play to begin, Claudius greets Hamlet and Hamlet responds in a quizzically ambiguous way: "Excellent, i'faith, of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons, so" (3.2.86-87). He describes how he is fed with chameleon's dish, air, and promise just as a capon (a castrated rooster) will be fed for tender and fatty meat. Earlier in Act 2 Scene 1, Claudius promised that Hamlet would be the next king and once the reader is reminded of this promise, he or she will easily associate "air" with "heir." This pun helps the reader to see the "elephant in the room," that is, Hamlet's dashed and delayed dream of becoming the king.
Bronce is working on the character analysis essay with a focus on the political Hamlet and he is spot on. The issue of succession was "the elephant in the room" during the time this play was written (around 1600), and considering how explosive discussing the future of the throne could have proven during the waning years of the Tudor dynasty, it is easy to figure out why Hamlet does not openly opine on his dashed dream of ascending to the throne. What evidence do you find that, when read against the grain, reveals Hamlet's political ambition?
For example, waiting for the play-within-the-play to begin, Claudius greets Hamlet and Hamlet responds in a quizzically ambiguous way: "Excellent, i'faith, of the chameleon's dish. I eat the air, promise-crammed. You cannot feed capons, so" (3.2.86-87). He describes how he is fed with chameleon's dish, air, and promise just as a capon (a castrated rooster) will be fed for tender and fatty meat. Earlier in Act 2 Scene 1, Claudius promised that Hamlet would be the next king and once the reader is reminded of this promise, he or she will easily associate "air" with "heir." This pun helps the reader to see the "elephant in the room," that is, Hamlet's dashed and delayed dream of becoming the king.