Overview/Style
Hamlet calls himself this after seeing the actor show strong emotions.
What is a coward?
This mental health struggle connects to Hamlet saying the world feels empty and joyless.
What are anxiety and depression?
"O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!" is an example of this figure of speech.
What is a Metaphor?
This emotion overwhelms Hamlet when he compares himself to the actor who cries for a fictional character.
What is self-shame?
These two short words Hamlet shouts show he is upset.
What are “Ha!” and “Fie!”?
This word describes Hamlet’s major disappointment in people and how he views humanity.
What is disillusionment?
The soliloquy uses an allusion to this "grieving mother" from Greek mythology.
Who is Hecuba?
Hamlet calls himself this kind of person because he speaks about revenge but takes no action.
What is a coward?
Hamlet uses this idea with a play to see if Claudius is guilty.
What is a play that shows the murder of Hamlet’s father?
Hamlet’s lack of trust in others mirrors how people today often feel about big systems like the government and media. What is this overall issue called?
What is a decline in trust?
Hamlet uses a metaphor to express his direct self-hatred by calling himself a "rogue" and this type of servant.
What is a Peasant Slave?
This event—performed by actors—becomes Hamlet’s plan to reveal Claudius’ guilt.
What is "The Mousetrap"?
Name two feelings Hamlet shows in the speech.
What are anger, shame, frustration, or sadness?
The arrival of the actors reminds Hamlet how powerful this form of expression can be in revealing the truth.
What is art?
This 10-syllable metric rhythm is used in the speech to highlight Hamlet's grief and self-hatred.
What is Iambic Pentameter?
Why was he hesitating to kill Claudius.
He was worried he was being tricked
Hamlet uses this type of violent description, like “tearing ears feeding kites.”
What is violent imagery?
Hamlet’s struggle to take action even when he knows what’s right relates to today’s delay in handling this major global problem.
What is climate change?
According to the slide, both the use of Iambic Pentameter and the Metaphor of the "rogue" serve to highlight this specific negative emotion in Hamlet.
What is Self-Hatred?
This is the overall “big idea” of the soliloquy: Hamlet’s inner conflict between these two things.
The struggle between his thoughts and actions