Whenever you are analyzing a passage, it is important to
remember the context of the lines. At this point in they play, Hamlet knows for sure
that Claudius is guilty of murdering King Hamlet, but Prince Hamlet has not been able to
take direct action against him and now he is being sent to England because he killed
Polonius and Claudius fears what his next action may be. Hamlet has just heard about
Fortinbras's plans to fight for a worthless piece of land in Poland just for the honor
of doing so. He seems to admire Fortinbras for his resolve to
action.
Here are a few things to notice -- but there are
several others:
1. The opening sentence is almost a
conclusion statement and Hamlet is clearly expressing his frustration over his current
situation.
2. The second sentence is a rhetorical question
that uses a metaphor. Hamlet asks for man, in particular him is just an animal, a
beast, that eats and sleeps. He goes on this theme for the next several
lines
3. Alliteration is used in line 54: Hamlet is
commenting on Fortinbras's actions in his cause saying that he does it despite the fact
that "fortune, death and danger dare." The alliteration is used for emphasis of those
ideas.
4. Metaphor is used in line 55: This is the
completion of the sentence from above. He calls Poland an eggshell -- something
worthless; something that most people throw away with little
regard.
5. A simile is used in line 64 when Hamlet says
that he thinks Fortinbras's soldiers are fighting and heading toward their possible
death as easily as if they were going to sleep. He says that "for a trick of fame
(they) go to their graves like beds."
6. Hamlet uses
hyperbole when he suggests that so many will die in this fight that there is "not tomb
enough and continent (earth) to hide the slain." Clearly this is an
overstatement.
7. In his final line Hamlet says his
thoughts will be "bloody." Clearly, thoughts can't be bloody, but this metaphor implies
that the thought will be ABOUT blood -- specially his need to
avenge his father's murder.
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