WHY DON'T YOU BLINK? BLINK DAMN IT! WHAT ARE YOU?

Thank you, I needed this so desperately. I knew very little about the play until I watched this. I now have a better understanding of what has already occurred and have a base to understand what will follow this scene. Only 2 videos, would be nice if there were more.

The. Way. This Actor. Delivers. The. Lines. He. Tends. To. Have. A. Streak. Of. Anger. In. His. Voice. !!! I. Always. Imagined. Hamlet. To. Be. Completely. Devoid. Of. Anger. During. This. Monologue. !!! I. Think. The. Dominating. State. Of. Mind. In. This. Monologue. Is. Melancholia. Not. Anger. !!!

Great analysis, the acting was a bit cringy for me though

moving the speech to the beginning of the play (as in the 2015 version) was a genius move - it doesn't really work as a genuine soliloquy where it usually sits but it's too good a speech to throw away on being merely a ruse

Congratulations Professor Joe Olivieri, magnificent masterclass!

This was magnanimous, thank you very much, this made me quite reflective of the true meaning of the soliloquy, and the nature of suicide

Excellent review. Contrary to a popular opinion, I don't see Hamlet as much of a procrastinator. Lets see, Ghost telling him he speaks for his father and his uncle killed him. Note, Shakespeare is speaking through a rational (most people) ,trying to uphold morality, young (Age 16 some versions) prince about life; its contradictions, randomness and boundless complexity. And a little madness? Sure why not but you have a character who has attained such a heightened awareness..

Thank you for making this 🙏

Thank you. You are just wonderful in analysis of the play !!!

thank you for this wonderful gift of excellent and articulate teaching and intelligent comment and also good acting, God bless you! from paul in Japan

THIS WAS SO HELPFUL

Thank you so much for your hard work, the video was really helpful❤

In my view, this soliloquy describes all the reflections that any person has when contemplating suicide as a possible solution to end the suffering in life. To me, it's crystal clear. Every word and every sentence of the text refer to this very moment. It doesn't mean that Hamlet (like many other 'real' persons) is going to keep thinking on it, it's a moment within desperation, confusion and pain in which he considers an option that it is simply there to every human being. And it is an intimate reflection, asking questions to oneself, not shouting and spitting words to the audience in a fit of rage. Just my opinion.

Thank you for the video

This is awesome eish fulky of zeal and enthusiasm

The analysis is really dope

Excellent video, I'm upset seeing there are only two on this channel ! I hope that you will restart it. (Sorry if I made mistakes, I'm not English-speaking ;) )

this was great!

I enjoyed the analysis, but the actor performing the scene is making me cringe.

Thank you

Awesome!

I always read this soliloquy with a depressive and wonderous tone from Hamlet. I don't know if that's accurate to how it's usually represented in the play but I find it the most engaging for myself.

Makes us "endure" the difficulties...

Gotta love free education!

nice video dude

Your analysis is very good. I think most people concentrate too much on the suicide theme. Whether Hamlet is contemplating it or not is interesting and as an audience we can add that to the meaning of the play. But it is not in the play. Suicide would be a sin and Hamlet makes it known he won’t kill himself because of this. At no point in the play does he attempt suicide. Or any other character for that matter. The story is about action vs thinking. Examples of both are throughout the play. Over planning and backing away from revenge such as the players performance. Also, not killing the king while he was praying. Another example is Claudius not killing Hamlet when he should have. He sends him off to England. He schemes with Laertes to poison Hamlet. As for quick action, Hamlet rashly stabs Polonius without thought. So, to act or not to act ... both courses lead to death. That is the genius of the play. But there is no suicide here.

It is very useful analysis

well done , great presentation, I think Hamlet thinks too much but reaches no decisive resolution , I wonder whether his procrastination is due to his nobility not to do something wrong or due to his cowardice

Wow this was amazing, although I wish, you had acted the part instead. He over acts.

I think Hamlet is terrified of death. He's not contemplating his suicide but rather going through the consequences of taking action or not taking action. To live, but feel dead because of the inability to avenge his father's death - or kill Claudius and be sentenced to death himself. To be a man, and die, or be nothing. But then again, it's just one way to see it. There's no easy explanation to it and that's what makes the monologue so brilliant.

dear sir please do on "fair is the foul and foul is fair"-Macbeth.

The speaker here asks why Hamlet doesn't act to kill Claudius even as he answers the question: Hamlet fears that the ghost may be the devil appearing in a familiar form to deceive him. This is why he has to test the ghost's information with the play. Once he is convinced that Claudius is guilty, Hamlet tries to kill him at the first opportunity -- not when Claudius is praying, which Hamlet believes would send him to heaven, but when he catches (as he thinks) Claudius eavesdropping on him and his mother. He strikes without hesitation then, and it is only ill luck that he kills Polonius instead. Claudius realizes that Hamlet is hellbent on revenge, so he sends him off to England immediately, where he has confidence that the King of England will kill Hamlet for him.

Yessir

Good😍

Thank you so much Professor. This really helped me to understand the character and his intentions! I do have one question however, the last 3 lines of the monologue says, 'Soft you now, Ophelia? Nymph, in they Orisons Be all my sins remembered' You didn't break these down? Can you please explain them?

Very interesting! Would it be wrong to look at this piece mainly as a contemplation of suicide though?

Didn't care for the acting. Analysis was very helpful

why are u giving spoilers man

The Hamlet in this video is a bit of a ham, if you asked me. He's no Olivier.

Please write the soliloquy

Brill

Why did they get Eric Forman's brother to act it out? It was pretty bad. Great analysis, however.

Due process.

You are making an assumption when you say that Hamlet "must" avenge his father's death. He is offered that possibility, and is challenged by this offer, and this is what he is contemplating.

PITCH bro not pith! Think of a pitchfork... Thrusting forward, great pitch and moment.

Way to many musical interludes.

OMGERD HSC :(

This is a fine summary of the play overall. However, Shakespeare's genius was his ability to empathize with feelings that OTHER people experience. Your comment "We can't root for one seeking the courage to kill himself" lacks this empathy. When you actually experience total injustice combined with only animalistic apathy from other people, there is nothing noble about continuing to exist as a punching bag for deranged authorities' power trips at the expense of your own dignity. Visit my channel for my reading of this soliloquy, and see how someone who is in a similar situation to Hamlet handles this speech. I'm not an actor, yet I would wager that Shakespeare himself would appreciate my reading. It requires empathy to comprehend just how excruciating this inner conflict really is, and how sensible the "abhorrent" solution really might be. Or would everyone else feel better if the subject continues to live in utter misery, since they certainly won't offer material assistance? (If others are *that* self-absorbed and insensitive, that alone is a good reason to want out of this world).

To be or not to be¿? IAM is the only answer

this soliloquy has no exclamation points in it. it is somber, self-searching, dreamy, desperate, curious... actor, why are you screaming and doing it all so blandly? why do you not emphasize the playfulness of words? why do you not give enough weight to its sorrowful depths? why does it sound so obviously like a recital of memorized words intended for an audience, rather than a natural conversation with one's own soul?

Gh

Cowardness is not a word. Try cowardice. Sorry

Hamlet was too much like Barack Obama: overthinks a matter and never takes action.

Wow that’s is some really horrible acting I can do this better

Great analysis. Bad acting. Sorry, my guy. Play Laertes.

Hamlet has nothing to do with suicide. We're teaching kids that when life sucks the only way out is suicide. This is BS. He is contemplating leaving the kingdom and the fortune and fame of being a prince. While he's dying he sleeps to dream and numb the pain. He is contemplating WAKING UP. to die to sleep NO MORE