TIME+ACT+III

Throughout Hamlet there are events that occur that have extremely bad timing which create problems for the characters. An example of bad timing is shown in III.ii.391 when Hamlet says: Tis now the very witching time of night, When churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out Contagion to this world: now could I drink hot blood These lines come right after when Hamlet catches Claudius and his reactions towards the play. Hamlet now knows, for certain, that Claudius killed his father because of his expression on his face and also because he called off the play before it was over. In the first line Hamlet says, “witching time of night”. In this line Hamlet addresses the one of the motifs of time. Along with the word “witching” it describes the time which is midnight. This is known because the time in which witches were hunted was at midnight. Shakespeare could have had Hamlet say this just to allow the reader to know what time it was in the play, because throughout the play what time or day it is often a mystery. This could also explain what Hamlet is going to do next, which is to go visit his mother. Hamlet is going to speak to his mother, so “witching time” could also relate to hunting to route out the source that has changed the Queen for the worst. Also Hamlet would need to find his mother’s true soul which has been hiding, this can happen by having her realize that marrying Claudius was wrong. The second line helps describe time because Hamlet says, “churchyard yawn” and “hell itself break out”. These quotes show time related to midnight again because that is the time ghosts from the “churchyard” and the demons from “hell” wake and set loose into the world. The final line describes a different kind of time. Hamlet says, “now could I drink hot blood” this relates to timing because before the play he was anxious to catch Claudius through his emotions. He wanted Claudius to confess, and after he assumption was confirmed he was filled with anger and rage to go kill Claudius. This is bad timing was because all this anger and revenge that he want to take out onto Claudius needed to wait because his mother wanted to see him. This bad timing is common throughout Hamlet and leads to continuing conflict. Perhaps if Hamlet was not so passionate before he entered his mother’s room he may not have killed Polonius.

Liz Radtke

III.i.3. "Grating so harshly all his days of quiet" III.i.115. "This was sometime a paradox, but now the time gives it proof. I did love you once." III.i.174. "he shall with speed to England"

Throughout Hamlet, the reader never has a clear understanding of how much time passes between one scene and the next. We know that Hamlet has been acting out of the ordinary lately, but we do not know how long he has been acting like this for. In line 3, the King tells us that Hamlet has been acting depressed for days now. Although the amount of time is not very specific, it still gives us a better idea on how long he has been acting in this unusual way. The reader now knows that he has been acting this way for less than two months, which would not make it seem like the marriage had this effect on him, but something that has happened more recently that the King and Gertude are not aware of. In the second quote, Hamlet is speaking to Ophelia while the King and Polonius secretly listen to their conversation. Hamlet is discussing honesty and beauty concerning Ophelia. At one point he believed that her honesty came before beauty, but now after so much has happened he does not see her the same way. Now, at this time, he sees her in the opposite viewpoint, and realizes that he does not love her anymore. Time has passed, and his feelings for her have changed. The last quote is the King talking to Polonius, discussing the previous conversation that they heard between Hamlet and Ophelia. The King tells Polonius that Hamlet must be sent to England, and quickly! Both the King and Polonius believe that the best thing for Hamlet would be to send him to a new country, with a new atmosphere and new people so he can get over his feelings with Ophelia more quickly. Shipping Hamlet sooner, would also help prevent Hamlet from losing control of his emotions and putting someone, especially Ophelia, in danger. I'm sure that the King also has no problem getting rid of Hamlet, as he was also not supportive of his and Gertude's marriage. For the King, the sooner that Hamlet is gone, the better.

-Jess Liban