TIME+ACT+I

Three lines that demonstrate the motif of time/timing in Act I include: -"So hallowed and so gracious is that time." (page 19, line 170) -"She married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity in incestuous sheets!" (page 31, lines 156-157) -"I would not, in plain terms, from this time forth have you slander any moment leisure as to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet." (page 47, lines 133-135)

The first line is spoken by Marcellus after he, Horatio, and Barnardo see the ghost of King Hamlet at night. Marcellus speaks of the season just before Chritmas, when birds sing all the time, no evil spirits or witchcraft is present, and the nights are wholesome. Marcellus is marveling at the time when the cock crows, causing the ghost to fade away as morning approaches. King Hamlet only makes himself known at the darkest times of night, which give him a more erie air that forces Horatio to mistrust the ghost, unsure of whether it is an evil spirit or not. The next quote is by Hamlet himself, talking about his mother and how very quickly she came to remarry after the death of her husband. Prior to this line, Hamlet seems confused as to exactly how long it has been since the death of his father, starting by saying two months, then less then two, then within a month, as he is so upset that time is all blurring together to him. For the reader time is also hazy as there is no clear indication of when each event takes place in relation to the others, letting the audience get the same feeling that the world is almost out of line and time is jumbled. Though, Hamlet is very sure that the marriage was much too hasty, with "wicked speed" that let his mother to be with his uncle in incest. This speed is also conveyed as Hamlet later says to Horatio that, "The funeral baked meats did coldly furnish forth the marriage table," meaning that the meat from the funeral is still fresh for the marriage. Throughout the rest of the novel, Hamlet continuously refers back to the fact that his mother barely grieved his father, by asking her how she liked the play, yelling at her and cutting her with words in Act III, scene 4, etc. Finally, the last line is spoken by Polonius to Ophelia as he forbids her to speak to Hamlet, "her lover" ever again. This presents a clear example of timing because it gives the king, queen, and Polonius an idea as to why Hamlet could be acting in such a way instead of them finding out his true motivations from the start. Claudius lets his guard down a moment from learning that this is a reason for why Hamlet could be so seemingly mad, yet it also brings Polonius and Ophelia into the situation, presenting conflict that could have been avoided. If Ophelia's father has forbid her to converse with Hamlet at a different time in the story, it is possible that Claudius would send his nephew away, Ophelia wouldn't have had to be part of Polonius and the King's trap, Hamlet would still have a sense of love in his heart for her, and Polonius would possibly have never been killed by Hamlet. All in all, these three lines either represent how time is mentioned so frequently in the novel or how timing is so important to this dramatic tragedy.

Katie Mastoris Lines that demonstrate the motif of time/timing are spoken by Marcellus after seeing the ghost. I. I. 163-165 It faded on the crowing of the cock. Some say that ever 'gainst tat season comes Wherein our Savior's birth is celebrated

This is relating back to the motif of time and timing by talkming about the time of day and year. In Hamlet the whole idea of time and when things are happening is not clearly stated or said at all. But timing is still an important part of the play. Such as in these three lines after Marcellus has seen then ghost outside the palace he is talking about the point in time that the ghost has appeared which is important because the ghost keeps reappearing at a certain time. The first line "It faded on the crowing of the cock." indicates the time in which the ghost left them. The a cock crows early in the morning before the sun rises giving an indication that the ghost shows up at night and leaves before the sun rises and appears at night. This is needed to be knownn since they believe it was the previous King's ghost and want Hamlet to see it. Also the time which it appears, at night, is somewhat of a bewitching hour. The next two lines indicate the time of year that the ghost has started to appear, which is important because Shakespeare although relates a lot throughout the play to the timing of things an actual time when something is taken place is all given to teh interpertation of the reader. The last to lines talk about when the "Savior's birth is celebrated" which takes place before chritsmas. These lines are jsut a small part of the play in which Shakespeare brings timing adn time into play making it very reoccuring.