Hamlet #4

Worried about Hamlet, Claudius and Gertrude ask Hamlet's friends from school to come and visit. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern bring Hamlet's favorite players along with them when they come to Denmark. After greeting the players, Hamlet requests a short performance when he says, "Come, a passionate speech" (II.ii.415). Although Hamlet is not specific in his original request, it does not take long to discover what Hamlet really wants to hear. Hamlet wishes to hear a speech about Pyrrhus, the notorious Greek hero. Pyrrhus took down the city of Troy and brutally murdered their king to avenge his father's death. The players speech includes gory details about the king's murder: "[The queen of Troy] saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport/In mincing with his sword her husband's limbs"(II.ii.493-494). Hamlets request to hear the violent story of the downfall of Troy connects back to his intentions to kill his uncle. Like Pyrrhus, Hamlet hopes to kill the man who killed his father. The violent nature of the speech reveals the depth of Hamlet's hatred for his uncle. The inclusion of Pyrrhus cutting Priam into pieces suggests that Hamlet wants to do something similar to his uncle. Although Hamlet hates Claudius, Hamlet wants further proof that his uncle actually killed King Hamlet. At the end of the scene Hamlet devises a plan to determine Claudius' guilt.