Jeanelle Hollenbaugh Dr. Hancock Final Research Paper 14 December 2010 Into the Ma ness !

hakespeare create man" heroes. He ga#e li$e to #illains o$ the most %retche eceit

an &ealous". His %orks ha#e kno%n the $air mai en as commonl" as the" ha#e kno%n the con$i ant. In the mi st o$ these constants' lies one more tragic abo#e all( the $allen hero. )his grie#ous role is recogni*e in !hakespeare+s trage "' Hamlet' a pla" that has been sub&ect to countless anal"ses an harshl" contra icte theoretical approaches. ,lau e -e#i.!trauss is a theorist %ith reno%ne i eas' an one o$ those i eas applies e/0uisitel" %ith Hamlet. !hakespeare uses !trauss+s theor" o$ binar" opposition to gi#e certain characters ob#ious' strong oppositions against each other that mirror Prince Hamlet+s inner con$licts' the con$licts that ultimatel" lea to Hamlet+s sel$ estruction. From the se#enteenth centur" still through our a"' Hamlet capti#ates some o$ our greatest intellectual min s. In the eighteenth centur"' criticism o$ !hakespeare+s %ork 1$inall" cr"stalli*e into a $ormal entit"2 3,onklin 45. Romanticism' as %ell as sentimentalism' %as a great contributor to%ar earl" !hakespearean criticism. Formalism pla"e a ma&or role to the beginning o$ the 1600s. ,onklin points out that' 17it is possible to see in 8that9 eca e a #er" noticeable alteration in both the tone an content o$ %hat is sai concerning Hamlet. :earl" e#er" critic' in some respect' sho%s it2 3;<5. )he resilient pla" has un ergone French criticism' =erman criticism an >nglish tra itions' not to mention the repetition o$ all o$ the abo#e at

Hollenbaugh i$$erent' $uture times. ?hat about the approach being use in this paper@ !tructuralism %asn+t e#elope until the 1AB0s. ,lau e -e#i.!trauss' born in 1A06' $irst

articulate the i ea that structure is base on pro$oun oppositions %ithin literature an that these binaries hol as true structural groun ings' keeping language stea " on their tension. !tructuralism is all about the how. )he structuralist isn+t satis$ie %ith the meaning o$ the %orkC he %ants to kno% ho% the structure o$ the %ork creates the meaning. !trauss sai ' 1I there$ore claim to sho%' not ho% men think in m"ths' but ho% m"ths operate in men+s min s %ithout their being a%are o$ that $act.2 )he branches o$ structuralism are pro$oun ' an the theor" o$ binaries is crucial to un erstan the structuralist+s approach. ?hile opposition can be $oun through the structure o$ the plot' the s"mbols' etcetera' Hamlet hol s great emphasis on the binaries bet%een' as %ell as %ithin' characters. Hamlet is %o#en through %ith opposing $orces. !hakespeare %rites man" characters in a $lat manner' allo%ing a single' in i#i uall" set stereot"pe $or a goo portion o$ the supporting characters. )hese characters' themsel#es' $re0uentl" pro#e binaries to one another. !hakespeare utili*es these out%ar harbors %ithin himsel$. Dne binar" has contribute to the structure o$ Hamlet in man" i$$erent situationsC lo"al #erses traitorous. )he supporting character labele 0uintessentiall" as the lo"al $rien is Horatio. His isposition can be seen e#en in the $irst %or Horatio speaks in the pla". ?hen Francisco in0uires' 1?ho is there'2 Horatio respon s' 1Frien s to this groun 2 3!hakespeare 45. Frien liness is Horatio+s nature. !tan ing $aith$ull" b" Hamlet+s si e' supporting him %hen e#er"one else is 0uestioning his moti#es an sanit"' is a $ollo%.through Horatio hol s all the %a" past Hamlet+s eath. >arl" in the pla"' Hamlet an Horatio+s manner o$ greeting assures the ispla"s o$ opposition to re$lect the same con$licting traits that Hamlet

Hollenbaugh rea er that Horatio is the lo"al $rien . 1HDRE)ID Hail "our lor ship. HEM->) I am gla to see "ou %ell2 3!hakespeare <15. )his a$$ection hol s strong in Horatio+s heart as he' later' mourns his $rien +s tragic eath. 1HDRE)ID :o% cracks a noble heart. =oo night' s%eet prince' an $lights o$ angels sing thee to th" rest2 3!hakespeare 26<5.

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Horatio+s opposition is $oun in =uil enstern an Rosencrant*. )hese $rien s o$ Hamlet+s $rom his past accept a eceit$ul erran $rom the Fueen an Ging' to sp" on Hamlet. 1=HI-D>:!)>R: M" honore lor . RD!>:,RE:)I M" most ear lor . HEM->) M" e/cellent goo $rien sJ Ho% ost thou =uil erstern@ Eh' Rosencrant*J =oo la s' ho% o "ou both2 3!hakespeare A45. )hese ol $rien s trick Hamlet' acting like $rien s but secretl" sp"ing on him an reporting to his greatest enemies' his parents. ,lau e -e#i.!trauss sai ' 1-anguage is a $orm o$ human reason' %hich has its internal logic o$ %hich man kno%s nothing.2 !trauss is suggesting that structure hol s logic' an !hakespeare has taken the structuralist binaries' but he crams them into one character' an Hamlet ne#er reall" ha a chance o$ 1human reason2 because o$ that inner con$lict. )hese potent emonstrations o$ mutuall" e/clusi#e personalit" traits buil themsel#es up insi e Hamlet+s min . Hamlet+s character' structure on a shak" $oun ation o$ clashing #irtues' $alters throughout the pla". Dne the one han ' Hamlet $eels like he shoul be the lo"al $rien Kson' especiall" a$ter being sent on the 0uest o$ re#enge $or his $ather+s ghost' %ho sa"s' 1Re#enge 8,lau ius+s9 $oul an most unnatural mur er2 3!hakespeare B45. Ho%e#er' Hamlet reali*es being

Hollenbaugh lo"al to one $ather means betra"al o$ the other. 1HEM->) ?h"' %hat an ass am IJ )his is most bra#e' that I' the son o$ a ear $ather mur ere ' prompte to m" re#enge b" hea#en an hell' must' like a %hore' unpack m" heart %ith %or s all $all a.cursing like a #er" rab' a scullion2 3!hakespeare 11A5.

Hamlet is con$licte ' $eeling like a co%ar because he can+t betra" his uncle' the king' but a lack o$ #engeance on ,lau ius means betra"al o$ his late $ather+s last re0uest o$ him. )he ne/t binar" is broa er' encompassing e#er" character in the pla". !ometimes structure is more about the %hole rather minute etails. 1Gno%ing the structure o$ an atom gi#es us a certain po%er o#er %hole masses o$ matter. E ma&or moti#e behin structuralist in#estigations o$ literar" phenomena is the esire to obtain a similar e/change o$ mass $or energ". Lut the onl" e/plosions to be obtaine here are mental ones( $lashes o$ literar" un erstan ing that come $rom a thorough grasp o$ $un amental literar" structures2 3!choles 415. )his opposition seems massi#e compare to smaller' more speci$ic binaries. It is the opposing states o$ e/istenceMali#e or ea . >ach character' ob#iousl"' is one o$ the t%o' but a $e% o$ the roles ispla" superbl" the e/tremes o$ these states o$ being. Lecause %e are ac0uainte %ith Dphelia' %e kno% her thoughts' $eelings an actions' her eath seems to be easier to grasp %hile remaining &ust as tragic' i$ not more so' than the eaths o$ others' like Ging Hamlet. 1FH>>: Lut long it coul not be till that her garments' hea#" %ith their rink' pulle the poor %retch $rom her melo ious la" to mu " eath2 3!hakespeare 2<B5.

Dphelia+s eath seems #er" real because she is kno%n $irst in the pla" as li#ing. Fuite i$$erent is Horatio+s situation. He li#es through to the en o$ the pla"' a $eat most characters are unable to manage. Horatio is $ull o$ li$eJ )he aspects o$ his character' %hen solel"

Hollenbaugh reminisce on' are com$ortable an happ"' an though eath an

estruction seems to be tearing

o%n the plot an people aroun him' he sta"s #er" much ali#e' an %ith his goo conscious in tact. 1HDRE)ID :ot $rom his mouth' ha it th+ abilit" o$ li$e to thank "ou. He ne#er ga#e comman ment $or their eath. Lut since' so &ump upon this bloo " 0uestion' "ou $rom the Polack %ars' an "ou $rom >nglan ' are here arri#e ' gi#e or er that these bo ies high on a stage be place to the #ie%' an let me speak to th+ "et unkno%ing %orl ho% these things came about. !o shall "ou hear o$ carnal' bloo "' an unnatural acts' o$ acci ental &u gments' casual slaughters' o$ eaths put on b" cunning an $orce cause' an ' in this upshot' purposes mistook $all+n on th+ in#entors+ hea s. Ell this can I trul" eli#er2 3!hakespeare 26B5. )his passage is o#er$lo%ing %ith e#i ence o$ Horatio+s po%er$ul li$e.$orce still resi ing in him. First' he points out ,lau ius+s inabilit" to portra" gratitu e because he %as ecease ' making the point that the li#ing' ob#iousl"' can best portra" messages. Et the en o$ this passage' Horatio sa"s that he is the per$ect can i ate to eli#er a message' in irectl" promising that he is ali#e enough to make him so. Esi e $rom that' Horatio+s %or s simpl" emonstrate his state o$ li$e e$$ecti#el" because he $ocuses so much on the oppositeC all those $allen men are binaries to Horatio. )he opposition bet%een Horatio an Dphelia is po%er$ul an ' again' mirrors a con$lict %ithin our protagonist. Dh' the $amous lines. 1)o be or not to beMthat is the 0uestion2 3!hakespeare 1245. Db#iousl"' Hamlet is li#ing' but the binar" %ithin him comes $rom his con$lict o$ being on one si e o$ the binar" %hile %ishing to be on the other an %on ering the costs or possibilit" o$

Hollenbaugh

making the trans$er. 1-ike Hamlet+s $amous N)o be' or not to be+ solilo0u"' his $irst one in Ect I' !cene 2' begins imme iatel" %ith a binar" o$ li$e an eath' o$ $orm an lack o$ $orm( ND' that

this too too soli $lesh %oul melt K )ha% an resol#e itsel$ into a e%J+ !oli it" opposes melting or tha%ing' an the moti$ o$ e#aporating e/presses his suici al $eelings. Lut the binar" is not onl" personal an socialC it suggests the o#erarching moti$ o$ the pla"' the istance bet%een the ph"sical an spiritual. Hamlet %ill not kill himsel$ as he esires because o$ =o +s la% against it2 3=uerin 16B5. )hese opposing i eas tear Prince Hamlet apart insi e. 1It+s eas" to $eel the s%ing $rom To be' to its opposite' not to be2 3Lruster 465. Imagine Hamlet+s rollercoaster o$ emotions regar ing this battle bet%een his esire an his righteousness. )he last an most impressi#e binar" is that %hich pulls one %a" in rationalit" an the other in emotion. Dur irrational supporting role is that o$ Polonius+s son' -aertes. He harbors strong emotions' as most o' but he allo%s his $eelings to strike him into rash courses o$ action. Ect IO' !cene OII is a #er" important con#ersation bet%een -aertes an the king. 1GI:= !ith "ou ha#e hear ' an %ith a kno%ing ear' that he %hich hath "our noble $ather slain pursue m" li$e. -E>R)>! It %ell appears. Lut tell me %h" "ou procee e not against these $eats2 3!hakespeare 22<5. -aertes oesn+t un erstan %h" the king %oul not imme iatel" o something about Hamlet because that+s ho% his character thinksM o. Don+t a% le through thought' &ust o. )he king presents a grie#ous -aertes %ith the kin o$ plan an emotional character like him %ill respon in $a#or to%ar . 1-E>R)>! It %arms the #er" sickness in m" heart that I shall li#e an tell him to his teeth N)hus i st thou.+

Hollenbaugh GI:= I$ it be so' -aertes 3as ho% shoul it be so@ ho% other%ise@5' %ill "ou be rule b" me@ -E>R)>! E"' m" lor ' so "ou %ill not o+errule me to a peace. GI:= )o thine o%n peace7 I %ill %ork him to an e/ploit' no% ripe in m" e#ice7 -E>R)>! M" lor ' I %ill be rule ' the rather i$ "ou coul organ. -aertes %ants re#engeC it is his sole $ocus' an he+s %illing to blin l" $ollo% a man' %hose true nature he kno%s nothing about' %ithout 0uestion. Ell this -aertes oes because his emotions reign o#er his rationale. Ironicall"' the rational character in Hamlet is the $ickle -aertes+s $ather' Polonius. His greatest emonstration o$ rationalit" is %hen he con$ronts his aughter about her relationship e#ise it so that I might be the

%ith Prince Hamlet. Es a $ather' some ma" think his emotions $or his aughter shoul be that he %ants her to be happ". Ho%e#er' Polonius uses logic an kno%s better. -e#i.!trauss pointe out' 1Dur s"stem is the height o$ absur it"' since %e treat the culprit both as a chil ' so as to ha#e the right to punish him' an as an a ult' in or er to en" him consolation.2 )his scene sho%s that though Polonius ma" be rational' he also rationalizes the treatment o$ his aughter' Dphelia. 1PD-D:IH! ,ome' go %ith me. I %ill go seek the Ging. )his is the ecstas" o$ lo#e' %hose #iolent propert" $or oes itsel$ an lea s the %ill to esperate un ertakings as o$t as an" passions un er hea#en the oes a$$lict our natures2 3!hakespeare 60.615. )his passage is the most important one in the pla" regar ing Polonius+s rationalit". :ot onl" is he reasoning %ith his aughter' tr"ing to help her make an anal"*e ecision' he also sho%s that

he trul" un erstan s his o%n binar"' that is' acting emotionall". Polonius is a%are ho% much

Hollenbaugh

po%er passion hol s o#er the hearts o$ those opposite him' an he tries to teach this to Dphelia so she %on+t $all into the trap o$ rash action. -aertes an Polonius ha#e opposing tension bet%een their characters' an ' again' !hakespeare interprets this binar" into Hamlet+s soul. )he Prince+s monologue at the en o$ Ect IO' !cene IO is the greatest ispla" o$ Hamlet+s con$lict about %hether rationalit" or emotion shoul be his course o$ action. 1HEM->) Ho% all occasions o in$orm against me an spur m" ull re#enge. ?hat is a man i$ his chie$ goo an market o$ his time be but to sleep an $ee @ E beast' no more2 3!hakespeare 20<5. Hamlet is tire o$ sitting aroun C he $eels like nothing is getting one because he keeps $ighting %ith an against reason regar ing the a#enging o$ his $ather+s mur er. 1HEM->) He that ma e us7 ga#e us not that capabilit" an go like reason to $ust in us unuse . :o% %hether it be bestial obli#ion or some cra#en scruple o$ thinking too precisel" on th+ e#ent 3a thought %hich' 0uartere ' hath but one part %is om an e#er three parts co%ar 5' I o not kno% %h" "et I li#e to sa" N)his thing+s to o'+ sith I ha#e cause' an %ill' an strength' an means to o+t2 3!hakespeare 20<5. Hamlet is clearl" torn b" his inner opposition. He $ights %ith the one si e o$ him that is an/ious $or blin action %hile tr"ing to un erstan ' at the same time' i$ his rationalit" is o$ an" #alue to him' an i$ so' the measure o$ its %orth. Man" #arious structures can be $oun in all ranges o$ literature. ,lau e -e#i.!trauss+s theor" o$ binar" opposition is one o$ the $oun ational aspects o$ !tructuralism. Linaries can be $oun on the sur$ace o$ !hakespeare+s trage "' Hamlet' all the %a" to the pla"+s eepest corners

Hollenbaugh o$ meaning. )he pla"+s structure is greatl" supporte b" these oppositions. )he binaries $oun bet%een man" o$ the characters are strong an re$lect the inner oppositions Hamlet harbors %ithin. !hakespeare an !trauss %ork together %on er$ull" to bring to un erstan ing that Hamlet+s role as a $allen hero is $ul$ille because opposing $orces tear his reason an un erstan ing o$ sel$ to shre s.

?orks ,ite Lruster' Douglas. To Be or Not to Be. -on on 8u.a.( ,ontinuum' 2004. Print. P,lau e -e#i.!trauss.P 2010. ?eb. Dec. 2010. Qhttp(KKsocial.&rank.orgKpagesK2<<0K,lau e.-R#i. !trauss.htmlS. P,lau e -e#i.!trauss Fuotes.P Find the Famous Quotes You Need, ThinkExist.com Quotations. ?eb. Dec. 2010. Qhttp(KKthinke/ist.comK0uotesKclau eTle#i.straussKS. P,lau e -e#i.!trauss Fuotes.P Quotes and Quotations at BrainyQuote. ?eb. Dec. 2010. Qhttp(KK%%%.brain"0uote.comK0uotesKauthorsKcKclau eTle#istrauss.htmlS. =uerin' ?il$re -. A Hand ook o! "ritical A##roaches to $iterature. :e% Uork( D/$or HP' 2011. Print.

Hollenbaugh 10 !chmitt' !arah. P,lau e -e#i.!trauss.P ?eb. Dec. 2010. Qhttp(KK%%%.mnsu.e uKemuseumKin$ormationKbiograph"KklmnoKle#i. straussTclau e.htmlS. !choles' Robert >. %tructuralism in $iterature& an 'ntroduction. :e% Ha#en( Uale HP' 1A44. Print. !hakespeare' ?illiam' Larbara E. Mo%at' an Paul ?erstine. The Tra(edy o! Hamlet, )rince o! *enmark. :e% Uork( ?ashington !0uare' 2004. Print.