Literary Theory Graphic Organizer
Hamlet III.iv
Note: Not all theories will yield rich interpretations. As such you only need to analyse the text from
three of the four perspectives provided.
Theory Evidence from the text (including
parenthetical citation)
Reader Response
Archetypal “Upon the heat and flame of thy
distemper” (3.4.120)
“To flaming youth let virtue be as wax,
And melt in her own fire: proclaim no
shame” (3.4.85-86)
“Thou turn’st mine eyes into my very
soul;
And there I see such black and grained
spots” (3.4.85-86)
Feminist “Come, come, and sit you down; you
shall not budge;” (3.4.18)
“What wilt thou do? thou wilt not
murder me?”(3.4.21)
“A bloody deed! almost as bad, good mother,”
As kill a king, and marry with his
brother.” (3.4.27-28)
Post-colonial “A slave that is not twentieth part of the
tithe” (3.4.95)
Analysis (What does this theory reveal
about the text that you might not
otherwise notice?)
This theory reveals the dark symbolism
that is used throughout the play to
express certain feelings. Fire is a
common symbol, used to depict evil or
sinful characters. It almost associates
with hell fire, as this play has a religious
perspective. In the evidence, Hamlet and
his mother battle over the weight of
their sins, therefore the symbolism of
fire was effective in enhancing the
intense mood of the argument.
Another archetype used is the color
black. Black is a symbol for darkness and
violence. The Queen mentions that she
sees black, which reflects on her act of
killing the King. It is a way of portraying
the Queen’s guilt in the play.
This theory reveals how degraded
women were in the time period of
Hamlet. Hamlet treated his mother like a
slave, threatened her with murder and
used a tone of voice that no child would
dare use on their mother in the present
world. Hamlet accused his mother of
killing the king and regarded the action
of marrying his brother as disgusting.
The sin of marrying the King’s brother
was even seen as a worse sin than
Hamlet killing Polonius by mistake and
not regretting it. His mother, Queen
Gertrude had little power, despite being
a Queen, for women were seen as very
little, compared to men.
By reading the text through the
perspective of this theory, it is revealed
how the role of power can take over a
“Of your precedent lord; a vice of
kings;” (3.4.96)
“And marshal me to knavery”
(3.4.198)
person. Hamlet strives to be King after
his father dies. His role is stolen by
Claudius, his uncle who marries his
mother, Queen Gertrude. Hamlet is
outraged at his mother and seeks
vengeance. He will stop at nothing, all
for power. In the quoted evidence,
Hamlet doesn’t believe that Claudius is
right to be king and degrades him.
Hamlet strongly believes that he should
be king. Hierarchy was very significant in
the time period of Hamlet.