Deadly Thought: Hamlet and the Human SoulThe human soul is for pre-modern philosophers the cause of both thinking and life. This double aspect of the soul, which makes man a rational animal, expresses itself above all in human action. Deadly Thought: 'Hamlet' and the Human Soul traces Hamlet's famous inability to act to his inability to hold together these twin aspects of the soul. Combining careful attention to detail and interpretive breadth, noted scholar Jan H. Blits deftly illustrates how Hamlet collapses life into thought, and moral action into stage acting, and ultimately comes to see his own life as a stage play. Hamlet, the book demonstrates, epitomizes the intellectualism of the Renaissance and the modern age it began, and so becomes tragedy's first self-conscious protagonist, signaling the end of ancient tragedy. Erudite, innovative, and lively, Deadly Thought is a ground-breaking contribution that will appeal to Shakespeare scholars, political theorists, historians of philosophy, literary theorists and anyone interested in a truly fresh interpretation of this classic work. |
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Page 14
... metaphor , they speak of " the mind's eye " ( 1.1.115 ; 1.2.185 ) , human beings naturally see double . We see what ... metaphors and images , to play on words , to express pithy aphorisms , and , indeed , to have poetry or theater at ...
... metaphor , they speak of " the mind's eye " ( 1.1.115 ; 1.2.185 ) , human beings naturally see double . We see what ... metaphors and images , to play on words , to express pithy aphorisms , and , indeed , to have poetry or theater at ...
Page 29
... metaphor of siege warfare suggests , Barnardo intends to overpower the fortress of Horatio's ears with words . And after Horatio , agreeing to listen , underscores the story - like character of what will be said ( " Well , sit we down ...
... metaphor of siege warfare suggests , Barnardo intends to overpower the fortress of Horatio's ears with words . And after Horatio , agreeing to listen , underscores the story - like character of what will be said ( " Well , sit we down ...
Page 53
... metaphor literally and , giving it a new metaphorical meaning of his own , replies with another punning riddle : " Not so , my lord , I am too much in the sun " ( 1.2.67 ) . While perhaps also sarcastically suggesting that he is too ...
... metaphor literally and , giving it a new metaphorical meaning of his own , replies with another punning riddle : " Not so , my lord , I am too much in the sun " ( 1.2.67 ) . While perhaps also sarcastically suggesting that he is too ...
Page 55
... metaphor of the theater disparagingly , Hamlet sharply distinguishes between , and even opposes , what seems and what truly is . What is external is mere seeming , mere appearance . It can be simply put on like clothes or feigned ...
... metaphor of the theater disparagingly , Hamlet sharply distinguishes between , and even opposes , what seems and what truly is . What is external is mere seeming , mere appearance . It can be simply put on like clothes or feigned ...
Page 61
... metaphor ( 1.2.140 ) ; accumulation ( 1.2.156-57 ) ; period ( 1.2.158 ) ; and — from start to finish - appeals to and expressions of anger and pity , both for his father and for himself.54 Hamlet indignantly compares the characters of ...
... metaphor ( 1.2.140 ) ; accumulation ( 1.2.156-57 ) ; period ( 1.2.158 ) ; and — from start to finish - appeals to and expressions of anger and pity , both for his father and for himself.54 Hamlet indignantly compares the characters of ...
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Common terms and phrases
accuses action actors answer appearance Aristotle asks Barnardo birth body cause Christian Cicero Clau Claudius Claudius's conscience corpse Dane Danish dead death deed Denmark describes despite Diogenes Laertius dius double emphasizes explicitly father fear final Fortinbras Fortinbras's fortune Gertrude Gertrude's Ghost God's Gonzago grave Grave-digger Grave-digger's guilt Hamlet says Hamlet seems hath hear heaven Hecuba hendiadys Horatio imitation incest Jephthah kill King Hamlet King's Laertes Laertes's letter lines lonius lord man's Marcellus marriage means mentions metaphor moral mother murder nature never noble old Hamlet once one's Ophelia Osric play play's Player King Player Queen Plutarch political Polonius Polonius's praise question Quintilian reason refers revenge rhetoric Rosencrantz and Guildenstern royal scene sense Shakespeare silent soliloquy soul speaks speech Stoic Stoicism suggests tell theatrical thee thing thou thought tion tragedy turns twice virtue vows warning words