Young Eun Kim

Professor Melnikoff and Professor Brintnall

LBST: Sexing Shakespeare
11/4/2015
Hamlet Speech Annotation

Shakespeare is known as one of the cleverest playwrights, using imagery and a various
amount of other literary devices in order to portray a certain image. Specifically in the play,
Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses diction in order to reveal several different meanings to a
sentence or phrase. He also utilizes diction to uncover characteristics and or thoughts of others.
In Act 1, scene 3 Laertes is giving advice to Ophelia about Hamlet. He says that he
doesnt trust Hamlet and that she need remember that she is the daughter of an advisor and
Hamlet is very well the prince. Think no more; for nature, crescent does not grow aloneyouth
to itself rebels, though none else near. In the second line Shakespeare implements the word
nature to inform Ophelia of young Hamlet. By choosing this word he suggests that Hamlet will
grow a certain way and that not even soil can change him, even if he claims to love her. The
usage of this word also enhances the idea that Hamlet has his destiny already set; being the
prince. This also presents the idea of natural growth and that his will is not his own
In the phrase he may not, as valued persons do, carve for himself by using the word
carve it gives the feeling that Hamlet cannot do things as he pleases, and that he must do them
according to the place in which he leads. Carve has an overall connotation of difficulty to change

or almost unalterable. Also for something that takes a great deal of energy and time in order to
modify. Which is another reason why Laertes thinks that being infatuated with Hamlet will cause
destruction because of his inability to be there for Ophelia as needed.
In the line Or lose your heart, or your chaste treasure open Laertes uses the word
treasure to describe Ophelias heart. The pure gold inside of a treasure chest can be compared to
the purity of the young woman in general. It also gives the idea to the audience that her serene
body cannot be given at any cost, but must be given to the option with utmost importance. In the
very next line he describes Hamlet as unmasterd importunity meaning that he is not trying that
hard for her love and that he is unskillfully doing so, again showing hatred for the young prince.
If the analogy made to the treasure were missing, it would lose the value of the phrase.
The canker galls of infants in the spring Laertes is constantly trying to persuade
Ophelia as if she is a mere child and cannot look out for her own well-being. Although this is his
main purpose, the use of this word and phrase was another comparison to heighten the fear of
being hurt by Hamlet. This phrase as a whole also tries to compare falling in love with perhaps
the wrong person and something as equally as terrible in the eyes of Laertes.
For each of these specific words, if they were replaced it would lessen the strength of the
word and meaning in the play. Often making absurd relations can alter how someone thinks of a
certain topic. For each of the words, if they were to be removed, then in general it would lessen
or weaken the meaning of work as a whole.