1. Hamlet Act 2: Mortality

2. Example of Mortality in Scene 2
When asked what Speech he would like to hear Hamlet responds by saying “ One speech in’t chiefly loved ‘t’was Aenas’ tale to Dido- and thereabout of it especially when he speaks of Priam’s slaughter.”(II.ii )

3. Examples of Mortality in Act 2
“When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husband’s limbs, The instant burst of clamour that she made,”
(II.ii )

4. Hamlets Speech “Now is he total gules, horridly trick’d
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons
Bak’d and impasted with the parching streets,
That lend a tyrannous and a damned light
To their lord’s murder.” (II.ii )

5. Continued -“Anon he finds him,
Striking too short at Greeks. His antique sword,
Rebellious to his arm, lies where it falls,
Repugnant to command. Unequal match’d,
Pyrrhus at Praim drives, in rage strikes wide;
But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword
Th’unnerved father falls.” (II.ii )

6. That I, the son of a dear father murder'd,
II,ii,
That I, the son of a dear father murder'd,
Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell
What this Explains:
-Hamlet has realized that he had responded very quickly when he was asked to get revenge when he didnt even know for sure if CLaudius did actually kill him
-He knows he has to find out the truth because he doesn’t want to kill claudius if he is not guilty

7. For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak
With most miraculous organ. I'll have these players
Play something like the murder of my father
Before mine uncle. I'll observe his looks;
I'll tent him to the quick. If he but blench,
I know my course. The spirit that I have seen 6
May be the devil, and the devil hath power
To assume a pleasing shape; yea, and perhaps
Out of my weakness and my melancholy,
As he is very potent with such spirits,
Abuses me to damn me. I'll have grounds
More relative than this: the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king.
II,ii,
What this Explains about Mortality:
-Explains how hamlet is going to watch Claudius’ face when the death scene is acted out
-He will uses Claudius reaction and then will be able to tell whether or not he is guilty of killing king Hamlet
-This is explained very clearly in the final line that he will be able to catch the king because of his conscience