Question

Girard provides three examples of the models that he claims Hamlet

Answer 1

René Girard, a french philosopher, claims that the role of Prince Hamlet after his father and King of Denmark's death is expected to be vengeful, nevertheless he has no eager to do it. Girard says that Hamlet is trying to convince himself to commit an expected murder (to revenge his father's death) that he has no will to do, because he finds himself with no passion about it. So, for that reason is that he looks up for a Model or a Meditator, as Girard calls it, in order to work up a taste of revenge, an impulse that he doesn't find in himself.

The first time is with his mother, Queen Gertrude. The intense and theatrical monologue about her indifference for his husband's murder, and the decision of getting marry, also so fast, with her ex-husband brother and killer. Hamlet tries in vain to convince himself that Claudio is different than his dad, and that his father is not the murder that his uncle is. Queen Gertrude seems completely enrolled in a wheel of power more than in a wheel of passion. And even with the try-on he does not find the taste of revenge.

The second time is with the play-in-the-play. When an actor impersonates Hecuba greatly with emotion and real tears. He questions himself why the actor that has no relation with the tragedy that Hecuba is living, is feeling more deeply than he is. But, again, the effort for getting the revenge feelings is in vain.

The third time is with the scene with the army of Fortinbras heading to Poland. Hamlet questions the argument that leads to war, and that leads to risk thousands of lives. He says that when honor is at stake, you can "find quarrel in a straw". Again he does not find a compelling argument for revenge.

The argument strengthens Girard's claim because in fact, in the three attempts we find a sincere search for passion, for empathy, as the monologues and dialogues of Hamlet express, but in either case Hamlet can find it. Only with Laertes' sincerity and the feeling of sympathy that Hamlet sees in him he actually find a motive to kill Claudio.

Answer 2

Answer:

Girard uses the characters of The actor at Line 88, Laertes and The army in a mimetic function to show that Hamlet's revenge is in a sense half baked.

Explanation:

the character of Laertes represents revenge theatre which was one of the targets of Shakespeare's Hamlet. the character's drive for revenge along with purgative mourning shows the futility of revenge on theater.

The interactions with the army and the actors come before that and lay a groundwork for Hamlet not truly believing in his revenge even as he is driven by it. he questions the validity of revenge itself through these interactions, according to Girard.