tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6632111864879597150.post2177880014439778221..comments2017-12-26T23:27:57.751-04:00Comments on Hyperion to a Satyr: V.ii. Duel and DeathsSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6632111864879597150.post-63638567744247495462014-12-14T10:04:19.784-04:002014-12-14T10:04:19.784-04:00That political reading presents yet another irony ...That political reading presents yet another irony regarding Denmark's decay. Much in the same way Osric was given some amount of power, and the rabble is willing to follow Laertes rather than the King, Horatio can dictate terms. This is a Denmark where the normal power structure has been upended because its leaders looked inward. Claudius focusing on his own pleasure, Hamlet on his own troubles. Meanwhile, the world moved on.Siskoidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6632111864879597150.post-17227001236938592872014-12-13T23:30:43.321-04:002014-12-13T23:30:43.321-04:00My "Horatio was behind it all" reading a...My "Horatio was behind it all" reading aside, the end of the play does present a remarkable sight, for the times: Horatio, a commoner, commanding princes and ambassadors around. <br /><br />Of course, as he is the only one who knows the whole story, what he tells can have a large impact on the power structure that arises to fill the vacuum left in Denmark. So of course Fortinbras seems eager to do his bidding. Horatio's "prologue," as you note, sets the stage, but gives no details. And when Fortinbras says "tell us now," Horatio quite boldly answers back with "we'll get to that--but first do what I say!" Knowledge is power!<br /><br />It's a very political reading, but one hopes that Horatio is able to wrangle some position of worth--the new Polonius to Fortinbras, perhaps--in exchange for tailoring his testimony to make the transition flow smoothly.<br /><br />Hypothetical: what if the English ambassadors arrived 10 minutes earlier? And make the same announcement to the court, "We killed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern for you"? Claudius can't say, "No, you numbskulls, you were supposed to murder Hamlet!" But then he has to answer why he had those 2 killed. Well. as much as any King has to answer--but we already established his tenuous political position amongst the people when Laertes arrived. Perhaps more accusations of murders might have lead to an actual uprising, or at least a significant loss of support amongst the court?<br /><br />Knowing Claudius, I suppose he could have deftly tried to turn it back on Hamlet--"I never gave any such orders--they must have been forged by someone who conveniently he ship before it got to England," while glancing accusingly at Hamlet, convincing the court that the Prince is still mad and dangerous...snellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06181997862745538999noreply@blogger.com