Question
Read the excerpt from Act II of Hamlet.
Rosencrantz: To visit you, my lord; no other occasion.
Hamlet: Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak.
Guildenstern: What should we say, my lord?
What is the effect of Hamlet’s use of metaphors in this excerpt?
A: It establishes that Hamlet is poverty-stricken.
B: It establishes that Hamlet dislikes his friends.
C: It establishes that Hamlet suffers hardships.
D: It establishes that Hamlet has little gratitude.
Rosencrantz: To visit you, my lord; no other occasion.
Hamlet: Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks; but I thank you: and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. Were you not sent for? Is it your own inclining? Is it a free visitation? Come, come, deal justly with me: come, come; nay, speak.
Guildenstern: What should we say, my lord?
What is the effect of Hamlet’s use of metaphors in this excerpt?
A: It establishes that Hamlet is poverty-stricken.
B: It establishes that Hamlet dislikes his friends.
C: It establishes that Hamlet suffers hardships.
D: It establishes that Hamlet has little gratitude.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The effect of Hamlet's use of metaphors in this excerpt primarily revolves around his feelings of indebtedness and the tension in his relationships. The metaphor of being "poor in thanks" suggests a struggle with expressing gratitude, while the phrase "dear a halfpenny" conveys a sense of undervaluing his own thanks.
Given these interpretations, the most fitting answer would be:
**D: It establishes that Hamlet has little gratitude.**
This option aligns with the way Hamlet portrays his thanks as inadequate, highlighting his complex feelings towards his friends and the situation he finds himself in.
Given these interpretations, the most fitting answer would be:
**D: It establishes that Hamlet has little gratitude.**
This option aligns with the way Hamlet portrays his thanks as inadequate, highlighting his complex feelings towards his friends and the situation he finds himself in.