Question
The rugged Pyrrhus, like the Hyrcanian beast,—
’tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus:—
The rugged Pyrrhus, he, whose sable arm,
Black as his purpose, did the night resemble
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Pyrrhus is a figure from Greek mythology who avenges the death of his father by brutally killing King Priam. What does the excerpt suggest about Hamlet’s state of mind?
A: Hamlet does not believe that Claudius killed his father.
B: Hamlet is still undecided about avenging his father’s death.
C: Hamlet is shocked by Pyrrhus’s merciless behavior.
D: Hamlet admires Pyrrhus and wants to follow his example.
’tis not so, it begins with Pyrrhus:—
The rugged Pyrrhus, he, whose sable arm,
Black as his purpose, did the night resemble
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Pyrrhus is a figure from Greek mythology who avenges the death of his father by brutally killing King Priam. What does the excerpt suggest about Hamlet’s state of mind?
A: Hamlet does not believe that Claudius killed his father.
B: Hamlet is still undecided about avenging his father’s death.
C: Hamlet is shocked by Pyrrhus’s merciless behavior.
D: Hamlet admires Pyrrhus and wants to follow his example.
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The excerpt suggests that Hamlet is reflecting on the brutal act of revenge that Pyrrhus exacted on King Priam. The imagery of "rugged Pyrrhus" and "sable arm" evokes a sense of darkness and violence associated with vengeance. Given the context of Hamlet's own struggle with avenging his father, the most appropriate interpretation is:
**C: Hamlet is shocked by Pyrrhus’s merciless behavior.**
This reflects Hamlet's contemplation of the consequences and moral implications of revenge, as well as his internal conflict about taking action against Claudius.
**C: Hamlet is shocked by Pyrrhus’s merciless behavior.**
This reflects Hamlet's contemplation of the consequences and moral implications of revenge, as well as his internal conflict about taking action against Claudius.