Question
He was able to make his soul conform to his own thoughts so much that, as a result of her influence, his face became pale. He had tears in his eyes, looked distraught, had a broken voice, and everything about him matched his emotions. And all of this was for nothing! For Hecuba!
Shakespeare’s allusion to Hecuba suggests that Hamlet
A: is irritated by the actor’s emotional performance of the speech.
B: is impressed by the actor’s ability to cry for a fictional character.
C: wishes the actor had shown more emotion during the speech.
D: feels that the actor does not know who Hecuba really was.
Shakespeare’s allusion to Hecuba suggests that Hamlet
A: is irritated by the actor’s emotional performance of the speech.
B: is impressed by the actor’s ability to cry for a fictional character.
C: wishes the actor had shown more emotion during the speech.
D: feels that the actor does not know who Hecuba really was.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct answer is **B: is impressed by the actor’s ability to cry for a fictional character.**
In the context of Hamlet, the mention of Hecuba, an iconic figure representing deep sorrow and loss from Greek tragedy, serves to highlight Hamlet's admiration for the actor's capacity to evoke such genuine emotion for a character that is not real. This reflects Hamlet's contemplation of the nature of acting and the relationship between reality and performance, underscoring his respect for the actor's ability to express profound feelings even for a fictional character like Hecuba.
In the context of Hamlet, the mention of Hecuba, an iconic figure representing deep sorrow and loss from Greek tragedy, serves to highlight Hamlet's admiration for the actor's capacity to evoke such genuine emotion for a character that is not real. This reflects Hamlet's contemplation of the nature of acting and the relationship between reality and performance, underscoring his respect for the actor's ability to express profound feelings even for a fictional character like Hecuba.