Question
Read the passage from Hamlet, Act I, Scene iii.
Laertes: For he himself is subject to his birth;
He may not, as unvalu’d persons do,
Carve for himself, for on his choice depends
The safety and the health of the whole state;
And therefore must his choice be circumscrib’d
Unto the voice and yielding of that body
Whereof he is the head.
Shakespeare most likely chose the word head instead of the word leader because it
A: emphasizes Hamlet’s independence.
B: adds gruesome images to Laertes speech.
C: continues his comparison of government to a human body.
D: creates a scary tone that contrasts with Ophelia’s innocence.
Laertes: For he himself is subject to his birth;
He may not, as unvalu’d persons do,
Carve for himself, for on his choice depends
The safety and the health of the whole state;
And therefore must his choice be circumscrib’d
Unto the voice and yielding of that body
Whereof he is the head.
Shakespeare most likely chose the word head instead of the word leader because it
A: emphasizes Hamlet’s independence.
B: adds gruesome images to Laertes speech.
C: continues his comparison of government to a human body.
D: creates a scary tone that contrasts with Ophelia’s innocence.
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Shakespeare most likely chose the word "head" instead of the word "leader" because it
**C: continues his comparison of government to a human body.**
In this passage, Laertes is discussing the responsibilities of a prince and drawing a metaphor between the prince and the head of a body, suggesting that just as the head governs the body, the prince governs the state. This choice of words reinforces the theme of governance and the interconnectedness of leadership and the health of the state.
**C: continues his comparison of government to a human body.**
In this passage, Laertes is discussing the responsibilities of a prince and drawing a metaphor between the prince and the head of a body, suggesting that just as the head governs the body, the prince governs the state. This choice of words reinforces the theme of governance and the interconnectedness of leadership and the health of the state.