STN -- Practice Analysis

Instructions:

For the given passage, provide the speaker, the spoken to, a sentence or two of context,
and close paraphrase of the content. With the context firmly in mind, consider what the
passage implies about Claudius’s handling of Hamlet’s behavior thus far. Through careful
contextualization and analysis, arrive at one claim.

Reminders:
• If you can only think of one claim right off the bat, don’t wait to think of a second; begin
your analysis right away, and the second will come.
• Please do not begin your analysis with a sweeping claim. Instead begin by clarifying
what the speaker is doing and saying in this moment. Then draw attention to the meaning
of a key word or phrase in context; requote it and show what it implies about the
relationship in question.

Given Passage:

We would not understand what was most fit,

But, like the owner of a foul disease,
To keep it from divulging, let it feed
Even on the pith of life.
(4.1.22)

Speaker: Claudius Spoken to: Gertrude

Context: Gertrude has just finished speaking with Hamlet in the scene prior, she believes

Hamlet has gone completely mad as she watched him talk to the ghost, and kill Polonius

with no remorse. He also told his mother the only way to save her soul is to stop sleeping

with Claudius. Now, in this scene, Gertrude is notifying Claudius of what has happened,

and this is his response to the information he has just received.

STN -- Practice Analysis

Paraphrase: Claudius is stating we (him and Gertrude), would not know what was most fit,

or best to do with Hamlet, because they are not of madness like he is (an owner of a foul

disease), but they must prevent him from divulging (continuing on/ perpetuating) his

actions by letting it (Hamlet’s madness/actions/himself even) feed on the pith of life

(meaning scold him/ be a bit colder to him, as they have been too loving and now only the

pith, or most bitter part of life, can end this).

Analysis: This passage dives deeply into the notion of how to raise/discipline a child, most

specifically through the metaphor and introduction of the metaphor: “We would not

understand what was most fit”, and “But, like the owner of a foul disease, To keep it from

divulging, let it feed Even on the pith of life.” Claudius is stating him and Gertrude

wouldn’t know what to do, as Hamlet is now their child so there is a bit of complexity there

in terms of how to discipline one’s child, and they also are not the owners of this “foul

disease” (as Hamlet is the owner of the disease of madness), so they simply have been

clueless of what to do. He then uses the metaphor, the tenor being the pith of life, and

feeding on it being the vehicle. The pith of life implies bitterness, the most bitter or scolding

parts of life, and in order to prevent Hamlet from “divulging”, or continuing his madness,

Claudius and Gertrude must allow him to feed off the pith of life, meaning once he gets a

taste of bitterness from them through scolding, the hope is his madness will come to an end.

Claudius and Gertrude, have been handling Hamlet’s actions in too much of a “loving

way” in his eyes. They have not been hard enough on him, and now it seems as if it is

STN -- Practice Analysis

almost too late to reverse the damage that has been done by them not being harsh enough

on Hamlet.