The Ear of Denmark -- Great Books II

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Date Posted: 22:01:20 02/17/08 Sun
Author: Joel Gehrke
Subject: The Ear of Denmark

In Shakespearean plays, a king�s identity melds with his kingdom, which bears out explicitly when kings refer to each other.

For instance, no one ever refers to the king of Norway by his Christian name. They only call him "Norway," like when Claudius sends a letter �to Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras� (1.2.28).

This duality permits a powerful wordplay when the ghost tells Hamlet that �the whole ear of Denmark / Is by forged process of my death / Rankly abused� (1.5.39-38); the ghost simultaneously describes his manner of death, and the deceit being propagated to the Danish people.

I think that could really affect a reading of Hamlet. If not, it's at least a clever wordplay.

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