What a Piece of Work is Man
-Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Many know the story of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, who arrives home to mourn the death of his father. There he finds his uncle Claudius has taken the thrown and married his mother Queen Gertrude. Hamlet feels grief and loss of control over his situation; on top of that he is visited by the ghost of his father who warns it was Claudius who killed him. All of this affects Hamlet’s emotions and behavior making the King and Queen worry that he has gone “mad.” This is where our monologue begins.
This week’s contributor, Kara Nelson-Sommerfeldt, has this to say: “In this section of the scene, Hamlet is confronting his two school friends, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern, who he knows have been summoned to spy on him. It's a rare moment of honesty, as I see him attempting to reach out, only to realize that these guys don't understand. As a modern reader, I see a person dealing with depression trying desperately to make a connection. He knows that there is beauty both in the natural world and in people, yet he can't reconcile what he knows with how he feels. The current pandemic has brought out so many of the negatives that as a society we try so hard to bury that I feel this speech will resonate with many.”
Nelson-Sommerfeldt is a long-time educator in our area and has a great love of Shakespeare. You may remember her being on the prompt book for our production of 12th Night for 12th Night, January 7, 2020. We certainly do appreciate all she brings to our ensemble.
Kara Nelson-Sommerfeldt as Hamlet in Hamlet:
THE MONOLOGUE: HAMLET, ACT II SCENE 2, HAMLET BY KARA NELSON-SOMMERFELDT
“I will tell you why; so shall my anticipation
prevent your discovery, and your secrecy to the king
and queen moult no feather. I have of late--but
wherefore I know not--lost all my mirth, forgone all
custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily
with my disposition that this goodly frame, the
earth, seems to me a sterile promontory, this most
excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave
o'erhanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted
with golden fire, why, it appears no other thing to
me than a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours.
What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason!
how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how
express and admirable! in action how like an angel!
in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the
world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me,
what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not
me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling
you seem to say so.”
MORE ABOUT THE MONOLOGUE PROJECT
Our goal of Shakespeare from the Ground’s Monologue Project is to collect a library of Shakespearean monologues to share with our community for virtual entertainment while we are still socially distanced. You don’t need to be a professional actor to participate. If you’re inspired and ready to record, great! If you need help selecting your Shakespeare Monologue or getting it recorded, reach out and we’ll help you get the ball rolling. Are you ready to take to the boards once again…virtually?
