Charles Fischer
Paper Submission Date
“Seeming” in Hamlet
In Hamlet, William Shakespeare uses the word “seeming” three times:
The first time is in Act I, Scene 5. This is the scene between Hamlet and the Ghost of his father. In describing the evil nature of the character of Claudius, the king's brother and his murderer, the Ghost says, “The will of my most seeming-virtuous queen:/ O Hamlet, what a falling-off was there!” (Shakespeare n.p.). In this sentence, the Ghost is explaining how the queen, who was assumed to be virtuous, let her will be influenced by Claudius. The word “seeming” means that instead of virtuous, in actually the queen was not virtuous, but was only assumed to be. “Seeming” meant “assumed to be.”
In Act II, Scene 2, in the presentation of the play by the players, the First Players says, “Then senseless Ilium,/ Seeming to feel this blow, with flaming top/ Stoops to his base, and with a hideous crash/ Takes prisoner Pyrrhus' ear” (Shakespeare n.p.). This line comes after Pyrrhus strikes a blow of his sword and takes off King Priam's ear. “Then senseless Ilium, seeming to feel this blow” refers to the city of Ilium, also metaphorically wounded by this blow, causing the city to fall. “Seeming,” in this context, means “symbolically,” with the city “symbolically” falling.
The third use of the word “seeming” comes in Act III, Scene 2 when Hamlet is talking to Horatio. He says, “For I mine eyes will rivet to his face,/ And after we will both our judgments join/ In censure of his seeming” (Shakespeare n.p.). In this speech, Hamlet is telling Horatio to watch the face of Claudius as the climax of the play is presented, and then, afterwards, he and Hamlet will decide about Claudius' guilt in the murder of the king based on Claudius' reaction to the play. In this case, the word “seeming” refers to the appearance of Claudius, and his facial expressions after seeing that part of the play which sought to demonstrate his guilt. The word “seeming” refers to the appearance and demonstration of emotions in the face of Claudius.
Thus, in Hamlet, Shakespeare used the word “seeming” three time in three different contexts and with three different implied meanings and connotations.
Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. MIT.edu. 2017. Web. 12 January 2017.
http://shakespeare.mit.edu/hamlet/full.html
