sad, weary, etc. The sound of the word “O” changes with each reading, and indeed the sound of any word in a monologue changes with the textual and emotional interpretation you choose.
Experiment with two or three different ways of saying “O”: shock, dismay/sadness, and, just for variety, anger. How does that change the sound of the word? Think about what has just happened: Hamlet has verbally abused Ophelia. Perhaps, as some renditions have chosen, he even threw her to the ground. If you are playing this monologue as part of the scene, you can react to what has just happened on the stage. If you are playing the monologue alone, you may summon a reaction based upon what you imagine has just happened.
Notice how many times the letter “o” appears in the first two lines: “O”, “noble” “o’erthrown,” “soldier’s,” “scholar’s,” “tongue,” and “sword.” This gives you an opportunity to find a place to echo or restate the “o” sound, not only for poetic reasons but also for emotional ones. Pick two more “o” sounds to emphasize. Words that immediately come to mind are “noble” and “o’erthrown,” but you should experiment to see if any others resonate with you.
With each descriptive word in the second line, Ophelia describes Hamlet’s qualities in terms of the roles he plays: courtier, soldier, and scholar. The second part of the sentence attaches a body part or object to each role. Oddly, they are not in the right order. You must look at the speech and attach the corresponding body part or object to its role. The first role, “courtier,” matches with the first descriptor, “eye.” However, the second role is “soldier,” and the second descriptor is “tongue,” which actually applies to “scholar.”
Should you wish to add a gesture to each word, first try doing so with the roles (courtier, soldier, scholar) and then try the gesture again, this time with the body part or object: (eye, sword, tongue.) The key here is that you have options to work with; by experimenting with alternate gestures and vocal interpretations, you might unearth a fresh view of the text.
For the next three lines, Ophelia extols Hamlet’s virtues. Note that she is listing his good qualities directly on the heels of suffering his abuse; this says a lot about her character and her opinion of Hamlet. There could be a bittersweetness to her descriptions, since these are attributes that seem to have now disappeared.
Experiment with saying these three lines (beginning with “Th’expectancy” and ending with “observers”) in two ways. First say them as if Ophelia is happily in love with Hamlet and enumerating his good points. Second, utter them sadly, as if mourning the loss of these qualities. Finally, see if you can keep some of the initial joy of the first reading so that your description of Hamlet is at once regretful of loss and remembering happiness. You may end up choosing a delivery that is more definitively mournful, but I still suggest trying alternate interpretations because it is a good way to discover nuances in the character and the monologue.
The words “quite, quite down!” echo the “o” sounds we explored earlier in the speech. Perhaps you could draw the “o” sound on “down” to parallel an emotion-provoking sound you made earlier. Notice how in the next two lines (the second of four sections in this speech wherein Ophelia describes her heartbroken state), the hard consonant “k” and “d” sounds repeat themselves: “deject,” “wretched,” “sucked,” and “musicked.” Shakespeare has a way of painting an emotional picture with the sound of his words. If you utter these sounds with that awareness, your speech will resonate with color and emotional impact.
In the third section, Ophelia describes Hamlet’s present mental condition. She begins by referring again to one of Hamlet’s positive traits: “that noble and most sovereign reason.” Notice how every line in the speech except this one is written in iambic pentameter. “Now see that noble and most sovereign reason” has an extra syllable. Think of the iambic pentameter’s rhythm as a heartbeat. When the speaker is in a heightened emotional state, the heart skips a beat. Look at when the iambic pentameter loses its rhythm and see if that provides you with an opportunity for a dramatic beat. This might simply be a pause before the word “reason.”
Ophelia describes Hamlet’s “madness” and a few scenes later she goes mad herself. This might be an opportunity for you as an actor to show flashes of Ophelia’s impending insanity. Hamlet’s abuse of her in this scene is the first real trigger of her decline. When describing Hamlet’s madness, traces of mental instability might show in Ophelia’s face.
How does one portray someone heading toward madness? Let’s start with the imagery of the bells. When Ophelia says “Like sweet bells jangled, out of time and harsh” she could lift her hands up to her ears as if hearing something loud. On the words “blasted with ecstasy,” Ophelia might widen her eyes, perhaps breaking into a grimace or grin. It might help to look in a mirror or videotape yourself when trying these physical gestures and facial expressions. Over-exaggerate the gestures and expressions to a grotesque level, then bring them back down. Find a level of “expressed madness” that fits the words and the scene.
The final sentence begins with the syllable “O” repeated twice, which can provide a nice symmetry to the monologue. Is it the same “O” that we started the speech with or is it completely different? After the first “O,” Ophelia laments Hamlet’s condition. By the final “O,” she is bemoaning her own condition: “O, woe is me.” Although this is not a particularly long monologue, the phrases are rich in poetic imagery and emotion, and it can be a vehicle for you to further the story of one of Shakespeare’s great tragic heroines.
SUGGESTED VIEWING
HAMLET, 1948
Director: Laurence Olivier
Starring: Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons
HAMLET, 1976
Director: Celestino Coronado
Starring: David Meyer, Hellen Mirren
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
The following is a list of characters that appear in this scene of Henry IV, Part 1.
KING HENRY IV: Father to Prince Henry; formerly Henry of Bollingbroke
PRINCE HENRY: Also called Harry or Hal; oldest son to King Henry IV
NARRATOR
SET AND PROP LIST
SET PIECES:
Throne
London. The palace.
Enter NARRATOR from stage right, coming downstage center.
NARRATOR
Prince Hal reconciles with his father, King Henry IV, by swearing to fight the rebels and to defeat Hotspur.
Exit NARRATOR stage right.
Enter KING HENRY IV and PRINCE HENRY from stage left. KING HENRY IV sits on the throne.
KING HENRY IV
I know not whether God