The Hamlet Podcast Episode 02 - This Thing
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Aug 20, 2017 This podcast discusses the theme of doubt and the search for proof, as well as the preparations and experiences of a character named Bernardo. It also explores Bernardo's fascination with the stars, referencing Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.
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Suspense Through The Unnamed Thing
- Shakespeare builds suspense by repeatedly referring to an unnamed "thing" rather than naming it directly.
- The repeated vague reference heightens audience curiosity and fear about the apparition.
Jagged Blank Verse Mirrors Anxiety
- The watchmen speak in jagged blank verse that reflects their cold, nervous state and fractured rhythm.
- This disrupted meter underscores tension and the characters' unease on the battlements.
Horatio As Doubting Thomas
- Horatio demands physical proof and echoes the doubting Thomas motif by refusing to believe hearsay.
- The play links skepticism about apparitions to the theme of needing tactile evidence for belief.