The Performative Utterance in Hamlet

Austin’s Idea: Language describes and does.

Language:

• Locutionary force: ability to deliver a message
• Illocutionary force: whatever is done when being said …?
• perlocutionary force: what is achieved by whatever is said

Thoughts/Notes:

• To my understandings Austin is saying that Hamlet is so trapped in between his thoughts and   actions, because he talks out his anger, he uses language, but has not really mastered language to the next step which is action the does part of the definition above.
• What Austin is trying to say is that in order for something to be true it must be said. Feeling is a process? First feeling must go through a mental process than a verbal process or visa versa. It is called going from language to the physical world.
• Pretending- is hamlet pretending to be mad or is has he actually gone mad?
• Hamlet has created an appearance of madness to everyone around him.
• Polonius is Hamlet’s toy b/c he is a firm believer that Hamlet’s gone completely mad.
• Hamlet is using his “madness” to hide what he is feeling from others and to hide is identity b/c he is just royalty, nothing but a title.
• Polonius= vision of pre modern man …?
• Hamlet the man of language becomes a man of action at the end. He does what he needs to do and what has been running through his head.

THOUGHTS ON HAMLET (IN PROGRESS)

Explain how your thinking about the play has evolved from the time we began reading to the end of Act III. Has anything changed your mind about the plot or characters since the ghost showed up at midnight? Where do you see things going from here?

      When we first started the play I thought Hamlet was mad and though he would worsen throughout the play. As we kept reading I realized that he is actually very witty. He knew exactly how to play his cards. Hamlet surprises me more and more in each Act. He says non sense, then goes back to sanity and then flips out when alone. It is quite entertaining to see the transitions he takes with his own character and see the other character's reactions.
      As for Rosencrantz and Guildenstren I thought they were going to stay loyal to Hamlet even after Claudius had asked them to figure him out. Their friendly concerns and comforting comments deceived me until further collaboration with my peers. As for Polonius I never thought he would be killed so easily and without actual planning from Hamlet. 
       After Act 3 I believe that Hamlet is willing to do anything to get his revenge. All of his actions  from his rejection to Ophelia, to his witty and truthful play, to blowing up on his mom and killing Polonius impacted each and every one of the readers. Hamlet is a strong character and nobody is going to be able to stop him from his goal. 
      As for now i think that the play is going to go downhill from here. More characters are going to be killed off and Hamlet is going to keep playing his witty game.