Language - Tevie

1. I.iiiii "With juice of cursed hebona in a vial..."
   - Basic definition - a kind of poison.
   - The revealing of the cause and culprit of King Hamlet's death is a pivotal point in the story. That he was murdered by poison and by his own brother emphasizes Hamlet's sense of betrayal and contributes to the overall conspiratorial undertone of the play.  In addition, poison often plays a major role in the misunderstandings and death that take place in Shakespeare's other plays. 
2. I.ii "Cast thy nighted color off..."
   - Basic definition - black mourning clothes
   - The mention of Hamlet's mourning attire contributes to the melancholy tone of Hamlet's thoughts and actions throughout the play and helps the reader to further visualize the difference between Hamlet's devastation and his kingdom's celebration. 
3.  I. iii "Let it be tenable in your silence..."
   - Basic definition - withheld/kept secret
   - The whole idea of keeping important secrets is always present in Shakespeare's work and, more often than not, leads to some crucial misunderstanding that results, if not in death, then in woe. The inclusion of this word sets the context for the agreement between these characters to keep the Ghost a secret.
4. I.iii "A double blessing is a double grace."
   - Basic definition - to receive one's father's blessing twice is a double favor from heaven.
   - Basically, this phrase helps emphasize the slightly sarcastic tone of Laerte's expressions to his sister concerning their overbearing father. Laerte's is remarking on the customary requisite that one must have one's father's blessing to do much of anything. This was a common notion explored in Shakespeare's plays and the basis for much of the conflict therein.
5. I.iiii "The stamp of one's defect, being nature's livery or fortune's star..."
   - Basic definition - nature's livery is something by which one is marked by nature, or born with. Fortune's star is something determined by luck or chance.
   - This phrase is hugely relevant to the theme and tone, not only of this work, but of Shakespeare's works in general. The separation of one's natural livery from their fortune's star is an idea commonly explored in his plays and is always of paramount importance to the story and the conflicts within.  Team Sea Slug fo' life