Yet I, / A dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak / Like John-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, / And can say nothing.
Act II, Scene 2 · Hamlet
Context
Hamlet contrasts the Player's passionate performance with his own passivity, describing himself in unflattering terms.
Analysis
The metaphor 'muddy-mettled' makes Hamlet's spirit sound thick and clouded, as if his courage is literally contaminated. 'Unpregnant of my cause' extends the metaphor: he is sterile, unable to bring forth the action his situation demands, which frames inaction as a kind of impotence.
Essay Tip
Use this to argue that Hamlet experiences his paralysis as a failure of masculinity—the language of pregnancy and impotence suggests he sees revenge as something he should be able to generate naturally but cannot.