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Hamlet The character of Hamlet is one of the most compelling characters to ever rise from the pages of English literature. He has been subjected to numerous interpretations and studies over the centuries, his actions and thoughts analyzed and analyzed again. And this, probably more than anything else, is the reason for Hamlet's enduring appeal. Indeed, I believe that the dilemma faced by Hamlet is in some ways the same dilemma faced by civilized man at large. As a reader, I can come to any number of reasonable conclusions about Hamlet, but coming to a firm conviction about this complex character is a difficult task. Over the centuries many people have complained that William Shakespeare did an inadequate job of steering the readers of Hamlet to a specific interpretation of each character.
Each reader is left to decide the true extent of Hamlets evil and insane ways or to realize that he clearly is a victim of circumstances beyond his control, therefore declaring him innocent. One sees from the very beginning that Hamlet is a very complex and conflicted person, and that his tragedy has already begun. Hamlets anger and grief primarily stemming from his mothers marriage to Claudius brings him to thoughts of suicide, which only subside because of it being a mortal and religious sin. Usually Hamlet analyzes all possible situations too carefully, which eventually causes him to procrastinate. This delay in the judgment allows Claudius to escape the revenge and to plot the overcome of Hamlet.
The fact that Hamlet wants to take his own life demonstrates a weakness in his character. His decision not to kill himself because of religious beliefs shows that this weakness is balanced with some sense of morality. Such an obvious paradox is only one example of the inner conflict and turmoil that will eventually lead to Hamlets downfall. In addition to this internal struggle, Hamlet feels it is his duty to dethrone Claudius and become the King of Denmark. This revenge, he believes, would settle the score for his mothers incestuous relationship and would reinstate his family's honor. These thoughts are solidified in Act I, Scene 5, when his fathers ghost appears and informs Hamlet that is was Claudius who murdered him, and that Claudius deprived him of life, of crown, and queen (line 75).
This information leads to Hamlets promise to kill Claudius, while not punishing his mother for their incestuous marriage. His statement, thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain (lines 102, 103), demonstrates his adamant decision to let nothing stand in the way of his promise for revenge. This promise can be labeled as Hamlets tragic decision, and sets into motion the beginning of his downfall. There was a perfect opportunity for Hamlet to kill Claudius just as Claudius killed King Hamlet, but young Hamlet once again intellectualized the situation and lost sight of his goal allowing Claudius to slip farther away. The revenge Hamlet swore he would get was just a plan for the future until his chance arose. He was meeting his mother in her chambers as he passed Claudius room, where the King was praying.
As he knelt, praying Hamlet walked up behind him undetected with the perfect chance to take revenge of his fathers death. However, Hamlet again postponed this step. Hamlets revenge is successful, but very costly. Hamlet had paid his revenge with his treasured Ophelia, his friend, and his own life.
His love for Ophelia is dispersed. It can be seen as the reflection of the true love for his mother. Hamlet only declares his true love for Ophelia at the funeral scene. Many people view Hamlet as a deeply troubled youth who caused many unnecessary deaths, such as those of Polonius and Laertes.
Supporting this theory I can point out the cruel actions carried out by Hamlet, one example being the indifferent and boastful way Hamlet describes the ingenious way he had his two good friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern killed. But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed? I sat down, devised a new commission, wrote it fair. I once did hold it, as our satisfy do, a baseness to write fair, labored much how to forget that learning, but, sir, now it did me a yeomans service. Wilt thou know th effect of what I wrote? An earnest conjuration from the King, as England was his faithful tributary that on the view and knowing of the contents, without debasement further more or less, he should those bearers put to sudden death. (Shakespeare Pg. 252 - 253) The way Hamlet treats Ophelia, the woman he supposedly loved, also supports the portrayal of him being a barbarian.
If thou dost marry, Ill give thee this plague for thy dowry: be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny. Get thee to a nunnery [referring to a brothel], go and quickly, too. (Shakespeare Pg. 213) Another offered interpretation suggests that using the information given by the ghost of King Hamlet, Hamlet seized the opportunity to regain what was rightfully his-the throne of Denmark. One less popular belief that has been expressed states that Hamlet was actually a girl, raised as a man, so there would be an heir to the throne. This point of view indeed explains Hamlets reluctance and hesitation to commit murder (which is most often viewed as a masculine act).
This is highly unlikely because there is, in fact, no evidence in the play that supports this explanation. I think and agree with most of the critics that Hamlet is exceptionally intelligent and a sensitive young man, however his actions are left to personal interpretations. Indeed Hamlet discloses many facets of his character to us that we have thus far only been able to see as fragments in other speeches in his speech in Act 3, scene 3. He reveals himself to be an over-analytical man who often procrastinates.
He also shows that he does not really want to kill Claudius but feels compelled to out of a sense of duty to his dead father. Hamlet demonstrates his over-analytical nature in line seventy-three of the speech when he says That would be stand, meaning that he should examine his situation more closely. Instead of simply killing Claudius while he had the chance he over-analyses and eventually decides to postpone Claudius murder, missing the best chance he will obtain in the play, which shows how passive is Hamlet. Hamlet is also a procrastinator and this is demonstrated many times in the play.
In line 80 he says Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. He knows that he must kill Claudius but he postpones it. This almost suggests that Hamlet does not really want to kill Claudius, but feels obligated to do so. Through his over-analysis he seems to be almost talking himself out of doing his job. One of Hamlets most renown traits is his over-analysis of conversational topics and situations in which action must be taken.
An example of his over-analytical nature is apparent in his speech in act one, scene four, line 13. He begins his speech quite normally, replying with a simple answer to Horatio's inquiry but then his thoughts begin to wander and he starts to analyze and philosophize about topics unrelated to Horatio's question. Another trait of Hamlet is the way he procrastinates. For example, in Act 2, scene 2, line 603 he convinces himself that his plan to add sixteen lines to the play and watch Claudius' reaction, rather than completing his task, is the best plan of action. Although in the end he postpones the murder of Claudius, beginning on line 570 he acknowledges his lack of action. This also shows that Hamlet does not really want to kill the king and that he will go to great lengths to postpone his duty.
In fact, Hamlet reveals to us about his unwillingness to kill Claudius early in the play. In Act one, scene 5, line 189 he says: O cursed spite, That ever I was born to set it right! , meaning that he is angry that he is now put in the position of having to kill the king and he is sorry that he was born with this destiny. On the whole I believe that Hamlet exhibits a puzzling, duplicitous nature and contradicts himself throughout the play, enduring both the virtues of acting a role and that of being true to ones self. But when Hamlets suspicions were proved he again became normal person and says that he was sorry about some actions.
I think that Hamlet was not mad at all but he was shocked. As the most tragic character he lost the belief in everything good because of his fathers death. Here we see that maybe that is no more tragic person than who looses the belief in everything positive and devoted his life to the revenge. Hamlet is a classical figure with very deep world inside, that can be considered the deepest in the world literature. The tragedy Hamlet also has great historical value; it is the mirror, the annals of a century. In it a print of time in which not only separate persons but whole peoples appeared as though between two fires, feudal attitudes, already in the present and the bourgeois attitudes are coming; superstition, fanaticism are left in the past and freethinking but also omnipotence of gold are in the future.
The society became richer, but it also became more poverty. The state in which Danish prince lives is pining from his ulcers and defects. Hamlet is totally opposite to what his surrounding is, which in my opinion would make him a good king for people. From another hand, Hamlet is inactive and he does not know how to deal with his surrounding; therefore, I think Hamlet would not be able to rule effectively. Hamlet is filled with very deep philosophical maintenance, in the tragedy there are wide picture of the contemporary for Shakespeare life.
The grandiose human characters, ideas and feelings of the writer created in this masterpiece of Shakespearian dramatic art, became close not only to his contemporaries, but also to the people of other historical epoch. Concluding my essay I would like to say that every character in Shakespeare's Hamlet, from Hamlet himself to the priest, can be interpreted a number of different ways. There is no right or wrong character analysis. Even the reasons for a characters actions can be interpreted different ways and tied to a number of the plays hidden themes. Bibliography: Jones, Ernest. Hamlet and Oedipus: A Classic Study in the Psychoanalysis of Literature.
New York: Anchor Books, 1954. Kavanagh, James H. Shakespeare in Ideology. London, 1985 Lake off, George, and Mark Johnson. Metaphors We Live By. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980.
Searle, Leroy F. The Conscience of the King: Oedipus, Hamlet, and the Problem of Reading. Comparative Literature, 1997 Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark. New York: Washington Square Press, 1992
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Research essay sample on Act One Scene Love For Ophelia
