Similarities Between Hamlet And The Good Soldier

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Hamlet, the Prince of Denmark vs. the Good Soldier Every person views and reacts to murder differently. The morality of murder depends specifically to one 's culture and beliefs. While many Christians view murder as a mortal sin, a soldier who volunteers to serve their country and kills enemies during wartime, most do not see this at murder. The same ethical and moral conflict arises in the play Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare and the video The Good Soldier. The characters in Hamlet are portrayed with flaws, emotions, strengths and weaknesses just as those interviewed in The Good Soldier. The two sources express their own specific views on honor, murder, and suicide. Honor is a word used to describe an honest and loyal …show more content…

He questions himself whether to avenge his father 's alleged murder or to become the noble prince he was raised and trained to become. Young Hamlet also struggles with the assumption of considering that his new stepfather and Uncle Claudius may have murdered his beloved father, King Hamlet and discovering the truth (SparkNotes). “Not so my lord. / I am too much in the sun (Shakespeare 1404). From Hamlet’s quote, he does not feel comfortable at the new relationship with Claudius Equally, Hamlet feels deceived by his mother, Gertrude, for how she quickly remarried after his father 's death. He quarrels with himself about being dishonorable to his mother (SparkNotes). Ophelia is another example of a character that struggles with honor. Her character struggles with issues of accepting her role as a woman during the Renaissance era and being true to herself, which forces her to fall into the launch of madness. From the time she is born, Ophelia is taught to obey her father, as well as, her brother, Laertes. "Do not as some ungracious pastors do/ Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven Whiles like a puffed and reckless libertine/ Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads (Shakespeare 1411)." …show more content…

As a reader, one may question whether or not the murder of anyone, no matter what the particular circumstance, is justifiable. For example, Jim Massey justifies his actions after killing unarmed protestor by stating "this is war", but after the war he shows remorse for what he has done and protests. Massey states "That marine training gives you the ability to kill one time, after that it 's on you" (The Good Soldier). The complicated and controversial issue during wartime is an outsider view of the killing taking place. Jim has a feeling of conflict in his actions of committing what he feels as genocide and protests in military uniform. Some see this as being dishonorable to the county, such proving a connection that murder and honor may be intertwined (The Good Soldier). Spectators view what they see on the news, make accusations that the military use war as an excuse to kill. All four of the performers in The Good Soldier had to endure watching their fellow men being killed during this act of war but do they justify witnessing their companions as an act of war or murder? Does every soldier that is active in war question will they be condemned to hell, the way Hamlet is fearful to kill Claudius (SparkNotes)? Each one of the four from the video decided to protest in a result of the conflicts of war. Death is a strong motif throughout the whole play in Hamlet, The Prince of Denmark. The ghost of

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