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Ambiguities in hamlet
Hamlet impulsive decisions
Character of Claudius in Hamlet
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Throughout generations people are taught to think before they act because actions make a greater impact than words. It is a phrase that it constantly alluded to, in life and literature. The issue is often times people think too much and don’t do anything. Incidentally in Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet” the plays namesake is exactly this type of person. Hamlet’s main objective in the play is to avenge his father’s death by killing the murderer, Claudius; he is entrusted this task by his father’s ghost who found him “apt” (i.v.38) to do it. Yet Hamlet spends most of the play not doing anything he seems to be an incompetent character for such an arduous task. Going against the ghost’s belief entirely, for throughout the play Hamlet continuously does not do what he has to.
It is early on in the play that Hamlet learns that what the ghost of his father had told him was true, he indeed was murdered. And even when he has this information and the means to go about killing Claudius the killer, Hamlet proceeds to do nothing. Primarily through exposition of the play Hamlet is spent worrying about little else but how to make the plan perfect, yet he executes none of them. He continuously babbles and does nothing to uphold his claims. Furthermore proving he is not capable of doing the job.
Hamlet is constantly given opportunities to kill Claudius, especially after he learns that what the ghost told him was true, the most prominent moment being when Claudius in the confessional. This would have been the opportune moment to kill him and yet Hamlet talks himself out of it saying it is too merciful to kill Claudius like that and it would be “hire and salary not revenge” (iii.iii.84) and that his father’s killer should be more sinful when he dies. T...
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... marriage whilst he also reveals even more Hamlet cared for his mother. Thus making the audience question the veritably of his claims to be able to kill Claudius in the beginning, for this is a moment he shows no hesitancy like he once had. Calling to question if he truly would have avenged his father or if the last scene was more to avenge his mother. The ghost had he must be avenged with the death of his murder but one can not truly be sure if this will let his soul rest when the murder was not done for him.
In conclusion, multiple insistences in the play propel the belief that Hamlet is neither fit nor ready for the tasks given to him. He is extremely weak willed and his greatest flaw is that he over thinks things, together this creates an unstable character, to go against Old King Hamlet his son was not ready to take on such a ask and should have chosen another.
Claudius feels much guilt about the death of his brother he also faces the desires of power. The guilt of his brother death drives Claudius to be on his toes around the kingdom. He remains very scared that someone like Hamlet Jr. might avenge his father’s death. Hamlet Jr. chooses to use a play to test Claudius’s guilt. He rewrites parts of the play to replicate the story voiced by the ghost. Hamlet Jr. watches Claudius carefully during the performance, and the king leaves during it (Gale). Claudius gets up and leaves because he cannot bear to see the reenactment of how he killed his own brother. The internal conflict of the guilt about his brother eats Claudius up and he goes to repent for the corrupt act he has done: “My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,/ And like a man to double business bound,/ I stand in pause where I shall first begin,/ And neglect; what if this cursed hand,/Were thicker than itself with brothers blood” (3.3.40-45). Claudius repents but knows his words will mean nothing to the heavens because Claudius is an insincere being whom
In the beginning of the play, Hamlet's father comes to him as a ghost from the grave. He tells Hamlet of his uncle's betrayal of him and tells Hamlet that he must kill Claudius to set things right. Through this event, Hamlet...
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the king of Denmark is murdered by his brother, Claudius, and as a ghost tells his son, Hamlet the prince of Denmark, to avenge him by killing his brother. The price Hamlet does agree to his late father’s wishes, and undertakes the responsibility of killing his uncle, Claudius. However even after swearing to his late father, and former king that he would avenge him; Hamlet for the bulk of the play takes almost no action against Claudius. Prince Hamlet in nature is a man of thought throughout the entirety of the play; even while playing mad that is obvious, and although this does seem to keep him alive, it is that same trait that also keeps him from fulfilling his father’s wish for vengeance
One of Hamlet’s flaws is that he over thinks things a lot and it is first shown the most at the prayer scene with Claudius. Once Hamlet sees how Claudius reacts to the play he knows that Claudius killed his father and that the ghost was right, he has a chance to kill him and doesn’t take it . His only proof was the ghost and even though others saw the ghost no one else heard it talk except Hamlet. Hamlet was also considering a lot of other things at this time, like how if he killed Claudius now Claudius would be free of sin and would go to heaven. He was also thinking if his father didn’t get to die free of sin it wouldn’t be fair for Claudius to die free of sin either, which shows how vengeful Hamlet’s character is. At the same time, Hamlet has morals and understands the consequences so that’s why it’s harder for him to perform the act . After a l...
In the players’ scene, Hamlet revises the play of The Murder of Gonzago, adding in a scene that hints at the murder of King Hamlet. When Claudius reacts to Hamlet’s trap and makes a sudden exit, Hamlet now knows that the ghost’s story is true and will “take the ghost’s word for a thousand pound.” He now has no reason not to act. Prior to witnessing Claudius’ reaction, Hamlet has been debating with himself over the legitimacy of the ghost and its story. He has been questioning himself and whether he is a coward, because all he has done is talk, not having taken any action. Now that Hamlet knows the murderous sin Claudius has committed, Hamlet feels no guilt in avenging his father’s death. The plot takes a turn, as Hamlet becomes more of a man of action than a philosopher.
In “Tragic Flaw in Shakespeare’s Hamlet”, P Indira Devi states “His (Hamlet) tragic flaw is ‘procrastination’... Hamlet is well aware of his fatal flaw. His continuous awareness and doubt delay him in performing the needed act.” (Devi 95). Others would like to believe it is because Hamlet is a thinker and not someone who usually takes action. In a study called “True Hamlet” Oana TATU says “He (Hamlet), the thinker, is required to take action; not any kind of action, but the action of avenging a dead king/father, an action that is objectively evil.” (TATU
...e up the chance to kill Claudius himself because he would not get enough punishment that he deserved in the after life if he killed him then. Claudius would have to be a worthy adversary if Hamlet felt that he deserved to suffer also in the after life.
Foremost, is the character of Hamlet: the causes and effects of his actions, or lack thereof. Hamlet is a very thoughtful person by nature, and often spends more time thinking than acting. However, Hamlet does realize that "...conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution/ Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought"(III.i.84-85). Although Hamlet recognizes the fact that too much reflection could end poorly, he does it nonetheless. Every situation he is faced with he insists upon planning it out first, and rarely actually acting upon these plans. Additionally, since Hamlet is considered to be a tragedy, there must be a tragic hero. All tragic heroes have some kind of flaw or blemish, which, according to the article "Characters", "Hamlet's weakness may be that he 'thinks too much' and cannot make up his mind. The resulting inactions leads to his death" ("Characters"). Because Hamlet spends so much time pondering his surroundings, he sometimes misses the chance to act on them. This inability to accomplish anything slowly pulls Hamlet to a point where no amount of thought or action could possibly help him. However, at one point in the play Hamlet comes very near to followin...
Hamlet only kills Claudius when he has also murdered the queen, Laertes, and has also poisoned himself. It takes a threat of death to do what his own dead father orders him to do. A largely held opinion is that he is to emotional to do it, but it is when his emotions all come together that he murders Polonius. Another opinion is that he to full of morals to kill, but how then can he alter a note and literally sentence two old friends who were just following orders too death. It is also believed that he is too cowardly to go through with it, but if a man is bold enough to face a ghost, confront a queen and kill an eavesdropper, than what should stop him from avenging his father and ridding Denmark of the disease that infests it's royal line. The answer is simple, he is to smart to get around to doing it.
Once Hamlet has learned of his father’s death, he is faced with a difficult question: should he succumb to the social influence of avenging his father’s death? The Ghost tells Hamlet to “revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (1.5.31) upon which Hamlet swears to “remember” (1.5.118). Hamlet’s immediate response to this command of avenging his father’s death is reluctance. Hamlet displays his reluctance by deciding to test the validity of what the Ghost has told him by setting up a “play something like the murder of (his) father’s” (2.2.624) for Claudius. Hamlet will then “observe his looks” (2.2.625) and “if he do blench” (2.2.626) Hamlet will know that he must avenge his father’s death. In the course of Hamlet avenging his father’s death, he is very hesitant, “thinking too precisely on the event” (4.4.43). “Now might I do it…and he goes to heaven…No” (3.3.77-79) and Hamlet decides to kill Claudius while “he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in th’ incestuous pleasure of his bed” (3.3.94-95). As seen here, Hamlet’s contradicting thought that Claudius “goes to heaven” (3.3.79) influences him to change his plans for revenge. Hamlet eventually realizes that he must avenge his father’s death and states “from this time forth my thoughts be bloody or be nothing worth” (4.4.69). From this, Hamlet has succumbed to the social influence and has vowed to avenge his father’s death.
Furthermore, it is possible to propose that Shakespeare merely uses this scene to provoke irritation and consequently suspense from the audience. If Hamlet wasn’t given this opportunity to kill Claudius we would have not this insight into Hamlet’s indecisiveness, possible cowardice and inability to kill Claudius in cold blood. It is probable to suggest that through this soliloquy we are shown that Hamlet’s initial passion for revenge after the Ghost’s visitation has faded as the play progresses to merely thinking about killing Claudius.
Claudius killed Hamlet’s dad and then married his mom to become the leader of Denmark. Later in the play, Hamlet sees his dad’s ghost and is informed of the horrific act committed by his uncle. Hamlets’ dad’s ghost says, “Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder” (I. V. 25). Hamlets’ dad says this to Hamlet so that his uncle could get retribution for his actions. Hamlet has many opportunities to kill Claudius, but is unable because of the wrong timing.
With his thinking mind Hamlet does not become a typical vengeful character. Unlike most erratic behavior of individuals seeking revenge out of rage, Hamlet considers the consequences of his actions. What would the people think of their prince if he were to murder the king? What kind of effect would it have on his beloved mother? Hamlet considers questions of this type which in effect hasten his descision. After all, once his mother is dead and her feelings out of the picture , Hamlet is quick and aggressive in forcing poison into Claudius' mouth. Once Hamlet is certain that Claudius is the killer it is only after he himself is and and his empire falling that he can finally act.
... be overstepping the boundaries of morality. Not only does Hamlet want to kill Claudius, but he also wants to damn his soul. This contrasts greatly with Claudius’ act of murder, which is carried out with no preference for the victim’s afterlife. As a result of Hamlet’s tendency to over-think situations, his mission of vengeance is once again delayed.
Throughout the play, Hamlet's hesitation becomes a major character flaw for him due to the many problems which arise that should have been solved much easier. Hamlet first expresses hesitation in believing the existence of his father's ghost. Both he and the guards can plainly see the ghost, and the ghost even speaks to the prince informing Hamlet that he was “murther most foul, as in the best it is;/ But this most foul, strange, and unnatural” by his own brother Claudius (1.5.763-4). However, Hamlet is reluctant to believe what he witnessed and wants to completely the ghost's information is correct before killing Claudius. By the time Hamlet confirms that the ghost spoke the truth, he has lost the ability to surprise Claudius and avenge his father. The next consequence of Hamlet's hesitation is the death of Polonius when he attempts to spy on Hamlet and his mother Gertrude's conversation. Hamlet is reluctant to kill Claudius before meeting Gertrude because Claudius is praying and wishes to kill him “When h...