Hamlet as Victim and Hero

Hamlet as Victim and Hero

Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, a Shakespearean tragedy, tells the story of Prince Hamlet, who gained the knowledge of a terrible incident that his kingdom had suffered. Claudius, the king of Denmark and Hamlet's uncle, had killed his own brother, the king, who was also the father of Hamlet, and married his brother's widow. Hamlet suffered these traumas to a severe degree, and his only relief was to defeat his human weaknesses and correct the wrongs created by his uncle.

The soliloquy selected to describe the emotions of Hamlet, after discovering the evil doings of his uncle, is found within the lines one hundred twenty-nine to one hundred fifty-nine (Hamlet Prince 71). Hamlet's first reaction was to look for a way out, which would be a common response for several humans if they were placed in that situation. He wished for death and questioned God's decision that suicide be a sin. Most human beings, when placed as leaders in a difficult situation, will look for ways to free themselves of their responsibility. Even Jesus Christ, the greatest being to walk the face of this earth, according to Christianity, searched for a way out as He took upon him the sins of the world in the Garden of Gethsemane. In St. Mathew 26:39 he said, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou will" (The Holy Bible 1235). Hamlet realized, as Jesus did, that he was in a situation where he was the only man to do the job. Therefore, he forgot about his own death and suicidal thoughts and concentrated more on bringing his uncle to justice.

Throughout the play, Hamlet demonstrates a witty personality although he is bogged down by the knowledge of his f...

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...as pulled into this situation by chance, and it was left in his hands to justify his father's death. He did what he had to do according to his own manner.

Works Cited

The Holy Bible. Authorized King James Version. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1989.

Dodsworth, Martin. Hamlet Closely Observed. New Hampshire: The Athlone Press, 1985.

Kravitz, David. Who's Who in Greek and Roman Mythology. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1975.

Lidz, Theodore. Hamlet's Enemy, Madness and Myth in Hamlet. New York: Basic Books, Inc., 1975.

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet Prince of Denmark. A Pocketful of Plays. Vintage Drama. Ed. David Madden. Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1996.

Wormhoudt, Arthur. Hamlet's Mouse Trap. A Psychoanalytical Study of the Drama. New York: Philosophical Library, Inc., 1956.