A Unified Meaning of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet

For centuries scholars, directors, and actors have been trying to puzzle out the one unified meaning of William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The lack of consensus continues as Hamlet remains a prominent source of dramatic and scholarly conversation. Hamlet’s ambiguity is often noted as the reason the play has endured, partly stemming from the three different print versions of the play. Each version loses some important aspect of the play and thus creates a completely new interpretation of certain characters and events. Any version of Hamlet read today is likely a “patchwork quilt” of the three different print additions, tailored together in what is believed the spirit of what Shakespeare intended (Rosenbaum 30). Without the benefit of asking Shakespeare himself, it is difficult to definitively select what he intended. Even though a definitive version of Hamlet has yet to be printed, the patchwork Hamlet has given scholars an uneasy compromise yet provides an encompassing text for the classroom. Since this version contains a cohesive narrative, the ambiguity stems predominately from the characters. Many of the characters, Hamlet in particular, are disjointed in their behaviors and seem like completely different people as the play progresses. The duality of dispositions that many of the actors portray conveys the universal truth that human behavior is not black or white but is instead a mix of different and often conflicting behaviors.

Ophelia provides a prime example of the duality of human behavior that is prevalent in the play. At the beginning, Ophelia is the good spirited, innocent, and stable-minded maid. As the play progresses, Ophelia seems to lose her good nature and innocence until finally she succumbs to madness. Claudius comme...

... middle of paper ...

...ost concentrated on conflicted personalities and characteristics. Shakespeare’s focus on multifaceted personalities gives the characters more depth and realism. In effect, Shakespeare is reflecting the reality of the world in which individuals act very differently from one situation to another. Depending on their disposition, subsequent actions may be at odds with their personality. Shakespeare allows audiences to view a play with realistic characters who provide insight into the frailties of human nature. William Shakespeare’s ability to craft dialogue, which creates complex characters, has endeared Hamlet to scholars and audiences alike over the centuries.

Works Cited

Shakespeare, William. “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts. 9th Ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2009. Print