He has answered his famous question "to be, or not to be" with the simple phrase "let be" (III, i, 56; V, i, 227). The encounter with the gravedigger is clearly a turning point for Hamlet in which he realizes the two truths that are the theme of the play: death is inevitable; death is universal. By thus dramatizing the theme and placing a statement of it on the protagonist's lips, Shakespeare conveys this message to the audience. The statement of Hamlet's theme by its main character is borne out in his subsequent speech and actions, bringing about the restoration of order that is the conclusion of a Shakespearean tragedy. Works Cited: Shakespeare, William.
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.
The killing of Polonious as previously mentioned was due to the fact that death was always on Hamlet's mind. If Hamlet had been content with the environment he was in, he would not have taken such rash action and plunged his knife into the curtain. The idea of death that has clouded Hamlet's mind since the beginning of the play finally shows consequences. These consequences lead to Hamlet's death in the final scene of the play. The appearance of Hamlet is that of a perfect prince who has everything, but the staggering reality is that even he has a tragic flaw, which eventually leads him to his own death.
The next scene where Hamlet’s suicidal thoughts are exposed is after he realized that he needs to avenge his father’s death, even though Hamlet is evidently not the type of person t... ... middle of paper ... ...s for the smallest misdoing. Hamlet was so entrenched in his self remorse that he could not honour his father, and in doing so also neglected his responsibility towards Denmark and Gertrude. William Shakespeare attempted to show that suicide is not a noble act, but a selfish one that contradicts the purpose of life. According to the code of honour, it puts one’s needs and pains in front of your country and family’s needs. Shakespeare implies that it is the easy way out of life, and that so called perpetual sleep might be a nightmare that is worse than life itself.
Death in Hamlet Being that death is a universally explored topic, William Shakespeare, a master of English literature, opted to thoroughly investigate this complex notion in his play Hamlet. Shakespeare cleverly and sometimes subtly brings the reader/viewer through a physical and spiritual journey of death via the several controversial characters of Hamlet. The chief element of this expedition is undoubtedly the funerals. Every funeral depicts, and marks, the conclusion of different perceptions of death. Shakespeare uses the funerals of the several controversial characters to gradually transform the simple, spiritual, naïve, and somewhat light view of death into a much more factual, physical, serious, and down to earth outlook.
The subject of Hamlet’s sixth aside is very similar to his other six because of his inability to act upon his conviction. Hamlet is told to avenge his father’s unnatural murder knowing fully that this is his duty.“ ”Revenge tragedy has long been recognized, on the one hand, for the speed with which it becomes virtually synonymous with stage misogyny and, on the other, for its generic and sometimes profound investment in recognizably Renaissance process of mourning- revenge, after all, is the private response to socially unaccommodated grief- but typically mourning and misogyny have been considered in isolation from one another, in separate studies and only insofar as the duplicate Renaissance habits of thought articulated elsewhere in medical or philosophical discourse.”(Mullaney) However, throughout the play we discover his soft heart and often his inability to act. By this he is betraying his father’s command. This betrayal is more than evident in this soliloquy. His mind is tainted by the thought that if he were to avenge while Claudius is “praying”, Claudius would go to heaven.
His fate was sealed when he performed the evil deed against his own brother just to justify his wants and needs: karma. Adding on, Laertes character was blinded by his own anger which led him to decisions without taking time to reflect upon them. His inability to perceive right from wrong led him to his downfall. Hamlet’s fate was fixated when he decided for revenge. Even though it took him a prolonged period of time to actually be able to take his thoughts into actions, his fate was the same, he died but was able to honor his father’s death.
After he learns about the treachery of his uncle and the adultery of his mother, his already negative countenance declines further. He struggles with the task of killing Claudius, feeling burdened about having been asked to find a solution to a situation that was forced upon him.Death is something he struggles with as an abstract idea and as relative to himself. He is able to reconcile with the idea of death and reality eventually. Hamlet appears to be a rather philosophical character. He is skeptical and expresses views that nowadays can be described as existential and relativist, but those terms did not exist in Shakespeare’s time.
Although he appears to not have much courage at first, his focus remains on avenging his father whose murder is described as being "most foul." As noted in one of Hamlet's first soliloquies, his downward spiral has already began and already he is contemplating suicide; "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt, thaw, and resolve itself into a dew (I, II, 130)" and "seems to me all the uses of this world... Things rank and gross in nature posses it merely (I, II, 136)." To be degrading to be thinking of imagery including flesh melting shows that Hamlet is not in the state that he ought to be in. Furthermore Shakespeare encourages us to empathize with these emotions by using such rich descriptions.
All these factors contribute to Hamlet’s depression and suicidal inclinations. Hamlet did not have friends to help him through these problems; therefore, he did not have anyone that could do for him what my friends did for me: provide support and encouragement. Suicidal thoughts are often linked to depression, but they can also be linked to hopelessness. Someone will feel hopeless if they believe that there will be no improvement on the situation at hand and there is no way to change that. Hamlet has lost hope in this world when he says “How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of this world;” (1.2.133-4) therefore, he contemplates the idea of committing suicide when he says “to be, or not to be... ... middle of paper ... ... betrayed Hamlet’s trust, but Hamlet does not know this.