Free Hamlet Essays: Little Control in Hamlet

804 Words2 Pages

Little Control in Hamlet

Even though Hamlet is a prince, he has little control over the course of his life. In that time many things were decided for the princes and princesses such as their education and even who they married. This was more or less the normal way of life for a child of the monarch. But in the case of Hamlet, any of the control he thought he had, fell away with the murder of his father. Having his father, the king, be killed by his own brother, sent Hamlet into a state of feeling helpless and out of control. Cooped up in a palace with no real outlet, he tries to control at least one aspect of his life. Hamlet deliberately toys with Ophelia's emotions in order to feel in control of something since he cannot control the situation with Claudius.

So much is going on in Hamlet's life, his father's death, his uncle's rise to power, Fortinbras at the ready to strike and invade Denmark, and his relationship with Ophelia, that he is feels helpless and not even in control of his own life. He feels trapped and confined by his situation and therefor not in control of it. Hamlet feels as if the situations that he is in are controlling him rather than he being able to control them and he feels trapped by them, particularly the situation with Claudius. "Hamlet: …What have you, my good friends, deserved at the hands of Fortune that she sends you to prison hither? Guildenstern: Prison my lord? Hamlet: Denmark's a prison" (Act 2, Scene 2, verses 242-247) Hamlet even goes so far as to call Denmark a prison because he feels so trapped in his life there and feels so helpless to change his situation, as if he were locked into it like a prison cell.

Another interpretation could be that Hamlet is melancholy and indecisive, and is not trying to control anyone. He is trying only to take revenge on Claudius, at which he fails for lack of an opportune time. "Hamlet: Now might I do it pat, now'a is a-praying, And now I do it. And so'a goes to heaven. And so I am revenged…But in our circumstance and course of thought, 'Tis heavy with him; and then I am revenged, To take him in the purging of his of his soul…No.

Show More
Related

  • Macbeth the Tragic Hero

    705 Words  | 2 Pages

    Macbeth could justly be classified a “Tragic Hero” as his tragic story fills out the defined criteria for a tragic hero. Macbeth holds a significant social status, reveals essential truths about humanity through his suffering, has tragically wasted talent, contains a “tragic flaw” leading to his downfall and finally he finds some relief in his death.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Teaching Deception and Selfishness in Hamlet

    1079 Words  | 3 Pages

    structure of the future leaders of the country. Through the conceit of the adults in Hamlet,

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Lonely Hamlet

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet’s decision to keep the murder of his father a secret to himself, along with the betrayals of many of his close friends and family, leads to his eventual downfall. If someone was there for him, whether it was his mother Gertrude, his girlfriend Ophelia, or Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, maybe his timeless death could have been prevented. Instead, his mother sides with Claudius who wants to kill him, Ophelia won’t go behind her father, Polonius’, back to be with him and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern go behind Hamlet’s back and spy on him for Claudius.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Hamlet Interpreted

    517 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is clear Hamlet can be interpreted from a multitude of perspectives on numerous levels. I cannot quite grasp Mr. Bloom's contention that this is a work of near biblical importance nor can I accept his allusions to Jesus or the Buddha. "Hamlet remains apart; something transcendent about him places him more aptly with the biblical King David, or with even more exalted scriptural figures."(Bloom, 384). My immediate response is that when Mr. Bloom shuffles off this mortal coil, I don't believe Billy Shakespeare will be waiting with a pint of ale.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Deceit and the Downfall of Hamlet

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deceit is a major cause of the downfall of Hamlet. This is demonstrated in three instances in the play. First, Polonius spies on Hamlet while he is talking privately with his mother Gertrude. Second, Claudius sends Hamlet away to England. Finally, Laertes and Claudius scheme to kill Hamlet.

    Read More

  • Heifetz's The Practice Of Adaptive Leadership: Deploy Yourself

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    When you approach leadership with the mindset that leading involves a great deal of experimentation, a leader that understands this concept will now look at the implementation of change within the organization as nothing more than an attempt or test. This process is most effective when the leader takes more risks than normal, frequently exceeds the boundaries of their authority, instigates heated discussion by turnings up the heat on problematic issues while at the same time identifying their own personal contributions to the difficulties and

    Read More

  • How Does Hamlet Control His Own Destiny

    441 Words  | 1 Pages

    Hamlet is a firm believer that he can control all of his action and his own destiny. Later on he realizes this is not the case as one person says, “Hamlet acknowledges that not everything is in his control, and that ultimately God determines what the outcome will be” (Hamletvsfate, Quotes) Hamlet is extremely religious more so than is portrayed in the lines of the play. Despite this he still thinks that he can control what happens to him or the people around him. As the play progresses Hamlet realizes that he cannot control everything that happens to him. This revelation occurs right after the person that Hamlet was supposed to be in love with, Ophelia, died. It was as if the death of that love was something that caused the rapid deterioration of hamlets psyche and to deal with that deterioration he had to believe that there was something bigger than him in the world. The acceptance of fate being bigger than

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Human Nature in Hamlet

    592 Words  | 2 Pages

    The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, shows human nature to be greedy, self-involved and vengeful. Claudius is driven by his greed to commit murder. Polonius is always looking out for himself, currying favor at the expense of anyone in his way. Hamlet thinks only of vengeance from the moment he finds out about Claudius murdering his father. Human nature has been all of these things, but it has also evolved through the ages. We can be base and cruel, but we can also show great compassion and kindness.

    Read More

  • macbeth

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    With each word spoken from the witches, the importance he holds for Scotland increases. From Thane of Glamis, to Thane of Cawdor and eventually the all and mighty king. With all the praises he receives and learning about his new title, Macbeth’s ambition to become a powerful king can not help but rises. Macbeth wins a battle and proves loyal to Duncan, however his ambition to become King is too strong to keep his morals. When his ambition is associated with the witch’s prophecies, his morals become non-existent for he is easily persuaded into what he wants to hear.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Complex Hamlet

    623 Words  | 2 Pages

    There are many factors that lead Hamlet into putting himself in a difficult position. There are many incidents where it’s not Hamlet’s poor attitude that gets him in trouble, but his great ambition to uncover the truth. Once Hamlet discovers that Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are spying on him, he never lets them out of his sight. Hamlet suspects that his mother, Gertrude, was an accomplice for the murder of his father. Polonius was slain by Hamlet who had mistaken him for Claudius. His pretense of madness drove Ophelia to her death. All of these incidents show that its Hamlet’s great ambition to uncover the truth that gets himself in difficult positions.

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Hamlet as a Tragic Hero

    1445 Words  | 3 Pages

    In addition to this internal struggle, Hamlet feels it is his duty to dethrone Claudius and become the King of Denmark.  This revenge, he believes, would settle the score for his mother’s incestuous relationship and would reinstate his family’s honor.  These thoughts are solidified in Act I, Scene 5, when his father’s ghost appears and informs Hamlet that is was Claudius who murdered him, and that Claudius deprived him “of life, of crown, and queen” (line 75).  This information leads to Hamlet’s promise to kill Claudius, while not punishing his mother for their incestuous marriage.  His statement, “thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain” (lines 102-103), demonstrates his adamant decision to let nothing stand in the way of his promise for revenge.

    Read More

  • Macbeth: The Tragic Hero's Downfall

    610 Words  | 2 Pages

    He started out as someone reliable, kind, wise, and brave. He was a self-less man who made the wellbeing of his country Scotland a priority. In war, he fought gallantly for his king and proved himself as being someone worthy of trust. The king was so impressed with Macbeth’s bravery that he rewarded him with a title, “Thane of Cawdor”. With just the slightest taste of power granted to him, Macbeth turns from being a kind man to a blood thirsty murderer. His newly awarded title wouldn’t be enough for him. Macbeth had a strong desire to prove himself to his wife. In addition, she taunted him to kill King Duncan, a terrible deed. “That made you break this enterprise to me? When you durst do it, then you were a man; And to be more than what you were, you would Be so much more the man.” ( 1.7-48 ) Macbeths new courage pushed him to commit an unforgivable crime and molded him into being someone overly ambitious. Ambition used in a positive way can bring good to the world. Macbeth’s over ambition quickly lead to his down

    Read More

  • The Change Stage Of Kurt Lewin

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    Make change permanent - Stage three. Freezing or refreezing. Lewin now refers to this stage as refreezing. This stage, the changes are now taking place. As the name suggests, it about establishing the stability once the changes have been made, changes are accepted and become the new norm. people form new relationships and become comfortable with their routines. Even though change is a constant in many organisations, the refreezing stage is very important. As part of refreezing process, organisations should celebrate the success of the change. It also helps workers to find closure, thank them for enduring a painful time and help them believe that future change will be successful. (mindtools.com, 1996).

    Read More

  • Free Essays - Morals and Ethics in Hamlet Hamlet essays

    377 Words  | 1 Pages

    According to the philosophy of the Elizabethan Period in English literature, the ability to think and reason separates man from animal. It is with this very important fact in mind that one can first begin to interpret the question, "What should fellows such as I do crawling between Earth and Heaven?" William Shakespeare's Hamlet is a troubled individual who, after the murder of his father, is on the brink of insanity. He is having an ethical dilemma over how he should have his revenge on his uncle, Claudius, who killed his father to take the thrown. Hamlet's problem is that he is experiencing human urges of being "proud, revengeful, (and) ambitious (3.1.124)," but Hamlet is of noble birth so he feels that he should not act in this way. When Hamlet says that he is between Earth and Heaven, he is relating Earth to humanity and man's natural urges, and he is relating Heaven to divinity and the way in which nobility should act. By saying that he is crawling, he is referring to an animal-like behavior and it's struggle to survive. Hamlet is now looking for options. He is driving himself crazy over his moral dilemma, and in the process he is losing his ability to think clearly. Therefore, he is turning himself into an animal.

    Read More

  • Free Hamlet Essays: Brutal Truth Revealed in Hamlet Hamlet essays

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hamlet, the disillusioned idealist, continues with the motif when he disheartenedly declares: "the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory" -Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 321-2 [the air] "why, it appeareth nothing to me but a fouled and pestilent congregation of vapors." -Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 325-6 The above lines represent Hamlet's cosmic view on the planet. He finds the world to be empty and lifeless, dirty and diseased, and his particular place in it to be desolate and lonely. Indeed, he feels so isolated and entrapped in his native land that he says: [the world is a prison] "A goodly one, in which there are many confines, wards, and dungeons, Denmark being one o' th' worst." -Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 264 -6 This view of the world exemplifies the micro/macro concept, where Denmark is the "micro" manifestation of a prison for our hero. The taint of "micro" Denmark leads to repercussions that in turn affect the whole universal order, leading to the consequence of the world itself becoming the "macro" manifestation of a prison in Hamlet's eyes.

    Read More

More about Free Hamlet Essays: Little Control in Hamlet

Open Document