Free Hamlet Essays: The Foils

Why does hamlet delay so much in avenging his father’s murderer? Is there a part of him that really doesn’t want to take revenge? These are questions readers may come up with after reading and analyzing the play. Hamlet is a play built on a long tragedy between many characters. This tragedy starts with the main character Princess Hamlet and his Uncle Claudius.

Although this is deeply rooted in his character, his obsessive thoughts are a product of continuous grieving. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet learns from a ghost of his father’s brutal murder. Hamlet weeps and plans to take action but doesn’t deliver. Instead he plots his revenge and waits for the perfect moment to avenge King Hamlet. The ghost of Hamlet’s father influences Hamlet to seek revenge who would otherwise contemplate the subject to death, GHOST: Revenge his foul murder and most unnatural murder.

At first is seems as if Hamlet would seek revenge right away because he seems eager to find out who the killer is and when he does find out he says he knew it was Claudius all along. He is furious and after this part in the play, Hamlet’s anger is mainly focused on Claudius. On the other hand when Laertes found out Polonius is dead he went straight to Claudius assuming it was him. By doing this he shows that he is controlled by his impulses unlike Hamlet who waited until he got proof to act on his fury. Laertes also blamed Claudius for not giving his father a proper burial, which can relate to Hamlet’s anger too because Hamlet felt as if there was not enough mourning for his father death.

As a result of the two entities, envy can make a character to overthink. For instance, to further his plan with seeking revenge on Claudius, Hamlet states: “Oh, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!” (4.4.65-66). This explains his passion towards killing Claudius and forgetting the rational idea of the damaging effects that could occur after this deed is done, such as Hamlet risking his own life. Furthermore, the envy present in the play encouraged Hamlet to think irrationally and continue with his plan on avenging his father. In the little play where Hamlet makes the players change their lines he says: “Is it not monstrous that this player here, but in a fiction, in a dream of passion, could force his soul so to his own conceit…” (2.2 510-512).

Yet, the Ghost of Hamlet 's father has required revenge for precisely the kind of killing that the villain of the play is about to commit. Reality or cliché? -- Irritated with the bad acting of the antihero in the play, Hamlet calls out, "Come, 'the croaking raven doth bellow for revenge '" (3.2.253-254). The literary device that is highlighted within this quote consist of a metaphor. This quote reveals that Hamlet is giddy as he gives away his plan, although Claudius does not end up realizing the truth behind what he said.

His second flaw completely opposite from the first, was acting on impulse out of passion making him kill the wrong man, Polonius. Hamlet’s acting out of passion and anger not only killed the wrong man but it was also Ophelia’s father, causing her to commit suicide. Hamlet was a hero trying to do the right thing, but his tragic flaws turn everything around when everyone including himself dies . 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 .

Shakespeare is also foreshadowing Hamlet’s idea of using the players to prove that his uncle is guilty. The foreshadow is seen when Hamlet questions what would the actor do if he is given a script to feel, continuing on into the “stage with tears”. Hamlet starts to reconsider the idea of avenging his father’s death. He starts to believe he just doesn’t have the ability or the guts to do it in the end. He lacks emotional drive, yet he knows he still has a gut feeling he is in need to avenge his father’s murder.

You just never know what Hamlet is going to do next. Will he get revenge on Claudius or will he let him be? The readers are instilled with great intrigue of the character that is Hamlet. At first when the reader meets Hamlet, he is mourning over his father’s death and vows to avenge it. As the play goes along, the reader notices that the story isn’t really just about avenging his father’s death.

Hamlet wants to avenge his father 's death, but in the heat of the moment, his rash actions lead to Polonius 's death. Laertes now switches places with Hamlet, desperately desiring to exact revenge on Hamlet. This reversal in their roles greatly adds to the themes of revenge and murder in the book. Another contrast between Hamlet and Laertes can be made in that Hamlet seems to have a good conscience, reminding him that murder is wrong. He is guided by his inner feelings,

Hamlet knows that having the correct facts is so important because without hard evidence he may unjustly kill his uncle and have to d... ... middle of paper ... ...set with Hamlet for murdering his father, Polonius, and conspires with King Claudius against Hamlet. After all these tragic events it gets worse, Hamlet’s two very best friends plot against him, it drives him mad. It all starts with an act of insanity, then there is less acting involved and it finally ends up as Hamlet’s reality and tragedy for all. In conclusion, Hamlet could be considered insane, it is not just an act. In the beginning of the play, Hamlet is acting mad in order to avenge his father’s death, therefore he is able to gain vital information regarding King Hamlet’s death.