Hamlet states, “Whether 'tis nobler…to suffer/...Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, “ while contemplating action vs. inaction after committing to avenging his father’s death (3.1.58,60). Throughout Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet contemplates action versus inaction after learning of his father’s murder and his mother’s hasty marriage to his uncle. Hamlet struggles towards taking action to avenge his father’s death and life in general. Due to strategic plans he constructs prior to taking action, Hamlet is not a coward. The recurring motif of the word coward, towards and from Hamlet, caused a dividend between readers who assumed Hamlet was a coward, and others, that he was not a coward. According to Dictionary.com, a …show more content…
Hamlet used logos, the appeal to logic, to help determine how and when he should avenge his father. In Act 3, Scene , Hamlet had the opportunity to kill his father’s murderer but, at the time, “[that was] hire and salary, not revenge, “ (3.3.80). Hamlet had the perfect opportunity to kill Claudius while Claudius was praying, but Hamlet did not want Claudius to be recognized as a hero who prayed and did no wrong. Therefore, Hamlet used logic in order to avenge his father the proper way so the kingdom did not look at Claudius as a hero, and Hamlet as a villain instead of a courageous, persistent man. In order for logos to be effective in showing Hamlet’s courage, Hamlet also had to use pathos, the appeal to emotion. Hamlet’s emotions made him seem as if “[t]hat hath made him mad” when in all actuality, Hamlet was the most sane person in the novel (2.1.111). Hamlet was the most sane person in the novel because he was the only person who had the courage to show their emotions towards what was happening with the King and Queen. Claudius wanted to give off the impression that Hamlet was mad because that would lead to nobody believing Hamlet if Hamlet found out that Claudius killed Hamlet’s father. Hamlet’s ethos effectively covered Hamlet’s knowledge of all of the events taking place to effectively set him up to use logos to …show more content…
Hamlet could have easily walked up to Claudius and killed him, but instead he focused on finding out if Claudius really killed his father first because “[t]he spirit that [Hamlet saw] [m]ay be the devil, ” (2.2.577-578). Hamlet decided to have a play and watch Claudius in order to see Claudius’s reactions to find out whether or not Claudius killed Hamlet’s father. Hamlet did this to make sure he was not killing a man who did no wrong other than marrying his mother incestously. Hamlet held a trial in his mind. The ghost was the prosecutor, Claudius was the defendant, and Hamlet was the judge and jury. The ghost came with evidence and then Hamlet made sure to prove the evidence was true before he convicted Claudius to a death
“ (II, ii. II 523-527). The actor can put on a “mask” and express emotions that are not true, which is Hamlet's flaw. Hamlet resents that he is unable to do this which is the sole reason that his plan is being hindered. The emotional connection he had to his father overpowers his ability to act more passionate about his role in the revenge. Shakespeare focuses Hamlet's thoughts on the fact that he thinks of himself as meaningless. We see this further when Hamlet says, “Am I a coward?” ( II, ii. I 543). Hamlet judges himself as a “coward” as a result of his inability to act. Shakespeare's goal of the speech is embodied by this simple phrase. Hamlet feels vulnerable because so much is expected out of him, and the things he has to do are his weaknesses. To kill Claudius, he has to cut off his emotions and act like a different person, which he cannot
In Hamlet’s case he is watching one of the Players act, and notices that even though it is just a play, the actor still takes haste to cry. “Yet I a dull and muddy-mettled rascal, peak like john-a-dreams, unpregnant of my cause, and can say nothing--no, not for a king upon whose property and most dear life, a damned defeat was made. Am I a coward”(2.2.593-598)? Hamlet on the other hand is not so quick to gather his rage, to avenge his father’s death. He realizes how much he is procrastinating, and how indecisive he has been on decision making. As result of this, Hamlet evaluates himself and questions if he is a coward. Further, Hamlet evaluates his procrastination and indecisive nature when he see Prince Fortinbras trying to replenish his kingdom. “Witness this army of such mass and charge, led by a delicate and tender prince, whose spirit with divine ambition … To all that fortune, death, and danger dare, even for an eggshell ”(4.4.50-69). Hamlet can see that Fortinbras is willing to do anything to strengthen his kingdom and to gain what his father has lost, and seeing this ambition makes him think about why he is taking so long to get his father's revenge. Hamlet sees that Fortinbras is fighting virtually for nothing but he at least put in an effort towards his cause. Hence, Hamlet’s lack of
Lugo, Michael. "Thus Conscience Does Make Cowards of Us All." Hamlet reaction papers. Wynnewood: FCS, 2000.
During the first act, Prince Hamlet meets the ghost of his father, King Hamlet. His father's ghost tells Hamlet that Claudius poured poison in his ear while he slept. The spirit also explains that he wishes for Hamlet to avenge his death, but not to punish Queen Gertrude for marrying Claudius. He tells Hamlet that she will have to answer to her conscience, and eventually God for her incestuous actions (absoluteshakespeare.com 1 of 4). It was believed during these times that when a person died, especially in such a tragic fashion, that their spirit lingered about while suffering in Purgatory. This could cause a normally virtuous person's spirit to become filled with malevolence and begin to meddle in living men's affairs (en.wikipedia.org 4 of 9). This belief caused Prince Hamlet to want to investigate his father's spirit's claims to ensure that they were indeed true. In order to do this, Prince Hamlet feigns madness in order to remain hidden from members of the court's suspicions while he plots his revenge on King Claudius (www.sparknotes.com 1 of 3). He also takes advantage of a group of actors who come to Elsinore Castle to perform by rewriting a play to recreate the scene of his father's murder. He does this with the hope of flushing a confession out of Claudius' guilty conscience. When Claudius sees the play, he stands up and leaves the room (en.wikipedia.org 5 of 9). After many more events, Claudius' guilt becomes more obvious. Claudius then begins to change his focus towards killing Hamlet, as he is beginning to become aware of the Prince's plans to kill him. Claudius then arranges a fencing match between Hamlet and Polonius' son Laertes and has Laertes poison the blade of one of his swords to be used in the match (Hamlet).
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet the king of Denmark is murdered by his brother, Claudius, and as a ghost tells his son, Hamlet the prince of Denmark, to avenge him by killing his brother. The price Hamlet does agree to his late father’s wishes, and undertakes the responsibility of killing his uncle, Claudius. However even after swearing to his late father, and former king that he would avenge him; Hamlet for the bulk of the play takes almost no action against Claudius. Prince Hamlet in nature is a man of thought throughout the entirety of the play; even while playing mad that is obvious, and although this does seem to keep him alive, it is that same trait that also keeps him from fulfilling his father’s wish for vengeance
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 . His only proof was the ghost and even though others saw the ghost no one else heard it talk except Hamlet. Hamlet was also considering a lot of other things at this time, like how if he killed Claudius now Claudius would be free of sin and would go to heaven. He was also thinking if his father didn’t get to die free of sin it wouldn’t be fair for Claudius to die free of sin either, which shows how vengeful Hamlet’s character is. At the same time, Hamlet has morals and understands the consequences so that’s why it’s harder for him to perform the act . After a l...
Hamlet does not take the opportunity to slay Claudius as he prays because he believes it will save his soul. His contemplative nature takes over regarding the ghost’s revelation and he decides to devise a play to pique Claudius’ conscience and make sure he is really guilty.
Hamlet wishes to avenge the murder of his father and rectify this great injustice. The conflict between his desire to seek revenge and his own thoughts of incompetence is the cause of his initial unrest. "Haste me to know't , that I , with wings as swift / As meditation or thoughts of love , / may sweep to my revenge (1.5.29-31). Here Hamlet pleads to the Ghost of King Hamlet to reveal the name of his murderer.
The question of why Hamlet delays in taking revenge on Claudius for so long has puzzled readers and audience members alike. Immediately following Hamlet's conversation with the Ghost, he seems determined to fulfill the Ghost's wishes and swears his companions to secrecy about what has occurred. The next appearance of Hamlet in the play reveals that he has not yet revenged his father's murder. In Scene two, act two, Hamlet gives a possible reason for his hesitation. "The spirit that I have seen / May be a devil, and the devil hath power / T' assume a pleasing shape" (2.2.627-629). With this doubt clouding his mind, Hamlet seems completely unable to act. This indecision is somewhat resolved in the form of the play. Hamlet comes up with the idea of the play that is similar to the events recounted by the ghost about his murder to prove Claudius guilty or innocent. Due to the king's reaction to the play, Hamlet attains the belief that the Ghost was telling the truth the night of the apparition.
He didn’t know if he could trust the ghost, or if it was a spirit from heaven or from hell, or even if it was the spirit of his father at all. Hamlet didn’t even know if he could trust the accusation that the ghost had made on his Uncle/Stepfather. To be able to prove that Claudius did in fact poison King Hamlet, young Hamlet sets a plan in action that is supposed to prove Claudius’s guilt. When the players come into town, Hamlet asks them to add a few more lines to one of the plays that relate to the situation that transpired between Claudius and the king (Act III Scene II). Hamlet will watch Claudius’s reaction to the play, and thinks he should be able to determine if he was guilty or not based on
Furthermore, it is possible to propose that Shakespeare merely uses this scene to provoke irritation and consequently suspense from the audience. If Hamlet wasn’t given this opportunity to kill Claudius we would have not this insight into Hamlet’s indecisiveness, possible cowardice and inability to kill Claudius in cold blood. It is probable to suggest that through this soliloquy we are shown that Hamlet’s initial passion for revenge after the Ghost’s visitation has faded as the play progresses to merely thinking about killing Claudius.
What is a coward? A coward is one who lacks the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things. In William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet a grief-stricken prince of Denmark comes home to his father’s funeral and he seeks revenge against the murderer. There are many different lesser plots to Hamlet, but revenge central theme that the play follows. Those in the play who seek revenge may be able to act on it or may not. Hamlet is one of those who seems to not be able to act on his revenge. Hamlet lacks the courage to complete take his revenge against the antagonist of the story Claudius, who is Hamlet’s uncle and the King of Denmark. By observing and reading the scenes from Hamlet show how Hamlet as a character is a coward.
As illustrated through his speeches and soliloquies Hamlet has the mind of a true thinker. Reinacting the death of his father in front of Claudius was in itself a wonderful idea. Although he may have conceived shcemes such as this, his mind was holding him back at the same time. His need to analyze and prove everythin certain drew his time of action farther and farther away. Hamlet continuously doubted himself and whether or not the action that he wanted to take was justifiable. The visit that Hamlet recieves from his dead father makes the reader think that it is Hamlet's time to go and seek revenge. This is notthe case. Hamlet does seem eager to try and take the life of Claudius in the name of his father, but before he can do so he has a notion, what if that was not my father, but an evil apparition sending me on the wrong path? This shows that even with substantial evidence of Claudius' deeds, Hamlet's mind is not content.
At first, Hamlet sees the ghost of his dead father and vows to avenge his death. “Christianity forbids followers to seek out spirits for advice or communication” (Ja) Hamlet has his faith tested because he is unsure about what his father is telling him. If the truth is that Claudius is the one who murdered Hamlet’s father then Hamlet will need to commit murder himself in order to fulfill his promise to his father’s ghost. “Hamlet, after the shock of his discoveries, becomes virtually another person and re-evaluates the situation in accordance with his religious views. Perhaps the ghost is just an illusion or mental disorder making him imagine this tale, and the murder of his father is illusory because he is not able to accept this kind of marriage and he wants to justify his crimes.” (****) Hamlet wrestles with his feelings and decides he must arrange for Claudius to admit to the murder instead of murdering Claudius himself. He is aware of the moral dilemma he finds himself in, if he kills Claudius then he, Hamlet may go to hell. If he refuses to kill Claudius then his father may be sent to hell. Hamlet knows from his religious background that murd...
In conclusion, Shakespeare has been accused of inconsistency with Hamlet only because he has kept up the distinction which there is in nature, between the understandings and the moral habits of men, between the absurdity of their ideas and the absurdity of their motives. Hamlet is not a fool, but he makes himself so. His folly, whether in his actions or speeches, comes under the category of impropriety of intention.