Hamlet: The Theme of Having A Clear Conscience

Hamlet: The Theme of Having A Clear Conscience

The most important line in Hamlet is, "The play's the thing, wherein I'll catch

the conscience of the king." (II, ii, 617). In the play, the issue of a clear

conscience forms a key motif. When the conscience of the characters appears, it

does so as a result of some action; as in the case of the aforementioned line,

which follows Hamlet's conversation with the player. This line is of particular

significance because it ties action and its effect on the conscience of the

characters. The nature of Hamlet is conscience, and action plays an important

role in creating the development of the plot.

No where is this development seen clearer than with Hamlet. The Prince's

development comes as a result of the self-evaluation of the actions that have

taken place, and the ensuing actions that he takes are a clear result of this

self-evaluation. So, in essence, the actions cause him to think of his

conscience and then act upon these feelings. Hamlet's several soliloquies are a

testament to this method. His first soliloquy, following a conversation with

his recently wed mother and uncle reflect the uneasiness he feels. He feels

betrayed. "O, most wicked speed, to post, with such dexterity to incestuous

sheets. . . but break my heart, for I must hold my tounge." (I, ii, 156-159).

Hamlet's conscience tells him what is wrong-in this case, the hasty marriage-but

he is ambivalent as to how to approach it; before he meets the ghost, silence is

his method. When Hamlet meets his father's ghost however, he feels sure of

himself, and knows what he must do. As a result of the dialogue with the ghost,

Hamlet's conscience makes him feel that revenge is the best method to deal with

the problems that face him.

The consciences of Hamlet, and to a lesser extent, Claudius, affect their

decisions in the play. However, both characters only question themselves after

they have been prompted by some specific action or dialogue. By self-evaluation,

the characters then make the conscious decision to take action with their

feelings. An example of this is at the end of act II, following Hamlet's

conversation with the player. In the soliloquy to end the act (whereupon the

most important line is derived), Hamlet questions his passion for the plot he

has planned, and his conversation has clearly affected this ambivlance. However,

after mulling over his passion- or lack thereof-towards his plot, Hamlet ends

the soliloquy determined to carry out the play. Hamlet is questioning his

allegiance to the "pact" he made with his father in Act I, but by the end of the