Hamlet's Rationality

A propensity toward deliberation can be both helpful and harmful. Hamlet by William Shakespeare features an incredibly pensive main character. Hamlet finds rationality through deep consideration of and talking his way through a situation. This careful reflection enables Hamlet to devise masterful plans to attain his goal of avenging his father’s death. On the contrary, such meticulous rumination causes his continuous dissatisfaction subsequent postponement of his intention to murder Claudius. These contradictory facets of his contemplative nature are the causes of Hamlet’s successes and failures in the play. Hamlet’s disposition toward thorough reflection is both his greatest strength and his hamartia.

Hamlet’s duplicity in assuming an “antic

While a impetuous person might take the word of the ghost of Old Hamlet as truth without questioning, Hamlet analyzes the situation thoroughly resulting in his justified apprehension about the ghost’s credibility. By considering the ghost’s veritability, Hamlet is able to devise a plan to help him ascertain the truth. He knows that Claudius’s reaction to the play will disclose the truth as he says, “For murder, though it have no tongue, will speak / with most miraculous organ” (II, ii, 532-533). Hamlet realizes through thorough contemplation that actions speak louder than words, therefore reenacting the incident is the best way to establish the truth. If he does not take the time to sufficiently reflect upon the ghost’s demand, he would not think to take the measures necessary to confirm that Claudius is responsible for Old Hamlet’s

Hamlet’s intention of revenge experiences multiple deferrals before Claudius and Laertes are even given reason, by Polonius’ murder, to eliminate Hamlet. Polonius’ murder occurs because of Hamlet’s deliberation and subsequently his frustration with himself and his lack of progress in his murderous plans. Due to Hamlet’s failure to kill Claudius by this time, Claudius is alive and able to collude with Laertes, convincing and helping him to commit Hamlet’s murder. Laertes is more than willing to take part in Claudius’ plan as he vows, “...my revenge shall come” (IV, vii, 29). This pledged revenge against Hamlet would not exist without Hamlet killing Polonius as an exasperated act intending to kill Claudius to compensate for former failures to do so. If Claudius and Laertes did not have such an opportunity, they would not conspire to stage the secretly lethal fencing match which ultimately ends Hamlet’s life. If Hamlet were to conclude his retribution straight after first hearing from the ghost of Old Hamlet, directly after affirming Claudius’ culpability with the play, following the play while Claudius was praying, or immediately after accidentally stabbing Polonius, his demise would not be so abrupt as Claudius would not be alive to facilitate