The Road of Indecisiveness There comes a time in everyone’s life where we must face a hard often life-changing decision. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, protagonist Hamlet debates the philosophical advantages and disadvantages of existing. Using situations from his own life, Hamlet displays various amounts of emotion, ranging from depression to bitterness. He juggles between “whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (3.1.58-59), or “to take arms against the sea of troubles, and by opposing end them” (3.1.60-61). With disconsolateness he reflects deeply on the reason behind wanting to stay alive, concluding that the fear of the unknown consequences after death forces you to bear the suffering …show more content…
As Hamlet strolls past skeletons and tombs he contemplates whether to die or to live, making this the most effective version out of the five. The speech focuses on death, and all the mysteries that come along with it. Therefore, it is only fitting that is takes place in a room where there is nothing but death. Hamlet being the only living person in the catacomb, is affected greatly by the setting due to the dark lighting and the tombs. While Almereyda’s and Branagh’s both provided significance to how Hamlet is feeling or what he is saying, Zeffirelli’s choice in setting is what causes Hamlet to think. He states, “but that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns puzzles the will” (3.1.79-81) as he studies the skeletons of those who have passed on. In a room so heavily coated with death, Hamlet ponders why he is not doomed to an eternal sleep in this catacomb, only for him to come to the realization that the fear of the unknown is making him a coward (3.1.84). The use of setting affecting the character is what makes this version stand out the most.
Zeffirelli’s version proves to be the best because it approaches Hamlet’s situation differently than the others. Not only did it match the original intent that Shakespeare had in mind, but it used a setting that was so obvious, yet so effective. Because of the setting, the viewers are able to see how Hamlet is so indecisive. Zeffirelli is willing to go a different directing path than the others and it is what makes his version the most
During class we have reviewed many versions of the play Hamlet. The two movie versions that I chose to compare on the play Hamlet are the David Tennant version and the Kenneth Branagh version. I chose these two versions because these were the two that most interested me. I believe that some scenes from each movie were better than the other, but overall I liked these two versions just as equally. The three main scenes that stood out to me that I will be comparing are ‘Ophelia’s Mad Scene’, the ‘Hamlet Kills Polonius’ scene, and Hamlet’s ‘To be or not to be’ scene.
Through the death of Hamlet’s father, Shakespeare shows how one tragedy can lead to many stages of grief as well as the downfall of the character. Throughout the novel, Hamlet journeys through the grieving process in the stage of anger, depression, and acceptance. Elisabeth Kubler Ross states, “The purpose of life is more than these stages….it is not just about the life lost but also the life lived”
One of the most famous Shakespearean lines-"To be or not to be, that is the question” is found in Hamlet, spoken by the title character himself. While this is the most obvious reference that Hamlet makes to this own philosophy, Hamlet makes frequent proclamations about his stifled life throughout the play. Hamlet views his life in a negative manner, to the point where he finds himself contemplating whether or not to end his own life. Hamlet does not value his life, which causes him to become flustered with himself and his lack of action. Therefore, demonstrating that Hamlet does not value his life as one should.
The thoughts of young Hamlet contain specific diction that exemplify his fragile state. Overall the diction remains elevated; an attempt of Shakespeare to stay consistent with Hamlet’s aristocratic upbringing. Shakespeare repeatedly pairs particular words together to provide additional contrast to this life versus death debate. Choice words such as “suffer” and “fortune” as well as “coil” and “respect” demonstrate the opposing forces of life and death. This contrasting diction also builds tension as throughout the soliloquy the word choice becomes increasingly more negative.
The question asked by Hamlet “To be, or not to be?” (III.i.57.) analyzes the deeper thoughts of the young prince of Denmark. In Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the battle between living life or dying runs repeatedly through Hamlet’s head. In this famous soliloquy, Hamlet ponders the feelings going through his head, during his monologue, on whether he should live with the disruptions in his life or end it all at once. Hamlet’s life, both fulfilling and depressing, made him act out more when it came to interacting with other people. With all the people who admired him, he still managed to push everyone away using his sarcastic antics to degrade them intentionally. Not only does he portray this type of personality to people, but the change in so
Shakespeare portrays the protagonist, Hamlet, as someone with a great emotional and physical capacity for self-sacrifice. Burdened with a heroic task of avenging his father’s murder, Hamlet chooses to put on an “antic disposition”. This leads him to willingly transform his identity by altering his values, beliefs and his self-image. Hamlet also chooses to sacrifices true love for Ophelia, his right to freely express himself, and ultimately his life as well. Shakespeare shows how an individual, when burdened by a difficult task, will sacrifice anything including his own life for the purpose of fulfilling that goal.
From past experiences in ones life, whether it be the death of a long aged gold fish to a deceased elder, one knows the pain and suffering that goes on afterwards. For one to finally move on and continue life without a tear in their eyes may take a while, yet having that immense step means to put the emotions aside and live life. Hamlet's father was murdered, and he soon sees his mother move on so quickly and marries his uncle, to continue being the queen. Hamlet's love for his father does not fade away within a two month span like his mother; he refuses to accept the fact that his father was killed, instead of a natural death. Because of this, Hamlet does not know what to do with his life. He mentions "O, that this too too sallied flesh would melt,/ Or that the Everlasting had not fixed/ His canon `against self-slaughter" (129-132). Immediately does Hamlet questions the existence of his own life, as he feels the need to melt and disappear, ultimately referring to suicide. The problem we face...
This famous soliloquy offers a dark and deep contemplation of the nature of life and death. Hamlet’s contemplative, philosophical, and angry tones demonstrate the emotions all people feel throughout their lifetimes.
By most accounts, this passage would be taken to mean that he does not kill Claudius because at this time the King is praying, and when praying one's soul will ascend to heaven if one should die. Hamlet wants Claudius to burn in hell; for him to go to heaven would make his revenge void. He will avenge his father's death when Claudius is engaged in some other less holy act, in order to insure the King's place in hell.
The matrix theory is a question that illustrates the personal aspect of decision. The philosophy offers no choice, but revolves around a decision of bliss or truth (Diocaretz 9). Such an aspect is depicted in William Shakespeare’s textbook tragedy, Hamlet. The protagonist has to make a similar decision between his moral belief and obligation, however he falls into an uncertain state of mind and hesitates to act. After meeting with a ghost, who tells him to seek revenge against his uncle Claudius, Hamlet is determined to take action. Conversely he has a compulsion to moral law, which yields him to lack firmness. Critiques commonly label Hamlet as a man of contemplation rather than action. Consequently his periods of inactivity, tentative emotions, and constant hesitation characterize Hamlet as indecisive.
Indecisiveness is an inner conflict that inhibits a person from choosing a decision and acting on it. This inner conflict is easily relatable; however, explaining the fuel that ignites the conflict is much more difficult. Every human being must make decisions every day. Moreover, some of these decisions are tougher to choose than others. Psychologically, a decision is not tough because the situation is difficult, but the way the mind perceives the situation is what makes the choice baffling. In other words, humans make decisions more arduous than they seem. Also, the mind of every individual is unique and processes information
William Shakespeare intended for Hamlet to be a tragic play of a hero: Hamlet. He does exactly that by allowing Hamlet to be exposed to suffering and being able to endure it without committing suicide. Although if one was to analyze the content of Hamlet’s “To be or not to be…” soliloquy once would realize that Hamlet is not really all that suicidal. However, there are moments throughout the play that arise the suspicion of Hamlet to no longer be able to endure the suffering and pain in his life. Hamlet’s judgment can be distorted when he does not act using reason but rather emotional impulse. His ability to accept and embrace suffering and pain, allows him to realize how valuable his life truly is.
Hamlet’s psychological influence demonstrates his dread of both death and life. In Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be” (3.1.64), he refers the “be” to life and further asks “whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” (3.1.65.66). By this, Hamlet is asking himself the question of whether to live or die.
In his tragedy Hamlet, William Shakespeare explores and analyzes the concept of mortality and the inevitability of death through the development of Hamlet’s understanding and ideology regarding the purpose for living. Through Hamlet’s obsessive fascination in understanding the purpose for living and whether death is the answer, Shakespeare analyzes and interprets the meaning of different elements of mortality and death: The pain death causes to others, the fading of evidence of existence through death, and the reason for living. While due to the inevitable and unsolvable mystery of the uncertainty of death, as no being will ever empirically experience death and be able to tell the tale, Shakespeare offers an answer to the reason for living through an analysis of Hamlet’s development in understanding death.
Hamlet is one of the most often-performed and studied plays in the English language. The story might have been merely a melodramatic play about murder and revenge, butWilliam Shakespeare imbued his drama with a sensitivity and reflectivity that still fascinates audiences four hundred years after it was first performed. Hamlet is no ordinary young man, raging at the death of his father and the hasty marriage of his mother and his uncle. Hamlet is cursed with an introspective nature; he cannot decide whether to turn his anger outward or in on himself. The audience sees a young man who would be happiest back at his university, contemplating remote philosophical matters of life and death. Instead, Hamlet is forced to engage death on a visceral level, as an unwelcome and unfathomable figure in his life. He cannot ignore thoughts of death, nor can he grieve and get on with his life, as most people do. He is a melancholy man, and he can see only darkness in his future—if, indeed, he is to have a future at all. Throughout the play, and particularly in his two most famous soliloquies, Hamlet struggles with the competing compulsions to avenge his father’s death or to embrace his own. Hamlet is a man caught in a moral dilemma, and his inability to reach a resolution condemns himself and nearly everyone close to him.