Negrodamus

Critics have called Hamlet the greatest play of all time. Shakespeare’s true potential was captured within this epic. The play revolves around a man whose father has been killed by his uncle, who then goes to marry his mother. Young Hamlet must avenge his father’s death, by killing his uncle. His indecisiveness is the key to extending this play. He must go through many personal struggles and inner conflicts before overcoming his fears and killing the man who has ruined his life. It is said that, “the centre of attention within this play lies in the hero’s efforts to do his duty.” It is partly true; however, there is more to this statement than just a simple sentence.

It is not just the primary goal of revenge for his father that Hamlet is trying to accomplish. It is all those inner struggles that have been plaguing him for years. If he is to finally kill Claudius, he must move past his inner hurdles. His inability to make crucial decisions causes him to waste time over the revenge, as well as cause him to lose respect from his fellow soldiers. A true leader must know when to act and when to deliberate. It is evident that this play focuses in on the flaws of Hamlet. By emphasizing the possible flaws in the hero, Shakespeare allows his audience to connect with Hamlet. To be human is to be flawed. No human is perfect, and Hamlet represents the true human hero, because he too, is not a perfect man. He too, struggles with issues that on some level, every member of the audience can relate to. By taking the audience along Hamlet’s struggle, it allows them to see just how much he has to overcome, if he wants to be the real hero, like his dad.

Besides revolving around the hero’s efforts to fulfill the revenge plot, Shakespeare shows us exactly how Hamlet does everything in his power to avoid revenge all together. Shakespeare shows us how Hamlet would rather catch Claudius’s expression during a play, rather than stabbing him once and for all. It is not as easy to trust a ghost, even if it is the ghost of your own father. Let’s not forget Hamlet’s torrid relationship with his mother. Gertrude went from being a high and mighty queen alongside the ideal king, to a evil, frail, sexually weak woman, who clings to her new husband because she is so weak. Hamlet becomes increasingly concerned with what his uncle and his mother are doing under the sheets. He makes many remarks to Gertrude in reference to her weak sexual desires. In fact, until the ghost of Hamlet’s father tells him to be kind to his mother, Hamlet was just about ready to take her life as quickly as his uncles. Shakespeare wanted the audience to see the relationships that Hamlet has to deal with so that they can get a better understanding of just how complex a character, this young prince really is.

Furthermore, this play shows the complexities of many