Hamlet - Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare

Hamlet

In the play Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare, the tragic hero, young Prince Hamlet is brought to see the ghost of his father. His father commands Prince Hamlet to seek revenge for murder and to protect Denmark from the evil King Claudius. This command must be upheld by Hamlet out his own duty and honor. Hamlet at first believes that Claudius is evil because he does not like the fact of Claudius being his new father. The problem with Hamlet is that he is unable to successfully avenge his father because he dies also. Hamlet is a coward and while taking revenge of his father, he fails to do it without hesitation. Every plan Hamlet dreams up is always flawed and never actually falls through. Hamlet is unable to successfully take revenge for his father’s murder because he suffers from melancholy.

Hamlet in the beginning does not like the fact that the new King Claudius is his father. Hamlet exclaims that King Claudius is a very peculiar man in his first line of the play: “A little more than kin, and less than kind.” (Act 1, scene ii, 67). Hamlet is skeptical about Claudius being his step father right after the death of his real father. Hamlet will look more into Claudius so he can see Claudius’ true self. Hamlet is disgusted that his mother would get over King Hamlet as fast as she did: “She married. O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not, nor it cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” (Act 1, Scene ii, 161-164). Hamlet wants to not think anything of it because he knows deep down that there is something going on behind his back. Hamlet is now skeptical of his mother as well as King Claudius.

Hamlet becomes confused about himself and where he is going in life; he is depressed and also is a coward. Hamlet is depressed because he doesn’t know if he should commit suicide or to get through it and live. “To be or not to be- that is the question: Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, end them.” (III, i, 64-68). Hamlet is very sad and does not know what he should do with himself because of there is so much turbulence going on in his life. Hamlet is on the verge of committing suicide to ease his pain and suffering. Hamlet is a coward. “Thus conscience does make cowards of us all.” (III, i, 91). Hamlet is thinking too much about what he must do, when he really should be doing something instead of sitting back and thinking. He is a coward and must get over it to be able to finally avenge his father’s murder. Hamlet’s soliloquy shows he is second guessing himself and is not sure he wants to go through with his plan; by considering suicide, Hamlet does not have the heart to straighten things out about his father’s wrongful murder.

After Hamlet witnesses King Claudius attempting to pray for forgiveness, his anger is piqued, and, as he enters his mother’s bedchamber, he is ready to commit harm. Hamlet’s actions in Act III, scene iv are irate and completely irrational. When talking to his mother, Hamlet is very irate. Hamlet says: “Go, go, you question with wicked tongue.” (Act III, iv, 15). Hamlet is being very mean to his own mother. This violence will gradually get worse and Hamlet will become very