An Analysis of How Fear of the Unknown Affects Characters in 'Hamlet'

    Fear plays an important role in Shakespeare's tragic play, Hamlet. Within the play, the main character, Hamlet, attempts to overcome his fear and fulfill his father's revenge. Hamlet's apprehension toward death prevents him from carrying out the murder of Claudius. Although confrontation with death is avoided for as long as possible, Hamlet comes to recognize his weakness, and faces this anxiety.

Many people have seen Hamlet as a play about uncertainty and about Hamlet's failure to act appropriately. It is very interesting to consider that the play shows many uncertainties that lives are built upon, or how many unknown quantities are taken for granted when people act or when they evaluate one another's actions. Hamlet is an especially intriguing production, both on the set and on the screen because of its uniqueness to be different from what most people expect to be in a revenge themed play. Hamlet's cynicism and insane like behavior cause him to seem indecisive, but in reality he is always judging and contemplating his actions in the back of his mind in order to seek revenge for the murder of

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, the main character continually delays acting out his duty of avenging his father's murder. This essay will discuss how Hamlet's nature and morals (which are intensified by difficult events) prevent him from carrying out the task.

William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is laden with tragedy from the start, and this adversity is reflected in the title character. Being informed of his father’s murder and the appalling circumstances surrounding the crime, Hamlet is given the emotionally taxing task of avenging his death. It is clear that having to complete this grim undertaking takes its toll on Hamlet emotionally. Beginning as a seemingly contemplative and sensitive character, we observe Hamlet grow increasingly depressed and deranged as the play wears on. Hamlet is so determined to make his father proud that he allows the job on hand to completely consume him. We realize that Hamlet has a tendency to mull and ponder excessively, which causes the notorious delays of action

Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” soliloquy is conceivably the most prominent soliloquy in the archive of the theatre. Even now, more than 400 years after it was originally written there is still an air of familiarity that reaches others even if they do not know the play itself in detail. In act 3, scene 1, Hamlet’s “To be or not to be” Soliloquy is critical in developing the plot because this is when Hamlet discusses his most suicidal thoughts.

Shakespeare's drama Hamlet has become a central piece of literature of Western culture. It is the story of a prince named Hamlet, who lost his father. Soon after that he has to confront multiple obstacles and devises a series of situations to defend the new king's royalty. Furthermore, he had to prove that King Claudius, who was the prince's uncle, had killed Hamlet's father. This story has remained among the most popular and the most controversial plays around the world. It generates controversy for all the doubts that this play leaves with the readers. One of the most questioning situations in the play is the delay of Hamlet in avenging Claudius' for his father's death. As a reader this

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main character continually delays acting out his duty of avenging his father’s murder. This essay will discuss how Hamlet’s nature and morals (which are intensified by difficult events) prevent him from carrying out the task.

In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, doubt is one of the most important themes. In fact, the whole play is based on the story of a ghost who claims to be Hamlet’s father, and nobody can be sure if what he says is the truth. In this essay, I am going to focus on the theme of doubt throughout the play. I will first speak about the opening scene, and then I will talk about the ghost, which is a supernatural element used by Shakespeare to create doubt in the play. I will also analyse the passage in which Hamlet declares his love to Ophelia. Finally, I will briefly discuss Hamlet’s sanity.

In Hamlet, Hamlet knows that he must avenge the death of his father, but he is too indecisive, too self-doubting, to carry this out until he has no choice. His failings cause his downfall, and he exhibits some of the most basic human reactions and emotions.

Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s tragic plays, portrays the story of a young man’s quest to avenge his murdered father and his quest to find his true identity. In his soliloquies, Prince Hamlet reveals to the readers his personal perceptions of the events that take place in his homeland, Denmark, and of which are either indirectly or directly tied to his father’s murder. Many critics and scholars agree that while Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal the search of his identity and true character, his soliloquies universally illustrate man’s search for his true identity.

Fear and doubt is what caused Hamet to procrastinate the murder until the end of the play. Murder is a very heavy subject; it is more than just a casual crime. Hamlet learns what the burden of committing a serious crime like murder feels like. Multiple times throughout the play it seems as though Hamlet is motivated to go through with the murder, but it is just the heat of the moment. When Hamlets steps back and takes a minute to think about it, the fear and doubts kick in. After hamlet talks to his father's ghost and after the play within the play are two moments where Hamlet seemed amped up and ready to get his revenge. Hamlet proves to be an intelligent person who thinks before he acts, until the very last scene, when he agreed to fence

Taking into account all literature, of both the past and present day, it would not be inaccurate to say that no character has suffered a greater loss of innocence than Shakespeare’s Hamlet. From the instant his erstwhile father approaches him and “murder most foul” (1.7.751) resounds in his ears, he is hurled into a reality where he must not only confront forces external and internal- notably, himself. As he struggles with coming to terms with the betrayal of those he formerly trusted, his own inability to act and the concept of death, now nearer than ever, it is impossible that he does not lose a bit of himself along the way. The most transformative events in his evolution include the appearance of his father’s ghost, his confirmation of his

In act one, scene three of “Hamlet,” Polonius states to his loved ones: “This above all: to thine own self be true (1, 3, 78).” This is a way of saying that nothing at all matters more to how an individual should act than their own honour, that they should be true to themselves and not engage in self-deception. Being true to one’s self also means to act in accordance with who an individual is, what they believe in and what they value the most in life. The need to be true to one’s self is at the upmost importance in society as this will cause an individual to truly achieve true personal happiness and self-fulfillment. To achieve true personal happiness and self-fulfillment, an individual must be truthful, take self-ownership and live in their

In Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, he contemplates for a while whether to commit suicide. Hamlet’s unhappiness is caused by the people around him. His mother’s actions of marrying her brother-in-law made Hamlet extremely frustrated drawing him out of the right mental state. Meanwhile, his view of his father is godlike, but he distrusts the Ghost enough to think about killing himself instead of pursuing the Ghost’s request. In Hamlet’s famous soliloquy, “to be, or not to be;” he contemplates (3.1). “The Everlasting had not fixed, His cannon ‘gainst self-slaughter!” (1.2). He is uncertain if things would be any better in the afterlife if he were to end his life. Hamlet’s hesitancy, especially concerning suicide, is the cause of his realistic and frightened nature. In this situation, his indecisiveness saves his life, but it also does not allow him to find another solution. Concluding, in his soliloquy he would rather

Shakespeare’s Hamlet leaves its readers full of questions. Is Hamlet’s ghost seeking vengeance or is it an evil spirit there to soil the prince’s spirit? Does Hamlet really love Ophelia? Is Hamlet mad? These are just some of the various questions that the audience is left wondering even after the tragedy is over. For decades, students, analysts and critics have been trying to decode Shakespeare's drama but yet no solid answers have come to surface. Shakespeare leaves a lot of scenes without answers to what has happened and why. There are a lot of moments that leave one with many questions and no solutions. The uncertainty in the play is just one of the many reasons why Shakespeare’s production of Hamlet is well known and taught.