Hamlet Analysis : Hamlet

Another interesting thing that happens at this part of the play is that the Player King unintentionally refers to Hamlet’s inaction:

The present King, Claudius, is questioning Hamlet’s odd behaviour because he feels Hamlet’s new and strange behaviour could be harmful to him and his position. So he asks Polonius, the Lord Chamberlain, to spy on Hamlet to resolve the matter. While hiding behind an arras in Gertrude’s room to listen to the dialogue between Ophelia and Hamlet, he reveals his location by calling out for help, Hamlet realizing there is someone behind the tapestry and suspecting it to be Claudius withdraws his sword and stabs the hidden Polonius resulting in polonius’s death, which assisted in ophelia going mad, and also Laertes, Polonius’s son seeking revenge on hamlet, which makes Hamlet’s quest for honour and certainty even harder to complete.

Hamlet is as much a story of emotional conflict, paranoia, and self-doubt as it is one of revenge and tragedy. The protagonist, Prince Hamlet of Denmark, is instructed by his slain father’s ghost to enact vengeance upon his uncle Claudius, whose treacherous murder of Hamlet’s father gave way to his rise to power. Overcome by anguish and obligation to avenge his father’s death, Hamlet ultimately commits a number of killings throughout the story. However, we are not to view the character Hamlet as a sick individual, but rather one who has been victimized by his own circumstances.

If fact, Hamlet waits so long to tell anyone or to do anything about the revenge he swore to his fathers ghost, he begins to question his courage, knowing he has been all talk and no action. Hamlet also decides that before he takes his revenge, he will find out for himself if the ghost is telling the truth. He stages the play and sees in the kings reaction to the similar set of circumstances that he was involved. When the time comes for Hamlet to take action against the King, he agrees to a fencing match with Laertes. Claudius and Laertes conspire to kill Hamlet with poison in his drink and poison on Laertes? sword. Hamlet finally sees his chance for revenge after the Queen drinks the poisoned wine and Laertes and Hamlet are both mortally wounded. Plunging his sword into the King, his uncle, and his father and mother?s murderer wasn?t enough revenge for Hamlet. He gets the poisoned wine and pours it down the King?s throat, before

“A bloody deed – almost as bad, good mother/ As kill a king and marry with his brother”, a statement so bold you would assume it was from a bold man, but the reality couldn’t be further from that assumption. In the play Hamlet, the former king’s son Hamlet attempts to take revenge upon the new king, Claudius. As the readers, though we see how Hamlet is indirect in his action and delays his revenge multiple times. Hamlet is a man of inaction. Hamlet waits to kill his Uncle, Claudius, because he is uncertain of the truth, he is afraid of the afterlife, and he is working to exact the perfect revenge.

Interestingly enough, Hamlet believed the man behind the arras was the king. “Nay I know not, is it the king?” (3, 4, 26). How could Claudius have moved from the chapel to behind an arras in Gertrude’s bedroom in shorter time than it took Hamlet? For an instant, Hamlet looses contact with reality and neglects reason, another indication of paranoia.

As the play progresses, Hamlet’s actions tell he actively attempts to escape his self-proclaimed fate. Suspicions rise that Hamlet tests his free-will when he is inactive to plot the murder of his father. Instead, he develops a play to prove that the King is guilty, yet the play’s only effect is such, which does not bring Claudius closer to death. Finally, Hamlet has a chance to assassinate Claudius, but hesitates, believing that since the King is praying, he will go to heaven. This thought process and decision making demonstrates his attempt at free will. Hamlet’s assignment is solely to kill Claudius, yet his own thoughts get in the way, needing Claudius to waste away in hell and not heaven. In addition, when Claudius wishes to send Hamlet to England, he enthusiastically responds “For England!” (4.3.52), accepting being sent away, even though his mission is to kill Claudius, who resides in Denmark. In that instance, Hamlet is content with being shipped away, as he hopes to prolong his fate, hoping free-will will win over.

Hamlet went through a series of events that depict his character, two of them were events that show this through the reactions he had in the situations. In act 3 scene 3 Hamlet had the opportunity to kill Claudius but does not, this is only due to the reason he gave himself, this was because he was praying. “And now I’ll do’t. And so he goes to heaven; And so am I revenged. That would be scann’d…”(Hamlet).This quote really signifies his choices. Furthermore, he comes to show why he does not hesitate to later kill Polonius because it was due to his impulse. Hamlet did not realize that it was Polonius behind the arras and not Claudius, he was actually going for Claudius at the time, so he gave a fast reaction by putting the sword through the

Hamlet hears him and stabs him through the tapestry killing him. Similar to old King Hamlet’s death his death is dishonorable and now he must be avenged by his

• Hamlet comes up from beyond the king and has a perfect opportunity to kill Claudius and gain revenge for him father.

Hamlet killed her father. “You wretched rash intruding fool- farewell. I thought you were the King.” “As for this gentleman I express my sorrow. It has pleased heaven to punish me with this”.

Hamlet is torn between deciding to seek revenge or commit suicide and becomes crazy with this new burden placed upon him.

reveal how the journey of their revenge effects and alters the behavioural aspects of themselves. In Hamlet, Prince Hamlet portrays his conscience behaviour as he was presented with the most favourable opportunity for him to access his revenge by murdering the disloyal King Cladius. When the King is praying to ask forgiveness from God, Hamlet speaks behind his back saying,

Hamlet arguably takes his first bold action when he stabs Polonius through the arras. However, this is not the beginning of

Following the King’s action in response to the play, Hamlet has the perfect opportunity to avenge his father’s death yet he chooses not to which is the first act of delaying his goal. King Claudius storms off into a room in the castle where he says,