Hamlet Bad Choices

Decisions are what direct a average person's life. Some decisions are easy some are hard. But that’s the way of life and how it works.

Troubled by his father's death, Hamlet, prince of Denmark wants revenge. He is motivated to kill, with his friend Horatio by his side he has the confidence and courage to overcome any obstacles he faces. Hamlet's circumstances cause him to go insane, leading to the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Claudius; also he indirectly causes the deaths of his girlfriend, Ophelia; his mother, Gertrude;and the messengers, Rosenkrantz and Guildenstern. Amidst all this chaos and death, he is also responsible for the fall of Denmark. Hamlet's motivations, madness, depression and mental state contribute to his demise.

Hamlet comes across as both a hero and a villain throughout ‘Hamlet’ at different intervals. His loyalty, morality, honesty and popularity are certainly heroic traits however one can’t deny his villainous ways in his dealings with Ophelia, his killing of Polonius and most importantly his delaying of killing Claudius. Hamlet is full of faults yet full of honourable intentions. His negative qualities are slim compared to his heroic qualities therefore I believe Hamlet to be a hero, a “prince among men”.

The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark has been performed thousands of times since it was “written in 1599–1601 and published in a quarto edition in 1603” (Britannica.com). It’s popularity stems from its themes that translate across time. These themes, are seen to be relatable even to this day with the ever growing audience. Readers and viewers are able to find similarities between the current state and or even relate to one of the characters or events taking place over the course of Shakespeare’s five act masterpiece. Shakespeare's, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark remains a viable text for contemporary readers in that it functions as a mirror.

Everyone has choices in life, and these choices are what define us. Sometimes they can affect not only the decision maker, but it can affect others too, whether it is just a few people or it is millions of people. This is why a choice

make many decisions and if they choose wrong, it may cost them their lives or someone else’s in

A dilemma could be defined as being forced to choose between two equally unsatisfactory options. Let’s look at an example of a dilemma. A man steals food to feed his starving family. He was facing the tough choke of breaking the law and going to jail versus the starvation of his family. Should this man be arrested and put in jail? What if you were sitting on the jury at this main’s trail? Would you send him to jail or say he was justified because he was only trying to feed his family? Now you have a dilemma to face as you determine his fate.

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 portrays characteristics of sarcasm, insanity, and suicidal tendencies during his plan for revenge. Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, puts the feeling of sorrow on the readers, so that they will feel the anger that Hamlet is going through, as his father died and his mother remarried the man who murdered his father. Hamlet struggles on keeping up with all of the unfamiliar tasks causing a fatal flaw of his father’s plan or revenge. His fatal flaw was caused by the intense amount of pressure and revenge that his father’s death put on him. Hamlet continues to hear and feel the voices of his father wanting him to cast revenge on Claudius.

Every day people are faced with choices that they have to decide whether to make or not. Choice determines our outlook on life. Whether humans know it or not, choice makes our world go round. Human nature revolves around the decisions people make, in good ways and bad. Moral dilemma is something that people are faced with all the time and often have troubles making the right choice.

We have all had trouble resisting our temptations. Whether it be eating a donut when on a diet or disobeying our parents to benefit ourselves; when we give into a temptation it costs us. In William Shakespeare’s, Hamlet, Hamlet gives into temptation which costs him as his regicidal plan goes awry when he murders Polonius because he lets his thoughts of vengeance get the best of him. At first Hamlet demonstrates patience and restraint in his soliloquies and actions but as the play moves along we watch as Hamlet’s inability to restrain himself ultimately seals his tragic fate.

Hamlet from William Shakespeare’s play, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, is unable to commit to a decision throughout the play. His indecisiveness does not allow him to act quickly on any decision, leaving them lingering until it’s too late. Mentally, he thinks too much. Physically, he does not take enough action. Emotionally, his thoughts cause him to do irrational things. His delayed reaction to take revenge on Claudius results in everyone in the royal family dying. Hamlet’s weakness as a person is his inability to commit himself to action.

Logic is man 's most valuable asset; it is what pushed humanity past other species and helped develop humankind into what it is today. Without such logic and reasoning, humanity would not have evolved into the strongest and most powerful beings alive. It is what has enabled us to dominate the world, create civilization, unlock the secrets of the universe through math and science and reveal the true nature of man through art. One of art’s most beloved benefactors, William Shakespeare, crafted his most famous character, Hamlet, to be the living embodiment of this God-given reason. However, we learn throughout Hamlet’s eponymous play the irony in the

The death of King Hamlet effected many individuals lives to the point where great changes were made. Especially in regards to his son, Hamlet, who took the death – murder- of his father personally in both mental and emotional ways. By doing so, Hamlet portrays and experiences the death and loss of his father by acting out in manners in which magnify his isolation and alienated actions. These would include excluding and distancing himself, turning on those closest, and taking on measures one would never do so when thinking rationally or clearly.

Most literary characters have flaws of some kind as this gives them a three dimensional quality. However, in the case of fatally flawed characters, these flaws are so deeply formed that they are doomed to failure and demise. In William Shakespeare 's Hamlet, a tragedy, the majority of the characters are doomed or flawed in some way that ultimately results in their failure. Through his portrayal of several secondary characters, Shakespeare proves that all humans possess a tragic flaw in their nature which will ultimately lead to their demise. Despite each of these tragic characters having a unique fatal flaw, this aspect in their characters is what eventually leads Claudius, Ophelia and Polonius to their untimely deaths.