Hamlet Character Analysis

When looking at Hamlet, one could say that William Shakespeare put the play together as a very cathartic tragedy. The emotional result of dealing with so many deaths brings on a plethora of emotions which are not usually felt in a typical play. Hamlet begins not with the normal prosperity and good fortune as do most tragedies, but with a more stifling and depressing sort of mood (Tekany 115). However, something else could be said about this play as well. The play centers on Hamlet and his existential characteristics, such as angst, isolation and his confrontations with nothingness. The exhibition of these characteristics proves Hamlet to be an existential character.

Throughout life, obstacles are made present and are to be challenged and dealt with accordingly. Individuals have unique personalities and deal with their challenges differently. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the main protagonist encounters multiple conflicts throughout the play that deal with both internally and externally. Conflicts that Hamlet must deal with includes the ghost of his father, contemplation of murder and incest. With trying to cope and deal with these conflicts and his personal issues causes external and internal conflicts.

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 is a suspenseful play that introduces the topic of tragedy. Throughout the play, Hamlet displays anger, uncertainty, and obsession with death. Although Hamlet is unaware of it, these emotions cause the mishaps that occur throughout the play. These emotions combined with his unawareness are the leading basis for the tragic hero’s flaws. These flaws lead Hamlet not to be a bad man, but a regular form of imperfection that comes along with being human.

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 lacks faith in G-d and himself. Consequently he must define his existence in terms of others... He would like to become what the Greek Tragic hero is, a creature of situation. Hence his inability to act, for he can only ‘act’”, i.e., play at possibilities” (Auden, W.H)

Throughout the play Hamlet, many different opportunities arise for individuals to take responsibility for themselves or others, but it is what motivates them to take that responsibility that can influence their outcome in life. From the beginning of the play, Claudius’ selfish desire when seeking responsibility inevitably leads to his death, as it causes him to take the life of his innocent brother, as well as trying to cover his tracks by acting like a father figure for Hamlet. While Hamlet’s motivation to take responsibility for his father’s death was with the safety of the people in mind, Hamlet’s personal desire to kill the king as soon as possible overcomes him, causing the lack of sorrow for killing innocent people in his path.

People are under immense societal pressures when making decisions; friends, coworkers, and family members input their opinions on what they believe is best. This external force exerts pressure on them to conform to their ideas. In addition to others imposing their opinions, people can impact others through tragic events such as a death in the family. These can test their core values and cause them to re-evaluate their ideologies. In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, Hamlet’s father dies and his mother, Gertrude, remarries soon after the death. Hamlet is initially bothered not only by the death of his father, but by his mother’s quick remarriage, because he felt as though Gertrude did not fully pay her respects and honor his death. However, after meeting and speaking with the ghost of his father, he learns the terrible truth. Hamlet’s father was killed at the hands of Claudius, his uncle and now stepfather, with the intent to obtain the throne. In a plea for vengeance, Hamlet’s father tries to convince him to kill Claudius. Claudius, on the other hand, presses Hamlet from the opposite side to fulfil his own visions for him. In Hamlet, society, as exemplified by his father and Claudius, causes Hamlet much distress as he’s torn between two versions of who he could be. This leads him to explore the act of suicide as an option to escape the new realities of his problematic existence. Ultimately, Hamlet’s realization and acceptance that it is impossible to meet society’s expectations

As a result, grief and misery blind most of Hamlet’s decisions and prevent him from achieving his full potential as a royal prince. Hamlet’s misery also deludes him into feeling a higher calling of avenging his father’s death which primarily displays his tragic flaws. Therefore, a tragic hero’s decisions reflect the environment surrounding him, similar to how the environment of a person affects their personality and

With Hamlet’s tragic flaw being his inability to act, he is plagued throughout the play by his immense intelligence and philosophical nature, which causes him to overanalyze each situation, rendering him unable to carry out any action in response. This is evident in the play by the frequent delay of acting out his father’s revenge due to the uncertainty of the evidence pertaining to his uncle’s crime. Hamlet’s inability to act creates a discourse between hamlet and his consciousness, generating an abundance of stress, which causes him to become increasingly frustrated as the play progresses. This frustration leads to him at moments in the play to behave in a rash and impulsive way or acting in an inappropriate manner, contradicting his methodical and reserved disposition. It is the consequences of these “inappropriate” actions that resurfaces at the plays end, to haunt the character, as Hamlet’s inability to act while using his renowned logic and intelligence ultimately leads to his eventual demise at the plays conclusion, due to his inability to act both “effectively” and “appropriately” in critical situations.

Thesis: Hamlet is a play of a man who is incapable of action. Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw is his inability to act. By examining his incapability to commit suicide, his inability to come to terms with killing his mother, putting on a play to delay killing Claudius and the inabilities to kill Claudius while he is praying, we see that hamlet chooses not to take action.

While his father was still alive, Hamlet’s ambitions were to be the heir to the throne and to continue his family’s legacy. Hamlet is robbed of his hopes and dreams for the future when Claudius murders his father. After the ghost of Hamlet Sr. approaches Hamlet about vengeance for his death, Hamlet’s lack of any sense of identity forces him to make an impossible decision; adhere to his father’s orders and obtain revenge, or take the morally correct road and let God decide Claudius’s fate. Hamlet’s lack of sense of self causes him to remain inactive on this matter. Because of Hamlet’s refusal to take any action and avenge his father’s death, he is unable to ‘find himself’ early on.

With struggles like depression, anxiety, and anger in full effect throughout many teenagers around the world, life becomes challenging and sometimes unbearable. In Hamlet’s reflection, he addresses struggles to be apart of the following:: “Th' oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, The pangs of despised love, the law’s delay, The insolence of office, and the spurns, That patient merit of th' unworthy takes” (71-75).These examples embody the many struggles that transpire in life; specifically referencing the following concepts: injustice from superiors, the unkindness of pretentious men, the depression of unreturned love, the imbalance of the legal system, the disrespect of people in government, and the unjust treatment good people receive. When considering how unfair life can be at times, it is necessary to understand that people only have the ability to control what can be controlled. For many, self blame is the first step in handling a travesty. For Hamlet, he feels a mass of guilt for not immediately avenging his father; bringing him to a state of depression.

Marked as one of the greatest Shakespearean tragedies, Hamlet is riddled with corruption, murder, and indecision. As the true personification of an antihero and the driver of the play’s plot, Hamlet represents the duality of human nature. Hamlet may be the judge and jury presiding over the characters of the play, but Fate remains the executioner. Hamlet is a commentary on Fate’s power in controlling the good and evil in both man and reality as a whole.

Hamlet struggles with many issues in his daily life. His dad has been murdered by his uncle. His mother then married his uncle soon after the father’s death, which Hamlet considers to be morally wrong in more ways than one. During the story, his close friends betray him by spying on him for his uncle. Seeing how Hamlet reacts to the daily struggles in his life can still be applied to the world today. Many people feel as though they are trapped in their own poor life, and that they have no way to break free of it. The play touches on how Hamlet has these same feelings.