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Hamlet Character Analysis

Decent Essays

William Shakespeare writes the play, Hamlet. Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark and the central character of the play. He is, however, a disturbed young man. He seeks revenge for his father’s death, must deal with the incestuous affair between his mother and his uncle within a month of his father’s death, and the abrupt breakup with the women he loves. But to hide his real intentions, he fakes being mad. However, Hamlet is so upset with his mother for marrying again so soon, and when Ophelia, his love, betrays him by following her father's commands, Hamlet forms a feeling of hatred and distrust for all women in the world. Hamlet's madness threatens his relationship with Ophelia and his mother, Queen Gertrude. However, Hamlet’s life involves many tragedies including his mother’s incestuous marriage, unstable relationship with Ophelia, and his madness of revenge and honor.

In the first soliloquy, Hamlet is mourning the death of his late father and does not know how to handle it. He is very disturbed, trying to figure things out while everyone else is unnerved by his grief. However, he believes he is a tainted human being, and he thinks by dying he would become something untainted. But Hamlet understands that he cannot carry out suicide because in the eyes of the God it is a mortal sin and would hinder his chances of getting into heaven. Not only is he saddened by his father’s death, but with Queen Gertrude over her incestuous relationship with her beloved, King Claudius. He

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