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Hamlet Essay : Hamlet's Hamartia

Decent Essays

William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is a captivating story revolving around the death of the King of Denmark and the reveal of how his death truly happened at the hands of his own brother – who wanted the kingdom to himself. After the king’s death, he returns as a ghost to tell his son, Hamlet, of how his death truly happened. The rest of the story entails how Hamlet took this news and begins his journey to avenge his father’s murder. As this journey progresses, the audience is able to witness Hamlet’s hamartia. Hamartia is a tragic flaw which leads to the eventual downfall of a hero or heroine. Hamlet’s hamartia is his inability to act and his indecisiveness regarding avenging his father’s murder – which results in a horrid ending for Hamlet and most of the people he knows.
Throughout “Hamlet”, it is evident that Hamlet’s hamartia is his inability to act and his indecisiveness. These flaws are evident throughout many aspects of his life, but are able to be identified as he attempts to avenge his father’s murder. After Hamlet’s father tells him in his ghostly form that he was murdered by his brother, Claudius, instead of simply going to seek revenge immediately, Hamlet makes elaborate plans to decide if Claudius is truly guilty of the murder. This is where his indecisiveness begins. Hamlet vows to his father he will avenge his death in Act I, Scene 5, “So uncle, there you are. Now to my word:” (Line 111). While Hamlet vows this to his father, he does not act on it instantly.

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