Hamlet Essay

Further evidence of Hamlet's tragic flaw can be found in act III, scene 3. At this point, Hamlet is sure of Claudius' guilt, and has even declared that "Now could I drink hot blood and do such bitter business as the day Would quake to look on." (p. 99 lines 406-408) He comes to find King Claudius alone, and recognizes it as an opportunity to act, but almost immediately talks himself out of action on the bases that the King is praying, and will therefore go to heaven. He decides yet again to delay avenging his father's murder, this time until he can kill the King while he is in a vile condition, such as "When he is drunk asleep; or in his rage; Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed." (p. 103 lines 89-90) Hamlet has failed to act for so long that the Ghost soon comes back to remind him of his duty.

Claudius seduces Gertrude before he murders King Hamlet to be sure that she will marry him. From the way Gertrude was responding to him, Claudius knows that she will marry him. Claudius is sure his plan will work and murders King Hamlet and marries Gertrude to become the new King and Queen.

Far too often we see men and women with noble causes lose their motive because of their emotional behavior. Their emotions cause them to lose track. We see no finer example of a man with a noble cause whose emotions cause him to lose sight of his noble cause: the character of Laertes in the play Hamlet. Laertes has a vendetta against Hamlet for killing his father. Although Laertes meant well in avenging his father’s death, his emotional behavior overtook him in the process. If we look at other characters in the play, we find a similar struggle between a noble goal and one’s emotions. Hamlet fights the same battle as Laertes does; however, Hamlet is better able to control his emotions. To maintain a noble goal without faltering,

Hamlet swore revenge on Claudius for killing his father, but he delays his revenge due to his cowardice. Hamlet has many opportunities to kill the King, but he gives himself reasons not to do so . The prince has the idea that the appearance might be “a devil” that has “power/ T’assume a pleasing shape” which “Abuses [him] and to damn” him. Therefore, he wants “grounds/ More relative than” the ghosts words, so “The play’s the thing/ Wherein [he’ll] catch the conscience of the king” (Shakespeare 2.2.586-93). Hamlet is stalling, he is afraid to kill Claudius by giving himself excuses such as the devil is deceiving him and that he needs more proof that his uncle is the true killer. Even after the play has ended, Hamlet knows that his uncle is guilty of the murder. Due to Claudius’ guilty conscience causing him to leave in the middle of the play. Hamlet still takes two months to do anything, this shows that he is a coward as he has no courage to kill his father’s murderer. In addition, he never realizes his wrongdoings or cowardice and continues on with them. The prince‘s

Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is a classic tragedy in which personal weakness plays a large role in the fate of a central character. Hamlet’s personal weakness plays a predominant role in his eventual ending in Hamlet, however other factors also play a minor role in the outcome of the character. For Hamlet, his hamartia (fatal flaw) is his procrastination in carrying out the task that the ghost set him. However, it is apparent that although Hamlet’s personal weakness plays a large part in his eventual fate, other factors beyond Hamlet play a role in his fate. In contrast, Claudius’ personal weaknesses are fully responsible for his fate in Hamlet. Claudius’ desire for power is the weakness that eventually leads to his downfall, and

Hamlets only real noticeable fatal flaw, was his inability to make decision, he broods over the consequences of his actions for to long and never acted (Durst). Hamlet hadn’t even considered that Claudius had kill his father, until a strange visit from his fathers ghost. He was still uncertain about it so he had to investigate it, and then Claudius eventually caught on to his plan and started scheming his own. Hamlet also had emotional feelings for Ophelia, but as Shakespeare had implied Hamlet had ‘tumbled’ and had no intention of wedding her (Durst). Hamlet did eventually get bac at Claudius but it did get his mother, Ophelia, and himself killed in the process.

As Hamlet might seem like one to be thoughtful of his actions, he changes as he suddenly acts crazy. This craziness is used as a cover for a plan to kill Claudius. It is almost as if this sudden change in character causes Hamlet to garner the true characteristics of his craziness. He thinks on his feet as he contemplates, “Haste me to know ‘t, that I, with wings as swift/ As meditation or the thoughts of love/ May sweep to my revenge”(I.vi.35-37). Speaking to the ghost of old Hamlet, he suddenly pushes his plan in response to the news of his father's murder.

act of revenge and waits for the ideal moment to avenge his father’s murder. He

In the play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare, Prince Hamlet uses many double meaning phrases to speak his mind to the audience and the other characters in the play. "I am but mad north-north-west: when the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (II.ii.387-8). This is a classic example of the "wild and whirling words" with which Hamlet hopes to persuade people to believe that he is mad. These words, however, prove that beneath his "antic disposition," Hamlet is very sane indeed. Beneath his strange choice of imagery involving points of the compass, the weather, and hunting birds, he is announcing that he is calculatedly choosing the times when to appear mad. “Hamlet feigns

Claudius is only acting out what Hamlet secretly wants to do, take his father’s place as his mother’s lover. This would explain why Hamlet puts off the revenge instead of carrying it out immediately after seeing his father’s ghost. It would also provide a reason for Hamlet’s later insanity.

As a result of stress, and indecisiveness Hamlet finally becomes a prey to the plan of Claudius. The unpleasantness of having a poor personal life and his wavering character makes him die. If he had killed Claudius before, the political situation would have been very much favourable to him, but rather than killing “the serpent” he allows it to kill him. Hamlet’s ruined personal life; his bad relationship with former friends and his mother and his

He is a morally weak man who values power and material things more than he appreciates his loved ones. As Ian McKee once said, "People who are more vengeful tend to be those who are motivated by power, by authority and by the desire for status,” (Michael), which is true for Claudius lust for power. He contrasts with the other men in the play because he is extremely devious, lacks morals, and is manipulative. Throughout the play, many characters actions are a domino effect on Claudius’ sin. His immoral behaviour is revealed at the beginning of the play when the Ghost mentions to Hamlet, “A serpent stung me so the whole ear of Denmark is by a forged process of my death rankly abus’d - but know, thou noble youth, the serpent that did sting thy father’s life now wears his crown,” (1.5.40-45). By revealing this, the Ghost is setting the mood for the following events. He indicates to the audience the fact that Claudius is self absorbed and has the desire of being in power, no matter what it takes. After the death of his brother, the King, Claudius steps in to rule and lead the people of Denmark. Claudius tries to shine light off of the death of old King Hamlet and create a sense of peace to prevent any suspicions or theories regarding his immoral act. Claudius’ irrational behaviour continues from his reaction to the tragic death of Polonius. His reaction to Gertrude’s revelation that Hamlet has killed Polonius is extremely

    Regarding the themes in Shakespeare’s tragic drama Hamlet, there is a divergence of opinion among literary critics about which should be called the dominant theme and which should be classed as secondary. This essay will discuss the various themes and their ranking.

     In the last scene of the play Claudius makes a big plan to ensure Hamlets death. In this plan he poisons a drink that is for Hamlet. He also helps make the sword fight one side and fatal to Hamlet. But Claudius plan backfire in the biggest possible way. And he winds up pinioning his wife Gertrude in which he loves dearly. And this gives Hamlet even more reason to kill Claudius.

I may appreciate his air of mystery and his strength of mind, but I will never understand his lack of concern for the state of Denmark. As Hamlet was once next in line for the throne, and is still considered the heir due to Claudius' lack of an heir, you would think that he would show a little care for the place he would have ruled. Instead, he seems more concerned with the activities taking place between his mother's "incestuous sheets" than Denmark's welfare. Even though the watchman 'put his name here man' came to the conclusion that "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", Hamlet forms no such ideas. This makes Hamlet appear ungrateful for his social position. Claudius at least gives the possible attack from Norway a thought at the beginning of the play, while Hamlet sits and despairs over his father's death. Not once does Hamlet truly worry about the effect Claudius' rule could have on the country- he is only concerned with his personal grievances against Claudius. In this way we can see that every action Hamlet performs in the play is tainted by his need to kill Claudius. The prince becomes painfully suspicious of everyone around him, not knowing who is or is not spying on him. He questions his mother violently, mocks Polonius before killing him, suspecting him to be Claudius, and he sends his old friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to their deaths because he believed that they were spying for malevolent purposes, even though they were simply trying to help him. This tainted view of Hamlet's is the reason for every event in the story and his suspicion causes many deaths. We cannot admire Hamlet for this major weakness as it is this flaw which in the end, kills