William Shakespeare's Hamlet

In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince Hamlet serves as one of the most multi-faceted characters in the entire play with critics often deeming his personality “paradoxical”. Ultimately, Hamlet provides the audience with the epitomy of internal contrast and instability by rapidly transitioning through periods of caution and rash action, introversion and extroversion and calculation and spontaneity.

In Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, Hamlet, a studious young man and Prince of Denmark, struggles to face the death of his father and the task to kill his father’s murderer, Claudius. He was once known as a charming, smart young man before his father’s death. However, Hamlet experiences depression and anger at the world, causing him to look outwardly on society but failing to look inwardly on himself. The death of his father and the task for vengeance leads him to question whether or not he should follow through in killing Claudius. He becomes a man of thought rather than a man of action. In addition, the delay of King Claudius’ murder leads the readers to believe that he wishes not to kill him; he

“To be, or not to be, that is the question,” (3.1.64). This famous line in William Shakespeare's Hamlet perfectly encapsulates Hamlet’s internal struggle throughout the play. Hamlet tells the story of the young prince of Denmark and his desire for revenge on the uncle, Claudius, who murdered his father. As is the case in many works of literature, Hamlet changes greatly throughout the play. However, because of his attempts to act insane, it can be difficult to precisely map the changes in Hamlet’s character. By carefully investigating his seven soliloquies, where he is alone and has no need to “put on an antic disposition,” one can understand and interpret how Hamlet’s character develops throughout the play.

In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the titular character struggles to engage in his desired plan of revenge. Hamlet shows throughout the play that he is inconsistent, indecisive, and unsure of himself, as well as his actions. The play focuses on Hamlet’s revenge; however, he continuously fails to happen at opportunistic moments. Throughout the play, Hamlet insists that he intends to avenge his father’s death through the murder of Claudius, but Hamlet fails to act on occasion because of his indecisive personality.

Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a work of immense depth in character development, most notably the personal, moral and psychological battles

Quintessentially speaking, revenge is a thing that many have sought in response to a tragic event unfolding. Typically, as a result, vengeance is contemplated upon by the victim as a means of retribution, a way of making things right and seeking justice on the behest of the victim, if the law will not grant justice through due process due to corrupt forces stemmed deep within it- corrupt seeds of a corrupt plant. Therefore, revenge become an apparent option for those willing to walk that path [of no return]. However, instances of revenge not being attained in the “clear cut” way it is ordinarily acquired have occurred from time to time throughout history. One of the most prominent examples of unconventional revenge attainment can be found within the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, entailing the revenge path walked by its eponymously named main character, Prince Hamlet. Specifically, his intentful delay in attaining his revenge against his uncle Claudius for his direct role in the death of his father, King Hamlet. This literary conundrum has dumbfounded literary critics for over 400 years and counting- due to the fact that a universally accepted consensus amongst them as well as the general public as to why Hamlet delayed his revenge has not yet been reached.

Bradley, an analyst of Shakespearean tragedies, argues that the distinguishing feature of a Shakespearean tragedy is the hero’s conflict with himself. Hamlet’s internal conflict is certainly one more complex than any other Shakespearean character, and arguably any tragic hero ever. Bradley believes “…Shakespearean tragedy demonstrates the existence of an ultimate power which reacts violently against evil but in the process contradictorily and mysteriously destroys much that is good as well.” This philosophy embodies Hamlet and his turmoil. It appears that Hamlet has an inability to cope with all of the terrible events that occur in his life. Though he can be a very charming character, it is taxing for him to not fall victim to his circumstances, which he unfortunately ends up doing. Hamlet pushes away all those he once loved because they betrayed him (aside from Ophelia, but we know the logic behind that). When Hamlet is left no one and nothing, he loses all inhibition, and overcomes his tragic flaw, which is the inability to act. However, he is committing an act of revenge, which usually does not end well.

“To be, or not to be: that is the question,” said by Hamlet at the beginning of his soliloquy, and it has become a quite well known phrase since Shakespeare 's time. Even though the phrase is well known, the meaning behind it isn’t always fully interrupted or considered. The phrase can also be known as a representation of the Hamlet play itself, but the phrase is actually the words of someone whom is truly depressed and questioning life all together. “To be, or not to be,” in other words to live or to die, and at this time for Hamlet that is the ultimate question. However, is Hamlet truly depressed and crazed, or is he merely trying to fool everyone around him by playing the part? That will be the true question throughout this essay, and the following will question and explore Hamlet and his questioned sanity. I will do so by exploring events that lead up to Hamlet’s questioning of suicide, a close reading and reasoning behind Hamlet’s soliloquy, events resulting from Hamlet and his feelings, and how this passage of Hamlet reflects upon William Shakespeare himself.

Hamlet is a complex story that uses many literary devices to help develop the characters in Hamlet. One dominant device is irony. The main plot of the story revolves around irony. Hamlet is a witty character and loves to use irony. Hamlet’s use of irony displays how he insults people, discovers useful information, and reveals his true character. The use of irony in this story helps to add depth to each character, which is why Hamlet is one of Shakespeare’s most complex stories.

In William Shakespeare’s tragedy, Hamlet, it is clearly evident Prince Hamlet is overcome with “madness” due to his father’s murder and other malicious actions taken against him. Throughout the play, there are many examples of how Hamlet displays his insanity due to certain situations he experiences and how he handles them. Hamlet shows his madness through the killing of Polonius, his treatment of Ophelia, his thoughts of suicide, and the treatment of his mother Gertrude.

Hamlet questions himself, his goal, his reason for being alive, but for every question an opportunity to kill Claudius was exposed and he didn't take it. Hamlet, was without a doubt confused, and probably scared, but the key question here is, was Hamlet in his right mind? Was he stable enough to attempt such a deed as to kill his king without questioning his every thought, reason, and his judgment of himself? Hamlet was not a person of sound mind; in fact, probably insane to the point of a breakdown, simply because of all the events that occurred to him was right after each other. Hamlet was not able to recover each event that he faced took an immense toll on him. His procrastination kills not only himself, but also his mother, his girlfriend, and others, but it also leaves the reader full of doubt. Of course it was obvious that Hamlet will kill the new king, but was it necessary to have so many deaths due to one mans uncertainty? Hamlet was not only fighting a battle against his father murderer, but a war within his self, blinded by insanity from reality. Hamlet was obsessed with death and killing Claudius and this

Hamlet displays his understanding of existentialism in the soliloquy “To be, or not to be, that is the question” (3.1.63) and yet his other words and actions lead us to believe he is still unaware of his own truth. Hamlet says "Then are our beggars bodies, and our monarchs and outstretched heroes the beggars ' shadows" (2.2.263-264) and says that we are all beggars, all lowly men, and we only have any greatness because others think we do. This is in direct conflict with his hubris, showing that he can come up with insights that are emotionally valid and yet he does not entirely accept them as he also has the opposite characteristic. He still cares about the hierarchy and wishes to be above people and is, but only because he and others

The play Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, is set in an anti-feminist era. Women traditionally have been seen inferior to men. This was an intellectual as well as a physical issue. Women were to raise a family, cook, clean, be pretty and not be smarter than any man. The main characters Ophelia and Gertrude are both depicted with these characteristics as powerless and frail people. This illustration of helpless women affects one's understanding of what their true selves could be.

Death weighs heavily on the minds of Hamlet and Desiree as it turns out to be the only solution to escape from the world which brings them sadness and pain. “To be, or not to be; that is the question.” – the same question that both of these characters contemplate on how to deal with their life after they realised the grim truth about the people they should be able to trust most.

The manner in which Hamlet conveys himself and his emotions to other people help show another dimension of his character —his little trust in