Hamlet wishes to ensure that the ghost has been telling the truth. Based on the debate, Hamlet is justified to try to kill Claudius since he learns from the ghost that his father's death was unnatural. Rather than with calculation or casuistry, it should be met with virtue or readiness; sooner or later it will have to be grasped by one or the other of its horns. It therefore appears that it is not the revenge for his father that prompts Hamlet to act but for his mother. Hamlet suspects foul play. Shakespeare emphasises this by showing contrasts between Hamlet and other characters in the play (most notably Laertes and Fortinbras). In this soliloquay Hamlet claims that it is thinking which prevents us from action, Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, could this be the reason for which Hamlet delays his revenge? If Hamlet did act when he had the chance to, allowing Claudius to die in a holy state, Hamlet would not be satisfied, thereby allowing him to stay in a state of malcontent. Will he end up like his father, murdered with blood on his hands and filled with sin? This inner turmoil reflects the larger theme of Hamlets uncertainty about whether or not to believe in ghosts and whether or not to take action against his uncle. Hamlet is like a soldier that is thrown into a war where he has to do some things he rather would avoid doing, but under the given circumstances he bites his teeth and carries himself well (Stratford, 128). He has to consider all possible consequences of his vendetta. In conclusion, Hamlets excessive contemplative nature is the result of his inner turmoil as he is tormented by the uncertainty of knowledge and is conflicted by his religious beliefs. After all, to kill an anointed King, even in an act of revenge, was considered a serious offence. He is only able to take action at the very end, when he finally overcomes his hesitations and reservations. Hamlet's Christian beliefs about heaven and hell deter his desire to take revenge for his father's murder. We will write an essay sample crafted to your needs. He knows that if he kills Claudius while he is praying, then Claudius will go to heaven. No matter the reason, Hamlets delay in revenging his fathers death is a key plot point in Shakespeares play. fulfils many of the conventions of a revenge tragedy. The victim is a close relation of Hamlet, the perpetrator is apparently untouchable and the act of revenge finally results in the death of the hero: Hamlet. stays true to the original and adds a new moral aspect to the central character. It is when they recognize their goals and abilities. In his first soliloquy he says; O that this too solid flesh would melt. Thus, the task is too onerous for the fragile, melancholic Hamlet. Throughout the play, the readers see how Hamlets personality and mental state evolves while revenge is still on his mind. There are however more contrasts with Hamlet to the original source material. While the span of the novel is divided into four [], 11 September 2019 Homers Iliad is one of the best known texts of the ancient world. Although Hamlet does now seem to be more determined, Claudius death is not planned by Hamlet, when Hamlet is himself dying and no longer has anything to stop him. While some may see Hamlets delay in taking revenge as a weakness, it can also be seen as a reflection of his concern with doing what is morally right. Hamlet is unsure whether or not Claudius murdered his father, and since he is the king and cannot be judged, Claudius appears untouchable. At this point, he is no longer trying to find the right time to get revenge on Claudius; instead, he concludes with let be, emphasizing his affirmation and trust in Gods complete control. In Act 1, Hamlet confronts the ghost to hear why the ghost is there, Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damned, Hamlet is unsure whether the ghost is an evil spirit or not and questions this throughout the play. The speech shows him to be Hamlet's cunning and worthy adversary. As Hamlet himself comments in one of his soliloquies, Thus conscience does make cowards of us all. When we first see Hamlet in Act I scene ii he is mourning over the death of his father. Osmosis Jones Human Body System Analogies Answer Key. He has to ask himself if his revenge is worth this. That Hamlet has had a long repressed desire to replace his father in his mother's life. Hamlet, unlike Fortinbras and Laertes, did not follow what his advisor told him without questioning why he should take the advice. It could also be that Hamlet is simply afraid of retribution from Claudius if he were to take his revenge. In the article Revenge and Vengeance in Shakespeares Hamlet: A Study of Hamlets Pursuit and Procrastination Regarding Revenge, the author, Haque, states that Hamlet was actually considered to be an indecisive person who always used to think much but act too little, meaning that the conversation with the ghost telling him to get revenge would not be the only time Hamlet was indecisive, which delayed his revenge process. This causes failure to act without delay. New . Stratford School Days: What Did Shakespeare Read? Give your answer and justify with examples. In addition, by killing Claudius while he is praying, Hamlet ensures that his uncle will go to hell for his crimes. When Hamlet first sees the ghost he asks, Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damnd. However, despite the fatality that results from Hamlet's delay in his revenge that stems from, in part, his own conscience, Hamlet's conscience cannot really be regarded as a flaw. (II.ii.594-598). Similarly, when Hamlet stumbles upon Claudius praying, he does not take theopportunity to kill the King, rather he makes excuses, saying he does not want Claudius to go to heaven. Roberts, Edgar V. and Henry E. Jacobs. Perhaps one of the most debated questions in modern-day literature is why Hamlet took so much time to avenge his father. Hamlet is also fixated on his mothers rushed marriage to his uncle, not even a month after his fathers death. He is melancholic and yearns for revenge but is too passive. Hamlet also lacks confidence in himself and his abilities, which leads him to procrastinate taking any action. In fact, in his final soliloquy, Hamlet laments over his tragic situation: "How stand I, then,/ That I have a father killed, a mother stained,/ Excitements of my reason and my blood,/ And let all sleep while, to my, The death of Hamlets father and his mother remarrying two months after his fathers death are two scenarios that instill revenge into Hamlets brain. In the play, Hamlet debates the morality of revenge, saying that Isnt not perfect conscience and isnt not to be damned to let this canke of our nature come in further evil. At this stage it is clear that Hamlet is having serious doubts about killing the King. In act 2 Hamlet is angry because he feels that he cannot show his affections in his mourning for his father's death, 'What would he do, had he the motive and the cue for passion that I have?' Hamlet is wondering why he cannot sweep to his revenge and why his . He does not act upon his feelings immediately but decides to investigate further on the suspicions he has about Claudius and his fathers death. He also rants on about his love for Ophelia, I loved Ophelia; forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love make up my sum. so could this have made Hamlet seek his revenge as he is so passionate about Ophelia and never let it be known near to her death. He was disgusted with his mother, and he had hatred for his uncle Claudius. He arranges for his uncle to be killed while seated on his throne in front of all the courtiers, thus ensuring that everyone will know of Claudiuss guilt. In addition, Hamlet was a philosopher rather than a man of action, unlike Claudius and Laertes. However, even once Hamlet has established Claudius guilt he still delays. None is convincing. This essay will discuss how Hamlet's nature and morals (which are intensified by difficult events) prevent him from carrying out the task. It is therefore important that we understand the reasons why Hamlet did delay his revenge. 5. The Ghost insisted to the hamlet that he should take avenge for his father. 2023 EduBirdie.com. Well, we do. It is because Hamlet agonises over whether he should take his revenge that he continually delays the action he has been asked to take. Ironically, Claudius was not able to repent so if Hamlet had acted, Claudius would not have gone to heaven. Hamlets delay in revenging his fathers murder can also be seen as a result of his indecision about whether or not to take action. He is a. Finally, Hamlet must acquire additional proof to support the claim that Claudius killed his father by poisoning him. Ever since Hamlet discovered that Claudius killed his father by pouring poison down his ear, Hamlet became obsessed with the idea of death and revenge. Claudius Claudius is the late king Hamlets brother. 66). As Hamlet himself comments in one of his soliloquies, "Thus conscience does make cowards of us all". Hamlet says; Haste me to knowt that I with wings as swiftMay sweep to my revenge, (Roberts, pg. Hamlet's Antic Disposition: Is Hamlet's Madness Real? It is this uncertainty that ultimately leads to Hamlets downfall. Hamlet was bitter in the beginning of the play, due to his fathers death. Although revenge is the most obvious theme in Hamlet, Shakespeare writes extensively about madness. In addition, in regards to his mothers sin, the ghost had told Hamlet to leave her to heaven. This creates a moral dilemma for Hamlet because if it is Gods duty to deal with his Mothers sin, surely the same applies to Claudius. Have no time to work on your essay? Hamlet's father's ghost sent him on a difficult errand, and he always tried to go, resolving, re-resolving, and ending the same. What is ironic about Hamlet's failure to kill Claudius? When he discovers Yorick's skull in a graveyard, Hamlet can recall specific details and traits about the man. However, this is little more than a delay tactic, and Hamlet also does not make any further plans to kill the King, for we seem to be puzzled by it (if we were in the audience, the whole scene would have lasted only moments, but as readers, we have the freedom to ponder about it). The change begins when Hamlet returns from England. Arguably, Hamlets delay is because Shakespeare has to fulfill Hamlets role as the tragic hero. Hamlet ends up not killing him because he thinks he would go to heaven since he is praying and if he gets revenge he wants him to go to hell. Prince Hamlet is depressed. Another awareness that might prevent Hamlet from acting is the fact that the Ghost tells Hamlet to leave her to heaven, her being Gertrude. Hamlet does not want this because he believes that Claudius deserves to go to hell for his crimes. It is because Hamlet agonises over whether he should take his revenge that he continually delays the action he has been asked to take. Once he decides to take action, he delays any action until the end of the play. Since no man of aught he leaves knows, what ist to leave betimes? This dilemma is further added to when the ghost speaks from under the stage. Therefore it is Shakespeares intention that Hamlet delays as a part of his character and in order for him to find his role. Hamlet is in an extremely fragile mental state after the death of his father and the recent marriage of his mother and Claudius. Hamlet. would not exist. His dead father is the destroyed country, painful truth that leaves so much hatred and resentment in his heart. However, despite the fatality that results from Hamlets delay in his revenge that stems from, in part, his own conscience, Hamlets conscience cannot really be regarded as a flaw. Although Hamlet adopted his antic disposition by Act II to supposedly divert attention despite the fact that it created the opposite affect, Hamlet only starts plotting his revenge in Act V. From this act on we see another side of Hamlet. Secondly, the marriage was against canon law, which made it a sin. Hamlet's many emotions appear to delay his revenge and make him appear indecisive, and one of these emotions is his conflicting hatred and love towards Gertrude. By the time he finally takes his revenge, Hamlet has lost the love of his life, Ophelia, and has been banished from Denmark. He is melancholic and yearns for revenge but is too passive. However, despite his intense catalyst, Hamlet reveals to be continuously torn between his motive of revenge and conflicted conscience, generating an inability to carry out his desired actions. With Hamlets 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. The opening line of Hamlet is Whos there? this tells the audience a lot about the play as it is a play about unanswered questions and people seeking these answers and there response. Download. It is because of this that Hamlet recognises the need to establish the origins of the ghost, the fact that he may be damned by taking his revenge, and the need to ensure that Claudius does not receive salvation. This essay will discuss how Hamlet's nature and morals (which are intensified by difficult events) prevent him from carrying out the task. He claims that he does not take action because if he does, Claudius will go to heaven since he is in the act of repent and Hamlet feels that Claudius deserves worse. revenge: Young Prince Hamlet comes home from his studies abroad and finds his father dead, his mother remarried to his uncle and his uncle on the throne of Denmark. Hamlets depressed state may be a contributory reason as to why he delays. What does Hamlet's delay to exact revenge reveal about his personality? William Shakespeare presents in it complexity of human nature and examination of human behavior. In this soliloquy Hamlets unstable state of mind is evident as well as his feelings of despair about his fathers death and his disgust of his mothers remarriage to his uncle Claudius. is a typical revenge tragedy, involving the murder of a close relation, in this case Hamlets own father, by a person who is considered to be out of the reach of common justice. After reading this drama one of the main questions we have to ask is ` Why does Hamlet delay?'. His character, as the renaissance man, a thinker, means that he is aware that by killing Claudius at prayer he runs the risk of sending Claudius, not to hell, but to heaven. Many of these reasons focus on the religious and is therefore representative of the period and the way in which the audience would be wrestling with two desires. This is evident in the play by the frequent delay of acting out his fathers revenge due to the uncertainty of the evidence pertaining to his uncles crime. Hamlet rationally thinks about revenge and the consequences to come by contemplating killing Claudius for a great amount of the play. In the opening scenes of the play, the Ghost of Hamlet's. In conclusion, Hamlet delays in killing the King because of his own character; he is a philosopher and is of a melancholic disposition. The play Hamlet by Shakespeare portrays many themes and a psychoanalytical depiction of the underlying issues within the protagonist Shakespeare showcases issues such as evoked emotions of losing a family member and revenge which led to the eventual madness of Hamlet. This essay is available online and was probably used by another student. The play centres on the difficulties that Hamlet faces as the avenger. Claudius has changed from a man of malevolence and confidence to one of fear for his life and Laertes has also switched to a man of revenge. In Act I, scene II, Hamlet delivers his first soliloquy after his mother and new step-dad/uncle Claudius try to convince him to get over the death of his father, and to accept their rather hasty marriage. To regain the status quo, Hamlet had a legitimate duty to revenge . Maybe he is unsure whether or not Claudius is actually responsible for his father's death. Upon seeing Claudius's obviously guilty reaction to the play, Hamlet's yearning for revenge grows stronger. However Hamlet could be using that as an excuse not to kill because subconsciously he feels that Claudius is the man that he would like to be. Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge. Thus, he delay his revenge because he need a better chance to kill the king. Without this delay Shakespeare would simply not have had a play to write and. This caused Othello to try to. Once Hamlet has returned from England he appears to have become much more decisive. It is only when Hamlet has realised that he has nothing to fear from death and is dying himself, having watched his mother die that Hamlets revenge takes place. TurnItIn the anti-plagiarism experts are also used by: King's College London, Newcastle University, University of Bristol, University of Cambridge, WJEC, AQA, OCR and Edexcel, centres around the delay made by the central character in taking his revenge. Hamlet was an honest and a modern man and I believe Shakespeare was exploring how a corrupt society can squander modern thinking by changing and destroying a logical man. However, despite the fatality that results from Hamlets delay in his revenge that stems from, in part, his own conscience, Hamlets conscience cannot really be regarded as a flaw. This first soliloquy introduces the reader to Hamlets indecisiveness and over analytical mindset. In the previous act Hamlet tells us that he is to put on an antic disposition where he will pretend to be mad to attain more information about his fathers death. The ghost plays two roles, the first one to inform Hamlet of the truth and the second one to pacify him after his rash action. Claudius wanted to get rid of Hamlet, and he had him sent away. Although this is so, Shakespeare fails to remind us that Hamlet is a character in a play and does not exist in the physical world; Hamlets existence is dependant on his actions and reactions to characters and events in the play. These events could have been avoided if Hamlet had made a decision sooner about what course of action to take.
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