The Complexity of the Longest Shakespeares Play - Essay Example

 Literature Essay: Hamlet. HAMLET One of Shakespeare’s most critically acclaimed works is Hamlet. A play based on betrayal and a quest for revenge by the main protagonist, Prince Hamlet whose father, King Hamlet was killed by Claudius who went ahead to assume the throne and the queen as his own. The play in the longest among Shakespeare’s collection and it has been the subject of quite a lot of intense study, based on the richness of the characters and the psychological makeup each character entails. The complexity of the play has however ensured that there are several interpretations of the story given the immense amount of allegory and irony amidst other stylistic devices that the much acclaimed author is widely known for. Therefore, a review or an analysis of the story that shall be undertaken must be laced with sobriety and prudence since on is bound to make wrong conclusions which the author had not intended to air. Character analysis As to the question whether Hamlet is: Victim of circumstances: I beg to agree with this assertion since his character is mainly seen from the standpoint of his father’s death, upon which the entire play is premised. This is further enhanced from the words in his soliloquy in chapter 2, verse 2, where he laments “O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I” to show his apparent unwillingness in exacting revenge yet he feels encumbered to do so (Hamlet, chapter 2, verse 2). A man incapable of taking any action: This is perhaps the greatest enigma of the play. Hamlet’s hesitation in exacting revenge is not due to his inability to undertake the necessary action, but rather his unwillingness due to his religious views and his compassion. The end of Act 3 scene 3, he shows his intentions to wait until Claudius is well before killing him as he doesn’t want to send his soul to heaven. “A villain kills my father, and for that,/ I, his sole son, do this same villain send/ To heaven (Act III/Scene III). An excessively ambitious prince who lusts for power: this assertion is wholly false, as it does not fully reflect the true character of Hamlet, who is a deeply religious fellow. His mind at the beginning of the play is entirely at a crossroads as to avenge his father’s killer or not, this however changes when he comes back from his failed voyage to Britain in (Act IV/Scene V), where he decides to fully dedicate all his thoughts towards avenging his father’s death, and at no point does he intimate his intentions to assume power. Furthermore, at the very end when both Hamlet and Claudius are surely about to die, Hamlet pronounces, Prince Fortinbras of Norway as his preferred probable heir to the throne. A person of exceptional intellect and intelligence: this can be deduced by inference and by examining the manner in which Hamlet interprets situations. He rightfully so, deduces that two of his acquaintances, that is, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, are Claudius’s spies and he does this by merely examining their behavior towards him. This shows his exceptional intellect; furthermore he is known to be a keen student of history, as deducted from his reflections. A man in the grip of insanity: this assertion is not true, as it is the apparent thoughts of some characters in the play towards Claudius, since only he, can see the ghost of his father, therefore his behavior seems odd to some character such as Ophelia and Polonius, who Hamlet accidentally stabs. Hamlet, being the discerning individual that he is, is seen to behave differently towards the different characters in the play, depending on their apparent levels of affinity towards him. Towards: Claudius: Hamlet is resentful towards Claudius, since he knows Claudius is the one who killed his father. However, since Hamlet is unsure of Claudius’s culpability, he does not act cruelly or in defiance towards him, either so as not to raise suspicion of his intentions to kill him, and also since Claudius is the King, Hamlet does not want to be in Claudius’s bad graces. This shows Claudius is a very rational and pragmatic individual and quite compassionate. Gertrude: being Hamlet’s mother one would expect a level of respect befitting their relations, however this is not so as Hamlet is openly disrespectful of his mother. Some analysts have however seen Hamlet’s reluctance to kill Claudius as stemming from his love for his mother. This highlights the vengeful nature of Hamlet though tempered with reason and calculated intentions. Ophelia: in the play, Ophelia is Hamlet’s love interest. Upon Ophelia’s death, Hamlet mourns by flinging himself towards her grave, showing his dedication to her. This shows Hamlet is capable of love even towards someone who is not entirely faultless in his father’s death. Horatio: He is Hamlet’s best friend, and throughout the play Hamlet seems to confide in him. At the end as Hamlet is dying he entrusts him with his final wishes showing both their loyalty towards each other. Polonius: Being Claudius’s trusted aide, makes Polonius, Hamlet’s enemy. Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius and he at first shows no remorse at his death, showing lack of compassion towards Polonius, even though Hamlet is known to be a compassionate man. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern: they are portrayed as Claudius’s spies, and have been entrusted with the task of tracking all of Hamlet’s movements. Though initially Hamlets friends, Hamlet gets wind of their nefarious plans and determines to steer away from their trap. They are said to have died in a sea storm while on a voyage with Hamlet, which raises some questions as to Hamlets culpability in their deaths. Through these two characters hamlet is depicted as being calculating, smart and vengeful. In interpreting Hamlet’s state of mind, the soliloquies are examined, which he had, where he expressed his fears, and therefore helping the audience to further be appreciative of the themes and the plot of the play. In Act 1 scene 2, the first soliloquy by Hamlet, where he expresses his profound sadness and melancholic feelings. Through this soliloquy, Hamlet is grappling with life’s profound questions and coming to the conclusion that life is futile. The reader also sees in his statement, "but no more like my father/Than I to Hercules" (154-55), where Hamlet likens himself to Hercules, to show his lack of self worth and confidence. In Act 2 scene 2, which is his second soliloquy, where Hamlet is in a dilemma in his indecisiveness towards killing Claudius. It is through this act that his intention to trap Claudius in his guilt by taking him to a play which bears striking resemblance to the circumstances surrounding his father’s death is seen. There is further information on Hamlet’s apprehension of his father’s ghost, and he at one time thinks it may be the devil, out to ruin him. In Act 3 scene 1, Readers are introduced to Hamlet’s third soliloquy, which has become quite famous the world over for its ‘to be or not to be’ quote. Through this soliloquy, readers are introduced to matters of profound philosophy and existentialism. There is also the attitude towards suicide and the question whether one has the right to take one’s own life. Hamlet’s apparent inability to exact revenge on Claudius is purely a matter of philosophy as he is seen to grapple with religious and philosophical blockades that apparently make him hesitant in doing his father’s ghost bidding. He has to find a cause to kill Claudius beyond that of revenge, and upon not finding any other cause he seems distraught that he can’t proceed. Being a compassionate man, he cannot even kill Claudius who is praying and vulnerable, claiming that by killing a praying man would be to send him to heaven, which would put him at odds with the intent of killing him in the first place. Plot. The death of King Hamlet provides the very basis for the entire play, and without his death, there would be no ghost and therefore no discord between Hamlet and Claudius which forms the very basis for the play. The fact that the King’s death is at the beginning goes to show its importance in introducing the characters in the play and their interrelationship. It further goes to put the reader in a state of query and suspense which is necessary in keeping up with the pace of the play. The pace of the play is quite intriguing. In some instances, the play seems slow and boring, such as Ophelia’s drunken state and her bawdy songs, however this contrasted with the scenes involving death and violence, such as the death scene of Polonius, goes to further enrich the play’s plot and also accord the reader/viewer certain periods of relief, albeit comic so as to better understand the characters and give them depth. References Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Betty Bealey. Toronto: Academic Press Canada, 1963. Read More