Poetry Writing Analysis - Essay Example

Topic: Drama Connections of the University Topic: Drama Connections What is Hamlets tragic flaw? Hamlet is a tragic hero. He often suffers downfall from a tragic flaw in his personality. Specifically that flaw is his inability to act and to do the right things at the right time. He faults in timings to avenge his father’s death. When the ghost of his dead father appears before him and entrusts to him the task of retaliating for the foulest murder, Hamlet though accepts the challenge, delays the execution of the task.

Hamlet decides to act crazy which forces Claudius to send him to England. Why does Hamlet miss the mark? Hamlet’s hesitation to act, results in many un-intended killings. Hamlet is the story of an individual who is unable to make up his mind. He is the creator of his own destruction. His other flaw is hubris, the sin of discerning oneself as godlike. His fatal fall has three dimensions: hesitation, fate and hubris. “According to T. S. Eliot, Hamlet’s true feelings are unknowable because they do not find adequate representation in the play.

The “objective correlative” requires that emotion in art be expressed through an equivalent, or as Eliot puts it, “a set of objects, a situation, a chain of events which shall be the formula of the particular emotion.” Emotion cannot be expressed directly…” (www.poetry) Due to his inconsistency of approach for finding solutions to the problem he often misses the mark. For example, In Act III, iii Hamlet has his knife over the head of Claudius, ready to murder him, but decides against it.

Where cool thinking is necessary, Hamlet acts in a rash and negligent manner. The killing of Polonius is one such act. What moral issues does Shakespeare explore? Hamlet deals with the concept of revenge, a pagan act that goes against the Christian morality of Prince Hamlet. Hamlet is directed to kill Claudius by his father’s ghost who is stuck in Purgatory. Revenge goes against morality and it is one of the serious negativities. Prince Hamlet is in a moral dilemma.

If he kills Claudius, he is certain to go to hell. If he does not, his father may go to hell. So Hamlet is out to find a moral justification for killing Claudius, so that both of them may escape going to hell. He devises a plan to put pressure on Claudius to confess his sin publicly. It works to certain extent, Claudius confesses but in private. Shakespeare brings the moral issue again to the fore as Hamlet is not inclined to kill Claudius, during prayer since he trusts that he will send his soul to heaven.

Finally, he achieves his moral goal by exposing Claudius publicly and sends his soul to hell. In the process Hamlet dies and he is supposed to go to heaven. The other moral issue of the play is the marriage of Claudius and Gertrude. Hamlet is repulsed by the marriage and is totally appalled and confused. This marriage leads to a series of issues and murders that will not stand the moral test. What is the role of revenge in Elizabethan society? Revenge was the popular trait during the Elizabethan times, to protect family prestige, honor the heritage etc.

They were proud people, and would not tolerate if someone spoke derogatory words or did dubious acts against the family members. If someone from the family is murdered, revenge would certainly follow. Hamlet perfectly fits into the theme of revenge tragedy of the Elizabethan era. It is the perfect example of the revenge play, and the audience “enjoys’ the different stages/modes of revenge in the play. The impact of the writings of Sophocles, Euripides and other Greeks, and of Seneca can be observed in this revenge play.

What is the role of revenge in modern society? The thirst for revenge is as old as humankind. An individual inclined to take revenge is satisfied only after the execution of the deed and wastes enormous time, emotional and physical energy, money and in the process one or more lives are lost. In the modern society revengeful acts can be seen at the individual, group and national levels to achieve various objectives. But such revengeful acts have failed to bring permanent solution for the problems envisaged while committing the acts of revenge and the expectations are shattered.

Instead of quelling hostility, revenge further spurs the negative acts and keeps the wounds green. What happens when the individual pursues selfish goals at the expense of society? One needs to demarcate between individual goals and they should never be in conflict with the societal interests. If the society is full of negativities, an individual will not be able to lead a happy life amidst negativities. Sacrificing self-interests for the greater good of the society and the nation is a great moral stand.

Notwithstanding our own cultural identities, the global family concept is gaining ground and as such an individual needs to responsive to changing situations and mold his dispositions accordingly for the overall wellness of the society. Reference ListEliot, T. S. Hamlet (1920) Poetry Foundation: Web Accessed from: www.poetryfoundation.org. 5