Hamlet Literary Analysis

A detailed Summary of Hamlet Literary Analysis

In "Hamlet", the tragedy by William Shakespeare, Hamlet, the prince of Denmark withholds a great internal conflict throughout the play. As a result, Hamlet contradicts himself many times throughout out the play, which caused the unnecessary death of many others. As well as trying to be true to himself, Hamlet is an expert at acting out roles and making people falsely believe him. The roles he plays are ones in which he fakes madness to accomplish his goals. While one second Hamlet pretends to be under a strange spell of madness, seconds later he may become perfectly calm. He struggles with the issue of avenging his father's death. He vows to kill Claudius but then backs out several times. Hamlet's actions throughout the play support this deceitful nature. His dual personalities are the foundation of his madness. There are many examples that illustrate how Hamlet's deceitful nature results in a tragedy because of his inability to choose which role to play.

In Act One, Hamlet appears to be very straightforward in his actions and his role. When his mother questions him, Hamlet says, "Seems, madam? Nay it is. I know not seems" (1.2.76). By saying this, Hamlet lets Gertrude know that he is what she sees, torn over hi

Those soldiers fight and die for an insignificant plot of land, and they do it because they are soldiers, for no other reason. This convinces Hamlet to follow through and do his duty.

Act 2, scene 2 is a great example of Hamlet's tremendous problem. Hamlet makes this big buildup of what he should have done and how he will seek revenge, but then contradicts himself in his next statement. After all of the swearing and support, he backs out again. He can't decide whether to play the role or not. Being caught in the middle, Hamlet decides that he needs more proof of the King's guilt. He keeps going back on his resolve when he says, "The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King" (2.2.559-560). Hamlet believes that acting will transform one's inner self to match the exterior.

These two acts show Hamlet's insincerity and how tragedy results. With certain people, Hamlet is resolved to get revenge for his father's death. With other people, this thought is the last thought in his mind. If he had any of the resolve he had showed earlier, his act of revenge would have already been completed. Instead of playing the part of the vengeful son, or dropping the issue entirely, he spends the entire act "slacking off". He avoids the decision he has to make and pretends to be mad. This is shown when he says to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I know not-lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises" (2.2.280-281). Later Hamlet tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern that he is just faking his madness when he says, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw" (2.2.347-348). By Hamlet admitting that he is faking, he is truly saying that he is comfortable with it. It is strange that Hamlet is comfortable with playing at this point, but the main concept is that he is not acting out the role that he established in act one.

Hamlet realizes that he should do what his role dictates strictly because it is his role. He does not hesitate and fully embraces the act. In reaction to Ophelia's death, he is again behaving as he should have. She was his love and he should have loved her more than her brother. This is shown when Hamlet says, "I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not with their quantity of love make up my sum" (5.1.243-245). Hamlet should have loved her, but he did not. Had he loved her he would not have treated her so poorly earlier. He is now committed to acting, and loving Ophelia fits the role. In the rest of the play Hamlet sticks to his resolve. He barely has time to tell his story of escape to Horatio before he is challenged. He does not refuse the challenge because as nobility, he cannot refuse he has to keep his honor. Hamlet goes to the match and because he has now accepted the role, he does not hesitate to kill the King when prompted to do so.

However, when the players come around, the resolved Hamlet returns. Hamlet is prompted

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hecuba Hecuba, Ophelia Forty, Rosencrantz Guildenstern, Claudius Hamlet, Shakespeare Hamlet, Hamlet Gertrude, Unfortunately Claudius, Horatio Observe, Act Hamlet, throughout play, play hamlet, rosencrantz guildenstern, act hamlet, hamlet saying, father's death, , inner self, acting transform one's, hamlet appears, kill king, hamlet follow, one's inner self, transform one's inner,

Approximate Word count = 1992
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels