Hamlet’s Impractical Thinking As An Obstacle to Quick Revenge HAMLET
Shakespeare’s Hamlet revolves around the title character’s undeniable obligation to immediately avenge his father’s death by killing Claudius. Yet much time elapses before Hamlet finally does slay his evil uncle, leading to a fundamental question: what causes the hero to delay before eventually managing to salvage some retribution? The answer is that Hamlet’s reoccuring state of impractical contemplation renders him incapable of any decisive action that could have brought quick revenge. A key moment in the play comes in the first act, when the ghost of Hamlet’s father informs the prince of his duty: “If thou didst ever thy father love/...Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.” [1.5: 29, 31] With these words, the Ghost puts the play in motion, for the rest of the story will be governed by Hamlet’s quest for this revenge. Furthermore, the spirit emphasizes the need for Hamlet to act quickly: Doomed for a certain term to walk the night And for the day confined to fast in fires Till the foul crimes done in my days of nature Are burnt and purged away. [1.5: 14-18] The message is clear: if the prince is to truly ease the suffering of his father’s spirit, he must avenge the murder immediately.
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1125
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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