Hamlet20

A detailed Summary of Hamlet20

Disillusionment. Depression. Despair. These are the burning emotions churning in young Hamlet's soul as he attempts to come to terms with his father's death and his mother's incestuous, illicit marriage. When Hamlet tries to pick up the pieces of his shattered idealism, he consciously embarks on a quest to seek the hidden truth. Hamlet is faced with the fact that he has to avenge the murder of his father. Contrary to the fact that Hamlet delays his revenge and acts insane, he proves that he is fit for his task by his intelligent and rational thinking.

Hamlet shows a remarkable amount of intelligence, consciousness, as well as rational decision-making in efforts to resolve his situation. Nearly all of Hamlet's actions, with the exception of his outburst at Ophelia's grave, were preplanned and precisely calculated. His inborn thought process prolonged his revenge, and while Hamlet may have appeared listless with inaction, the wheels in his mind never stopped turning. Hamlet's actions in the play after meeting the ghost lead everyone except Horatio to believe he is crazy, yet that madness is continuously checked by an ever-present consciousness of action which never lets him lose control. First, he had to prove th

In act two, Hamlet appears again; although it now becomes apparent he has lost the conviction he demonstrated earlier-to complete his destiny as prescribed by the ghost of his father. During this act, Hamlet spends most of his time reading and talking with Polonius, Guildenstern, Rosencrantz, and the players. Not until the very end of this second act, does Hamlet refer to his filial duty to avenge his father. Instead of carrying out the destiny described by his fathers spirit-role of the vengeful son, Hamlet exhibits insane behaviors. Hamlet then admits he is merely feigning insanity with, "I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly I know a hawk from a handsaw" (II.2 347-348). Admitting he is only acting "mad" implies he is secure with his plot. Hamlet also seems to portray a willingness to accept this plight with, "...for there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so..." (II.2 239-240). In this instance, Hamlet is stating that behavior shapes reality.

In act two, Hamlet is again prompted towards vengeance, this time by a poignant speech delivered by one of the players. Hamlet responds to this dialogue with, "What's Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, That he should weep for her? What would he do Had he motive and cue for passion That I have?" (II.2. 510-514). In this complement to this player's acting ability, Hamlet is saying that if he were such an actor he would have killed Claudius by now. Therein, lies the struggle between acting, and actual vengeance, that persists throughout the play until the very end. At this moment, Hamlet avows to avenge his father, "I should ha' fatted all the region kites With this slave's offal. Bloody, bawdy villain! O, vengeance! What an ass am I! This is most brave, That I, the son of a dear father murdered, Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell..." (II.2. 531-537). Later, when Hamlet sees the ghost again in his mother's room, her amazement at his madness is quite convincing.

When he is fit and seasones for this passage?

" I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, all saws of books, all forms

How in my own words somever she be shent

What if it tempts you toward the flood,

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Approximate Word count = 1871
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English