Hamlet's Tragic Flaw

A detailed Summary of Hamlet's Tragic Flaw


Aristotle once defined a "tragic hero" as a character with a flaw in personality or judgment that will lead that character to actions that will end in disaster. Hamlet definitely has some fatal flaws that make him fit the mold of a "tragic hero". The one flaw that will most certainly overcome Hamlet and bring him to death is his willingness to over-think. He often analyzes situations too carefully which causes him to procrastinate, this delay in judgment inevitably allows Claudius to escape revenge and plot Hamlet's defeat.

The death of King Hamlet came as a shock to Hamlet and the people of Elsinore. Asleep in his garden a snake unleashed its rage and envenomed the good King. As Hamlet would later learn, "The serpent that did sting thy father's life now wears his crown" (Act I Scene V), which meant that Claudius was, in fact, the one to blame for the death of his father. This rage Hamlet felt caused him to swear revenge something he would be bound to until


The revenge Hamlet swore he would get was just a plan for the future until his chance arose. He was meeting his mother in her chambers as he passed Claudius' room, where the King was praying. As he knelt praying Hamlet walked up behind him

its completion. He swore to his father that he would gain vengeance for his murder, "Haste me to know't, that I, with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge." (Act I Scene V). The stage was set for Hamlet to kill Claudius as Claudius did King Hamlet, but young Hamlet once again intellectualized the situation and lost sight of his goal allowing Claudius to slip farther away.

mind run while through a garden on possibilities, and slowly decided against the simple act the would have gained him his revenge. "... now he is praying. And now I'll do it. And so he goes to heaven; and so am I revenged. That would be scann'd: a villain kills my father, and for that, I, his sole son do the same villain send to hea

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 669
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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