Hamlet - The Tragic Flaw

A detailed Summary of Hamlet - The Tragic Flaw


For a play to be considered tragic, it must have a few vital components. Most importantly, the main character must suffer extreme sorrow or be brought to ruins. We use the secondary definition of the word "tragedy" in our everyday speech, especially since the horrific events that have happened in the past few months. However, we overlook the primary definition of tragedy and how it used in the literal sense. What most people fail to realize is that in a tragedy, the suffering the main character endures is a consequence of a tragic flaw or moral weakness. The main character is not completely innocent as we assume in tragedies; he has his own personal weak points that get exploited. In Hamlet's case, his procrastination and over exaggerated madness are several weaknesses that eventually conquer him. Hamlet's major flaws are continuing problems that he fails to tend to, ultimately leading to his own death.

The first and foremost tragic flaw that comes to mind when reading the play is that of Hamlet's procrastination. After speaki


ng to the ghost of his father, Hamlet vows to act swiftly, saying "Haste me to know 't, that I, with wings as swift / As meditation or the thoughts of love, / May sweep to my revenge. " (Act 1, Scene 5, lines 35-37). Although in Hamlet's mind he will kill the king quickly, his actions do not follow his thoughts at all, causing the play to continue for another four acts until the death of King Claudius. Hamlet forgoes several opportunities to dispose of the king and wastes precious time in committing the deed. He has the perfect chance to kill Claudius when he is reconciling, but according to Hamlet it would not be wise because Claudius would go "...to heaven, / And so am I revenged. That would be scanned: / A villain kills my father, and for that, / I, his sole son, do this same villain send / To heaven." (Act 3, Scene 3, lines 79-83). Hamlet's flaw in carrying out his revenge quickly results in his untimely death during a duel with Laertes in act five.

Another one of Hamlet's main faults is his feigning of madness. Initially he hides under a

Some common words found in the essay are:
Tragic Flaw, Claudius Hamlet, Denmark Hamlet's, Ophelia Claudius, King Claudius, Polonius Claudius, tragic hero, hamlet's procrastination, tragic flaw, main character, moral flaws, / madness, play continue, act 3, 3 scene, king claudius, act 3 scene,

Approximate Word count = 709
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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