Hamlet Character Essay Example

that he shielded her from the powerful forces of the "winds of heaven" (1. 2.

In his well-known soliloquy, he starts with the phrase "to be, or not to be," using simple words ironically to express his contemplation about suicide (3.1.58). This is surprising because he typically relies on imagery in his soliloquies to emphasize his emotions.

In his soliloquy, the speaker uses metaphors to suggest that he should confront and deal with his troubles rather than resort to suicide (3. 1. 65). The absence of vivid descriptions for such a tragic act could be attributed to his mental instability and inability to make decisions.

Although he contemplates suicide, he is also afraid of it and cannot fully express his feelings with his usual enthusiastic imagery. In the soliloquy where he imagines killing Claudius, Hamlet's madness is most evident. Once again, he uses simile to compare his father's sins to the abundance of May when Claudius killed the King (3.3.82). He also envisions the murder and how he will kill Claudius while he is sleeping, gambling, or in the "incestuous pleasure of his bed" (3.

Hamlet is fixated on killing Claudius, but at the same time, he delays the murder because he desires to do it at the opportune moment when Claudius is at his most sinful. This delay is gradually causing Hamlet to lose his sanity, as depicted in this soliloquy. Through his soliloquies, Hamlet often makes comparisons and analogies, highlighting both his increasing instability and his unexpected actions and intricate thoughts.

The way in which Hamlet presents himself and expresses his feelings to others reveals another aspect of his character: his lack of trust in people.

During conversations, Hamlet conceals his true emotions and never discloses his plan involving Claudius. Moreover, Hamlet often exhibits wit, sarcasm, and a rebellious nature, which contrasts with the formal demeanor of the majority of other characters (Blankenship). For instance, when Claudius questions why he is so downcast, he responds sarcastically, "Not so, my lord."

1.2.7 - Hamlet says, "I am too much i' th' sun."
3.1 - Hamlet tells Ophelia, "Get thee to a nunnery."

125). The aforementioned examples demonstrate Hamlet's refusal to express his true emotions and instead opt for biting sarcasm. This is particularly shocking considering that he once claimed to love Ophelia but now rudely insults her. It showcases his emotional confusion. While he communicates in prose with others, there is undoubtedly an air of intellect in his words.

Hamlet demonstrates a higher level of word choice compared to other characters in the play. Shakespeare's use of syntax in Hamlet's unconventional sentence structure reveals his education and use of sophisticated language:

Hath op'd his ponderous and marble jaws

To cast thee up again. What may this mean 680

That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel

Revisits thus the glimpses of the moon (1. 4. 36)

In addition, Hamlet frequently uses prose when conversing with common people.

For instance, when he orders Guildenstern to play the pipe, he asks, "Will you play upon this pipe?" (3. 2. 180). Moreover, in Act I, Scene II, when he converses with Horatio, a servant, he also speaks in prose. Nevertheless, when he speaks to a noble person, like his mother, he tends to use verse more often: "A bloody deed- almost as bad, good mother: As kill a king, and marry

with his brother" (3. 4.).

29). In Shakespeare's plays, verse is often used to represent a more formal and sophisticated form of speech. Hamlet's use of verse, therefore, suggests his higher social status as he is typically associated with nobility and upper-class characters. Notably, lower-class characters in Shakespeare's plays often speak in prose, while higher-class characters use both prose and verse. Hamlet adapts his language accordingly to fit in with different social groups.

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Hamlet adjusts his language to connect with different social classes, speaking in prose to the working-class and in verse to the upper-class. Despite earning their trust through his skillful use of language, he never trusts them in return. The tragic murder of his father has greatly impacted Hamlet, resulting in his complex and profound emotions, which he conveys through his words and thoughts. Shakespeare carefully develops the character of Hamlet throughout the play. By examining his thoughts, actions, and words, readers gain insight into his inner self. Hamlet's soliloquies provide a glimpse into his private thoughts and emotions, secrets that he intentionally keeps from other characters in the play and often come as a surprise.

Through his day-to-day conversations with other characters, Hamlet's sarcasm and distrust in humanity become apparent. These conversations, along with his soliloquies, demonstrate his mental instability and contemplation of suicide. Ironically, in the end, Hamlet never truly has to confront his own existential question: "To be, or not to be" (3.1).

Instead of answering his question directly (line 58), it is responded to with a poisonous dagger, indicating that he will not be the one chosen (5.2.357).