Shakespeare’s “Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark” Essay Sample

characters in the play. His preoccupation with his own lack of action prevents him from avenging his father's murder and ending Gertrude's incestuous affair with Claudius, despite being aware of the gruesome details surrounding these events.

In Act 3, Hamlet has the chance to kill the King when he is alone in his room, but chooses not to and instead holds out for a more overt indication.

As time passes, Hamlet's struggle to avenge his father's death causes complications which are compounded when he discovers an individual hiding behind a curtain during a discussion with his mother (4.88).

While believing the adult male to be Claudius, the protagonist stabs him and unintentionally kills Polonius. This results in him being sent to England along with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern who have been instructed by Claudius to have him executed. However, he manages to evade this fate by encountering pirates and fleeing the ship. He then switches the letter meant for his friends, causing them to be killed instead.

Upon his return to Denmark, Hamlet witnesses Fortinbras' soldiers marching through Poland to fight for a piece of land that holds little value. Despite this, Fortinbras is willing to sacrifice his soldiers for the battle. This serves as a reminder of the pointlessness of Hamlet's own inaction. However, he becomes preoccupied with Ophelia's self-destruction and Laertes' heartache, despite knowing that Claudius has ordered his execution.

Hamlet chooses to engage in a competition for a prize with Laertes, but if he had immediately killed Claudius upon his return, he would have saved his own life along with those of Laertes and Gertrude. Despite appearances, Hamlet is not suffering from melancholy or insanity.

The manner in which

Hamlet handles inquiries from various characters demonstrates that his actions are too calculated for someone considered insane. He uses their beliefs to mislead them and disguise his true intentions, a fact that Polonius comes to understand after Hamlet’s encounter with Ophelia.

The content within the reads as follows:

"Despite the madness of it, there is still some logic behind it." (II.2)

Unifiedtext within the :

"There is still some method to the madness" (II.2)

Hamlet's feigned madness is beneficial to him, enabling him to do things that would ordinarily be inappropriate in the royal court. Additionally, the calculated manner in which he arranges the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern demonstrates his mental clarity. Despite appearances, his actions are not those of a lunatic. (204-5)

However, he makes use of his perceived madness to achieve his desires. Despite numerous suggestions for Hamlet's tragic flaw, the most plausible ones are jealousy and inaction, both of which pose significant challenges for him in the play. It is evident that Hamlet does not actually suffer from genuine melancholy, but rather capitalizes on it to attain his goals.