The Loneliness of Hamlet Hamlet essays

life. "...it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth seems to me a sterile promontory; this most excellent canopy, the air, look you, this brave o'er hanging firmament, this majestical roof fretted with golden fire-why it appears nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapors...(II;ii;289)"

As Hamlet tried to prove the murder of his father and have his revenge, Claudius discovered that Hamlet knew the truth. Claudius hired two of Hamlet's friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, to spy on Hamlet in secret, "...be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no (II;ii;278-79)." Later on, Claudius and Polonius, the father of Ophelia, also spied on Hamlet when he was with Ophelia, trying to discover the cause of his madness "Ophelia, walk you here.-Gracious, so please you, we will bestow ourselves.-(III;i;42)." Through all of this misleading, eavesdropping, and spying Hamlet became even further withdrawn from everyone close to him, sharing none of his sorrows and his grip on reality slips further.

When Hamlet put on an antic disposition, playing the part of the fool to excuse his actions from the members of the court, whether intentional or not, Ophelia was mislead as well. She had believed his affections were true and she fell in love, "...sucked the sweet honey of his music vows...(III;i;153)", only to be crushed by his madness. He had, at one point, loved her and even his mother had hopes for the two of them, "...I had hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife...(IV;i;219)". However, in his madness, Hamlet came to see Ophelia in a disheveled state, "...with his doublet,

his stockings fouled, ungartered, and down gyved to his ankle, pale as a shirt, his knees knocking... (II;i;77)" and frightened her. Her father bid her not to speak to him and poor Hamlet sank deeper into his madness, leaving Ophelia alone and dejected ready to take her own life.

Hamlet was a very lonely character, with few friends, and little love in his life. His tragic flaw came from the misleading act he put on in order to hide his ambitions, and the crafty schemes he came up with to reach his goals. Had he shared his problems with the few people he could trust, and not hidden the knowledge of his father's murder he might have avoided the great loss of his family, his friends, and his life.

Works Cited:

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Norton Critical Ed. New York: Norton. 1992.