Inconsistency in Hamlet Essay - 2194 Words

William Shakespeare undoubtedly achieved one of his greatest characterizations when he created the role of Hamlet, in the tragic play Hamlet. Hamlets appeal to audiences almost certainly stems from his many human weaknesses. The one for which he is best known is indecisiveness, but his inconsistency may well be an even more outstanding characteristic. T. S. Eliot, in 1932, wrote an essay on Hamlet that is still cited as a noted critique of Shakespeares great tragedy. Eliot argued that Hamlet is an artistic failure, due to a basic weakness in the play. It was his contention that a playwright owes a duty to the audience to write dialogue appropriate to characters as they have been developed in the drama. Eliot made the point that in†¦show more content†¦That inconsistency is Hamlets almost total lack of concern for his loss of the Kingdom of Denmark. The inconsistency would appear to be an oversight on the part of the playwright, one of the keenest observers of human nature who ever lived. Shakespeares genius was to show us the timeless aspects of our strengths and frailties through the characters in his plays. People tend to fight, and fight fiercely, for what they believe to be rightfully theirs. Princes, we have learned from countless examples throughout history and drama, plot, scheme, maneuver, risk, and sometimes lose their lives in their attempts to become kings. Shakespeare, himself, wrote one of his greatest plays about the Scottish lord, Macbeth, whose burning desire for royal power is the essence of the tragedy. And yet, Hamlets attitude toward the throne seems to contradict what history, experience, and even Shakespeare have taught us. Only once does Hamlet ever speak of the loss of his kingdom, and even then only in passing. Other than that, he never refers to the loss of this prize of ultimate power and prestige, a loss which has just taken place, and a prize for which so many people have been willing to commit any act, including, in the case of Hamlets uncle, the murder of a brother. This would seem to fly in the face of what we know about human nature. And, to make the case stronger, the character who never talks about his feelings regarding this vitalShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship of Death and Man’s Irrationality in Hamlet1107 Words   |  5 PagesIV The Relationship of Death and Man’s Irrationality in Hamlet William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a famous tragedy that follows the title character Hamlet’s wavering path of revenge. Early in the play, Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost, who tells Hamlet that his brother Claudius murdered him. Throughout the play, Hamlet is torn between his obligation to avenge his father and his uncertainty about this formidable task. Hamlet also experiences this indecisiveness when he contemplates suicideRead MoreInsane Characters In Edgar Allan Poe And The Shining By Stephen King1569 Words   |  7 Pagescomes from ghosts or being isolated from the world in a eerie hotel. In Shakespeares Hamlet, Hamlet appears to be insane; however, many scholars have debate the idea of the young prince’s insanity. In Shakespeares play Hamlet appears to be psychotic, depressed, and even inconsistent in his behaviors. In Hamlet, Hamlet is coping with several catastrophes that have happened to his family; however, when Hamlet meets a ghost that claims to be his late father, the story takes an exciting turn. AfterRead MoreHamlet: Decisive End, Indecisive Approach Essay742 Words   |  3 PagesApproach In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the titular character struggles to engage in his desired plan of revenge. Hamlet shows throughout the play that he is inconsistent, indecisive, and unsure of himself, as well as his actions. The play focuses on Hamlet’s revenge; however, he continuously fails to happen at opportunistic moments. Throughout the play, Hamlet insists that he intends to avenge his father’s death through the murder of Claudius, but Hamlet fails to act on occasion because of hisRead MoreAristotle s The Tragic Hero1561 Words   |  7 Pagesconsistency. However, not all tragic heroes are consistent throughout the play. For example, in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet is not necessarily consistent character. Throughout the play, Hamlet pursues his father’s will, â€Å"Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder.†(Hamlet, 1.5, 26) Vengeance on Claudius for murdering his father becomes Hamlet’s ultimate goal and he makes plans for it. Hamlet does not just trust what the ghost of his father said. To make sure that the ghost is telling the truth, heRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet Essay1162 Words   |  5 Pagesto be† (3.1.64)—not whether to live or to die, but the use of â€Å"to be† is an important question. Shakespeare uses the simple infinitive of â€Å"to be†, in the opening of the most famous soliloquy in Hamlet, or perhaps all of Shakespeare, as opposed to the more complex phrase, â€Å"to live or to die†. Before Hamlet, the speaker of this soliloquy, analyzes all of mankind’s reasoning behind the subject of life, something both painful and long, and death, something both inevitable and muddied in mystery, he usesRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare892 Words   |  4 PagesOne of Shakespeare’s most compelling plays would arguably be Hamlet. Throughout the years, scholars have written countless analysis’ of the play and the characters presented within the text. One of the most enigmatic characters is Ophelia, daughter of Polonius, sister of Laertes and one could argue the lover of Hamlet. Her background is unknown which makes for an interesting canvas for readers, actresses and academics to paint upon. She is a sweet, innocent young woman, subject to the rules of theRead MoreEssay about Hamlet - He Loves Her? He Loves Her Not?934 Words   |  4 Pages The Elizabethan play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is without a doubt one of Shakespeare’s most puzzling plays. Although the play has a concise story, it is filled with many questions pertaining to different topics behind the story line. One question in particular is did Hamlet really love Ophelia? This argument can be supported in both directions, however I feel that Hamlet did love Ophelia. Support for this decision comes from Hamlet’s treatment towards Ophelia in Act 3, Scene 2, and at Ophelia’sRead MoreBeowulf : The Comparison Of Hamlet And Grendels Mother1221 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet and Beowulf : The Comparison of Hamlet and Grendel’s Mother After the immoral loss of a beloved family member, friend, or leader, one’s ideas on how to overcome the situation may be questionable. Dealing with the death of a loved one can leave an enormous toll on the well-being and psychological state of a person. In some cases, it may direct them towards taking the path of extreme measures in order to restore their mental balance. In the literary works Hamlet by William Shakespeare and BeowulfRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Hamlet By William Shakespeare Essay1334 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s, The Tragedy of Hamlet, each character stands out in unique ways. Madness is one of the crucial themes as Shakespeare depicts the chaotic turbulence in the Hamlet family and the court of Denmark. Though she is generally read as a minor character, Ophelia’s madness reveals the struggle of the female character that attempts to have a voice of her own. Ophelia’s life certainly seems tragic based on Aristotle s definitio n of tragedy, which says that â€Å"A tragedy is the imitationRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Hamlet As A Play That Contains Frequent Meditations On Suicide Essay1590 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question† (Shakespeare 3.1.56). Audiences know Shakespeare’s Hamlet as a play that contains frequent meditations on suicide, yet despite suicide’s obvious religious connections, audiences do not often consider how religion as a whole functions within the play. This lack of awareness partially results from the subtlety of many of Hamlet’s religious elements. Through his religious references and the resulting emphasis on the gravity of the sins of murder and suicide