English Essays

Hamlet: Fascinating Character

Hamlet's character is fascinating because he moves from subtle reflections on life and morality to violent action and back again. Discuss.

Throughout the play, Hamlet's subtle reflections, and movements of violence are fascinating. His reflections on life and death are conveyed through his soliloquies and his violence is expressed through his actions. The vast changes that occur in Hamlet's character are truly fascinating.

Hamlet, at the beginning of the play, contemplates death and even suicide in his first soliloquy. "Oh that this too too solid flesh would melt / Thaw resolve itself into a dew," He believes that life has turned against him, and compares the world to an, "Unweeded garden," where, "Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely," His view that life is a burden is fascinating, and shows that he is able to consider existentialist ideas, through his own subtle reflections.

However, his violence and rage take over in later scenes, such as Act III Scene IV. The anger that consumes Hamlet originates from his utter disgust towards his mother, Gertrude. He refuses to accept the fact that only, "Two months," after his father's death, she married his uncle with, "Wicked speed," Although one may expect Hamlet's fury to be directed at Claudius, it is fascinating that he is more offended by his mother's betrayal. As Hamlet tries to convince her that he is only, "Mad in craft," and that Claudius killed his father, he forces her to look at the, "Grained black spots," that have tainted her soul. Claudius and Gertrude have a major impact on Hamlet and his quick change from reflection to violence.

Hamlet does not only turn to violence against Gertrude in this scene, but against Polonius too. In an excess of rage and passion, he stabs Polonius, who was spying on them behind an arras. This is a moment of realisation for Hamlet, as he discovers that he is capable of murder. He speaks calmly, which is fascinating, considering that he has just killed the father of his lover, Ophelia. He says, "Heaven hath pleased it so to punish me with this, and this with me," Even after the deaths of his two school friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he seems apathetic. "They are not near my conscience," Hamlet pushes away any responsibility he may have had for these deaths, after his irrational and violent behaviour.

Hamlet's thoughts of death, suicide, and his depression, or, "Melancholy," form a question in another one of his seven soliloquies. "To be or not to be, that is the question," His reflections on death and life after death are fascinating, and give the reader and insight into the internal conflict within his mind. Words such as, "Suffer,", "Dies," and, "Heartache," lead to the conclusion that Hamlet doesn't value life in the way most other characters do, which presents a new fascinating aspect to him.

Another reason why Hamlet is such a fascinating character is the fluctuating manner with which he speaks to Ophelia. He sends her love letters at the beginning of the play, but his attitude towards her completely changes, especially after his confrontation with Gertrude. After the closet scene, Hamlet assumes that all women are untrustworthy, and believes, "Frailty! Thy name is woman," The way Hamlet talks to Ophelia when they next meet is blunt, violent, and ruthless, once again illustrating Hamlet's fascinating shift from reflection to violence.

The last scene of the play demonstrates that all of Hamlet's reflections cause violence. After facing his understandings of morality and faith, he is ready to face Claudius, fulfil his filial obligation, and accept his tragic fate. Up until the last moments of violence, Hamlet continuously fascinates the reader with his contrasting reflections and acts of violence.