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An Analysis Of Hamlet's Weaknesses

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In Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, the death of the King Hamlet caused many problems amongst the royal family. This death allowed Claudius to seize King Hamlet’s throne and take Queen Getrude’s hand in marriage. It also caused Hamlet to despise both his mother and uncle. The death of the king also caused Hamlet to undergo thoughts of contemplation, fearfulness, and indecision. There is no doubt that Hamlet possesses many strengths which we admire, which are his nobility, bravery and intellect. However, as the play goes on his weaknesses surface. He is slow to act as he tends to over think every action of his and he frequently lashes out against those who have betrayed him. Hamlet is truly a flawed individual that experiences true emotional distress …show more content…

Hamlet is experiencing indecision in this soliloquy. This is shown when Hamlet says, “A thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom, And ever three parts coward”(4.4 42), illustrating hamlet speaking about his conscience once again getting the best of him while trying to carry out his revenge. Hamlet watches Fortinbras and his army come to conquer a small piece of land. This is shown when Hamlet says, “Witness this army of such mass and charge, Led by a delicate and tender prince” (4.4 47-48), explaining that Hamlet is observing Fortibras bring his army to Poland to invade a small, worthless plot of land. Hamlet doesn’t really understand Fortinbras’ logic of losing so much to gain so little. Fortinbras’ determination and honor makes Hamlet feel very ashamed. This is shown when Hamlet says, “to my shame, I see the imminent death of twenty men” (4.4 59-60), explaining that Hamlet is ashamed that Fortinbras’ army are more passionate and determined about winning over the small piece of land than he has been avenging his father’s death. Hamlet decides to carry out his revenge. Hamlet then has a shift from indecision to a man of action. By condemning himself and admiring Fortinbras, Hamlet now accepts that to achieve greatness he must stay strong and fight to achieve his

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2.2.73-75). Unlike Hamlet, Fortinbras heeds his uncle’s advice and stops his assault on Denmark. While Hamlet falls deeper into madness and obsession with revenge, Fortinbras controls his obsession with reclaiming the land his father yielded to Denmark. Through the distinct archetypal parallels between Hamlet and Fortinbras, Shakespeare compares the two characters in their revengeful dispositions and composes an alternative conclusion of Hamlet’s tragedy through Prince Fortinbras: one where Hamlet listens to his uncle and arrests his corrupted motivations. In diverging from the original story followed by Prince Hamlet through Fortinbras, Shakespeare indicates Hamlet’s corruptible nature and hierarchy for revenge led to his death and instructs the audience against depravity and disregard for

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Just like the people of Ithaca, Hamlet didn’t just forget about his king, and his father. He yearned to figure it out. Most characters in Hamlet are very loyal, Laertes, Hamlet, Horatio, and Fortinbras, all show their loyalty throughout the play. Whether it’s starting an army to avenge their father, or creating a subterfuge, it’s evident that loyalty is a big part of the play. It was this display of loyalty that helped make both stories so timeless and make them still relevant

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Throughout the play, Hamlet is forced to make difficult decisions; as he is conflicted with almost every decision he makes, his uncertainty and unsophisticated thoughts will eventually lead to his downfall. Man vs. Self is a common theme in Shakespeare’s work, and Hamlet is no exception. The most distinct example of this sophisticated concept is Hamlet himself. When analyzed thoroughly, Hamlet is his greatest obstacle and enemy. The earliest of his internal conflicts is when his mother married his uncle, Claudius, in such a short window of time after his father’s death.

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The first of Hamlet’s prideful nature that the audience notices takes place in act III when he claims that his plan to figure out if Claudius killed his father is flawless. He even explained to Horatio that he is willing to bet a large sum of money on whether he is right or not. Hamlet has no logical evidence of the crime that has been committed, and he is that positive that his plan is going to be carried

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He states that “rightly to be great is not to stir without great argument, but greatly to find quarrel in a straw when honour’s at stake", meaning that when it comes to truly gaining honor, one will defend any even slightly perceived attack on it, even if the fight is foolish, like the one Fortinbras is leading (IV.iv.53-56). Hamlet questions himself and his place in life when compared to Fortinbras, lamenting “… whether it be bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple of thinking too precisely on the event, a thought which, quarter’d, hath but one part wisdom and ever three parts coward, I do not know why yet I live to say ‘this thing’s to do’”(IV.iv.39-44). He comes to the conclusion that he must put greater purpose into his life: that he would rather die regaining his and father’s honor than continue to live and wonder what he can do to accomplish such a goal. Drawing inspiration from Fortinbras’ efforts, he strives to be as brazen as him in his quest for

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Various psychological disorders can be applied to Hamlet, but the main ones include Borderline Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder. Possibilities Observing Hamlet’s actions throughout the play, it is possible to say that he suffers from three major disorders, Borderline personality disorder, Bipolar Disorder, and Major Depressive Disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder (BDP) is a disorder identified when a person has difficulties in controlling emotions. According to NAMI, BDP includes symptoms such as “…severe, unstable mood swings, impulsivity and instability, poor self-image and stormy relationships” (nami.org). People who suffer from BDP frequently aim to avoid members of their family or friends.

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Like many things, Hamlet is intelligent and honorable, but his indecisiveness is the cause of his tragic downfall. In the play Hamlet, William Shakespeare portrays that Hamlet is very incapable of finishing the task at hand. Throughout the drama Hamlet faces many trials and tribulations due to his late father Hamlet, who was murderously killed by Claudius. His inability to kill Claudius and himself is one grand flaw of an epic hero. After King Hamlets passing, Hamlet entered an unknown state of mind that not only feared others for his wellbeing, but also feared himself.

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Be but to speed and feed”. Hamlet himself realizes his cowardly methods after speaking to a Captain whose men are risking their lives for such a minuscule

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Although he wants to avenge his father’s death, he also does not see the act of killing as moral. As a result, his revenge no longer becomes a desire, but rather a burden that continues to stay with him until he is relieved of it at death. To relieve himself of his frustration. However, Hamlet is reminded several times to carry out his duty. For example, after seeing Prince Fortinbras’ army conquer land in Poland, he expresses, “When honour 's at the stake.

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Over Thinking and Its Effects On Society Everyone has flaws and flaws are great to have as it increases diversity, but sometimes flaws some flaws can lead to destruction. In the story of Macbeth the tragic flaw of unchecked ambition that created a monstrous Macbeth and multiple murders of innocent people, leading to Macbeth’s unruly power and greed. While in the story of Hamlet the tragic flaw of overthinking and Hamlet’s procrastination resulted in a domino effect of unnecessary deaths because he was unable to think quickly and follow through with his plan. The flaw of over thinking and inaction results in a world where no one can accomplish what needs to be done and our world can no longer progress at a faster rate.

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Hamlet realizes there is no one left to trust but himself, which explains why he only speaks his innermost thoughts and feelings in the confines of privacy. Concerning the Fortinbras situation, Hamlet realizes how Fortinbras is doing something he is too much of a coward to do: actually follow through with a vow to avnge the death of his father. The words spoken from Hamlet himself sum it up perfectly, “How all occasions do inform against me, and

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Hamlet, one of the world’s most popular revenge tragedies, is a play written between 1599 and 1601 by renown playwright William Shakespeare. It tells a story of the royal family of Denmark plagued by corruption and schism. Prince Hamlet, the protagonist, embarks on a journey of incessant brooding and contemplation on whether to avenge his father’s death. In Hamlet’s soliloquy, at the end of Act 2, Scene 2, he asks himself, ‘Am I a coward?’ (II.ii.523) after failing to carry out revenge.

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The quote, "We admire Hamlet as much for his weaknesses as for his strengths", aptly describes my feelings towards this troubled young prince. It is simply impossible to characterise Hamlet as good or bad, strong or weak. It is my aim to show the depth of Hamlet 's personality and to explain to the best of my ability the traits which make him who he is. Hamlet is the neither the hero nor the villain of his story- he is simply a victim, a young man slowly losing his grip on sanity over the course of the play.

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Through the entirety of the play “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare, the characters were overcome with the need for revenge as the outcome of many deaths. Therefore, no one was happy through “Hamlet” and it resulted in a tragedy. The character Hamlet played a big role in turning towards revenge and never would classify himself as being happy. Hamlet displays positive and negative behavior throughout the play. Hamlet exhibits strengths and weaknesses as well, although his weaknesses of over-thinking, bitterness, and his inability to accept the death of his father overshadow his strengths.

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A tragic hero is a multifaceted, admirable character with a tragic flaw that turns his life from glory into suffering. Hamlet is an example. ‘Born’ personality, shifting mentality, and inevitable fate leads to its tragedy which eventually triggers audience’s pity. Unlike other tragedies where tragic heros discover the truths by their own actions at the end of the story, realizing that the reversal was brought by their own actions. Hamlet begins differently by knowing the truth from things happening to him.

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