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Duality In Hamlet

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The play Hamlet by William Shakespeare is a realistic representation of the duality of human nature: one which makes the readers pause and observe the motivations of a resolute avenger who undergoes a metamorphosis of mental activity after his encounter with the ghost of his father but due to his conscience, he later becomes a procrastinator with a puzzled will. As a dramatist, William Shakespeare is famous for his character portrayals. If a character is too perfect, it is impossible for us to relate to him. Therefore, the titular protagonist, Hamlet is presented with all his foibles and blemishes which makes him a character who readers can easily relate to. Harold Bloom (1990) claimed that Shakespeare created a “human character.” Hamlet’s conflict about to kill or not to kill makes him relatable. The emotion …show more content…

The conflict between the heart and the mind in Hamlet is relatable. The “To be or not to be” soliloquy highlights Hamlet’s inner conflict upon the issues of life and death. He speaks eloquently about his suicidal desire. But the fear of the afterlife makes him afraid to end his life. It is very common for the human race to be afraid of death. By presenting this inner conflict, Shakespeare was able to invent the relatable character of Hamlet. Michael Taylor contends that Hamlet is “is a vivid portrayal of madness and the elements of the human psyche.”(The conflict in Hamlet, 1971). The critic William Golding (2002) compares Hamlet’s confusion to the dilemma of the character of Arjuna of the Bhagawad Gita who is torn between his heart and his mind. And he describes their inaction as a “paralysis”. But Arjuna had a mentor to guide him that is why he fought against to restore injustice and survived. Whereas Hamlet killed and died as he had nobody to guide him. His death is premature as he is not there to tell his story to the world and rightfully rule over Elsinore at the

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The main character of William Shakespeare’s tragedy is actually a confused person that’s stuck between two choices. Some may argue that he feels guilty for his father’s death and so it’s his duty to avenge it. While others may disagree and conclude that he is just a maniac who is both violent and dangerous. Hamlet passes through the lane of hesitancy, where he hesitates to kill King Claudius. As a matter of fact, the main conflict of Hamlet is that he feels both the need to solve the crime and punish the responsible.

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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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“Man pleaded innocent by reason of insanity for the murder of his mother”(Gross). Although the case of the man murdering his mother is not entirely similar to what Hamlet does they do share some similarities. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet , Shakespeare uses the idea of a someone murdering one of their own family members in his play. In Hamlet the once ruler of Denmark ,king Hamlet, is long dead before the play begins with everyone thinking his cause of death was from the bite of a snake This is proven to be a lie however, when Ghost of king Hamlet visits his son Hamlet and reveals to him that his true killer is Hamlet’s uncle ,the new king of Denmark, Claudius. The play then follows Hamlet as he tries to take revenge for his father’s death.

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Hamlet’s ability to overthink situations or decisions makes him conclude that committing suicide might be the easy way out of his indecisiveness. Hamlet overthinks every problem that is happening. He overthinks so much that he cannot make up his decision about what to do with the problem. The cluelessness that is going on within his mind makes him lose his mental status, life and the love of his life. Hamlets actions are hypnotized by his thoughts: “Thus Conscience does make cowards of us all, And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pitch and moment, With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action” (3.1.85-90).

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