Dynamic Characters In Hamlet

In literature many characters go through some sort of change, mostly important, and these characters are known as dynamic characters. An example of a dynamic character is Ebenezer Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol,” Harry Potter, and perhaps the most known dynamic figure in the English literature; Hamlet. Hamlet is a very complicated character that cannot be described in a few short words and his complexities deserve much more. Due to the ambiguities in the text, readers can grasp only certain identities of Hamlet, but readers can dig further into Hamlet’s complex thought process while he is alone, and it is when he is unaccompanied that the true identity of Hamlet is revealed.
The first time Hamlet is alone is in the middle of Act 1, scene 2.

The “To be or not to be” soliloquy is very pessimistic in nature, heightening Hamlet’s distressed mental state. Just as in every soliloquy, life is heavily examined by Hamlet, but in this particular speech, it is as if Hamlet has reached his final straw, mentally. At this point, Hamlet is questioning which option is nobler to “suffer the slings of and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles / and, by opposing, end them” (3.1.66-67). Shortly after, the analytical Hamlet considers the pros and cons of suicide. On one hand, suicide is essentially an eternal session of sleep that would end all of life’s troubles making it “a consummation / Devoutly to be wished”. (3.1.71-72) On the other hand, since death can be seen as an eternal session of sleep, dreams would become inevitable and because of the mystery of what dreams will hold, it causes people to think more about the situation and because no one returns from the “undiscovered country” no one who is alive will be able to tell what lies on the other side. (3.1.87) To Hamlet, over thinking leads to inaction which, in turn, leads to a failed attempt at change, ergo making those people cowards. This thought is extremely contradictory because Hamlet is doing exactly what he said causes inaction; over thinking. By showing his

Hamlet has just learned that Fortinbras, King of Norway, has decided to embark on a mission to take over a patch of meaningless land for the sake of honor. This final soliloquy shows, for the first time, a determined, blood thirsty Hamlet. Hamlet speaks about life, again, but this time he is more optimistic about it than in his previous soliloquy. Hamlet realizes that God has given Man the gift of “godlike reason” and capabilities, yet acknowledges that they are useless if they are not put to use. (4.4.40) Hamlet states he has the “cause, will, strength, and means to do it [take his revenge],” but has not yet taken his revenge, implying that Hamlet feels like he can succeed in his plot, but more profoundly, cannot morally or physically do it. In other words, Hamlet is just fooling himself in this sense. Hamlet changes his focus from himself, again, to Fortinbras, and in admiration praises Fortinbras for being able to do such a deed for next to nothing but a mental reward, that is honor. Hamlet also makes an interesting acknowledgement here, as he concludes that fighting does not require “great argument” but instead honor. This realization seems to strike Hamlet because at this point, he figures out that he is not only avenging his father’s death, but also “revitalizing” his own honor, or state of mind. At the conclusion of this soliloquy, Hamlet makes his final remark regarding his revenge, clarifying that