Emotional Courage During Separation In Shakespeare's Hamlet

The Role of Emotional Courage during Separation in Hamlet

In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Hamlet’s emotional courage begins to play a role during the separation from his father after an inconceivable death. For the purposes of this essay, the definition of emotional courage is the ability to partake in something even when you are frightened or in fear, and separation will be defined as being apart or not linked together with something or someone. Hamlet’s emotional courage begins to develop as he becomes determined to take the afterlife of Claudius - Old Hamlet’s brother who had committed a “foul and most unnatural murder” (I. v. 31-32) This determination and boldness that was portrayed by Hamlet to the audience slowly transforms, as he becomes indecisive over taking Claudius’ life.

During Shakespearean times, a ghost had only appeared when the soul had unfinished business on earth or to warn individuals about something. This meant that something of grave importance was about to unfold. This was an ominous sign that the order of the Elizabeth universe had been altered. When Hamlet was confronted with the ghost, he had immediately shown courage by not being frightened by the ghost. He describes that he was “as hardy as the Newman’s ghost,” (I.V.83) when it came to facing his father’s disturbed ghost. Even after Horatio and Marcellus — who had completely doubted the ghost — mentioned the dangers of following the ghost, Hamlet was still not convinced and decided to take a leap into this hole of uncertainty. This bravery is even shown more as he decides to confront the ghost alone without any accompanies. He had shown no fear in taking this