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Examples Of Brilliance In Hamlet

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The Downside of Brilliance In William Shakespeare’s renowned play, Hamlet, the main character, Prince Hamlet, is the cause of many losses and tragedies, whether indirectly or directly. Therefore, Hamlet is a clear representation of Norethrup Frye’s quote, “Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck down by lightning than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as the victims of divine lightning”. Hamlet strikes down several characters in the play in his search for vengeance of his father’s murder. Hence, the work ultimately illustrates the inevitable side effect of being brilliant, as Hamlet …show more content…

However, Hamlet’s light burned too bright, and it lit his whole life ablaze after he was given the task of killing his uncle, now step-father, Claudius. His rational mind prevented him from acting on impulse, leading him to overplanning how to go about Claudius’ murder. Consequently, Hamlet begins to feel guilty as he is unmotivated to seek revenge even on a ruthless killer, thus saying, “Why, what an ass am I! This is most brave,/ That I, the son of a dear father murdered,/ Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell,/ Must, like a whore, unpack my heart with words,” (II. 2. 611-614). Accordingly, Hamlet is all too aware that he is behaving like a coward, and yet he cannot bring himself to act. He does not lack anger or passion, but he is correct when he says he lacks any “gall” (II. 2. …show more content…

Hamlet is filled with rage in a manner not seen before in the play. If there would be a prime occasion for Hamlet to kill Claudius, it would be in that moment. The timing is made even more perfect as Claudius is on his knees, eyes shut, praying to God; Hamlet could enter with no indication of his presence, and slaughter Claudius without any trouble. Conversely, he decides against it, because he reasoned Claudius may have repented in his prayer, and he would accordingly go to heaven. Instead, he postpones Claudius’ execution for a time at which he is sinning, so as to give him the full punishment for his gross actions. While it is a sensical conclusion and a fair plan, it is also true that Hamlet has continuously put off killing his uncle, and his sense of perfectionism and methodicalness, once again, has held him

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700 Words | 3 Pages

Not only is he aware of the implications it has in the course of events to follow when sucessfully carrying out murder but the moral ambiguity surronding killing in the name of revenge. ' One part wisdom and three parts coward' reflects Hamlet's self-awereness surrounding his overthinking showing that he is aware his lack of action is his hamartia, being a significant component in his downfall as a tragic hero. ' I have cause and will and strength and means to do't' goes on to highlight that his procrastination is the only thing setting him apart from the archetypal Machiavellian prince who uses any means to justify his ends. His anguish at having to carry out this deed becomes central to the character's stuggle and Shakespeare utilises emotive language to present this to the reader. '

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1027 Words | 5 Pages

On the one hand, the voice of conscience tells him that it is nobler to endure than to act; and on the other, the voice of instinct raises an unsettling question…. so as Prosser point out ‘Hamlet is trapped between two value system’. “The moral code from which he cannot escape is basically medieval, but his instincts are with the Renaissance.” (Prosser 166) This moral dilemma is made more difficult of resolution by Hamlets coming to grips with the change in his fortunes that so radically affect the symbolic order or economic system of his psyche.

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1186 Words | 5 Pages

Hamlet observes Claudius praying and has the perfect opportunity to take his revenge, but this is an example of him straying from impulses. He decides to wait to kill him, declaring that he would go to heaven if killed immediately after praying. However, the greatest irony is that Hamlet will not have another chance to kill Claudius. This just proves that at the end of the day, some decisions need to be made split second and cannot be endlessly deliberated

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1234 Words | 5 Pages

However, seeing him praying made Hamlet think that Claudius is asking God for forgiveness for his sin he had made. If Hamlet were to kill Claudius, it can send Claudius up to heaven, and not to hell. This is

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729 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet, also, could not get over the death of his father. He found out when his father’s ghost came back that his brother, and Hamlet’s uncle, murdered him. He then was willing to do anything possible to get revenge on Claudius, his uncle. Both of

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1598 Words | 7 Pages

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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628 Words | 3 Pages

And so am I revenged. That would be scanned, a villain kills my father, and, for that, I, his sole son, do this same villain send to heaven” (line 74-79). Hamlet believes that Claudius is praying and doesn’t want to kill him, because he doesn’t want him to go to heaven. This inability is the tragic mistake that hamlets creates, to his soon to be

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897 Words | 4 Pages

Hamlet, written by famous playwright and poet, William Shakespeare, is frequently referred to as the “Mona Lisa” of literature. The true purpose and complete understanding of the play is, up to this day, not remotely knowledgeable by scholars and the audience alike. The play has led to much conversation about what Shakespeare was ultimately trying to accomplish with it. One vexed and widely referred critique was that made by T.S. Eliot, in which he described, “The ‘madness’ of Hamlet lay to Shakespeare’s hand…a deliberate dissimulation, but a form of emotional relief” (Eliot 93). In creating Hamlet, Shakespeare achieved perplexity in the scheme that created for misinterpretation of an unexplained Hamlet.

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734 Words | 3 Pages

As if what Hamlet was living was not extreme enough, the ghost of his father begins to appear to demand revenge for his death. Hamlet found out through his father’s goth that he was murdered by Hamlet’s uncle. It is very difficult to imagen the level of pain, anger, and desire of revenge after losing both parents under so bizarre circumstances. The evil actions of the uncle to take control of the throne, I have no doubt,

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598 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet’s Tragic Flaw A tragedy is supposed to arouse the emotions of the audience in a way that makes them feel hopeful. The hero of the story must be of some sort of royalty, so that they can suffer from their conflict. A tragic hero more than likely has a certain problem or conflict that he has to face. The conflict could be either self-inflicted or created by nature. In the tragedy Hamlet, Hamlet’s conflict was cause by his own emotions and flaws.

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Hamlet has felt like he has done nothing, he has over thought every action and has second guessed everything. “And spur my dull revenge!” He also feels that

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1380 Words | 6 Pages

Throughout Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, it is evident that Hamlet is indecisive and contemplative, he is stuck in an internal conflict between what choices he should make and how he should go about avenging his father’s death. Hamlet acts mad in order to make people believe he has gone crazy so no one is suspicious of his plans to kill Claudius. He does not want to kill Claudius while he is praying because he believes Claudius may go to heaven-- he wants Claudius to pay for the murder of King Hamlet and burn in hell. Hamlet suggests that he kill Claudius “when he is drunk asleep, or in his rage,...about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t—Then trip him,...his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes”(83). Hamlet often overthinks situations and in this process fails to act and releases the

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1218 Words | 5 Pages

Upon seeing Claudius in prayer, Hamlet is fully prepared to murder him immediately. Claudius is alone and his guards are not around to protect him, providing Hamlet with a seemingly opportune time to quickly and efficiently enact his revenge, and Hamlet can barely contain his anticipation. In his sudden excitement, Hamlet loses his composure for an instant. The beginning of Hamlet’s soliloquy is characterized by choppy syntax and breaks from scansion that demonstrate his momentary loss of self-control as he exclaims, “Now might I do it pat, now he is praying;/ And now I’ll do’t-

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943 Words | 4 Pages

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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1282 Words | 6 Pages

Hamlet promises to avenge his father, but takes a long time to do so because he want Claudius to be acting guilty so he goes to hell. Claudius and Gertrude believe that Hamlet is acting strangely and asks his friends to watch him. Soon, a group of actors who are traveling come to Elsinore, Hamlet uses them to try make Claudius guilty. When the actors do the play they do make Claudius leave the room, Hamlet follows him to kill him but he sees him praying and believes that it is not the right time.

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