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Examples Of Impulsive Decisions In Hamlet

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Impulsive Decisions in Hamlet The play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, we see how when characters behave impulsively they make irrational decisions. There are many instances where characters are acting in the heat of the moment throughout the play. The resulting actions they take are not always the best given they are not thought out well. The main protagonist, Hamlet, is going through a grieving period after the death of his father. He is thought to be crazy by his family and friends because of how his behavior has changed since his father passed. There is a constant battle of words between Hamlet and his new step dad Claudius, whom Hamlet believes killed his father. This allows for many …show more content…

Another example in Act 4 scene 5 is when Laertes immediately blames the king for Polonius’s death, even though it was really Hamlet who is at fault. Laertes most likely knew about Claudius killing King Hamlet because of ties with his father. Therefore, he quickly believes that this wouldn't be his first murder. Laertes knows that if Claudius has the will to kill his own brother, then there would be no hesitation to kill his advisor. Because of his quick-to-blame behavior, it shows that Laertes has a low amount of respect for the new king. Claudius already has a bad reputation with the townspeople anyways because he comes off as untrustworthy compared to his beloved brother. Also, Laertes would never have imagined Hamlet committing such a crime because Hamlet is so greatly loved by Denmark. This example of impulsiveness roots from judgement and blame. Gladwell tells us that when we are in a vulnerable state we are guided by stereotypes and prejudice to make quick assumptions (201). Laertes comes to a conclusion about someone based on how he perceives them even though it may not be factual. He also makes this prediction very quick and factoring in the amount of time he took to take action shows the spontaneity of the situation. Gladwell supports this by explaining low quality reactions stem from the absence of time (233). Because of his false accusation, it resulted in his vulnerability being

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