Hamlet Philosopher Research Paper

Hamlet, the Philosopher
“There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line.” The quote by Oscar Levant describes Hamlet’s character and psychological intelligence. How does a genius man, a man full of reason, comical wit, and a profound admiration for life become the man who feels no form of resentment as he plots his uncle’s murder? Philosophy encourages thinkers to analyze abstract concepts of life, such as death, nature, love and relationships, and the human mind. This ideology, mixed with Hamlet’s traumatizing experiences throughout the play, binds to his internal conflicts and thus, affects the way he acts. After all, the human mind can only wander so far before existential ideas take the mind to a dark place, depicted

The ghost warns Hamlet to not become engrossed in the idea of revenge to the extent of consumption by evil, commanding him to “taint not thy mind, nor let the soul contrive against thy mother aught” (1.5.92-93). This original will, however, soon becomes incapable for Hamlet to fulfill as his mind becomes consumed with gaining revenge. The ghost re-appears to remind Hamlet that he is losing sight of his motive, claiming “this visitation is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose... amazement on thy mother sits... step between her and her fighting soul” (3.4.126-129). Although he holds the tenacity to get vengeance, Hamlet’s will is repeatedly paralyzed as his indecisiveness and hesitance take control, leaving him as a procrastinator who still is yet to do his deed of killing Claudius. Hamlet draws his sword, ready to stab Claudius, but allows himself to ponder the scene, discovering that Claudius is praying and asking God for repentance. Believing Claudius would be sent to spend eternity free of guilt in Heaven if killed in this moment, Hamlet stalls his actions, “And am I then revenged/ To take him in the purging of his soul/ When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?/ No” (3.3.89-92). Hamlet becomes crippled to fulfilling his original purpose, as he gets carried

The first of these events is the death of Hamlet’s father, and the effect it has on his relationship with his mother, creating turmoil in the story when he claims that Gertrude “...would hang on him as if increase of appetite had grown by what it fed on.” (Shakespeare 1.2.147-148). After calling his mother a parasitic person, he begins to believe his mother will bend to the desires of any man, due to her lack of grieving for her husband. These beliefs begin to characterize Gertrude as a weak and fickle character who acts as a major disappointment to Hamlet. The lack of a strong parental figure leads to Hamlet’s problems of mistrust, and as a result begins to isolate himself from the world. This isolation begins a long period of time where Hamlet is alone, and allows him the solitude needed to reject Claudius as a father figure. The second struggle Hamlet endures in the play is his rejection of Claudius, setting his mind up for the devolution which leads to his various different mental disputes. The first of these disputes is the creation of an existentialist mindset, constantly wondering why he was put on Earth, and whis purpose. This mental breakdown into existentialism is exemplified by his most famous line “To be or not to be”, which displays Hamlet as a lost individual who struggles to