Hamlet is very mysterious in his ways, but hesitates on his actions and tries to find the long way out in a situation instead of taking a more logical route. He makes his situation harder for himself not only by hesitating to kill the king, but by also waiting to see if Claudius was guilty for his actions. Something that really stood out about hamlet was his inability to kill Claudius. With the multiple opportunities there was a surprise when Hamlet didn’t just “lash out at Claudius” anytime. There was a moment where Claudius was praying and hamlet was about to strike at Claudius, but alas Hamlet hesitated and wanted to wait until “he [was] drunk asleep, or in his rage, or in th' incestuous pleasure of his bed, at game a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in ’t— Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes” (III. iii. 89). Hamlet explains how he wants to wait until Claudius is in the act of sin to strike because if he were to do so during prayer Claudius would go to heaven and not hell. This …show more content…
Why not strike when given the chance? Hamlet states that he made a play in “which I have told thee of my father’s death. I prithee, when thou seest that act afoot, even with the very comment of thy soul Observe mine uncle. If his occulted guilt do not itself unkennel in one speech, It is a damnèd ghost that we have seen, And my imaginations are as foul As Vulcan’s stithy. Give him heedful note. For I mine eyes will rivet to his face, and after we will both our judgments join in censure of his seeming.” (III. ii. 36). Hamlet again hesitates to do what he was told and instead tries to reassure himself that he, and the others, saw the ghost of King Hamlet. But if others saw it, why not take it for truth, as the others have? Once again, hamlet stalls Claudius’ death longer than it should