ipl-logo

How Is Hamlet Slow To Act Character

538 Words3 Pages
Prince Hamlet is introduced as a reflective, slow-to-act character. While he stays true to this characterization for almost the entire play, he does undergo a transformation by the end of the play. By the end, Hamlet decides that he would no longer deprive himself of the revenge he long desires against Claudius, he finally kills him. Ironically, the dread command from his father to the act of revenge, the very reason that justifies the revenge has worked in Hamlet as a way that makes him incapable of any decisive act of will, since decisions for him seem to require a unitary, undivided psyche. Contrast Laertes who does not hesitate for a moment when seeking vengeance on his father's murderer. Hamlet is pensive and extreme, at times even
Show More
Related
168 Words | 1 Pages

Each character has an impulse for revenge, but each one reacts in a different manner. Laertes reacts immediately and irrationally. Hamlet procrastinates, muddles through and ponders his fate and does not act until the entire play is over. Fortinbras is in the middle of these two. When his father is killed by King Hamlet, Fortinbras does not act rashly nor does he hesitate and delay his actions.

Read More
768 Words | 4 Pages

The Awakening Of Hamlet and Laertes Comparing Laertes and Hamlet. Figuring out how they are alike and dislike in many ways, most of the play they are well alike. After Hamlet kills Polonius, Laertes down the road faces the same problems as Hamlet; a murdered father. In the beginning Laertes and Hamlet didn’t have the same similarities, but since both of there fathers were murdered they both have something in common. While Hamlet, is messing around and playing with the murderer as if he was an animal, Laertes takes immediate action.

Read More
735 Words | 3 Pages

Hamlet on the other hand acts alone. He has committed himself and no one else to kill Claudius. Laertes allows himself to be manipulated when he confronts Claudius and is angered when asked, “What would you undertake To show yourself in deed your father’s son More than in words?” (Act 4 Scene7, lines 124-126). He is driven to seek revenge on Hamlet and becomes a pawn to Claudius.

Read More
245 Words | 1 Pages

Moreover, Hamlet acts slowly with caution while Laertes and Fortinbras seek their revenge with haste. Furthermore, another attribute of Hamlet is the inability of making decisions. When Hamlet had the opportunity of killing Claudius, but refuses and says “And so he

Read More
925 Words | 4 Pages

One similarity that makes Laertes such a good foil to Hamlet is that they both return to Denmark when they have lost a father. However, the sharp contrast in their reaction to these deaths reveals more about Hamlet’s character. Upon returning to

Read More
1154 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout the play Hamlet continues to act insane and even dies with the act continuing. Even after Hamlet gathers all the evidence that proves Claudius is the murder, Hamlet continues to behave in a strange way. When he mistakenly murders Polonius he does not react as a sane person would. This act enrages Laertes, who then wants to avenge his father’s death. Driven to madness by the murder of his father, Laertes, with the help of Claudius conspires to kill Hamlet.

Read More
616 Words | 3 Pages

Even after having accepted Claudius being his fathers murderer, the prince (he) did not take action till the very end of the play. In fact, the ghost was forced to appear again, to remind Hamlet to act upon his revenge. Though, Hamlet’s biggest flaw was his indecisiveness, which eventually led him to his death due to his inability to take a quick action gave Claudius time to plot against him. Hamlet took action by poisoning his uncle only after Laertes had told him that the sword fight was all Claudius’s plan to manipulate Laertes into killing Hamlet for him. Laertes wanted justice for his father and all his actions were resolute due to his motivation.

Read More
1326 Words | 6 Pages

His self-respect has made him fearless and determinate. When Claudius asks him to what extent is he willing to kill Hamlet and avenge his father, Laertes answered “[He will] cut his throat in the church.” (Act IV scene vii l.139)Laertes is determinate, to avenge his father, he is willing to give anything to avenge his father, even if he has to give up his religious belief, even if he will kill, even if he has to go to hell after he’s dead for what he had done. Due to his high self-respect, instead of putting things behind and move on, he chooses to stand up and bravely fight against all the injustices. Even though he knows that these are difficult to conquer, on account for his self-respect, he does his best to fight and tries to set things

Read More
633 Words | 3 Pages

First, Hamlet is very intelligent and knows when someone is using him, but Laertes is not very intelligent and is easily tricked. Laertes is very gullible. Second, Hamlet is indecisive although, Laertes will not hesitate to do what he wants to do in order to get his revenge. Clearly, Hamlet and Laertes have similarities and differences. It is important that we recognize the the differences and similarities of these characters that I described.

Read More
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.

Read More
885 Words | 4 Pages

Lastly, Laertes is a character in Shakespeare’s play that is used as a character foil for Hamlet, meaning his character traits contrast noticeably with Hamlets. Laertes is a very decisive character who immediately acts on his desires, even if they are not necessarily logical or well thought out. He makes the choice to go to France to continue university without a second thought whereas Hamlet wanted to return to university but was persuaded to stay. Once Laertes hear’s of Hamlet murdering Polonius, he promptly returns to Denmark and knows undeniably that he wants revenge. He immediately begins to form a plan with Claudius to murder Hamlet, with no doubts whatsoever about his choices.

Read More
1241 Words | 5 Pages

However, he is not always a noble and decent man. Laertes and his impulsive nature shows how Hamlet is the exact opposite and has to plan everything thoroughly before going through with

Read More
261 Words | 2 Pages

Throughout Hamlet, Prince Hamlet is faced against many situations that question his mental stability and ability to make decisions. His indecisiveness comes from the way he reacts to the situations he is put in and the way his mind presents these situations to him. The most important indecisive moments are Hamlet’s suicidal thoughts, his father’s ghost, and his vengeance to Claudius. When Hamlet is told by a ghost that has a resemblance of his father that Claudius had killed him, he vows to take vengeance and revenge his father’s death.

Read More
1844 Words | 8 Pages

Hamlet is William Shakespeare 's renowned tale of mystery, intrigue, and murder, centered on a young misguided prince who can only trust himself. Some may say that the actions of Prince Hamlet throughout the play are weak and fearful, displaying a tendency to procrastinate and showing an apathetic nature towards his family and peers. Others spin a tale of a noble young scholar, driven mad by the cold-blooded murder of his father by his uncle. In truth, I believe Hamlet is neither of these things. Hamlet is a sort of amalgamation of the two, a bundle of contradictions thrown together into one conflicting but very human mess of a character.

Read More
943 Words | 4 Pages

Due to himself being too idealistic and restrained, he does not take decisive actions even after using the planned play to test the Claudius's conscience that could possibly expose himself and left himself in unfavorable circumstances. Hamlet’s inability to act is caused by his overanalysis of the situations that further render him from not carrying out actions in response. If Hamlet is not indecisive, he would not be uncertain about the evidence regarding to his uncle’s crime, he would not be delaying his revenge, he would not be having emotional breakdowns and become a tragic figure. Hamlet’s personality ‘borns’ and develops under his royal position and the growing

Read More

More about How Is Hamlet Slow To Act Character

Related Topics

Open Document