Hamlet Literary Analysis Essay

Jordan Johnson

Ms. Beaudion

2/10/15

Hamlet Literary Analysis

Conflicting Personalities In the play “Hamlet”, written by William Shakespeare, King Claudius and his step son Hamlet had a great amount of tension between each other. Most of the tension was brought from Hamlet. Based on several events that occurred throughout the play, we can see that the King’s personality illuminated the actions of Hamlet.

It seems that the King’s personality provoked Hamlet to make the decisions he did. For instance, the reason Hamlet killed Claudius was because Claudius had a violent personality which leads to him killing King Hamlet. Also, his self centered attitude leads him to embarking in the incestuous relationship he had with Gertrude. That bothered

Why, she would hang on him As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on, and yet, within a month— Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!— A little month, or ere those shoes were old With which she followed my poor father’s body, Like Niobe, all tears. Why she, even she— O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourned longer!—married with my uncle, My father’s brother, but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her gallèd eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to incestuous sheets! It is not nor it cannot come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue”(1.2.141-170). What Hamlet was trying to say throughout this Soliloquy was that he is not happy with this current situation. He feels as if his mother has

This occurred in Act 3 Scene 2. This is what Hamlet was saying,” Look here upon this picture and on this, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow? Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself, An eye like Mars to threaten and command, A station like the herald Mercury New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill— A combination and a form indeed Where every god did seem to set his sealTo give the world assurance of a man. This was your husband. Look you now, what follows. Here is your husband, like a mildewed ear Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes? Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed And batten on this moor? Ha, have you eyes? You cannot call it love, for at your age The heyday in the blood is tame, it’s humble, And waits upon the judgment. And what judgment Would step from this to this? Sense sure you have, Else could you not have motion” (3.4.54-74). Hamlet tackled multiple points throughout this whole entire speech. For instance, he said that his mother clearly didn’t love the king based on how she mourned the death so quickly. Hamlet wasn’t talking negatively about her either, he was speaking the pure truth and he had every right to say the things he did. He may have spoken daggers to his mother but it came with decent intentions. Hamlet certainly had a