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Why Is Hamlet Unreliable Narrator?

756 Words4 Pages

To begin, William Shakespeare's Hamlet has been the subject of much debate and interpretation throughout the years, particularly when it comes to the character of Hamlet himself. While some argue that he is a reliable narrator, there are compelling arguments to be made that he is not. By comparing and contrasting Hamlet's narration with that of the reliable narrator in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, it becomes clear that Hamlet's narrative is unreliable due to his psychological state, his subjectivity, and his tendency to manipulate the truth. Hamlet's narrative is unreliable due to his psychological state, his subjectivity, and his tendency to manipulate the truth. By comparing and contrasting his narration with that of the reliable narrator in Pride and Prejudice, it becomes clear that Hamlet's version of events cannot always be trusted. …show more content…

As he descends into madness, his perceptions become distorted and his ability to accurately report events is compromised. Even the people around Hamlet's start to worry for him because of his declining mental state. When Hamlet mistakes Polonius for a fish seller, Polonius states, “Now, what does he mean by that? Still harping on my daughter. But he didn’t recognize me at first. He mistook me at first. He mistook me for a fish seller, He’s far gone”(2.2.179-182). In contrast, the narrator in Pride and Prejudice is stable and rational, able to provide an objective perspective on the events of the story. As Elizabeth Bennet notes, "He was exactly what he had been when I knew him in Hertfordshire, but I would not tell you how little I was satisfied with her behavior while she stayed with us" (Austen 239). This statement demonstrates the reliability of the narrator in Pride and Prejudice, as he is able to report events accurately without his own biases and prejudices influencing his

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