Hamlet Final Essay
(600-1200 words, twelve point font, double spaced or you may post it on the blog)
What is Hamlet about? What does the play suggest about the human dilemma, the human predicament?
That's a huge question! First of all, what is "the human dilemma, the human predicament". Those phrases are used to refer to huge, inescapable problems that all people must face, like the death of loved ones, being betrayed by loved ones, what to do in the face of dishonesty and corruption, etc.
Second, Hamlet, as a play, is especially concerned with questions about human flaws: corruption, dishonesty, debauchery, defilement, sycophancy, etc. Among the questions that come up in the play are "what effect does corruption, etc. have on people (perpetrators, victims, bystanders, etc.)?" and "what should a person do in response to corruption, etc.?"
So consider how the play's plot (what happens), its characters, its speeches, its patterns, its images seem to suggest something about the nature of human corruption, the effect of human corruption, and the response to human corruption.
These are big questions and big issues. But you're all smart enough and mature enough to handle them. It is because of these big questions and these big issues that people in 2007 still care about a play that was written in 1599.
Good luck! See me (or email me) for help if you need it.
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6 comments:
Jared w
Hamlet, written by Shakespeare is a play based on the human life on a more exaggerated scale. The problems in this play are very similar to things that everyone in life faces. It is typical nature in this day and age for corruption, deception, debauchery, and dishonesty to occur in some humans. This following paragraph will explain what Hamlet is all about.
The problems in Hamlet occur to everyone in life on a more dramatic level. For example Hamlet as well as other characters in the play goes through many dramatic unsuspecting deaths such as king Hamlet being poisoned, Ophelia dying in the river, Polonius being murdered. This happens to everyone in life when loved ones pass away and we are left to try and figure a way to get around it and keep on going. Hamlet overcomes his father’s death by seeking revenge on his murderer. Now not everyone will be seeking revenge on someone poisoning their father through the ear but this is where Hamlet’s problems are a bit dramatized. Also many people sadly can’t get over certain deaths. Ophelia was left alone with no one from her family. Her mother, not even mentioned in the play wasn’t around, her brother Laertes, in France and her Father stabbed by her lover who turned her down. Ophelia was not only upset but she turned mad. Ophelia drown in the river and it seemed to appear as a suicide. King Claudius is a main example of corruption. There is corruption in our everyday world wherever we go, wherever we look. King Claudius was brother of King Hamlet and killed him for King. Not only did he kill his brother for power but is planning on killing Hamlet who comes in the way of him and being King. Dishonesty is yet another related problem we face in our life that occurs in Hamlet as well. The best example in Hamlet about dishonesty is King Claudius lying to Gertrude about sending Hamlet to England to relax and catch a breather. He not only lies to Hamlet’s mother but he plans on killing her one and only child because he threatens his throne. On a smaller scale, Hamlet has its kissups and pushovers. Osric, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were all kissups. Osric agreed with everything Hamlet said to him and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern waited on King Claudius hand and foot. These kinds of people can be found all over the place whether it’s the goody two shoes in school or this coworker kissing up to the boss for a promotion, it can all be found in an everyday life.
Hamlet can be related to many things and it’s hard to truly say what it’s about. But thinking about it long and hard, Hamlet is all about the life and death of Hamlet. It covers everything in life someone would go through. It covers mostly hardships one would go through in a lifetime and few happy times. All in all Hamlet is about a typical life on a dramatized level.
Hamlet
Christian Towler
There are many Problems in Hamlet concerning betrayal, dishonesty and corruption and thus many questions to be drawn. Each problem presented in the play poses its own ethical questions. For example when Hamlet’s mother and uncle get married how should Hamlet react? Hamlet feels mad at his mother and uncle for betraying his father but on the other hand they are both blood relatives to him and because of this Hamlet has trouble deciding how to act. All of these problems are just examples of the greater question presented by the book: how should one act when the world is falling apart? In the face of a sordid situation what should one do?
Hamlet has trouble deciding weather to act on impulse by doing what his feelings tell him to or to think everything through and become passive to the point where you can never do anything because the reasons to act one way are negated by reasons not to. This becomes problematic for Hamlet because at first he does not kill Claudius when he has the chance because he was too quick to think of the reasons not to and then Hamlet becomes tired of his own passivity and kills Polonius because he thought it was Claudius and did not think enough about what he was doing.
I personally enjoyed this aspect of the play because I found it very easy to relate my own experiences. By nature I am a very passive person and not inclined to take action but also frustrated by this because thinking too much can lower the confidence in my actions, but on the other hand whenever I try to be more active upon impulse I find that things have a habit of blowing up in my face. I have concluded that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who act and those who think. Those who think cannot act confidently without ruining everything for themselves and those who act may think about their actions but lack the feeling that they need to.
I found the end of the play to be very amusing because the idea of everyone dying at the end seemed fitting because it confirms that no matter who you are and how you live there is no way that you can predict what is to come. Hamlet’s last words were bittersweet irony to me because while reading the book I could empathize with him and did not want to see him die and yet enjoyed him make a joke under such circumstances. When Claudius and Laertes die it is ironic because by trying so avidly to kill Hamlet they both are killed. Fortinbras on the other hand, who acts upon instinct, is crowned king at the death of Claudius. Fortinbras becoming king would suggest that it is better to act rather than think but Claudius who dies due to his rash actions negates that.
In conclusion there are many questions proposed by the play Hamlet but the general theme to all of the questions is what to do in a world that is corrupt. The book may also imply that no mater what one does things that happen are too unpredictable to be able to be prepared for or do anything about. The book’s plot is designed so that something bad happens to establish the seriousness of the situation and then we can observe how Hamlet reacts. To each incident hamlet reacts how anyone would given the situation. Because it is hard to understand what kind of mindset Hamlet is in given the preceding events in his life, the soliloquies are good for helping relate to and sympathize with Hamlet in any given predicament. In the end Shakespeare does not present an answer to any of the questions that he provokes and leaves the audience to speculate. There is much to life that people will never be able to understand despite spending a lifetime trying and thus the play will live on forever not only through literature but in the everyday attempts to mitigate the hardships of life.
Hamlet’s issues concerning corruption, among other ethical questions lead you to judge the integrity of each person’s character in the story. Not only is this purposeful in the story, but it can be a good test for yourself; what would you do in the given situation? Early on, Hamlet struggles to come to a conclusion on what his actions must be to retaliate for Claudius killing his Father (the King) and subsequently marrying Hamlet’s mother (the Queen). He even debates whether he should retaliate or not because Hamlet even though Hamlet is angry with Claudius and his mother for what they have done, they are still his mother and Uncle/father. Among all this is the main, but underlying question of the book; How does on deal with corruption in addition to tradgedy?
Hamlet’s own nature as a thinker leads him to have trouble deciding if he should act impulsively by doing how he feels emotionally or to thoroughly contemplate the situation. Because of this, Hamlet is driven nearly insane and he seemingly never acts on impulse. Hamlet, as previously said, is a thinker. He tries to be clever with The Murder of Gonzago, which he nicknames The Mouse Trap. His thought and emotions become problematic for Hamlet because he does not kill Claudius at first chance because his thought was too easily negated by deductive reasoning, and his pros and cons style of thinking. Hamlet is aware of his own passivity which leads him to erratically kill Polonius because he thought it was Claudius being a “rat”.
In relation to personal experiences, this is a quite relevant issue that I feel most everyone deals with. Impulsive action is viewed upon mainly as a negative thing in modern society, but it can have positive repercussions. On the contrary, thinkers are left with benefit of the doubt in terms of positive or negative repercussions. This could also be the main debate of Hamlet; Impulsive action vs. Methodical action. If Hamlet killed Claudius right away just out of pure anger, he would have fallen into the trap he deals with in in which he is so against, in his first soliloquy, which is corruption. If Hamlet were to kill Claudius immediately, before The Murder of Gonzago, he wouldn’t have known for sure if it was Claudius who killed his father, and in Christian beliefs, that is a sin and he would most likely go to Hell. His values as a thinker prevent him from becoming another “weed in the garden” of corruption. Originally he saw himself as an exception to corruption but as the play progressed, and his behavior regressed, he played a major role in corruption. He partakes in corruption as soon as his personality changes from a methodical thinker, to impulsivity.
The end of the book is satirical and ironic in many ways. Throughout the story you are expected to empathize with Hamlet who has lost his father and now has to deal with these ethical issues, when he has done nothing wrong initially. Shakespeare is clever in the way Hamlet dies because he fights so hard and dies in a way that is completely against his nature. This finishes Hamlets change in character which began in his switch to impulsiveness. As a talker and thinker who spoke more than anyone in the story, he dies silently. Claudius and Laertes plan and scheme a foolproof way to kill Hamlet and failed. This is ironic because by trying ever so keenly to kill Hamlet they both are killed before Hamlet. Fortinbras ironically acts instinctively and impulsively is crowned king at the end of the story because of the death of Claudius. Fortinbras’s impulsivity would suggest that it is better to act rather than think which leaves the debate unanswered but shows effects of both arguments.
Shakespeare proposes many ethical questions throughout the book and shows exaggerated effects of both sides of an argument. Shakespeare shows that no mater what ones actions are, the results are too unpredictable to be able to be prepared for which leads you to make your own decision on how to answer these questions and debates. As much as this book deals with serious issues, events, and moral challenges, we are reminded of Shakespeare’s humor with his duplicitous insertions of satirical events which snap you out of the seriousness of the play to relieve tension. Given that you start the story with Hamlet in his thirties, you don’t know what has happened earlier in his life or what state of mind he is in at the very beginning. Hamlet’s soliloquies are neccessary helping relate to and understand Hamlet’s actions in dealing with his problems. Due to Shakespeare not giving any definitive answer to the debates and issues, it is ambiguous as to what he believes in or what he wants you to believe in. This leads the reader to speculate and provokes mature thought about morality, values, and priorities in one’s own life. Shakespeare’s ethical questions have remained relevant in life since the plays publishing and will remain relevant forever because we deal with the larger outlying issues he introduces in everyday life.
Chris Frontiero
Mr. Cook E block
Hamlet Essay
Hamlet Essay
Hamlet is a very complex tragedy. Compared to other high school Shakespearian books we’ve read, like Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth, Hamlet ranks the most difficult to understand. Many people believe Hamlet is about different things but all the points made by these people work equally well together. One may say that Hamlet is all about deception, while another might say the play is about consequences from decisions. These two points certainly aren’t the same, but they can go together greatly. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is about the action or inaction in a corrupt society, deception, and paranoia.
Hamlet is constantly showing the corruptness of the setting’s society. In Act 3 Scene 3 starting on line 40, Claudius begins to pray after Polonius leaves the room. Claudius confesses his inner grief and guilt about murdering King Hamlet and wants to be forgiven for it. At the same time, he doesn’t want to give up Gertrude, his newfound wealth, and his royal position. Prince Hamlet comes into the room to find Claudius praying, or so he believes Claudius to be praying, and feels that this is the perfect opportunity to get revenge for his father’s death. He then pauses, realizing that if he kills Claudius while he is at his holiest, praying, that he will go to heaven. It won’t be proper revenge, because he would only be sending Claudius to a better place. He decides to kill Claudius at a later time when he is drinking, committing his “incestuous” act, or sinning in general. When Prince Hamlet leaves, Claudius reveals to the readers or viewers that he couldn’t pray. This one scene shows just how corrupt this setting that takes place in this book is. First, we have Claudius attempting to pray and admitting his guilt. He then says that he would admit it all, if only he didn’t have to give away all his new acquired wealth, love, and power. Prince Hamlet has the perfect ability to kill Claudius in this situation. Mel Gibson said after his Hamlet movie that the entire books problem would be solved if Hamlet just killed Claudius at that moment. Hamlet has the inability to act, and later addresses it comparing himself to both Laertes and Prince Fortinbras. Later in the book, Hamlets decision of inaction shows to be the death of most of the main characters in this play.
Deception is another huge role in this book. Hamlet is constantly spied on in this book, in situations that he is unaware of and other settings where he knows that his watchers are keeping an eye on him. The first act of deception is in the very beginning. Act 1 Scene 2 is where King Claudius is introduced, talking of his “dear brother”. At this point we do not know that he murdered Claudius, yet he stills acts sympathetic and takes in all the pleasures of being king. Hamlet is mad because Claudius married Gertrude within two months of King Hamlet’s death. He does not know of the murder, but will soon when he is introduced to the ghost. Later on, when Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to bring Hamlet to his death in England, Hamlet is aware of the plan and deceptively turns the tables on his two would be friends. Even Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on his son Laertes in France. He doesn’t really have a good excuse for it, he just wants to know what his son is up too. Polonius’s deception later is the reason he dies later on in Gertrude’s room. He is hiding behind a curtain listening in on the conversation Gertrude is having with Hamlet. When Hamlet starts verbally assaulting his mother, she yells for help and Polonius does the same. After this cry for help, Hamlet stabs Polonius behind the curtain think that it is Claudius. Hamlet’s blind rage makes him to a contradictory movement, he kills who he believed who was Claudius but before said that he would wait for a him to commit a sin. In a way, Hamlet also deceives himself in this thoughtless murder.
Chris Frontiero
Mr. Cook E block
Hamlet Essay
Hamlet Essay
Hamlet is a very complex tragedy. Compared to other high school Shakespearian books we’ve read, like Romeo and Juliet or Macbeth, Hamlet ranks the most difficult to understand. Many people believe Hamlet is about different things but all the points made by these people work equally well together. One may say that Hamlet is all about deception, while another might say the play is about consequences from decisions. These two points certainly aren’t the same, but they can go together greatly. Shakespeare’s Hamlet is about the action or inaction in a corrupt society, deception, and paranoia.
Hamlet is constantly showing the corruptness of the setting’s society. In Act 3 Scene 3 starting on line 40, Claudius begins to pray after Polonius leaves the room. Claudius confesses his inner grief and guilt about murdering King Hamlet and wants to be forgiven for it. At the same time, he doesn’t want to give up Gertrude, his newfound wealth, and his royal position. Prince Hamlet comes into the room to find Claudius praying, or so he believes Claudius to be praying, and feels that this is the perfect opportunity to get revenge for his father’s death. He then pauses, realizing that if he kills Claudius while he is at his holiest, praying, that he will go to heaven. It won’t be proper revenge, because he would only be sending Claudius to a better place. He decides to kill Claudius at a later time when he is drinking, committing his “incestuous” act, or sinning in general. When Prince Hamlet leaves, Claudius reveals to the readers or viewers that he couldn’t pray. This one scene shows just how corrupt this setting that takes place in this book is. First, we have Claudius attempting to pray and admitting his guilt. He then says that he would admit it all, if only he didn’t have to give away all his new acquired wealth, love, and power. Prince Hamlet has the perfect ability to kill Claudius in this situation. Mel Gibson said after his Hamlet movie that the entire books problem would be solved if Hamlet just killed Claudius at that moment. Hamlet has the inability to act, and later addresses it comparing himself to both Laertes and Prince Fortinbras. Later in the book, Hamlets decision of inaction shows to be the death of most of the main characters in this play.
Deception is another huge role in this book. Hamlet is constantly spied on in this book, in situations that he is unaware of and other settings where he knows that his watchers are keeping an eye on him. The first act of deception is in the very beginning. Act 1 Scene 2 is where King Claudius is introduced, talking of his “dear brother”. At this point we do not know that he murdered Claudius, yet he stills acts sympathetic and takes in all the pleasures of being king. Hamlet is mad because Claudius married Gertrude within two months of King Hamlet’s death. He does not know of the murder, but will soon when he is introduced to the ghost. Later on, when Claudius sends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to bring Hamlet to his death in England, Hamlet is aware of the plan and deceptively turns the tables on his two would be friends. Even Polonius sends Reynaldo to spy on his son Laertes in France. He doesn’t really have a good excuse for it, he just wants to know what his son is up too. Polonius’s deception later is the reason he dies later on in Gertrude’s room. He is hiding behind a curtain listening in on the conversation Gertrude is having with Hamlet. When Hamlet starts verbally assaulting his mother, she yells for help and Polonius does the same. After this cry for help, Hamlet stabs Polonius behind the curtain think that it is Claudius. Hamlet’s blind rage makes him to a contradictory movement, he kills who he believed who was Claudius but before said that he would wait for a him to commit a sin. In a way, Hamlet also deceives himself in this thoughtless murder.
One of deception’s biggest causes is paranoia. People might not think of paranoia being a big Hamlet meaning, but it also creates the ability or inability to act in a corrupt setting or even a regular setting. If it wasn’t for the thought of Claudius and Gertrude being incestuous both in nature or in bed, Hamlet might not have minded the sudden marriage. That’s not what the book leads us to believe though. In Act 1 Scene 2 line 144 Hamlet compares his father to Claudius by saying, “Hyperion to satyr; so loving to my mother…” Hamlet is paranoid because how his dad, like the sun god himself, would ever be able to be replaced with the lowly Claudius, like a goat creature. This bites at Hamlet, making him want to hurt Claudius even more because he got married only two months after King Hamlet’s death. The paranoia gets deeper later on, when the ghost of King Hamlet reveals to Hamlet that Claudius murdered him. Another point a lot of people might not even notice is that King Hamlet killed King Fortinbras on the day of Hamlet’s birth. His father was always over shadowing him, and maybe Hamlet doesn’t think as high of his father as he reveals in his soliloquies or is afraid deep inside that he can’t feel like his father was anything less than a Hyperion. This is also, even though not touched upon in the book, paranoia that rips into him and makes him so defensive of his father.
Hamlet is an extremely deep play. Even though it has been around for a very long time, we still talk about it and new theories or ideas are coming out about it. This play focuses on three main concepts though there are many different ones. Hamlet is about the ability or inability to act in a corrupt society, deception, and paranoia. Paranoia is deeply involved with the other ideas more so than being a separate subject itself.
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