Character Interactions in Hamlet

A text of timeless appeal is marked by effective construction of characters to support its main ideas. How is your personal response to Hamlet shaped by the interaction of these characters?

Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet was composed in the early 17th century Elizabethan Era, reflecting this society’s preoccupation with retribution and vengeance. It explores key concerns and concepts of everlasting relevance to audiences of all ages. The tragic hero Hamlet is intensely human and his struggles are familiar to all audiences. He educates the audience via vicarious learning, sharing his experiences as he explores fundamental issues of morality and mortality through his intense interactions with the lead female characters. Key concerns that are the driving forces in Hamlet include: deception and revenge. These overarching concerns help the audience to understand the prevarications and motivations of Hamlet, along with the multifaceted relationships between Hamlet, Ophelia, Gertrude and Claudius.

The key concern of Deception is clearly conveyed through the interaction between Hamlet and Ophelia and also in the tense interaction between Claudius and Hamlet. Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship becomes completely transformed due to the selfish acts of other characters exerting forceful influences on their relationship. Polonius and Laertes insist that Ophelia should not continue to fraternize with Hamlet as it will lead nowhere: “Do not believe his vows, for they are brokers” (Act 1). Shakespeare’s imagery in the use of “brokers” emphasizes Polonius’ belief that Hamlet is “playing” but will not marry her. The key concern of Deception is also prominent the play due to the fact that several characters have an external appearance that is very different to their true internal self. Claudius is a complex, multi-faceted character who ultimately finds himself in an intimate battle between illusion and reality. It appears that he is finally feeling guilt when he tries to pray, "O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven; It hath the primal eldest curse upon’t”, confirming his knowledge of his sins. However, the audience is then lead to question whether he truly is repentant when he says: “My words fly up, my thoughts remain below, Words without thoughts never to heaven go” (Act 3). The metaphor “my thoughts remain below” indicates that Claudius’ prayer is not true or effective as his thoughts are on earthly matters rather than heavenly. Through this concern of deception, the interaction between Hamlet and Ophelia and also the tense interaction between Claudius and Hamlet, the relevance and timeless appeal of this play is reinforced to all audiences.

Revenge is a key concern, which is not only relevant in Hamlet, but long before and after Shakespeare’s time. The characters of Hamlet and Laertes both lose a father and both try to seek honorable vengeance against the murderer. Such actions of noble vengeance were common in the Elizabethan Era. On Laertes arrival home from France, he demands immediate revenge: “And so have I a noble father lost, a sister driven into desperate terms… But my revenge will come” (Act 4). The high modality verb “will” emphasizes Laertes determination to seek revenge. He believes that Claudius killed his father, and quickly confronts him; however Claudius claims that it was Hamlet who committed the murder of his father Polonius, and they together plot Hamlet’s demise. Laertes’ truncated sentence: “To cut his throat I’th church” demonstrates his strong sense of justification in killing Hamlet. In contrast, Hamlet seems to prevaricate and delay seeking his revenge on Claudius throughout the play. Hamlet’s elaborate plan to have a play performed before the king in order to catch him in his guilt is outlined when he says: “The plays the thing wherein ill catch the conscience of the king” (Act 2). This strong characterization highlights the tragic flaw with the protagonist, Hamlet. Revenge is highlighted as a powerful key concern in Hamlet, which impacts the intense interactions between Hamlet and Laertes. This very real and familiar key concern of revenge between characters adds to the timeless appeal of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

Throughout Hamlet his strong characterization and realistic portraits of flawed and complex characters helps to illuminates issues of morality and mortality. The concerns of deception and revenge are conveyed with universal and timeless appeal. Through studying Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy Hamlet I believe that it’s shaped by the characters interactions, which help convey the key concerns in the play.