Hamlet Comparative Essay

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Danielle Zacchigna
ENG- 4U1
Ms.Bej
May 21st, 2013 Hamlets Tragic Flaws In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the characters of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Claudius contrast the imperfections of Hamlet through their own success due to their starvation for power, making Hamlet appear vulnerable. Success is accomplished through Fortinbras strong willed assertiveness, Laertes loyalty towards his sister, and Claudius’s ignorance of moral law. Clashing personalities between two people creates conflict of who is right and who is wrong. Fortinbras is an assertive and headstrong character, while Hamlet believes in fair play in order to get what one wants. Horatio speaks to Marcellus and Barnardo about Fortinbras tough interior when saying, “Now sir, young Fortinbras, / Of unimproved mettle, hot and full, / Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there/ Shark’d up a list of lawless resolutes.” (1.1 98-101) Horatio is stating that young Fortinbras is going to seize all of the land that his now dead father lost. Fortinbras is a leader. This is clear because he has an army of people willing to conquer Norway with him. He is trying to get back what rightfully belongs to his family. Fortinbras is taking a step that Hamlet does not. Fortinbras does not play fair because he brings his army and tries to Zacchigna 2 take over the land while Hamlet takes action by contemplating suicide. Fortinbras takes big risks when he ‘takes over’ the land, which shows his purpose of aggression is to better himself. Fortinbras is not afraid of the unknown, opposed to Hamlet who is scared about what is happening next. Hamlet is very lost and confused, which is why people like Fortinbras walk all over people like Hamlet. Hamlet speaks to himself about how much of a coward he is when he says, “To be, or not to be, that is the question: / Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer/ The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, / Or to take arms against a sea of troubles/ And by opposing end them.” (3.1 56-60) Hamlet contemplates suicide. This is already a sign of weakness Hamlet possesses. Hamlet feels the world around him is harsh and he suffers from it physically and mentally. Hamlet feels suicide is desirable, but he does not know what the afterlife brings. Hamlets fear of the unknown is why he is in this mess. Fortinbras does what he does because he is not afraid; he is not a coward like Hamlet. Hamlet has a hard life, but he gives up. This is another characteristic Fortinbras does not have. If Fortinbras gives up, his whole army of men and the power he possesses vanishes with him. If Fortinbras gives up, it ends the success he has. Fortinbras is successful over Hamlet because he does not once contemplate suicide. When times are tough Fortinbras toughens up, on the other hand, Hamlet cries like a baby to himself. Fortinbras highlights Hamlets ability of running away from problems because he intimidates Hamlet enough making Hamlet feel insecure and suicidal. Therefore, Fortinbras does not give Hamlet a fighting chance, which is why Fortinbras is successfully powerful in Hamlet’s eyes. Zacchigna 3
Loyalty towards family members shows what one will do for their family. Laertes has unconditional love for his sister Ophelia, but Hamlets love for Ophelia can be questioned due to the way he acts towards Ophelia’s death. Laertes shows his concerns to Ophelia about Hamlet saying, “Perhaps he loves you now,/ And now no soil nor cautel doth besmirch/ The virtue of his will; but you must fear,/ His greatness weigh’d, his will is not his own.” (1.3 14-17) Laertes is Ophelia’s brother. They are bounded by blood, and this is not changeable. Laertes loves his sister regardless, and he always looks out for her when it comes to Hamlet. Laertes brings out Hamlets flaws because he tells Ophelia Hamlets true intentions towards her. He tells Ophelia that Hamlet is capable of sexual activities with Ophelia. Hamlet ‘says’ he loves Ophelia, but he does not prove it. Hamlet does not know Ophelia dies until he sees her dead corpse. This truly shows how much Hamlet cares about Ophelia. Ophelia is not protected by Hamlet. Laertes tries to warn Ophelia, but she is in love. Hamlet is very vulnerable because Ophelia listens to her family first. Hamlet shows his love for Ophelia differently than Laertes. As Hamlet stares at Ophelia’s dead body he confesses his love by saying,”I lov’d Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers/ Could not with all their quantity of love/ Make up my sum.” (5.1 255-257) Hamlet says he loves Ophelia after she dies. This shows how much of a coward Hamlet is compared to Laertes. Hamlet says even forty of Laertes’ love will not compare to Hamlets love. Laertes knows the love of a brother is incomparable to the love of someone outside the family. Laertes succeeds in emphasizing Hamlets harmartia because he proves Hamlet is not as loyal as he seems. Laertes states facts about Hamlets ‘false love’ which makes Hamlet seem like a man Zacchigna 4 only interested in sex, and being at Ophelia’s funeral shows the true commitment Laertes has on being a brother. Hamlet is not at Ophelia’s funeral, showing his true love for Ophelia does not exist. Ophelia ultimately dies in the end, which is why Laertes wins this war. Hamlet does not fight for Ophelia. After Ophelia dies, Hamlet kills her father and tries to kill her brother. If he truly loves her, his actions will show. Even though Ophelia dies, she lives through her family. Overall, Laertes foils Hamlets character because he truly loves Ophelia and Hamlet only says he does. Ophelia dies and Laertes has more concerns then Hamlet. Having morals makes all human beings respectful and conscientious. Claudius does not care about other people as long as he is happy, however Hamlet sees everyone as good, until they prove to be bad. Claudius proves he is morally unstable when trying to poison Hamlet saying, “And in the cup an union shall he throw/ Richer than that which four successive kings/ In Denmark’s crown have worn- give me the cups-/ And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, / The trumpet to the cannoneer without, / The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth, /’Now the king drinks to Hamlet.’ (5.2 257-263) Claudius wants Hamlet dead for a couple of reasons; Hamlet tries to kill Claudius and Claudius wants Laertes to win the duel. Claudius poisons the drink in which Hamlet is supposed to have, but Gertrude drinks it instead. Claudius does not take the drink from Gertrude because he does not want to look like a fool. His own wife dies due to his inconsideration. Hamlet does not drink because he wants to drink once the duel is over. Hamlet plays fair in the duel because he does not rig anything. This Zacchigna 5 flaw of Hamlet is the reason Hamlet dies. His world is a battlefield, and he is not strong enough. Many people like Hamlet, but he does not make good decisions, which is why he ultimately dies in the end. Hamlet is weak when he wants to kill Claudius, therefore he does not commit the act. Hamlet speaks to himself when failing to kill the king saying, “ When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, / Or in th’incestuous pleasure of his bed,/ At game a-swearing, or about some act/ That has no relish of salvation in’t,/ Then trip him as his heels may be as damn’d and black/ As hell, whereto it goes.” (3.3 89-95) Hamlet is about to kill the king, when he sees him praying. This changes Hamlet’s state of mind and Hamlet decides to abolish this act. He says that he will kill King Claudius when he is performing a devious act. This shows how true Hamlets morals are, but at the cost of saving someone who kills his own father. Claudius tries killing Hamlet when he has the chance, but when Hamlet has the chance, he chickens out. Hamlet dies because he does not kill the king when he is supposed to. The poison Claudius uses killing Hamlet is the main focus on Hamlets death. Hamlet gets sliced by the sword, but it is not enough to kill him; the poison is. When Hamlet realizes Claudius poisons the drink and sword, he knows it is too late to save him. Hamlet knows it is too late for survival but he finally gets the guts to kill the king. This is after the king kills both of Hamlets parents. Hamlet suffers as he kills the king saying, “Here, thou incestuous, murd’rous, damned Dane, / Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? / Follow my mother.” (5.2 318-320) When Claudius successfully murders late Hamlet and Gertrude, Hamlet realizes the king also has him damned for death. Claudius is already successful because he kills everyone he wants dead. The fact that Claudius dies is a bonus for Zacchigna 6
Hamlet because of the death of his family. This goes back to the fact that Hamlet does not kill Claudius when he is supposed to. The death of Hamlet is not avoided because of Hamlet’s faults. Hamlet makes the king drink his own poison, but Hamlet does not win this battle because he dies as well. Therefore, Claudius’ opposition to the moral law creates his plan that kills Hamlets family (including Hamlet), and makes Hamlet look stupid because he does not kill Claudius when he is supposed to. Overall, in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the strong mentality of Fortinbras, the loyalty of Laertes, and Claudius’ opposition to morals all make Hamlet appear insecure causing these three characters to appear more successful then Hamlet. What do all three of these characters have in common? It is the contribution towards the untimely death of Hamlet.

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Works cited
Shakespeare, William, and Roma Gill.Hamlet. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1992. Print.