Hamlet essay

The way we see ourselves is often reflected in the way we act. Hamlet views himself in a different light, compared to those he surrounded himself by. In reality this leads us to believe that that he is more motivated to find out who his true friends are. Hamlet is an educated man, who thinks with rationality and justifies his actions, which is what we can see glimpses of in our day to day life's. However the view of Coleridge States that'd Shakespeare implies that action is the chief end of existence, that Hamlets second guessing each move, and factoring actions into mind before carrying out a move is what he wants his audience to view.

Throughout the play action and inaction is a defining theme, that is brought to life by Hamlets devotion to his father, and he would do anything to find out the truth, of his death. "The plays wherein I'll catch the conscious of the king", Hamlet showing his action in the play, to determine whether Claudius is guilty of the murder, through staging a play depicting the scenes of the murder.
Though hamlet is extremely cautious in seeking his revenge, and he is procrastinating, hamlet is ready to do his 'bitter business', he doesn't want to go against the natural order, he is divided in his thinking. According to the audio text. Hamlets delay is due to his entire life direction changing In an instant, and that he is a young man with his whole life ahead of him, if he kills Claudius, he will die. It is ambiguous, to that fact that if Hamlet kills the king he must die, it is the Devine right of kings. "Tis a messy wheel fixed on the summit of the highest mount, to whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things are mortised adjoined", the kingdom is the wheel, and the followers are the spokes, if the wheel rolls the people will follow, this imagery shows how important the king is to his people. I believe that Hamlet was procrastinating and was a man of his words rather than that of his action, it seems as if his faking madness was a distraction of his main task. Coleridge quoted that Hamlet is a "man incapable of acting, always promising to take action but fails"

All humans have flaws, throughout the play nature and humanity is evident by the love Hamlet has for his mother, Gertrude and Ophelia. It is also shown through his hate for Claudius' illegal marriage, and by the greed that Claudius has to commit murder and to become king. Claudius has no remorse after the murder, "how is it the clouds still hang on you?" Claudius uses this metaphor in asking hamlet, to show that he has moved on, and wants hamlet to move on, from the death of his father.
The audio text states that "love and revenge... Is all focused on Hamlet" and that the whole play is an "exploration of grief and mourning" and for Hamlet, with everyone moving on too fast it becomes difficult for him he is "isolated in grief" and he can't get past it. I beleive that hamlet is carrying a lot of anger and despair in him and that he has an extensive amount of responsibilities that he has to face for a young man, however I also think that he is an extremely educated man who has the capability to make the right decisions.

Appearance vs reality is a major theme in Hamlet. This is an example of 'what we see isn't always what we get'. Hamlet has many characters in him who pretend to be what they are not. Hamlet pretends to be mad so he could be "true to himself" and to protect his secret of vengeance." O villain, villain, smiling damned villain... That one may smile and smile and be a villain" this repetition on the word 'villain' gives emphasis on the lack of remorse given from Claudius, this quote also perfectly exemplifies the theme of appearance vs reality, in that Claudius appears to be loyal and honest, but in reality he is a deceitful villain. In order to prove this villainy, the technique of a play within a play is used by Shakespeare in order to give hamlet the credibility of being a man of thought.

Revenge is the basis of the play it is the key theme that the whole play is built on. As the audio text states "Hamlet embodies vengeance" and that Hamlet is "faced with a terrible choice". To kill Claudius Hamlet has to wait for the right moment to seek his revenge "revenge is foul and most unnatural murder" hamlet wants to prove his love and duty, in the play this is when the audience becomes aware of the cause of his fathers death. There is repetition of 'foul' it shows how it is against the natural order. Both Hamlet and Laertes seek to avenge a fathers murder while Hamlet is the revenges in the main plot, he is the target of Laetes revenge.
The audio text states that hamlet has succeeded in his revenge for his father, however he does loose everything"it cost him absolutely everything to do so". The text also states that hamlet is heroic in an classical way, as he "looses as much as he gains" . He is heroic in a way that may not be comfortable with but have to face

In my opinion Shakespeare's discussion of human nature is mostly centred around the weaknesses of human kind. Although Shakespeare explores power, love and loyalty, it is the darkest side he chooses to create through imagination. Shakespeare seems to take great gratification in exposing the human soul bare, for the whole race to see. I believe that in