He abolishes his natural instincts, his emotions and trusts only in the power of his intelligence. For instance, when Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost, he has no clue that it is his father- but gets a feeling about it. Hamlet says “Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell why thy canoniz’d bones, hearsed in death….” (1.4.46-47). Hamlet is so mind-boggled after the sight of his father’s ghost and has no idea how to react to it. His judgement tells him that he just dreamed he saw his dead father as a ghost but deep down inside he knows its …show more content…
When Hamlet proclaims one of his most famous lines “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, he is foreseeing the thought of suicide and wishing that God had never made suicide a sin” (3.1.55-58). Hamlet’s anxiety, uncertainty, and tension cause him to doubt the power of reason alone to solve his issues. It is only then, when he begins to realize that reason is impotent to deal with the depths of a normal human life. Hamlet realizes during the play that he lacks the emotions to cope with his father’s death. It is only in Act I, scene ii, when he acts out of pure response, without thinking about the consequences of what he does or says. However, in associating his thoughts and emotions, Hamlet is cautious enough to avoid the temptation to commit suicide because as it is known, if one commits suicide to escape life’s pain, then one will be sent to suffer in hell. By making the decision to stay alive, Hamlet seeks revenge on Claudius for both himself and his