Is Hamlet Right Or Wrong Analysis
As C.G Jung once said, “The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.” In Willam Shakespeare's Hamlet, the protagonist Hamlet and antagonist Claudius struggle with basic of notions of right and wrong bringing their morality into question. The murder of an innocent, the abuse of the women closest to them and, the quest to murder one another are simply the indications of how both characters are morally weak.
Murdering an innocent is among one of the greatest sins a man can commit. Hamlet shows no guilt for murdering Polonius by accident. Instead he feels nothing of it except that “heaven hath pleased it so, to punish me with this and this with me” and that he “must be cruel to be kind” (III, iv, 175-180). Not only is a strange kind of remorse found in place of his guilt, but he also tries to justify his actions, disregarding what is morally right. Like Hamlet, Claudius lacks the guilt that morality would provide in such situations. Claudius, in a jealous act of revenge killed his …show more content…
Hamlet tries to acquire proof in order to gain sufficient grounds to kill Claudius. Hamlet puts on a play where “[he’ll] catch the conscience of the king” (II, ii, 603-604). He waits until he's sure of the king’s actions by first observing his guilt (as to not act on mere suspicions) then, attempts to murder him. Both attempts of murder are simply out of revenge. Claudius plots to murder Hamlet in an effort to rid himself of any problems. He sends a letter to the king of England asking that “if [his] love thou hold’st aught- thou mayst not coldly set our sovereign process” then may he cause “the present death of Hamlet” (IV, iii, 59-66). Claudius sees hamlet as a threat to his power and sees no problem in eliminating him once and for all. Both men are selfish in their quests for power and vengeance but technically, ultimately
Murdering an innocent is among one of the greatest sins a man can commit. Hamlet shows no guilt for murdering Polonius by accident. Instead he feels nothing of it except that “heaven hath pleased it so, to punish me with this and this with me” and that he “must be cruel to be kind” (III, iv, 175-180). Not only is a strange kind of remorse found in place of his guilt, but he also tries to justify his actions, disregarding what is morally right. Like Hamlet, Claudius lacks the guilt that morality would provide in such situations. Claudius, in a jealous act of revenge killed his …show more content…
Hamlet tries to acquire proof in order to gain sufficient grounds to kill Claudius. Hamlet puts on a play where “[he’ll] catch the conscience of the king” (II, ii, 603-604). He waits until he's sure of the king’s actions by first observing his guilt (as to not act on mere suspicions) then, attempts to murder him. Both attempts of murder are simply out of revenge. Claudius plots to murder Hamlet in an effort to rid himself of any problems. He sends a letter to the king of England asking that “if [his] love thou hold’st aught- thou mayst not coldly set our sovereign process” then may he cause “the present death of Hamlet” (IV, iii, 59-66). Claudius sees hamlet as a threat to his power and sees no problem in eliminating him once and for all. Both men are selfish in their quests for power and vengeance but technically, ultimately