Knights In Hamlet
Prior to the scouring of the medieval period over Europe, knights represented low class warriors on horseback. As the cost of warfare equipment steadily increased, knighthood aligned with one’s virtue and societal position. Knights were obliged to follow a strict set of rules, exhibit qualities of resilience, while also ensuring the safety of their lord. The transition of character throughout Shakespeare’s Hamlet highlights the importance behind taking action and making spontaneous decisions. It is through Hamlet’s inactivity after his father’s death that he finds himself torn: should he use this as an opportunity to learn as his heirs to the throne, or should he rise and conquer after hearing news that Claudius killed his father? Hamlet’s
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difficulty in choosing a path of direction reflects the outcome of the play and his intense credence towards others. In the end, despite his madness, uncertainty, and intense metacognition, Hamlet fashions himself into a resilient warrior, whose ultimatum is to take revenge against the sins and surreptitiousness of the royal family.
After King Hamlet’s ghost makes an appearance, Hamlet gives himself an ultimatum on whether or not he should accept losing Denmark to Claudius.
Hamlet’s madness becomes apparent when he says, “if he do blench, / I know my course. The spirit that I have seen, / May be the devil,” (II.ii.625-628). Hamlet is unsure of what course he should take because the ghost’s identity and purpose in telling him to kill Claudius is unclear, but could also be the revenge he’s been pondering. The denotation of the word “bench” is a sudden, flinching movement out of fear or pain. In the context of the play, the connotation of “blench” signifies the determining factor in whether or not Hamlet has an adequate reason to kill Claudius. On one hand, if Claudius appears uncomfortable and suddenly flinches while watching the reenactment of King Hamlet’s death, then Hamlet knows who killed his father. On the other hand, if Claudius does not flinch, then Hamlet knows that the ghost was not truly his father’s ghost. When Claudius does in fact flinch, Hamlet fails to immediately take action because he isn’t sure if Claudius is afraid that he has been caught or that he is simply offended by the play and its acquisitions. Furthermore, the denotation of the word “devil” represents the chief evil spirit; Satan. The connotation of “devil” in the play symbolizes the worry and suspicion Hamlet has of the ghost’s reliability. Hamlet’s transition and initiative to want to take revenge on Claudius become apparent when he says, “a villain kills my father, and for that, / I, his sole son, do this same villain…” (III.iii.81-82). The denotation of the word “sole” means no one else. In the context of the play, the connotation of the word “sole” displays an entirely different meaning. Inherently, now that Hamlet justified who killed his father, it should be granted in his soul to kill Claudius for his father simply out of obedient to his father’s wants. Hamlet’s fashioning into a knight is illuminated through
the known qualities knights display. Knights evidently exhibit mercy through their willingness to take action against sins and wrongdoings. Despite Hamlet’s initial uncertainty, deciding that he wants to kill Claudius ultimately emphasizes his growth of virtue and mental strength.
After Hamlet kills Polonius with suspicion that it was Claudius, Hamlet’s desire to kill become more adamant. While discussing Polonius’s corpse, Hamlet says “when [Claudius] needs what you have / gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge you / shall be dry again” (IV.ii.19-20). Metaphorically comparing Rosencrantz to a “sponge” symbolizes Hamlet’s madness as it illuminates the foolishness of people who seek the approval of Claudius and not realizing that he is continuously using them for solely his benefit. Consequently, killing Polonius just caused more harm to Hamlet because of Ophelia’s reaction to her father’s death, which ultimately lead to her madness and later death. When Claudius says, “O my dear Gertrude, this, / Like to a murdering piece, in many places / Gives me superfluous death.” (IV.v.101-103). Claudius is fearful in the sense that due to the lack of evidence, he will become associated with the deaths of two innocent people, King Hamlet and Polonius. The denotation of the word “superfluous” represents an action that is unnecessary. In the context of the play, the connotation of “superfluous” represents Claudius’s trying to associate his sins with Polonius’s death rather than King Hamlet’s. If Claudius associates with Polonius’s death, then there is no justifiable reason for death since he didn’t kill Polonius and would be used as a coverup to hide the actual convicted murder of King Hamlet. Hamlet’s indecision and inaction is what leads to more deaths than intended through the course of the play. In the end, Hamlet fashions himself into a knight as a result of his intense sacrifice. Not only did Hamlet has to endure the loss of his father, but as a result of his inaction, he directly caused the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Hamlet also was allusively involved in the deaths of his star crossed lover Ophelia and Gertrude. It is important to consider that if Hamlet stood his ground and killed Claudius then he would have regained his kingdom, Ophelia wouldn’t have gone insane, and they would have become the next king and queen of Denmark.
difficulty in choosing a path of direction reflects the outcome of the play and his intense credence towards others. In the end, despite his madness, uncertainty, and intense metacognition, Hamlet fashions himself into a resilient warrior, whose ultimatum is to take revenge against the sins and surreptitiousness of the royal family.
After King Hamlet’s ghost makes an appearance, Hamlet gives himself an ultimatum on whether or not he should accept losing Denmark to Claudius.
Hamlet’s madness becomes apparent when he says, “if he do blench, / I know my course. The spirit that I have seen, / May be the devil,” (II.ii.625-628). Hamlet is unsure of what course he should take because the ghost’s identity and purpose in telling him to kill Claudius is unclear, but could also be the revenge he’s been pondering. The denotation of the word “bench” is a sudden, flinching movement out of fear or pain. In the context of the play, the connotation of “blench” signifies the determining factor in whether or not Hamlet has an adequate reason to kill Claudius. On one hand, if Claudius appears uncomfortable and suddenly flinches while watching the reenactment of King Hamlet’s death, then Hamlet knows who killed his father. On the other hand, if Claudius does not flinch, then Hamlet knows that the ghost was not truly his father’s ghost. When Claudius does in fact flinch, Hamlet fails to immediately take action because he isn’t sure if Claudius is afraid that he has been caught or that he is simply offended by the play and its acquisitions. Furthermore, the denotation of the word “devil” represents the chief evil spirit; Satan. The connotation of “devil” in the play symbolizes the worry and suspicion Hamlet has of the ghost’s reliability. Hamlet’s transition and initiative to want to take revenge on Claudius become apparent when he says, “a villain kills my father, and for that, / I, his sole son, do this same villain…” (III.iii.81-82). The denotation of the word “sole” means no one else. In the context of the play, the connotation of the word “sole” displays an entirely different meaning. Inherently, now that Hamlet justified who killed his father, it should be granted in his soul to kill Claudius for his father simply out of obedient to his father’s wants. Hamlet’s fashioning into a knight is illuminated through
the known qualities knights display. Knights evidently exhibit mercy through their willingness to take action against sins and wrongdoings. Despite Hamlet’s initial uncertainty, deciding that he wants to kill Claudius ultimately emphasizes his growth of virtue and mental strength.
After Hamlet kills Polonius with suspicion that it was Claudius, Hamlet’s desire to kill become more adamant. While discussing Polonius’s corpse, Hamlet says “when [Claudius] needs what you have / gleaned, it is but squeezing you, and, sponge you / shall be dry again” (IV.ii.19-20). Metaphorically comparing Rosencrantz to a “sponge” symbolizes Hamlet’s madness as it illuminates the foolishness of people who seek the approval of Claudius and not realizing that he is continuously using them for solely his benefit. Consequently, killing Polonius just caused more harm to Hamlet because of Ophelia’s reaction to her father’s death, which ultimately lead to her madness and later death. When Claudius says, “O my dear Gertrude, this, / Like to a murdering piece, in many places / Gives me superfluous death.” (IV.v.101-103). Claudius is fearful in the sense that due to the lack of evidence, he will become associated with the deaths of two innocent people, King Hamlet and Polonius. The denotation of the word “superfluous” represents an action that is unnecessary. In the context of the play, the connotation of “superfluous” represents Claudius’s trying to associate his sins with Polonius’s death rather than King Hamlet’s. If Claudius associates with Polonius’s death, then there is no justifiable reason for death since he didn’t kill Polonius and would be used as a coverup to hide the actual convicted murder of King Hamlet. Hamlet’s indecision and inaction is what leads to more deaths than intended through the course of the play. In the end, Hamlet fashions himself into a knight as a result of his intense sacrifice. Not only did Hamlet has to endure the loss of his father, but as a result of his inaction, he directly caused the deaths of Polonius, Laertes, Gertrude, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. Hamlet also was allusively involved in the deaths of his star crossed lover Ophelia and Gertrude. It is important to consider that if Hamlet stood his ground and killed Claudius then he would have regained his kingdom, Ophelia wouldn’t have gone insane, and they would have become the next king and queen of Denmark.