Shakespeare 's Hamlet stars an introspective Danish prince of the same name, who embarks on a mission to avenge his father 's death after the former king 's ghost appears to him in the night and reveals that the former king was killed by his brother, Hamlet 's uncle Claudius, who has now inherited the throne and married the prince 's mother. The revelation of his father 's murder at the hands of his uncle opens Hamlet 's eyes to the corruption in the royal court, prompting him to question the very nature of humanity. The prince feigns madness to shift suspicion away from himself as he plans to reveal Claudius 's guilt and take revenge. However, a rash act results in a courtier dying at Hamlet 's hand instead of Claudius, which sets off a
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He acts either directly and irrationally, indirectly and rationally, or not at all. Rather than confronting Claudius about his crime, Hamlet writes a speech, inserts it into a play, puts on the play, and uses it to try to reveal a sign of Claudius 's guilt. We can consider this an act of reason, to get observable proof of guilt rather than trusting the word of a ghost. However, we can also see it as both an elaborate stalling tactic and a more deceptive way of drawing out the murderer. As he formulates this plan, Hamlet curses that he "must, like a whore, unpack [his] heart with words / And fall a-cursing like a very drab / A stallion!" (2.2.614-616). He seems to recognize and resent the dishonorable, and possibly womanly, way he is proceeding with his revenge. However, Hamlet employs deceptive and indirect action again in his dealings with Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, whom he suspects of deceiving him in return. Unlike Polonius 's death, Hamlet 's murder of his schoolmates is not a heated, impulsive act. During his conversation in Gertrude 's chambers, Hamlet reveals that he knows of the letter that they received from Claudius and that he is suspicious of its contents (3.4.225-228). He then sneaks the letter away in the night to open it and write his replacement letter, which sentences the two to death. …show more content…
Hamlet does not mention his father or that Claudius killed the former king. Since he does not reveal Claudius 's fratricide before his death, Hamlet fails in one of his aims. To completely satisfy his mission, Hamlet has to reveal that Claudius committed a crime, then take revenge and kill him. Otherwise, no one knows that Hamlet 's actions are justified. Instead, he focuses on the immediate crime: the death of his mother. Laertes reveals that Claudius responsible for the poison in the cup and on the blade, after which Hamlet stabs his uncle with the poisoned sword. This prompts the witnesses to accuse Hamlet of treason; his hasty and heated response provides no time for Hamlet to justify himself to the court. Instead of explaining himself, he uses the time he has left to ensure Claudius 's death by forcing him to drink the remainder of the poison that killed Gertrude and saying, "Follow my mother" (5.2.358). In doing this, he declares vengeance for his mother, but not directly for his father. Instead, before he dies, Hamlet transfers the burden of revealing Claudius 's guilt onto Horatio so that his father 's task will be
He acts either directly and irrationally, indirectly and rationally, or not at all. Rather than confronting Claudius about his crime, Hamlet writes a speech, inserts it into a play, puts on the play, and uses it to try to reveal a sign of Claudius 's guilt. We can consider this an act of reason, to get observable proof of guilt rather than trusting the word of a ghost. However, we can also see it as both an elaborate stalling tactic and a more deceptive way of drawing out the murderer. As he formulates this plan, Hamlet curses that he "must, like a whore, unpack [his] heart with words / And fall a-cursing like a very drab / A stallion!" (2.2.614-616). He seems to recognize and resent the dishonorable, and possibly womanly, way he is proceeding with his revenge. However, Hamlet employs deceptive and indirect action again in his dealings with Guildenstern and Rosencrantz, whom he suspects of deceiving him in return. Unlike Polonius 's death, Hamlet 's murder of his schoolmates is not a heated, impulsive act. During his conversation in Gertrude 's chambers, Hamlet reveals that he knows of the letter that they received from Claudius and that he is suspicious of its contents (3.4.225-228). He then sneaks the letter away in the night to open it and write his replacement letter, which sentences the two to death. …show more content…
Hamlet does not mention his father or that Claudius killed the former king. Since he does not reveal Claudius 's fratricide before his death, Hamlet fails in one of his aims. To completely satisfy his mission, Hamlet has to reveal that Claudius committed a crime, then take revenge and kill him. Otherwise, no one knows that Hamlet 's actions are justified. Instead, he focuses on the immediate crime: the death of his mother. Laertes reveals that Claudius responsible for the poison in the cup and on the blade, after which Hamlet stabs his uncle with the poisoned sword. This prompts the witnesses to accuse Hamlet of treason; his hasty and heated response provides no time for Hamlet to justify himself to the court. Instead of explaining himself, he uses the time he has left to ensure Claudius 's death by forcing him to drink the remainder of the poison that killed Gertrude and saying, "Follow my mother" (5.2.358). In doing this, he declares vengeance for his mother, but not directly for his father. Instead, before he dies, Hamlet transfers the burden of revealing Claudius 's guilt onto Horatio so that his father 's task will be