In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet attempts to kill his uncle to avenge the murder of his father. While Hamlet passionately attempts to murder Claudius, he remains driven by a force to cause as much pain as possible. He therefore requires proof of his uncle’s wrongdoing, and thinks through situations before deciding if it is proper time to execute his murderous plan. Hamlet’s overall goal is to kill Claudius and avenge his father’s death, which he accomplishes by staying determined and thinking logically.
As part of Hamlet’s goal to kill Claudius, he decides to feign madness so other characters cannot read his actual motives. During a conversation with a ghost of his deceased father, Hamlet learns of Claudius’ selfish and power hungry actions. Hamlet immediately grows determined to kill Claudius, so he develops the beginnings of his plan by vowing to act abnormal and appear mad (1.5). He thinks farther beyond his immediate goal, and believes that by acting odd, Gertrude and Claudius will not be able to read Hamlet’s murderous intention.a In an attempt to mask his true thoughts, Hamlet immediately sets the scene for a long term plan which he can think through as time progresses. Through acting cautiously and thinking ahead to future events, he takes small steps to achieve his overall goal of killing …show more content…
Hamlet instructs a group of travelling actors to portray a murder similar to that of King Hamlet so he and Horatio can judge Claudius’ reaction and “catch the conscience of the king” (2.2.617). By enacting this step of his plan, Hamlet truly checks to make sure he acts reasonably before actually murdering his uncle. Although Hamlet despises Claudius at this point, he still gives his uncle a chance to prove himself. He seeks a route that is both fair and efficient since he proves able to think practically while remaining
As part of Hamlet’s goal to kill Claudius, he decides to feign madness so other characters cannot read his actual motives. During a conversation with a ghost of his deceased father, Hamlet learns of Claudius’ selfish and power hungry actions. Hamlet immediately grows determined to kill Claudius, so he develops the beginnings of his plan by vowing to act abnormal and appear mad (1.5). He thinks farther beyond his immediate goal, and believes that by acting odd, Gertrude and Claudius will not be able to read Hamlet’s murderous intention.a In an attempt to mask his true thoughts, Hamlet immediately sets the scene for a long term plan which he can think through as time progresses. Through acting cautiously and thinking ahead to future events, he takes small steps to achieve his overall goal of killing …show more content…
Hamlet instructs a group of travelling actors to portray a murder similar to that of King Hamlet so he and Horatio can judge Claudius’ reaction and “catch the conscience of the king” (2.2.617). By enacting this step of his plan, Hamlet truly checks to make sure he acts reasonably before actually murdering his uncle. Although Hamlet despises Claudius at this point, he still gives his uncle a chance to prove himself. He seeks a route that is both fair and efficient since he proves able to think practically while remaining