Hamlet Decision Making Essay

Through despair and turmoil, Hamlet has prevailed as a character who, despite his indecisiveness, was able to persevere and retain his determination to avenge his father’s death. At first sight, his actions, or more accurately his inactions, do not seem to support this. However, a closer look at the driving forces behind Hamlet’s decision-making reveals the fog of self-doubt which clouds his ability to think clearly. Nevertheless, it does not imply that this fazes Hamlet’s determination. In fact, his intense determination he first had after his vow, “with wings as swift as meditation or the thoughts of love, may sweep to my revenge.”, remained till the very end. From his extravagant plans to his breakdowns during his soliloquy, each instance has …show more content…
An internal struggle with oneself is not a comfortable situation to be in. When two driving forces which oppose each other clash, clarity is lost and making definitive decisions becomes difficult. This is the reality for Hamlet. When the ghost sought Hamlet to avenge his murder, it has effectively ordered Hamlet to make a choice which goes against his conscience. His set of morals contradicted the commands of the ghost, and this results in the inaction Hamlet knows all too well; it casted a persistent burden of self-doubt carries with Hamlet throughout the rest of the play. His hesitation to kill Claudius in the most opportunistic times reflects upon this. Whenever he overcomes the morals which hold him back, unfortunate timing suppresses his