Hamlet Violence Analysis

The physical and psychological violence overlap throughout Hamlet and nearly all acts of violence revolve around the main character Hamlet. After Hamlet violently plunges his sword through the curtain in Gertrude’s chamber and kills Polonius the play undergoes a crucial turning point. Previous to Polonius’ murder, Hamlet, despite his many opportunities, only lashed out emotionally. However, as the scenes following the death of Polonius show, Hamlet turns away from inflicting emotional pain and turns to physical violence. Hamlet is therefore caught in a perpetual cycle of violence that is inescapable following the murder of Polonius. He acknowledges that the only escape from this cycle of violence is through death, a notion Ophelia similarly …show more content…
The violent attacks on Ophelia’s psychological wellbeing from those whom she has the right to deem her protectors lead to her demise. Arguably the most vicious psychological attack on Ophelia the way Hamlet silences, degrades, and dismisses her. Hamlet acts out when Ophelia attempts to give him back “remembrances” (3.1.100) that he hath given her, and he dismisses her by telling her to “get thee to a nunnery” (3.1.127). Hamlet’s behaviour toward Ophelia throughout their conversation is telling of his mental state. When he first sees her, he proclaims: “The fair Ophelia. –Nymph, in thy orisons / Be all my sins remembered,” and so one may argue that Hamlet is pleased to see her (3.1.95-96). “Nymph” is defined as a beautiful woman, indicating nothing but love and affection, and “orisons,” meaning prayers, also do not suggest any hostility towards her. Finally, “be all my sins remembered” may simply indicate a wish to be in her prayers, and an acknowledgement that he has sinned –another recurring theme throughout the play. Upon the return of certain mementos, however, Hamlet descends in to a state of hostility wherein he tells Ophelia: “I did love you once” (3.1.121-122) only to moments later tell her “I loved you not” (3.1.125). The emotional jabs that Hamlet delivers throughout the remainder of the scene are telling of …show more content…
Hamlet is upfront with the reader about all that is troubling him, and in the midst of his suicidal contemplations, his contemplation of life and death, he grants the reader an insight into the aspects of his life that have caused him to feel this way: “For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, / The oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s contumely, / The pangs of disprized love, the law’s delay, / The insolence of office and the spurns / That patient merit of the unworthy takes…” (3.1.76-80). He has offered an explanation of his madness, and whether his madness is an act or not, it arguably does not matter, as he is able to find the same liberation and truth in his madness that Ophelia is able to find in hers. Hamlet lashes out emotionally and physically throughout the play, and this may all be attributed to his mental state, and whether or not one chooses to believe his mind was truly poisoned with madness. There are countless examples throughout the play that suggest that Hamlet was obfuscating madness. Hamlet says to Horatio following his conversation with the ghost of the late King Hamlet that he “…perchance hereafter shall think meet / To put an antic disposition on” which contributes to the argument that Hamlet had not actually descended into madness. Arguably, Hamlet was never truly mad, but instead pretended he was mad in order to free himself from the confines