Self Criticism Of Hamlet

Since the audience is paying more attention to Hamlet himself, a deeper concern emerges from Hamlet’s self-criticism. The audience has already been made aware of the fact the Hamlet’s life does not revolve around power, politics, or money. Therefore, Hamlet begins debating the meaning of life itself. Although Hamlet remains suicidal throughout the entire play, his main problem evolves into the failing relationships surrounding him. His existentialist view portrays that to live a life of purpose is to maintain good ties with others and to uphold social values. Unfortunately, when Hamlet puts on his crazy act, his most dear relationships suffer a great demise. The aforementioned identity crisis now becomes part of the complex problem involving …show more content…
The fact that Hamlet does not have a royal and ruling mindset has already been established. However, it is apparent that Hamlet desires the qualities of a ruler to be able to take action when necessary. At the same time, Polonius forbids Ophelia to be with Hamlet under the circumstance that he is a royal and will always have to put matters of state before love (1.3.115-135). The irony in this is clear: Polonius is assuming that Hamlet has royal duties to fulfil, while Hamlet only wants the characteristics of a ruler and can’t actually be one. At the end of the day, however, Hamlet does not know why Ophelia is cutting him off. Although suspecting Polonius’ hand in the matter, Hamlet deems Ophelia’s actions as betrayal. He proceeds in screaming at Ophelia that she can only “marry a fool, for wise men know well / enough what monsters [she] make[s] of them” (3.1.139-140). Ophelia is one of Hamlet’s heavier anchors to this world, and with that chain being cut, Hamlet gets pulled further away from coast. He is losing his sense of …show more content…
Ophelia was a person that he truly loved and now she is gone; the event changes his mindset completely, as Hamlet realizes that people do not matter because they will die anyways. In his contemplation of life, Hamlet tells Horatio about the “special providence in the fall of a sparrow” (5.2.207-211). The story’s true message is talking about Hamlet’s own fate and it is a very important turning point in Hamlet’s perspective about his entire life. He talks about the fact that if he does not die today, then it will be tomorrow. In his previous existential outbursts, Hamlet reveals that he sees no fun in life, no beauty, and the whole world seems foul and sterile (2.2.285-305). His world is an “unweeded garden” filled with “things rank and gross in nature” (1.2.135-136). Therefore, the speech about the sparrow becomes vital in understanding Hamlet’s way of thinking: he finally accepts death. Previously, Hamlet wished he could die, but then realized that he is afraid of the “undiscovered country” after death; he is afraid of the dreams the “sleep of death” might bring (3.1.67-80). However, Ophelia has died, all of Hamlet’s important relationships are over, and there is nothing to live for. Hamlet also comes to the conclusion that everybody comes to a state of dust and dirt eventually, even the imperious Caesar and Alexander the Great (5.1.181-196). From ashes to ashes and dust to dust, the