The Morality Of Hamle Hamlet And His Father's Killing Claudius

“Perhaps the single most debated question about Hamlet is ‘why does it take him so long to avenge his father’s murder?’” (Evelyn O’Connor 1). In Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the titular character delays murdering Claudius, thus allowing many of the events in the play to transpire. It is Hamlet who initially points out the delay, and it continues to be a major part of the play throughout. The question remains, however, as to why it takes him so long to kill Claudius. Perhaps he is procrastinating, perhaps he has morals and does not wish to stoop so low as to murder someone, perhaps it is a flaw in his character, or perhaps outside obstacles hinder him. Since Hamlet mentions his own delay in killing Claudius, one can infer that the delay is not caused by external factors, but rather by something that has to do with his character. Therefore, it is Hamlet’s personality, his determination for justice, and his religious beliefs and morality that cause him to put off murdering his uncle. …show more content…
He wants things to be thorough before he does them, ensuring he makes as little error as possible. It makes sense, then, that he is skeptical of his father’s ghost in the beginning of the play. It seems far-fetched that his father’s ghost would show up, tell Hamlet that he was murdered by his own brother, and proceed to order Hamlet to take revenge. However, Hamlet is smart; he waits patiently and mulls this over. He feigns insanity to keep others away from him and even devises a brilliant plan to unveil Claudius’s guilt. Hamlet orders an acting troupe to put on a performance adhering to his guidelines. The finished product, The Murder of Gonzago, is about a well-liked king being murdered by his evil and cunning brother. The play is meant to parallel King Hamlet’s murder by Claudius, and if Claudius showed any sign of guilt, Hamlet would then have proof that what the ghost said was