That being said, we've been dealing with a really wacky dude for the past month and a half. Should Hamlet commit suicide or face the awful reality of the present? Should he believe the Ghost who says he is Hamlet's father or put his faith in his step father and loving mother?
Finally Hamlet has the opportunity to take his revenge on his uncle yet he fails to do so!!! What?!! The play would be over and we could be rid of this awful Shakespeare mess...come'on man! Get a spine and push that sword into Claudius' milky neck while you have the chance!
Or, is there a greater purpose behind Hamlet's reluctance to murder his uncle?
Here's your prompt for this blog: Where does the reluctance Hamlet feels towards killing his uncle come from? Is it reasonable or silly? What does his reluctance say about what's going on inside Hamlet's head and his self examination? Finally, what do you think Shakespeare wants us to learn from this inability and ultimate delay in taking Hamlet's revenge?
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| Hamlet's great delay...what's the deal dude?!! |
Blog Eval (for future reference):
- Knowledge of the basic themes and plot
- Inquiry: specific evidence from play to support point
- Communication: clarity, quality of writing (this can be informal!)
- Application: ability to connect the meaning of the scene to the outside world or to one's self
I think Hamlet feels as though he is in a pickle and therefore can't act upon his dad's request to kill his uncle. I believe Hamlet is torn between what is father is telling him (loyalty to his father) and what he thinks is right. I think he overanalyses the situation and can't make up his mind about killing Claudius. After presenting a play to Claudius that is similar to the murder of King Hamlet, Claudius breaks down and Hamlet is convinced that the ghost told him the truth, but he still doesn't seem to be able to kill Claudius. I think his reluctance is reasonable considering he is depressed and slightly insane. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to get revenge, but I understand why he can't. The reluctance of Hamlet tells us a lot about his character. He is a person that thinks a lot and self-evaluates his actions and thoughts. Although he wants to get revenge, he thinks about his mom and the fact that he would have killed Claudius in a holy place. He could also fear sharing the same fate as his uncle - a murderer. I think sometimes hes on the verge of killing him, which explains why he stabbed Polonius - he acted on his impulses - and sometimes he tries to be rationale. I think Shakespeare is trying to show us that in life it is important to really think about big decisions and how they affect you and people around you.
ReplyDeleteP.S: I don't know how to put a picture and a hyperlink!!!