Hamlet World Essay Example For Students

Hamlet World Essay In having to enter and act in the world of his uncle, Hamlet himself becomes anunwilling creature of that world. When he chooses to obey the ghosts commandand revenge his father, Hamlet accepts the inevitability that he must becomepart of Denmarks unweeded garden. As the ripple of originalvengeful intent widens and Hamlet is slowly but surely entangled in Claudiusbrutal world through his madness, his murders, his plots, his relationship withother characters and his revelations on life and more importantly, death. Evenbefore the ghost urges Hamlet to avenge his death, Hamlet teeters on the edge ofhis uncles brutal world. Whilst never evil in intent Hamlet is simply one ofthe finest tragic heroes. Caught between his agony of mind and indecisionHamlets nature is neither treacherous like Claudius nor rash like Laertes. This combination of values carries only tragedy when one such as Hamlet sufferssuch a fate as he did. Prior to his dead fathers prompting, Hamlet is alreadydevoured by melancholy over the loss of Old Hamlet and his mothers oerhasty marriage to Claudius. This suggests that Hamlet was alreadyinexorably linked to his Uncles brutal world. It is not, nor it cannotcome to good. (Act1, Scene2) Hamlet also feels jealousy towards his motheras their relationship goes beyond that of a normal parent/child relationship. Whilst perhaps not sexual, their mere fifteen years age difference has enclosedthem in a very close-knit co-dependant affair. You are the Queen, yourhusbands brothers wife, And, would it not so, you are my mother. (Act3,Scene4) This jealousy and hatred Hamlet feels is close to pushing him over theedge, so when the Ghost commands revenge Hamlet has already positioned himselfat the starting line ready to begin his descent into Denmarks brutal court. Hamlets acceptance of the task of revenge, even if somewhat reluctant, is thekey to entering Claudius world. Revenge in any context is morally wrong. Hamlethimself realises this and is aware that the deeds he is charged to commit cannever bring about good, yet he knows he must complete them. O, cursedspite, That ever I was born to set it right. (Act2, Scene1) Hamletsintent to revenge his fathers murder dooms him from the start because of hiswish to catch Claudius where bystanders may also be witness to his guilt,therefore turning Hamlet from an assassin to an executioner. Although Hamletdoes get his wish the price he pays is far too dear, perhaps however the deathof those eight people was the only solution to correct the times that wereout of joint. Some may say that the end justifies the means butHamlet does become an unwilling creature of Claudius world because as theoriginal seed of revenge took root Hamlet could do nothing but let it grow. Hamlets plots to catch Claudius centre on his will to find out whether or notthe apparition he witnessed was telling the truth. In Shakespeares time a ghostwas often regarded as a misleading spirit so in this way Hamletsprocrastination coupled with his conscience makes it understandable that he doesnot act quickly. The Mousetrap, the metatheatre used within the play is Hamletsmost cunning scheme. This shows us the treachery which Hamlet is capable of, instark contrast to his almost jovial mood at the thought of revenge on Claudius. This orchestration of a play paralleling the murder and incest his unclecommits, shows us how Hamlet has become part of the diseased world shown on thestage. The plays the thing, Wherein Ill catch the conscience of theKing. (Act2, Scene2) We see in Hamlet a drastic change with the arrival ofthe players. His mood lightens considerably and there is a hint that this mayhave been more like the prince of Denmark before his fathers murder. However,within this jovial and perhaps slightly too good-natured behaviour we seeHamlets underlying malaise he needs to prove his uncles guilt. Had hethe motive and cue for passion, That I have? (Act2, Scene2) This causeshis manner becomes vicious, paralleling with his existence in Claudius world. The Mousetrap catches its prey just as Hamlet intends but instead of finishingit there, Claudius is allowed to escape. Many view this as Hamlets mostgrievous fault, in fact it is his saving grace. To have struck down hisunknowing uncle on his knees in prayer would have turned Hamlet from righteousassassin to conscienceless villain. To murder Claudius then, Hamlet would havehad to go from being part of Denmarks devious world to believing in its idealsand ultimately no longer just act in it but actively belong to it. Avillain kills my father, and for that I, his sole son, do this same villain sendto heaven. (Act3, Scene3) Hamlet is never a fully corrupt party but he hasto become creature as a matter of survival. Hamlets madness is one of hisstrongest links to his uncles unweeded garden. There are manyopinions on the nature of Hamlets madness, if it was real and what it wascaused by. Whilst we can never be certain of Shakespeares aim it seems mostlikely that Hamlets madness was feigned in part, as a way for Hamlet to enterand deal with the dark, impassive world of Denmark. At times, especially in thepresence of the two women in his life, Hamlet seems to have a true vein ofmadness running through his character, brought on by despair, hatred orjealousy. Perhaps Hamlet simply becomes neurotic rather than psychotic. It isclearly shown, however, that Hamlet is aware he must put on an anticdisposition before he tries to take his revenge. It seems that this is hisway of preparing himself to deal with his Uncles brutal world. In Act Three,Scene Four Hamlets manic conversation with his mother does at times bring himclose to madness through his mad rage this in turn causes him to lose his normalself-control, stabbing Polonious believing it to be his uncle. Nay, I knownot. Is it the King? (Act3, Scene4) This is one of the only times whenHamlets feigned madness oversteps the boundary to something far more serious. Television and Media - TV Violence and the V EssayHis soliloquised line spoken just before their meeting Oh what a noblemind is here oerthrown (Act3, Scene1) could be fairly applied to Opheliaoverthrown by Hamlets hand. Hamlets continued mistreatment of her coupled withher father Polonius death, by his hand, cause Ophelia to go mad and drown,perhaps in suicide whilst Hamlet is on his way to England. To blame Hamletentirely for Ophelias death would be unfair but as surely as Ophelia madlyhanded out her herbs Hamlet strangled them within the garden of weeds. Neverintentionally did our tragic hero mean to cause those he loved harm but in hisquest for revenge all were entwined in the dark garden of Denmark. Throughoutthe play, as Hamlet sinks deeper into the brutal world of his Uncle, heexperiences revelations on life and consequently death that he would never hadcome by had he not entered into the brutal world. In Act 4, Scene5 Hamlet isamazed by what little a mans life can count for and how quickly it is lost indeath. He taunts the King about Polonius whereabouts while talking about thedegradation that comes equally with death. Nothing but to show you how aking may go a progress through the guts of a beggar. Act 5, Scene1; theinfamous grave scene Hamlet is shaken with the morbid fascination of finding theskull of his fathers jester. Apon finding this abhorring thing coupled with thelighheartedness that the grave-digger displays causes Hamlet to contemplate thetragedy that that earth which kept the world in awe should patch a walltexpel the winters flaw! Hamlet becomes increasingly disturbed throughoutthe play by the idea that life is but a mere prelude to death, which in turn isforgotten. Without becoming a creature of Claudius world Hamlet could havenever have come to such baneful conclusions. Through his madness, his murders,his plots his relationships with other character and his discoveries about lifeand death, Hamlet becomes inevitably part of his uncles brutal world. Eventhough he may never have been inclined to enter, his acceptance that he must toachieve his revenge proves that however unwilling Hamlet did indeed become acreature of the unweeded garden, that grows to seed.