In the heart of Shakespeare's play, Hamlet seeks vengeance for his father's murder. His intelligence allows him to feign madness as a strategy to gather more information about his uncle Claudius. Despite his noble intentions and fearlessness towards death, Hamlet's journey is marred by tragic consequences.
Hamlet's famous soliloquy, "To be, or not to be: that is the question," encapsulates his internal struggle. Even after uncovering the harsh truth about his father's murder, Hamlet continues his pretense of madness and hesitates to kill Claudius. His indecisiveness, a significant flaw, is evident in his inability to marry his long-time love, Ophelia, and his continued status as a student in England despite his adulthood.
Hamlet's inability to move past his father's death and the haunting presence of his father's ghost is poignantly expressed in his words:
‘I have of late—but wherefore I know not--lost all my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises; and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory.’ (Act II, Scene II)
The audience's sympathy for Hamlet is evoked by his tragic circumstances. He is deeply affected by his father's sudden death and further pained by the revelation of the truth behind it. His mother's hasty remarriage following his father's funeral adds to his sorrow. These events prevent him from moving on, and all his actions are driven by his own free will. While Hamlet could have avoided his tragic end, his decisions, guided by his free will, inevitably lead him to it.
In conclusion, 'Hamlet' is a quintessential tragedy, embodying all the key elements of the genre. Hamlet, the protagonist, is intelligent, brave, and noble, eliciting sympathy from the audience. His tragedy is a combination of self-inflicted actions and circumstances beyond his control. His tragic flaw, indecisiveness, leads him to a sorrowful end that could have been avoided, making him a tragic hero.
For further reading on Hamlet's character, refer to The British Library's comprehensive analysis. For a deeper understanding of the play's tragic elements, The Shakespeare Resource Center provides a detailed breakdown.
Mediocre Performance in Elite Athletes: Coaching Strategies
Coache definition of efficiency and performance is performing and winning. They are forever asking questions which is more concerned in performance an...
Mediocre Performance in Elite Athletes: Long-term Benefits of Mental Preparation
Two of the world’s most influential people and leaders who constantly debate about EQ and IQ was Plato and Aristotle. The Roots and Branches of Psycho...
Athlete Strategies: Staying Focus and Monitoring Feelings
Meditation is a crucial part of the yoga practice. According to a preliminary study by Lazar S. et al (2005), the practice of meditation results to an...
