At various times Hamlet has been seen by critics as a sensitive poet unable to endure the cruel pressures of the world, a man driven by sexual desire for his mother and a man resisting the corrupt political regime in which he lives, which would be your in

Hamlet

Question: At various times Hamlet has been seen by critics as a sensitive poet unable to endure the cruel pressures of the world, a man driven by sexual desire for his mother and a man resisting the corrupt political regime in which he lives, which would be your interpretation of the presentation of Hamlet and why?

Hamlet was written in 1602 by William Shakespeare and is the longest play he had written. The play is based on a troubled young prince of Norway. The conventions within the play make it a revenge tragedy. The main conventions captured are the ghost calling for revenge and Hamlet being the revenger, Hamlet being the central and sympathetic character drawn by madness, the play within a play revealing aspects of the murder and innocent killings. The play was written in the later Elizabethan period, which was a time of political confrontation. This could incline that the aspects of corruption within the play may have been to represent the opinions of William Shakespeare on his own countries problems.

Hamlet can be seen as a sensitive poet when he talks about the differences between life and death poetically in his soliloquies. When he says: “To be, or not to be.” (Act3, sc1, L.56) he is becoming very emotional because he is questioning whether “to live or to die.” His sensitiveness is shown when he says: “By a sleep to say we end the heartache.” (Act3, sc1, L.61-62) this shows his troubled state of mind, which brings him to question whether to go on living with his problems or leave them and die peacefully. His constant uses of metaphor reveals him as a sensitive poet for they are towards the people he cares for: “So loving to my mother that he might not beteem the winds of heave visit her face too roughly.” (Act1, sc2, L.140-142) This shows his true love and affection, and also: “Purpose is but the slave to memory,” which is an ironic remark on his delayed revenge. A clearer idea on how Hamlet is revealed as a sensitive poet comes from the book ‘Hamlet Closely Observed’ by Martin Dodsworth. It is when Hamlet has a falling out with Ophelia: “The whole display is so evidently a means himself from his own inability to the demands laid upon him by the ghost.” (Page 142) This quote is saying Hamlet is drawn to falling out with Ophelia because he is under stress whether he should kill Claudius or not. His sensitiveness can be seen when he realises he is not mentally able to kill Claudius when he has the opportunity while he is praying: “Why, this is hire and salary, not revenge.” (Act3, sc3, L.79) He can also be seen as a sensitive poet for making up excuses for not taking the chances to kill Claudius, for example when Claudius is praying Hamlet decides not to kill him for he feels justice will not be done for Claudius will go to heaven and he will go to hell: “And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven?” (Act3, sc3, L.82) Although this shows Hamlet feels that justice will not be done this can be argued that Hamlet is revealed as a sensitive poet as he feels sympathetic towards Claudius for he feels it is wrong and cowardly to take a persons life while they are confessing their sins.

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Hamlet’s sexual desire for his mother can be seen through several different aspects. The main aspect is Gertrude having, what can be seen as, an incestuous relationship with Claudius so soon after the death of Hamlet’s father. During the play scene Gertrude has asked Hamlet to sit next to her, he replies: “No, good mother, here’s metal more attractive.” (Act3, sc2, L.119) This suggests that he is using an ironic comment to make Gertrude aware that he is angry with her. However, it can be argued that Hamlet is hinting he is jealous of Claudius because he may have already been attracted to his mother and is now angry for he is really saying, “you prefer other men to me.” The second aspect would be when Hamlet has been called to Gertrude’s bedroom, which leads him to talk about his mother’s sex life: “In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed-honeying and making love.” (Act3, sc4, L.94-95) This shows that he feels that she is sleeping with the wrong man and that he is angry with his mother because he is so resentful of Claudius. However, it can be argued that there is a sign of sexual attraction because this quote could also point to the fact that people who speak sexually to another person are usually the person they are attracted too. The childhood desire to sleep with the mother and to kill the father is a theory of Sigmund Freud’s called the Oedipus complex. From Freud’s theory of the Oedipus complex, he believed: “The fathers threat of castration will make the boy repress his desires for his mother and instead use his father as a ‘role model’ ”. Hamlet may of already had hidden desires for his mother and because he praises his father so highly it shows that he sees his father as a role model. However, it can be argued that this quote suggests Hamlet’s father’s death is the reason for Hamlet to try and take advantage of his mother, and because Claudius is not his real father Hamlet sees him as a possible enemy. This is also shown when Hamlet learns that his uncle has murdered his father; he no longer has feelings for Ophelia. Instead Hamlet’s desires for his mother begin to show at the same time he is planning to get revenge on his uncle.

Hamlet’s resistance to the corrupt politic regime is also shown when he speaks about his father and Claudius. When Hamlet says: “Almost as bad, good mother, as kill a king and marry with his father.” (Act3, sc4, L.29-30) It shows that Hamlet is disappointed with Gertrude for having an incestuous relationship with Claudius to keep her power as queen. He later praises his father and rates his leadership highly: “Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself, an eye like Mars, to threaten and command.” (Act3, sc4, L.57-58) Here he is referring his father to be as great as gods. Hamlet feels that suggests that he feels Gertrude and Claudius are corrupt leaders for their leadership is not like his father’s was, so there for the whole country is being lead to corruption. This is shown near the beginning of the play when Polonius, who was once the chief advisor to Hamlet’s father, has immediately offered his allegiances to Claudius. Hamlet’s resistance to the corrupt regime is shown when he speaks to Polonius and insults him: “Excellent well. You’re are a fishmonger.” (Act2, sc2, L.74) Although Hamlet knows Polonius used to be his fathers chief advisor his resistance to the regime for Hamlet is saying: “Oh you were that person sold fish on a stall in the street,” this shows Hamlet’s resistance for he feels that people who serve the regime are people not worth remembering. Hamlet also feels that his surroundings are also corrupt, when he says: “Denmark’s a prison” (Act2, sc2, L.243) It gives the audience an understand of the corruptness going on in Hamlet’s life and he feels he is the only innocent person in the royal court. However Hamlet can also be seen as: “In this century is has become commonplace to think of Hamlet as a source of corruption, as well as someone who is infected by it.” ‘Hamlet Closely Observed’ Martin Dodsworth, (Page 139) Hamlet can be a source of corruption from insulting people inside the regime for instance, plotting to kill the leader of the regime and also verbally insulting his mother. However, it can be argued that Hamlet is merely fighting against the corruption of Claudius for killing his father and of Gertrude for remarrying so soon after her late husbands death. In Shakespeare’s time, marriage was a sacred and religious bond and Hamlet feels Gertrude is corrupt for not weeping for his father: “Mother, you have my father much offended.” (Act3, sc4, L.11) The ghost’s commandment leads Hamlet to believe that his uncle murdered his father: “The serpent that did sting thy fathers life, now wears his crown.” (Act1, sc5, L.38-39) Claudius later reveals that he did kill Hamlet’s father to become king: “Of those effects for which I did the murder, my crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.” (Act3, sc3, L.54-55) This shows the corruption in the regime because the current leader had to murder for his position. When Hamlet says: “So uncle, there you are – it is adieu – I have sworn’t.” (Act1, sc5, L.110-112) It shows Hamlet’s resistance to the corruption by swearing revenge on Claudius for murdering his father and bringing corruption to the regime.

Through the opinions and arguments it is fair to say Hamlet is more of a sensitive poet rather than a man driven by sexual desire for his mother or a man resisting the corruption in the regime. This is because from the conventions of a revenge tragedy it is most likely Hamlet would of already been a noble person before being driven to madness and seeking revenge for the murder of his father. The most positive opinions on Hamlet see him as more of a noble and wellborn person and a man who would rather not kill people if he didn’t have to.