Andrew Dennis 12B
Hamlet
The tragedy of Hamlet is not a fatal flaw in the character of the prince. He is simply ill-suited to the role he must play.
Discuss.
Though we do see a Hamlet who is integral, intelligent and loved by the masses it is clear that Hamlet is most unquestionably not without flaw. We are seen through his interaction with Ophelia and his mother that Hamlet can be almost maliciously cruel. By no means can any of these failings be described as a ‘fatal flaw’. What truly gives Hamlet his sense of integrity and what genuinely makes his story a tragedy is that he is obviously ill-suited to the role in which he must commit. What makes Hamlet different to characters such as Laertes, Fortinbras and even Claudius is that he almost over-intellectualizes every action he takes. He is reflective when others are impetuous; he is hesitant when they would be rash. And even though Hamlet might see it as a flaw, he is tentative when others would be bloody, hate-filled and resolute. Above all though, Hamlet is an extremely moral person. He is decent when all others around him are scheming.
Hamlet’s suffering unveils itself to us very early on in the play. In fact when we first see Hamlet in the court scene he gives us an impression of his anguish. Hamlet reveals that his melancholy state of mind is brought about by a number of things. Firstly Hamlet, being an openly, but not impertinently, ambitious man, is bothered by the fact that he, being the son of the King, was swindled out of the throne by his father’s brother, Claudius. Though this is not an extremely important issue in the play, it does add to the apparent deceitful and cruel nature of Claudius having cheated his nephew out of his rightful place on the throne after having just lost his father. The second burden for Hamlet is the death of his father. Obviously for any son the death of a father is a traumatic experience but for Hamlet, as he reveals to us later, there are some perceptive suspicions Hamlet’s “prophetic soul” have about his father’s death concerning Claudius. Undoubtedly this adds to Hamlet’s mistrust and general hatred for Claudius. Finally though Hamlet is deeply hurt and outraged at his mother’s impetuous remarriage to her late husband’s brother, Claudius. Hamlet is furiously frustrated with the public shows of affection between Gertrude and Claudius. Like any son seeing his mother exhibiting any kind of sexual tendencies Hamlet is disgusted. Hamlet is livid about his mother’s loyalty and obedience to Claudius. Most of all though Hamlet is fuming over his mother’s easily changed heart and how ridiculously quickly she is able to come to terms with her husband’s so recent death. It becomes obvious later on that this possibly the biggest burden on Hamlet’s conscience.
