Entrapment - In William Shakespeares play, Hamlet, show the development of a character that is trapped by serious predicaments.

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Angelina Baker

September 23, 2007

William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet, show the development of a character that is “trapped” by serious predicaments.  Hamlet, the son of the late King Hamlet, is trapped by the grief of his father’s death. He is perplexed as to how to accept the ways things currently are. His reactions are impulsive at time, and thought out at others. He has to deal with emotions of sorrow, anger, love, and perhaps even insanity, all at once.

 In the beginning of the play, Hamlet ponders with the idea of suicide. He can not figure out which way of life, or lack there of, would be worse. While, talking to himself, he gives the famous “to be, or not to be” speech, in which he weighs out which is worst.

To be, or not to be? That is the question-

Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And, by opposing, end them?

His father has appeared to him as a ghost, telling Hamlet to seek revenge against his father’s killer. Claudius is King Hamlet’s brother. He took his place as king by marrying the Queen Gertrude. Claudius put poison into the King’s ear, making it appear as if a snake had bitten him. Hamlet now becomes stuck as what he should do next. He longs to heed what his father has commanded him to do. However, he is aware that is he kills King Claudius, he will go to Hell. If he tries to escape the situation he is in by taking his life, he will also go straight to Hell. Hamlet procrastinates his decision until the last act of the play. It is not until he himself is faced with death that he stabs Claudius. Perhaps he waits until the last second because he is caught in the trap between acting moral and pleasing his father.

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Impulsive behavior is something else that Hamlet struggles with. Hamlet hears someone listening to his conversation between him and his mother. He strikes his sword and kills Polonius, the king’s chamberlain. He does not seem bothered by this at all.  There is reason to believe that hamlet thought he was killing King Claudius. However, he had just seen Claudius praying to God, asking for forgiveness. Hamlet decided to wait until he caught Claudius doing something sinful, where he would have no time to ask for forgiveness. Hamlet could just be making up excuses, for he is indecisive as to what ...

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