Hamlet's Motive

Hamlet has long-been associated with the name of William Shakespeare as a masterful work of literary art. It is one of the most debated, celebrated and studied pieces of all time; a marvel of showmanship from one of the most famous authors to ever pick up the elegant pen of words. Those who have read the drama often marvel at the complexity of Hamlet himself, and debate his hesitancy of action throughout the tragedyвЂ"namely, the supposed murder of Claudius which he вЂ?must’ commit. While many scholars agree on Hamlet’s reasons for delay, critics have yet to narrow their thoughts on Hamlet’s overlying motive: why does behave the way he does? More importantly, what were Shakespeare’s motives in portraying Hamlet the way he ultimately does? Hamlet’s hesitation is not the most convoluted and interesting of the subjects; his rationale of purpose is what drives the entire work to be the complex enigma that it still is, to this day.

To begin with, many scholars have suggested that Hamlet’s motives directly correlate to Shakespeare’s own life and experiences. With such an intricate work of literature, it is easily assumed that “anything which will give us the key to the inner meaning of Hamlet will necessarily provide a clue to much of the deeper workings of Shakespeare’s mind” (Jones 25). While this may be true, one cannot necessarily assume that unlocking Hamlet’s motives and frame of mind will bring us closer to William Shakespeare, as a person and personality. Rather, it is safe to say that in exploring Hamlet’s intentions, one can find insight into the mentality of Shakespeare; the ideas which he molded into the character of Hamlet, in order to build the persona which he used to explore the subject of revenge. Like with many great works, a reader cannot always assume that the main character is modeled after the author who penned it. This is a biased way to look at literature, and often detracts from the piece as a whole. One should only take that the ideas portrayed in the work are those that stemmed from the writer’s mind, and therefore links the dramatist with the piece, as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

In the exploration of Hamlet as a character removed from William Shakespeare himself, critics have often made numerous interpretations, based on their own findings through the unchanging words of Hamlet. As Bradby states: “Hamlet is a central figure of surpassing interest and genius, which has gripped the imagination of the learned and the unlearned in all ages and which will continue to fascinate so as the mind of man is haunted by the mystery of life and death” (Bradby 60). Hamlet’s has an intricate intellect, which focuses on his obsession with his own life, the physical death of his father, and the spiritual death he sees in his mother. This amazing intelligence is what many critics see as the motive for Hamlet’s actions. His vast mind is adept at exploring all possibilities and limitations, and this leads to all the various aspects of action Hamlet explores throughout the tragedy.

Along with Hamlet’s genius, many scholars believe that the prince’s connotative connection to religion contributes to his ultimate motive of action. In Hamlet’s delay of deed, some say he is battling with an important prospect: how to sinlessly commit a great sin (Foss 128). It is often thought that in Hamlet’s soliloquies, we see the battle of conscience: Hamlet is unsure whether assassination is the best means of revenge, or whether he should simply denounce Claudius instead. Critics arguing against this theory, however, often state that Hamlet’s connection to religion is somewhat implied, and that it cannot merely be assumed that his willful following of a faith conviction is so strong as to overshadow his goals of revenge. Hamlet’s character has also been thought to use his superior intellect as his motive. “[Hamlet] is predetermined to scorn the world, and is consequently unwilling to involve himself in its affairs” (Wolff). His conscience is the sole driver, and his apparent apathy to the world and its dealing is the cause of his hesitancy. He wonders if he should involve himself in something so base, despite its relations to the inner workings of his family. Wolff suggests that this indifference to a predetermined time-table is often illustrated in Hamlet’s comfort in theatrics, and his вЂ?acting’, which distances his true self from the dealings. This view suggests that Hamlet ultimately has no motives, and that his actions are purely for the exploration of plot in the drama. Critics denouncing this, however, argue that Hamlet is a much more complex character, and that all his actions are driven by a preexisting will of some sort.

Family is often suggested as the reason for Hamlet’s actions, and as his motive for any sort of plotting, whether it be against Claudius or not. Following in this belief, many think that all the revolutions of Hamlet are revolutions of the family; whether it is Hamlet’s central struggle, or that of a much more minor character, like Laertes (Storfer 34). Hamlet is too philosophical a man, too much given to introspection, not to feel the personal and ancestral motive behind the general political undertaking. Laertes, on the other hand, is blind and deaf to the etymology of feeling, to the unconscious mind; his response to his father Polonius’ murder is a political revolt (Storfer 45). Hamlet acts consciously, and Laertes is driven subconsciously, by means which he has no control over. Hamlet, therefore, as a complex and intelligent character, is able to choose his own reasoning, and use it beyond the base instincts explored in the static characters of the play.

Some suggest that Hamlet’s motive was not to kill Claudius at all, but rather “to put an end to the life of depravity his mother was still leading” (Mauerhof). When the Ghost visits Hamlet, it is not to demand he kill the King, but to end the вЂ?life’ Gertrude was living in sin. Hamlet’s thoughts, therefore, would be directed as such, and his problem would be to accomplish this “without tarnishing [Gertrude’s] name, or by disclosing the truth” (Mauerhof). His delay could be attributed to the numerous thoughts and possible plots contemplated, and in the end, Claudius’ and Gertrude’s deaths are the only realized way to keep his mother’s name intact. Critics maintain that Hamlet’s