Hamlet, the Tragic Hero

Samuel J. Snead IV

7-10-2016

ENG-243

Hamlet, The Tragic Hero

        Webster’s dictionary defines the word tragedy as “a serious drama typically describing a conflict between the protagonist and a superior force and having a sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or terror.” Thus meaning a tragic hero is therefore a character who experiences such a conflict and suffers terribly as a direct outcome of his choices. The character of Hamlet, therefore, is a perfect representation of Shakespeare’s tragic hero. Being the play’s tragic hero, Hamlet shows a blend of positive and negative traits. As a complex character, he displays a variety of characteristics throughout the play’s development.

        Upon Hamlet’s introduction in Act 1-Scene 2, the reader sees Hamlet as a young, sensitive prince who is grieving over the death of his father, whom was the King. To add, Hamlet’s mother’s instant marriage to Hamlet’s uncle has left Hamlet in even greater agony. Mixed in with the extreme feeling of sadness are obvious emotions of anger accompanied by frustration. The combination of these emotions leaves the reader feeling sympathetic to Hamlet. This makes Hamlet develop into a more human like character in the reader’s mind. The reader sees, starting at the very beginning that Hamlet is an extremely complex, and emotionally conflicted person and that Hamlet’s tragedy has already begun. Hamlet’s anger and grief mostly coming from his mother’s marriage to Claudius brings him to thoughts of killing himself, which only subsides as a result of it being a religious and mortal sin. The fact that Hamlet wishes to take his own life shows a sign of inner weakness within his character. However, his final decision of not killing himself due to his religious beliefs does show that his weakness is balanced with a sense of morality. Such an obvious is only one of many examples of the internal struggle and turmoil that will eventually lead to the downfall of Hamlet. In addition to this internal struggle, Hamlet feels it is his duty to take Claudius off of the throne and crown himself King of Denmark. Hamlet believes that this act of revenge would settle the score for his mother’s incestuous relationship and would reinstate his family’s honor. These thoughts are solidified in Act 1, Scene 5, when Hamlet’s father’s ghost presents itself and informs Hamlet that it was Claudius who murdered him, and that Claudius deprived him “of life, of crown, and queen” (line 75). This information leads to Hamlet promising to kill Claudius, but also promising not to punish his mother for her incestuous marriage. Hamlet’s statement, “thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain” (lines 102-103), demonstrates his adamant choice to allow nothing to get in the way of his promise for revenge. This vow of revenge can be labeled as Hamlet’s tragic decision, as well as the action that sets his downfall into motion.

        Now that Hamlet has made his promise, the reader begins to see how the events unfolding around Hamlet occur as a result of other character’s actions. The opening of Act 3, for example shows all of the characters linked to Hamlet working directly against him. Ophelia meets with Hamlet so that Claudius as well as her father can spy on him and further observe Hamlet’s mental state; Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, agrees to speak with him so Claudius can continue his watch; and Hamlet’s own friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern swear allegiance to Claudius and come to an agreement that they will spy on Hamlet. Slowly but surely, everyone Hamlet had once been able to rely on and trust has lied to him and deceived him. In contrast to these occurrences, Hamlets well known soliloquy, “To be or not to be,” shows him pondering the idea of loyalty, acting upon a person’s morals and their relation to fighting against the challenges of evil. As a tragic hero, the reader sees Hamlet’s ever so constant dedication to keeping a set of moral standards. By this point in the play, Hamlet has become well aware to the fact that Rosencrantz as well as Guildenstern are spying on him for Claudius. Knowing this allows Hamlet to manipulate the situation to his benefit by providing Claudius with false information. Hamlet is also suspicious that Ophelia’s interest in him is not genuine, and suspects her of some sort of trickery as well. As for Hamlet’s mother, Hamlet stays cautious but keeps in mind his promise to the ghost of his father not to punish his mother.  

        As Act 3 progresses, the reader can see Claudius’s plan against Hamlet continue, while Hamlet appears to continue putting off his revenge. This backs up Hamlet’s tragic character flaw; his constant inner conflicts about mankind, loyalty, life and death usurped his time and kept him from focusing on what he vowed to do early in the opening act. Hamlet knows that not one person is actually on his side, yet he does take advantage of every opportunity to promote his “false” mental sickness rather than searching for the quickest way to avenge his father’s death and his mother’s marriage. This fact is most properly displayed in Act 3, Scene 3 when Hamlet sees Claudius planning his brother’s murder and whether or not he could obtain penance. Rather than taking the opportunity to take Claudius’s life, Hamlet decides to wait. Since his father was murdered without given the chance to cleanse himself of his sins, Hamlet only saw it fit to give Claudius the same circumstance of death making sure that Claudius too died in a state of sin. As Hamlet alternates around pretending to be mentally ill, his examinations of morality, and the perfect place and time to kill Claudius, Claudius has successfully manipulated the other characters onto his side. The combination of Claudius’s want for power, and Hamlet’s procrastination is pushing Hamlet, as well as the play closer and closer to the tragic ending. Act 3, Scene 4 begins the downward spiral of tragedy for the play’s main characters. With Polonius hiding behind a curtain as Hamlet meets with his mother, her fear causes her to scream for help. Hamlet responds to his mother’s action by unsheathing his sword and thrusting his blade at the curtains. Hamlet, wishing for it to be Claudius behind the curtain, pulls back the curtain to reveal Polonius, meaning that the King’s first follower is now dead. Hamlet then begins criticizing his mother but is then suddenly interrupted by the ghost of his father. Hamlet, now remembering once again his promise to the ghost of his father not to punish his mother, informs her of Claudius’s plans and how he will go about seeking revenge. This scene exemplifies how Hamlet’s actions are dictated not by his own personal choices, but by the actions of the other characters. The reader almost begins to feel that although Hamlet is acting in a vindictive way, he remains an ever constant victim of circumstance.