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Character Analysis: HAMLET
Character Profile – At a Glance
Role: Prince of Denmark; the protagonist and tragic hero.
Key Traits: Intellectual, philosophical, melancholy, cynical, hesitant, and prone to intense emotion.
The Core Conflict: Commanded by his father’s Ghost to avenge his murder by killing his uncle, King Claudius.
Key Actions: Feigns madness ("antic disposition"), stages The Mousetrap to confirm Claudius's guilt, mistakenly kills Polonius, and ultimately achieves revenge in the final duel.
Famous Quote: "To be, or not to be: that is the question" (Act 3, Scene 1).
The Outcome: Achieves his revenge but dies in the process, having exposed the corruption of the Danish court.
The Melancholy Prince: Hamlet’s Psychology
Prince Hamlet is perhaps the most complex and intensely debated character in English literature. He is not a traditional man of action but a scholar, a philosopher, and a deeply introspective individual.
When the play opens, Hamlet is already in a state of profound melancholy (what we might now call depression). This is caused by his father's death and exacerbated by his mother’s "o’erhasty marriage" to his uncle, Claudius. He feels isolated in his grief and disgusted by the world, which he views as "weary, stale, flat and unprofitable" (Act 1, Scene 2).
This initial melancholy provides the foundation for his later existential crisis. When the Ghost reveals the murder (Act 1, Scene 5), the burden of revenge is placed on a mind already struggling with disillusionment.
Hamlet's intellect is both his greatest strength and his tragic flaw. He analyses every situation, contemplating the moral, theological, and philosophical implications of his actions. This leads to his famous hesitation, as he becomes paralysed by excessive thought.
Original:
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought... (Act 3, Scene 1)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
And so, awareness turns us into cowards;
And thus our natural drive to solve a problem
Recedes and fades through over-contemplation…
The "Antic Disposition": Madness as a Mask
Following the Ghost's revelation, Hamlet adopts an "antic disposition" (Act 1, Scene 5), feigning madness to investigate the murder without arousing Claudius's suspicion.
Hamlet's performance is intellectual and calculated. He uses puns, wordplay, and philosophical absurdity to confuse and mock the court, particularly Polonius, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern. He maintains control over his performance, admitting he is only "mad north-north-west" (Act 2, Scene 2).
However, the play constantly questions whether the immense pressure causes his performance to blur into genuine instability. His cruel treatment of Ophelia (Act 3, Scene 1) and his erratic behaviour in the graveyard (Act 5, Scene 1) suggest that the line between sanity and madness is dangerously thin.
Hamlet and Women: Misogyny and Betrayal
Hamlet's relationships with the two central female characters, Gertrude and Ophelia, are characterised by disillusionment and cruelty.
His relationship with his mother, Gertrude, is deeply complex, bordering on obsession. He is disgusted by her sexuality and her marriage to Claudius, viewing it as a profound betrayal of his father. This leads him to generalise his anger towards all women: "Frailty, thy name is woman!" (Act 1, Scene 2). His confrontation with her in the Closet Scene (Act 3, Scene 4) is brutal, as he attempts to force her to recognise her perceived sins.
His treatment of Ophelia is equally harsh. Trapped between his genuine affection for her and his generalised misogyny, he subjects her to verbal abuse and emotional manipulation. He uses her to vent his frustrations and as part of his performance of madness, most notably in the "Nunnery Scene" (Act 3, Scene 1), contributing directly to her mental breakdown.
“Hamlet is...the most intelligent character in the literature of the world, the only one who could have written the plays of Shakespeare.”
The Avenger's Journey: From Hesitation to Action
Hamlet's journey is defined by his struggle to move from thought to action. He constantly berates himself for his delay, comparing himself unfavourably to the decisive Fortinbras (Act 4, Scene 4) and the passionate Laertes.
While his hesitation stems from moral and philosophical concerns, it also leads to tragedy. His impulsive murder of Polonius (Act 3, Scene 4) is a critical mistake that sets the final catastrophe in motion.
By the final act, Hamlet undergoes a transformation. After his experiences at sea and his confrontation with mortality in the graveyard, he adopts a fatalistic acceptance of his destiny. He moves beyond his paralyzing intellectualism towards a state of readiness.
Original:
...If it be now, ’tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come. The readiness is all. (Act 5, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
If it is now, it won’t be later; if not later, now; if not now, it will happen later on. The preparation’s key.
This newfound resolution allows him to finally act decisively during the duel, killing Claudius and fulfilling his duty, though at the cost of his own life.
Key Quotes by Hamlet
Quote 1:
Original:
O, that this too too solid flesh would melt,
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew! (Act 1, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
I wish my tarnished body would dissolve
Into a liquid, like a morning dew!
Quote 2:
Original:
What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty... And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? (Act 2, Scene 2)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
A man is so miraculous, and noble, intelligent, and graceful as he moves! … To me, what are we more than dust?
Quote 3:
Original:
To be, or not to be: that is the question... (Act 3, Scene 1)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Shall I live on, or take my life? I wonder.
Quote 4:
Original:
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow of infinite jest... (Act 5, Scene 1)Shakespeare Retold (Modern Verse):
Oh no, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. He was so funny, always making jokes.
Key Takeaways
Hamlet is a deeply intellectual and introspective character whose greatest strength (his mind) is also the source of his tragic flaw (hesitation).
His profound melancholy and existential crisis stem from his father's death and mother's hasty marriage, leading to a generalised cynicism and misogyny.
He uses feigned madness ("antic disposition") as a strategic tool, but the line between performance and genuine instability becomes increasingly blurred.
Hamlet's journey involves moving from paralysing contemplation to a fatalistic acceptance of his destiny, finally enabling him to act decisively.
Study Questions and Analysis
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The ambiguity of Hamlet's mental state is one of the play's central debates. Initially, Hamlet is clearly pretending; he tells Horatio he will "put an antic disposition on" (Act 1, Scene 5). He uses madness strategically to investigate Claudius, and he admits he is only "mad north-north-west" (Act 2, Scene 2), suggesting he controls his performance.
However, as the play progresses, the immense pressure of his grief, his duty of revenge, and his disillusionment with his mother seem to genuinely destabilise him. Moments like his cruel outburst at Ophelia (Act 3, Scene 1), the impulsive murder of Polonius (Act 3, Scene 4), and his erratic behaviour at the graveyard (Act 5, Scene 1) suggest the line between performance and genuine madness becomes dangerously blurred.
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Hamlet's delay is driven by a complex mix of internal factors. His philosophical nature clashes with the violent demands of revenge; he over-analyses the moral and religious consequences of murder.
Uncertainty is also a primary cause; he questions whether the Ghost is honest or a devil sent to damn him, necessitating proof via The Mousetrap (Act 2, Scene 2). Furthermore, his profound melancholy and grief contribute to his paralysis. He seeks not just to kill Claudius but to execute perfect justice, leading him to reject opportunities that seem imperfect, such as the prayer scene (Act 3, Scene 3).
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Hamlet undergoes a significant transformation throughout the play. He begins as a grieving, idealistic scholar, paralysed by melancholy and the burden of revenge. He is characterised by intense introspection and philosophical agonising.
As the play progresses, he becomes increasingly cynical and ruthless. The corruption of the court forces him to adopt deceitful tactics, including the callous orchestration of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's deaths.
By the final act, he shifts from paralyzing hesitation to fatalistic acceptance. He surrenders to the inevitability of death and the role of divine providence ("The readiness is all" – Act 5, Scene 2). He finally achieves his goal, but as a changed, morally compromised individual.
After observing Hamlet's interaction with Ophelia, Claudius concludes: "Love? His affections do not that way tend... There’s something in his soul / O’er which his melancholy sits on brood" (Act 3, Scene 1). He correctly perceives that the "antic disposition" masks a hidden agenda.
His reaction is decisive and ruthless. He first attempts to uncover the cause through spying (using Rosencrantz and Guildenstern), and when that fails, he resolves to send Hamlet to England, intending to have him executed. He famously states, "Madness in great ones must not unwatched go," illustrating his view that Hamlet's instability is a direct political danger.
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Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia is complex and ultimately tragic. There is evidence that he genuinely loved her, as suggested by his early letters and his intense reaction at her funeral (Act 5, Scene 1).
However, his disillusionment with his mother leads to a generalised misogyny that he projects onto Ophelia. He views her as tainted by the corruption of the court and accuses her of dishonesty. His brutal rejection of her in the "Nunnery Scene" (Act 3, Scene 1) is a deliberate act of cruelty designed to sever their ties and protect his secrets. He treats her as a casualty of his larger mission, contributing directly to her madness and death.
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Hamlet's tragic flaw is widely considered to be his inability to act decisively, stemming from his tendency to overthink. This is often described as "paralysis by analysis."
His intellect, while formidable, prevents him from carrying out his duty of revenge swiftly. He admits to "thinking too precisely on the event" (Act 4, Scene 4). While his moral and philosophical concerns are valid, his prolonged hesitation allows Claudius to orchestrate further plots and leads to the deaths of many innocent characters. His failure to balance thought with action ultimately leads to his downfall.
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Horatio is the only character with whom Hamlet maintains a genuine, trusting relationship. Horatio serves as Hamlet's confidant and moral compass.
Unlike Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who spy on Hamlet for the King, Horatio is steadfastly loyal. Hamlet admires Horatio's stoicism and balanced nature—qualities that Hamlet himself lacks. He tells Horatio he is a man "that fortune’s buffets and rewards / Hast ta’en with equal thanks" (Act 3, Scene 2). Horatio validates Hamlet's perceptions (witnessing the Ghost and Claudius's reaction to the play) and ultimately survives to tell Hamlet's true story.
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Hamlet's soliloquies are crucial because they provide direct insight into his inner thoughts and motivations, which he otherwise conceals from the corrupt court. They are moments of intense introspection where he debates his course of action and explores profound philosophical questions.
The soliloquies track his character development, from his initial suicidal despair (Act 1, Scene 2), to his self-reproach for inaction (Act 2, Scene 2), his meditation on mortality ("To be or not to be" – Act 3, Scene 1), and his final commitment to bloody action (Act 4, Scene 4). Without the soliloquies, Hamlet's hesitation would be inexplicable.