Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 5

Hamlet - Essay ExampleHamlet feigns insanity to line the truth, but his character can still be ascertained by closely examining what he reveals about himself through his many speeches and his interactions with others. The fact that he survives until rattling near the end of the play demonstrates his strength of character while his insane ramblings to some of the other characters reveal his sharp mind. While many have pointed to his deficiency of immediate action upon learning of the true nature of his fathers death as a sign of weakness, the reasons for Hamlets inaction are demonstrated as an intelligent mans determination to do whats right.Throughout much of the play, Hamlets speeches can be seen to manoeuver more than one aspect of his character, such as in the Players speech (Shakespeare II, ii). This scene has been interpreted as Hamlet trying to move himself of the need for revenge, trying to prove the need for revenge or trying to stir himself into the action of revenge d ue to the nature of the play he suggests (Westlund, 1978). At the same time, it shows Hamlets tendency to approach life as if it were a play, constantly taking on new roles to fit the action he is confronted with. In his comparison of the roles available to him in this instance, he can be seen to relish neither one. His sense of duty and honor, while it prevents him from willingly taking on the role of a murderer, also prevents him from allowing a foul, underhanded murder go, not only unpunished, but richly rewarded should the ghost happen to be the true sense of smell of his father. One part of him says that he must take revenge, another part finds it horrible he attempts to reconcile these conflicting feelings by saying that he fears the frequent may be a devil (Westlund, 1978 252). At this point, he can not find a role that allows him to both enact the revenge demanded and guard his own