“In his disillusionment and doubt, Hamlet believes the world to be a place where it is impossible to have faith in oneself or others”
The play ‘Hamlet’ demonstrates the disillusionment and doubt of Hamlet and his new belief that the world is a place where it is impossible to have faith in oneself and others. Hamlet looses faith in those that are closest to him, when he discovers the betrayal and deceitfulness of his family and friends. Through loosing faith in the world around him he becomes disconnected and begins to loose faith in himself, this leads to thoughts of taking one’s life. When Hamlet begins to regain faith in him he sees his true friends. He overcomes doubt and disillusionment he has on the world and regains the confidence he once had.
In the play the readers get to see that Hamlet is lost in his disillusionment and doubt, due to those who should be faithful to him being untrustworthy and disloyal. Hamlet within the play demonstrates the uncertainty of the people that are closest to him; he becomes distant and falls into a disconnected state away from his family, friends and the world at large. Hamlet loses trust and faith in Claudius his ‘Uncle’ because of his deception and dishonesty when the death of his father occurred. Hamlet is clear about his hatred to wards his ‘step-father/ Uncle’ and states that Claudius is actually a ‘damned villain’ and one may ‘smile and smile and be a villain’ (1.5.108). Hamlet also shows his disappointment with his mother for marrying his uncle so quickly and is very open about it when he states she jumps with ‘such dexterity to incestuous sheets!’ (1.2.157). Hamlet repudiates Ophelia, a woman he once claimed to love. In the harshest terms he expresses his disaffection with her when she tries to return a gift he once gave her (3.1.90-190). His words often indicate his disgust with and distrust of the women close to him in general. Hamlet looses most of his faith in his two friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent for from the King and Queen and when this occurs they try to manipulate Hamlet, they seem to be friends but theirs is not at all a ‘free visitation’ (2.2.270-292). Any trust between the friends has dissolved and ends when Hamlet confronts his ‘friends’ about the behind the back manipulation (3.2.289-390). Readers get to understand the betrayal he feels about his friends ad the trust that is lost, when he is speaking to his mother ‘my two schoolfellows, whom I will trust as I will adders Fang’d’ (3.4.205-206). Hamlet shows hatred for a lot of the character’s within the play and in this hatred he speaks of the death of every one of them. At a number of points in the play, he contemplates his own death and even the option of suicide; through this he shows the doubt and loss of faith he has in himself.
Hamlet, through the dishonesty from his family and friends he disconnects himself from the world and looses faith and hope in himself. In Act 1 scene II Hamlet opens up about the first time he believes that suicide is the best way out. ‘Desiring his flesh to “melt,” and wishing that God had not made “self-slaughter” a sin’ (1.2.130-133). Hamlet thinks for the first time about suicide, saying that the world is “weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable.” In other words, suicide seems like a desirable alternative to life in a painful world, but Hamlet feels that the option of suicide is closed to him because it is forbidden by religion. Hamlet expresses the theme of moral legitimacy of suicide in an unbearably painful world, this shows his disillusionment and doubt that he has in not only himself but also the world around him.
Hamlet: To die, —to sleep; —
To sleep: perchance to dream: —ay, there’s the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause: there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life; (3.1.64-69)
Hamlet shows in this soliloquy that he poses
