Indecisiveness In Hamlet

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“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark" (I.iv.90). In William Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark every character has an underlying motive that defines them as a character. From the start of the play, Hamlet uses his mission from the ghost to distinguish who he becomes. Hamlet is a profound character who endures tragedy that shapes him to become brooding in his thoughts, confused with a lack of direction, and passionate in his desire for revenge throughout the play. Hamlet is a character whose fatal flaw is acknowledged by himself several times in the play causing it to be a more tragic death. After he is given the mission, Hamlet becomes flustered, and overwhelmed by his responsibilities that cause him to have …show more content…
The indecisiveness displays his cowardice, and lack of confidence in his abilities to carry out plans. An example of his gutlessness is when Hamlet comes across Claudius while he is praying, “A villain kills my father, and, for that,/I, his sole son, do this same villain send/To heaven”(III.iii.77-79). Claudius realizes that he has been caught, he is emotional, and scared of Hamlet, yet the prince uses an excuse to not attack. If Hamlet truly wanted revenge, he would act as soon as he gained the opportunity. To the audience, his inaction indicates an inability to murder. Hamlet is constantly afraid to do the wrong thing and that is why he chooses to shy away from the task. He does not have the courage to deal with the consequences that would come with the action, “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” …show more content…
This quote is specific to deciphering Hamlet’s false madness because even Polonius can tell that his outbursts are strategic. He is precise with his words. Hamlet’s ability to change his character within lines in the play displays how instinctive and protective he has become. Automatically he can change whom he wants to be and because Hamlet has a deep understanding of how people react to situations, he acts bipolar to catch his ignorant peers flat- footed as a strategy. The prince is brilliant in fabricating his madness to display his wit and attentiveness to distract from his true intentions and feelings. Hamlet is a complex character who chose to let the surrounding chaos of the kingdom affect his ability to function. The challenges he faced caused him to be defensive with his words, have an overwhelming sense of self- loathing, and an inability to be confident, which eventually lead to his downfall as a character. Although Shakespeare’s tragedies always end with death, the protagonist could have easily avoided his demise if he would have evolved and became more active in his revenge. As a character, Hamlet’s emotions and the challenges he overcomes cause him to be a relatable tragic
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