Preview

Impossibility Of Certainty In Hamlet Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
720 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Impossibility Of Certainty In Hamlet Essay
“To be or not to be” is one of the most famous lines in Hamlet, and used very frequently in the modern world. Although people use it out of direct context, they use it to compare two very big choices. The fact that it is used so frequently is evidence to prove that Hamlet was so expertly written that a lot of themes of the play are still applicable in today's society. Themes like the impossibility of certainty, the complexity of action, the mystery of death, and the nation as a diseased body are very prevalent in modern society – prevalent enough to be recognized by pop culture and many educated scholars.

One major theme in the play Hamlet is the impossibility of certainty. Hamlet will not make up his mind about killing Claudius
…show more content…
This theme goes hand-in-hand with the impossibility of certainty. The complexity of action is Hamlet waiting to kill Claudius because he wants to make sure he does it right to please his father's spirit. He thinks through every aspect of what he wants to do and eventually makes himself crazy in doing so. He says “I'll wipe away all trivial, fond records, all saws of books and observation copied there, and thy commandment all alone shall live within the book and volume of my brain, unmixed with baser matter”(I.v.106-111). He tells his father's ghost that revenge will be the only thing on his mind, and it is for quite some time. His revenge becomes the center of everything, and he always thinks of ways to get back at Claudius. This theme is displayed in [MOVIE] when character becomes obsessed with revenge. This person did a study on planning out action. “[QUOTE FROM ARTICLE]” explain quote.

Another theme is the mystery of death. Hamlet is unsure what lies beyond death and is therefore afraid to take his own life. He talks much of suicide in his 'To be or not to be' soliloquy: “To die, to sleep – to sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death what dreams may come”(III.i.72-4). Hamlet is scared of what would happen if he commits suicide so he decides not to do it. This theme is portrayed in [MOVIE] when character considers suicide but decides against it. This person did a study

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Shakespeare’s soliloquy To Be, or Not to Be displays Hamlet’s inner thoughts, as he contemplates suicide. Keats predicted he would die young from tuberculosis, like his brother, and never experience his greatest desires- fame and “high romance”. In the end, Keats reconciled with his fear of death, and accepted his predicament “till Love and Fame to nothingness do sink.” Hamlet’s monologue reveals his troubled mind, torn between revenge and morality. The uncertainty over what action to take drives Hamlet insane, and he debates with himself whether “to be, or not to be”. Hamlet describes life as a “sea of troubles”, filled with “heartache, and [a] thousand natural shocks”, making it sound miserable and worthless. He contrasts by comparing death to relieving sleep, but “to sleep – perchance to dream”, is the true reason for choosing life – “for in that sleep of death what dreams may come/…/ must give us pause.” Hamlet concludes that the key factor keeping humans from choosing death is fear of the unknown – “thus conscience does make cowards of us all”, and in this conclusion decides upon the cowardly option to live. While Keats’ sonnet expresses his own fear of death, and his inner desires, Hamlet is mentally unstable and debating whether life’s hardships or death’s mysteries are a more daunting…

    • 824 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a famous tragedy that follows the title character Hamlet’s wavering path of revenge. Early in the play, Hamlet encounters his father’s ghost, who tells Hamlet that his brother Claudius murdered him. Throughout the play, Hamlet is torn between his obligation to avenge his father and his uncertainty about this formidable task. Hamlet also experiences this indecisiveness when he contemplates suicide during several points in the play. Though he expresses disgust over Claudius’s inferiority to his father and his hasty marriage with Hamlet’s mother, Gertrude, Hamlet more strongly detests his own procrastination in avenging his father. In order to conceal his insecurities, Hamlet decides to assume an “antic disposition”, which caused much confusion among other characters and led to a cascade of chaos. Hamlet’s indecisiveness, contrary to Laertes’ adamant desire for revenge, and his philosophy on suicide relate death and its uncertain nature to man’s irrationality.…

    • 1107 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In many occasions the audience knows that Hamlet has been having a hard time of figuring out what to do with Claudius, where he should get his revenge and kill him or not, he truly does not know what to do yet. To predict or to figure what he will do Shakespeare makes the last soliloquy in the play critical for the audience because it is the only way of understanding the development of Hamlet as a character. Furthermore Hamlet also points out that he is not doing anything to avenge his father death. “How all…

    • 811 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “To be or not to be” can arguably be Shakespeare’s most recognizable quote in all of his work. Hamlet attempts to reason with himself on whether or not death is the only solution to end all life suffering portrays him as both confused and cowardly. In this monologue, Hamlet goes into a tough debate over whether he should end his own suffering by commit suicide, or to step it up and revenge for his father. This solilguy also shows the reader on how Hamlet deals with stress and the lost of love one. In conclusion, he decided to live and fulfill his promise. Indication from this monologue exposed Hamlet’s flaws for lacking of action, being hesitant, and unable to settle his mind. This help lay the foundation…

    • 730 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Bad Choices, Bad Outcome

    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Another major theme in Hamlet is procrastination. Throughout the play, Hamlet wants to avenge his father's death by killing Claudius, but every chance that arises is pushed aside by Hamlet. Claudius was praying all alone, and rather than kill him at that moment, Hamlet thought about the situation and decided that he didn't want Claudius to have a chance to go to heaven. Had Hamlet simply went ahead and done what he wanted to do, deaths that occurred later in the play could have been prevented. It's this obsessive nature that led Hamlet to his tragic ending. Hamlet never thought about whether or not killing Claudius would hurt his mother;…

    • 874 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rction - Hmlt

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages

    William Shakespeare’s Hamlet was truly a masterpiece in its own right. It excellently portrays the struggles of a young man who is trying to find his place in a world full of treachery, madness, schemes and family disputes. Hamlet is a tragedy that shows us how afraid we all are, no matter what our circumstance. It is this fear of loss, of death – this uncertainty, which makes cowards of us all.…

    • 812 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In Act III, sc i, Hamlet’s feelings about death grow and leaving life becomes an increasing possibility. His famous soliloquy, “To be or not to be”, is interpreted into so many different ways that Hamlet’s true meaning is unclear. For example, Samuel Johnson in his Note to “To Be or Not to Be”, he writes that the real question is whether, after our present state, we are to be or not to be. In the article Hamlet’s “To Be or Not to Be” Soliloquy: Once Unto the Breach, Petronella lists more interpretations by other writers: to Davis McElroy, “to be” is to take arms against Claudius, and “not to be” is to suffer due to inaction. And to Richards Iving, the conflict is between enduring and suffering through one’s troubles in life and ending one’s life to escape his toils. But it can be better agreed that there is more than one question: Harry Levin sees that Hamlet’s enigmatic situation has no simple choices between two alternatives, but of many choices --To live and suffer, or to take arms and commit suicide, or choose death which is oblivious. But when looking upon the whole of Hamlet’s soliloquy, more is noticed than the struggle between living and dying. His fear of death and wish to conquer his curiosity of the unknown prevents him from killing himself. At this point of the play, Hamlet is considering death seriously and the only thing stopping him is his…

    • 996 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    From the very beginning, Hamlet is in turmoil between his head and his heart. Though he rationalises his actions, such as his decision to feign madness in order to deter Claudius, they are driven…

    • 943 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    However, Hamlet incapable of doing it and proceed to what according to Ghost told him to (Javed 332). This is an identity crisis for Hamlet, as he does not know whether he is acting upon his free will or upon the Ghost words. Killing Claudius is what the Ghost wanted. However, Hamlet is confused whether he want to Claudius or not, hence the delay in his actions. ”Hamlet is too delicate or too subtle for the purpose. A less self-questioning hero would have been a better instrument” (Javed…

    • 1409 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    After much brooding over his anger, Hamlet realizes he wants revenge. However, even though he has convinced himself, he is not able to perform the act. In his most famous soliloquy Hamlet is forced to make a decision on how to act with the knowledge the ghost has given him, "To be, or not to be, that is the question: whether it is nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortunes, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them." Hamlet decides to act on the knowledge, but he can never follow through with his plans. At one point he is ready to kill Claudius, but he finds him praying.…

    • 571 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Metaphor in Hamlet

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act III scene 1, Hamlet's soliloquy of "To be or not to be" is full of metaphors that bring the various themes of the play together. One of the primary themes of the play is Hamlet's uncertainty of action and inability to decide how to cope with the problems he faces. In Hamlet's soliloquy, Hamlet metaphorically discusses his indecisiveness about the importance of continuing his life and asks himself "whether ‘tis nobler of the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and, by opposing them, end them." Hamlet wonders whether it is worth facing all his problems ("slings and arrows of outrageous fortune") or to commit suicide ("and by opposing them, end them.") Hamlet metaphorically compares the problems of his life to "slings and arrows" and to a "sea of troubles."…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Indecisiveness in Hamlet

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Shakespeare's Hamlet is truly a great play to analyze. It is also unique in that a play based on revenge we don't see any action until the end. Hamlet has immediate suspicion and proof of his fathers murder and does not act. This poses the question, why does it take so long for Hamlet to kill Claudius? Hamlet's apparent indecisiveness to act is due to his constant habit of over thinking in addition to several conscious and subconscious distractions.…

    • 854 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Theme Of Death In Hamlet

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “To be or not to be, that is the question,” is a famous quote from Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy called Hamlet. Detailing the prospects surrounding Prince Hamlet, this play portrays Hamlets return home and disappointment with his mother for marrying his Uncle Claudius. Shakespearean writing comes alive in this play about friends and foes while developing several elements in the play. The essence of act ii scene ii lines 352-580 take into the consideration of the development of the theme, plot, characters and of Hamlet as a whole.…

    • 775 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet His Own Victim

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Hamlet, the main character in William Shakespeare 's play Hamlet is a deeply intelligent and reflective man. Hamlet is compelled by justice and filial duty to revenge his father 's murder; he is also simultaneously riddled with self-doubt and moral conscience. Hamlet is quite disturbed by the sudden death of his father and his mother 's hasty marriage to his uncle, King Claudius. Hamlet 's character is naturally withdrawn, dark, and morose in the wake of these traumatic events. The abnormality of his thoughts, or madness and behavior is to some extent understandable. The most obvious issue in this play can be stated in the simple question, of why Hamlet delays taking revenge for his father 's death.…

    • 837 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet’s reoccurring problem throughout the play is his inability to follow through with his plans, and take action as he promised himself he would. Soliloquys come out of Hamlet’s mouth more often than a sword is drawn to Claudius. “To be or not to be-that is the question: Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles…” (127). The proposal of suicide, is Hamlet’s way of coping with the drama in his life, and putting off the murder of King Claudius. Debating the topic of his own death provides evidence of Hamlet’s curiosity with questions of no definite answer.…

    • 548 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays