Is Hamlet Moral?
In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Hamlet’s character serves as the backbone behind the
tragedy’s portrayal of good moral consciousness. From Hamlet’s first encounter with
his father’s ghost, the audience becomes aware of Hamlet’s honorable motive to avenge
the death of his father. Hamlet’s honorable desire “to right the wrong sets him apart from
Fortinbras and Laertes, who desire merely to retaliate in kind for an injury done their
fathers” (Palfrey Utter Jr. 141). This propelling aspiration is the force behind the
following moral dilemmas that develop within the play, giving respectable color to
Hamlet’s sense of justice and morality as he seeks to fulfill his goal, trying to cure
whatever is “rotten in the state of Denmark (Shakespeare 50).”
As the play progresses, Claudius’ immoral stance in killing his brother for
personal gain causes the audience to expect Hamlet’s morally conscious counteraction.
For example, while Claudius thinks nothing of marrying his own brother’s wife, [Hamlet]
alone of all people in the court objects to his mother’s marriage on moral grounds
(Palfrey Utter Jr. 140).” He believes it to be an abomination against canon law, a
transgression that should never be forgiven. Also, while Claudius’ fear causes him to plot
Hamlet’s death in England, Hamlet, on the other hand, hesitates in killing Claudius in
order to wait for a time without prayer. The fact that Hamlet is indecisive and faltering in
accomplishing his revenge illustrates his inner struggle of staying morally correct.
Using the excuse of not wanting Claudius to go to heaven only serves to highlight
Hamlet’s use of a delay tactic. Because of this, Hamlet’s moral struggle directly foils the
character of Fortinbras whose strength and successful actions influence Hamlet into
believing that “[His] thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (Shakespeare 116).
Unlike Claudius and Fortinbras, Hamlet prefers to
tragedy’s portrayal of good moral consciousness. From Hamlet’s first encounter with
his father’s ghost, the audience becomes aware of Hamlet’s honorable motive to avenge
the death of his father. Hamlet’s honorable desire “to right the wrong sets him apart from
Fortinbras and Laertes, who desire merely to retaliate in kind for an injury done their
fathers” (Palfrey Utter Jr. 141). This propelling aspiration is the force behind the
following moral dilemmas that develop within the play, giving respectable color to
Hamlet’s sense of justice and morality as he seeks to fulfill his goal, trying to cure
whatever is “rotten in the state of Denmark (Shakespeare 50).”
As the play progresses, Claudius’ immoral stance in killing his brother for
personal gain causes the audience to expect Hamlet’s morally conscious counteraction.
For example, while Claudius thinks nothing of marrying his own brother’s wife, [Hamlet]
alone of all people in the court objects to his mother’s marriage on moral grounds
(Palfrey Utter Jr. 140).” He believes it to be an abomination against canon law, a
transgression that should never be forgiven. Also, while Claudius’ fear causes him to plot
Hamlet’s death in England, Hamlet, on the other hand, hesitates in killing Claudius in
order to wait for a time without prayer. The fact that Hamlet is indecisive and faltering in
accomplishing his revenge illustrates his inner struggle of staying morally correct.
Using the excuse of not wanting Claudius to go to heaven only serves to highlight
Hamlet’s use of a delay tactic. Because of this, Hamlet’s moral struggle directly foils the
character of Fortinbras whose strength and successful actions influence Hamlet into
believing that “[His] thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth” (Shakespeare 116).
Unlike Claudius and Fortinbras, Hamlet prefers to