Hamlets tragic flaw is his inability to take action, which leads to further pain and suffering. Hamlets Tragic Flaw could be seen as a lack of decisiveness, which causes him to suffer from many problems. Hamlet puts away his sword while contemplating this future occasion. It was Horatio who had to speak to the ghost: If thou art privy to thy country's fate, / Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, / O, speak! Hamlet's procrastination cannot be proved by either one of these theories, but rather, a complex combination of them all. In order to assure himself that the ghosts story is true, the prince plots a, In Shakespeares Hamlet, through his protagonist, he explores ideas relating to conflict. He resolves to wait for an opportunity to kill Claudius, which would be: When he is drunk asleep, or in his rage, Or in th incestuous pleasure of his bed, At game, a-swearing, or about some act That has no relish of salvation in t Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven, And that his soul may be as damned and black As hell, whereto it goes. Hamlets previous behavior towards Ophelia is never acknowledged by him. Wikipedia, Nov. 2, 2001. However, Hamlet is confused whether he want to Claudius or not, hence the delay in his actions. The appearance of the supernatural and the suggestion of a "most unnatural murder" also presents the idea of corruption as it portrays the idea of death against the natural order. Now Claudius knows that he must kill Hamlet in order to avoid getting caught and stay on the throne. 2001. This is seen in the prayer scene: Now might I do it , now he is praying; /And now I'll do't. After listening to Horatio, Hamlet believes that he was telling him the truth and decides to declare that he will come to see it this very night. Depiction of Hamlet's Procrastination - StudyDriver Ophelia is so overwhelmed with her grief that she goes mad and eventually kills herself. The tragic flaw, (Hamartia), of the protagonist Hamlet, is arguably his procrastination in the enactment of his revenge. But how can Hamlet know that this Ghost is not evil? (III.i.) N.A. The moment that Hamlet learns from the ghost that Claudius has committed regicide, his goal becomes clear: he has to avenge the death of his father by murdering his uncle. Hamlet's duty is revealed when he speaks with the ghost of his father who commands Hamlet to "revenge his foul and most unnatural murder." The main heros level of procrastination can be considered extremely high, as he is exceptionally likely to delay completing urgent tasks and frequently misses necessary deadlines. In act 3 scene 4, while confronting his mother, Hamlet hears a noise from behind a curtain. He standsapart from other Shakespeare's heroes in his today much discussed innocence. Hamlet (This was the 2009 version from RSC directed by Gregory Doran, with David Tennant playing as Hamlet). This highlights Hamlet's struggle with his duty as while he wants to avenge his father's death, he is also unsure and so cannot, In Act I scene V, the ghost of King Hamlet intends to ensnare Hamlet because it seeks revenge against Claudius for killing him. This indicated Hamlets protection to his mother. The ghost of King Hamlet announced to Hamlet that he did not die from a snake bite but instead was killed by Claudius during the time of sleep. At the beginning of the play, the ghost presented itself. Nov. 2, 2011. His reason for his delay in seeking revenge is that he is waiting for an opportune moment to strike. Procrastination and Tragedy in Hamlet - Hundred River Review The one whom should take full responsibility is Claudius. Hamlets soliloquies such as To Be or Not To Be show Hamlet deeply thinking about life and death. He face an internal conflict of whether to kill Hamlet or not. Hamlet groups both Ophelia and Gertrude together as being the same based on the actions of his mother. . The guards warned him the ghost might lead him to his death. He understands the consequences of his delay, and all of his pent-up rage explodes, and he murders the King; getting the revenge he was after from the beginning . Who was now king. Throughout the play, Hamlet had many opportunities to avenge his fathers death by murdering Claudius; however, there was always seemed to be something restricting him. There are many reasons as to why Hamlet may have delayed the revenge: be it the fact that Hamlet feared the consequence of killing, maybe he doubted the ghost, it could be that Hamlet didnt want to hurt his mother, or maybe even the fact that he was a renaissance Prince, and didnt believe in violence. Hamlet reveals his knowledge of the murder when he puts on the play, re-enacting the former Kings murder. The ghost's appearance and manipulation of Hamlet in the first act is what sets the main plot for the rest of the play. Hamlet knows he can get away with asking people strange things while pretending to be mad. Hamlet did not want to upset his mother, especially after the ghost, Hamlets father, warned Hamlet to not hurt her in any way. Ophelias relationship with Hamlet can be one of the causes to her madness. As Hamlet is exposed to opportunities to take down his uncle, he backs down. In Act III Scene I he himself gives voice to this theory by saying: Thus conscience does make cowards of us all. His intelligence may truly be the cause of his inability to act and defend his familys honor. / Or if thou hast uphoarded in thy life / Extorted treasure in the womb of earth, / For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death, / Speak of it: stay, and speak (Shakespeare 1.1). And so he goes to heaven; / And so am I revenged. The phrase Frailty is womans name emphasizes the inherent weakness of women and Hamlets conclusion that women are frail. The reader understands her actions cause Hamlet to despise women altogether (Act 1, Scene 2, Line 146). Throughout the play, Hamlet is shown not acting quickly in crucial situations, which brings us to his tragic flaw, hesitancy. Hamlets tragic flaw is what makes the play interesting and complex. In reality he does not care about Hamlet he could care less how he feels or what happens to him. William Shakespeares Hamlet is a play that questions this action, and demonstrates some extreme effects that it can have on others. Hamlet is aware that this is the perfect chance to kill Claudius, however, he does not take action as he presumes his uncle to be praying a prayer that will have his soul pure. the need for certainty), but also by the emotional, ethical, and psychological implications? As such, Hamlets procrastination can even be considered his fatal flaw. Hamlet spends almost all of his time thinking. Ophelias brother, Laertes, also warns her Hamlets love is no longer the same as it once was. 2022. Hamlet is disgusted by her quick and incestuous remarriage to her brother-in-law (Bloom 23). Throughout the play, Hamlet suffers from his mothers choice to marry his uncle again. An Excuse for Doing Nothing: Hamlet's Delay. When Hamlet realizes the sword is poisoned, he turns and stabs Claudius. Laertes unwillingness to face his guilt of not being there for his sister transfigures into blaming others for her insanity. It was Horatio who had to speak to the ghost: If thou art privy to thy country's fate, / Which, happily, foreknowing may avoid, / O, speak! Hamlets tragic flaw is what leads to his death in the end. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the audience of Shakespeares time period as well as todays audience would have recognized the play as a revenge tragedy. I hope that I will be able to overcome the issues that force me to disregard the deadlines, allowing me to decrease my level of procrastination. Hamlet immediately thinks of his mother and how she was stolen and may have been a part of this plot. And when you constantly perform poorly, your self-esteem will suffer. (2022) 'Comparison of Hamlets Procrastination and Personal Results: Shakespeare'. These results suggest that I am moderately prone to procrastination but can still complete most of the tasks assigned to me in the given period of time. Hamlet meets with the group of actors and makes a request for a very specific play, The Murder of Gonzaga, to be presented to all, including King Claudius. Another thing that can be seen, is that Ophelia, daughter of Polonius, is the love of Hamlets life. Critical approaches to Hamlet - Wikipedia If he was to kill Claudius while Claudius himself was praying, Claudius would have been sent to heaven, (as his soul was cleansed), and Hamlet would have been forced to suffer the sin of killing. He wants the murder of the King to be perfect. Procrastination is simply the act of repeatedly delaying or postponing a task. Gleed points out that Hamlet makes no distinction between the two women, tarring all of womanhood with the same brush as he believes that all women will act the way his mother has (172). Your sisters drowned, Laertes (IIII.iiiiiii.187-188). The ghost of King Hamlet knows that Hamlet loves his father very much therefore he takes advantage of him by announcing that he must Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder (I.V. Ophelia is unable to come to terms with her situation and is consumed by her lunacy. Hamlets fatal flaw, then, is twofold: he is too reflective and he fails to act when action is called for. When he ran Polonius through, he did it quickly without any moment for him to become indecisive or allow the intrusion of his meticulous conscience or his over-refinement. His distrust for women only grows the more he interacts with her and the more he thinks of her remarriage. After hearing that Claudius actually killed Old King Hamlet, he does a series of deceptive tests to see if he will admit it. It is not that he does not know what he must do and what he even desires to do, but he prefers to take as much time as he can to deliberate and find the optimal method to do his task. McPhees Essay of The Search for Marvin Gardens Analysis, The Film and the Novel The Blind Side by Michael Lewis, Cultural Context in the Short Story Everyday Use by Alice Walker, Harlem in Sonnys Blues Short Story by James Baldwin, Beyond Stereotypes by David Mazzucchelli, Alice Walkers We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting for, * Hyperlink the URL after pasting it to your document. This example has been uploaded by a student. In any case, this flaw caused the end of Hamlet and, in essence, the end to most of the other main, Firstly, Hamlets procrastination ultimately leads to the premature death of many characters throughout the play. The moment he was about to do the work, up came a new . Considering Polonius loyalty to the King, Laertes has, Coupled with the idea that Hamlet has gone mad as well and his and Laertes departure from Denmark, Ophelia has lost all males figures in her life, and thus; her sanity. Web. Hamlet vows revenge for his father and sets off on his plan.. If you are the original creator of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal. Unfortunately for Hamlet, he was not aware of what the king was professing in his prayers at that moment. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What wilt thou do for her (5.1.276-278)? He has tried to make hamlet his son while at the same time, trying to eliminate him. Forty thousand brothers could not with all their quantity of love move up my sum. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. Before of the lost of King Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet were boyfriend and girlfriend. Their lack of sense eventually leads to their own demise. If it was not for his own fathers death, Hamlet would not have become so absorbed in discovering who the killer was. There are different theories of why Hamlet may find it difficult to execute the ghosts request. In a brawl, Hamlet gets a hold of Laertes sword and stabs him. Ms.Bej Published for the Folger Shakespeare Library by Oxford University Press, SQ is peer-reviewed and extremely selective. I am poisnd (dies) (5.2.299-300). Do it, England (4.3.65-6). Despite being courageous, brave, loyal, and intelligent, Hamlet is overwhelmed by his own sense of guilt. He reacts and is prompt with his responses. Hamlet also has issues with trust, as seen when he does not believe that Gertrude was faithful to his father. When he encounters the ghost he immediately begins to question it. Here Laertes contemplates Ophelias innocence in all that has happened and how she is not to be blamed for succumbing to her insanity and how she was merely a victim of circumstance:, Hamlet was emotions were very unstable and he believed so strongly that the world was out to get him. He alludes to the Bible and the Garden of Eden and how Eve was persuaded to eat the apple and violated Gods rules, and his brother did the same, his love for power and desire to take over king Hamlets throne and wife made him blind and led him to committing this terrible crime. Following his religious beliefs, Hamlet may have easily interpreted the ghost as being an evil spirit. Disclaimer : we sometimes use a few affiliate links to recommend some products that we like, it won't change anything to the price you pay but that can help us generate a few dollar commission to help maintain our little website. . 16 students ordered this very topic and got original papers. The former King of Denmark, Old Hamlet, appears as a ghost and exhorts his son to kill Claudius. "Comparison of Hamlets Procrastination and Personal Results: Shakespeare." Hamlet doubts that the ghost is actually his dead father, but instead a demon sent to bait him into the depths of hell. Using detailed textual evidence, how has your personal response to Hamlet been shaped through the composers use of dramatic techniques?, One could argue that the ghost was a metaphor for the memory of Hamlets father, and a sign of the effects of loss and depression on Hamlet. In William Shakespeares Hamlet, the characters of Fortinbras, Laertes, and Claudius contrast the imperfections of Hamlet through their own success due to their starvation for power, making Hamlet appear vulnerable. Hamlets fathers ghost assigned him a difficult task, to say the least, and Hamlet consistently worked toward and planned on carrying it out. Hamlet also has a tendency to over-think things, which often leads to him making the wrong call. The way that Ophelia deals with their grief is much different than how Hamlet and Laertes deal with their grief. (Bradley, 100) What seems to be the most likely reason for this procrastination is linked to his background as a student, trained in thought before action. Hamlet often talks about how he wants to take action, but when it comes time to do so, he backs down. Writing help ASK FOR HELP Read my essay GO TO READ Procrastination of Hamlet Hamlet's Delay Everyone contains a tinge of Hamlet in his feelings, wants, and worries,and proudly so, for Hamlet is not like the other tragic heroes of his period. The drink, the drink O my dear Hamlet the drink, the drink! Following his religious beliefs, Hamlet may have easily interpreted the ghost as being an evil spirit. Claudius and Laertes suspects that since Ophelia is a pretty woman,[who is in there eyes delicate,] is just too weak to handle anything. Hamlet, written by English dramatist, William Shakesphere, tells the story of a grief stricken young man who returns home from college only to find that his father is dead, and his mother . Thinking it was Claudius spying, Hamlet passes his sword through the curtain and stabs Polonius. "Comparison of Hamlets Procrastination and Personal Results: Shakespeare." Ophelias lunacy drives her to suicide, as Ophelia is unable to live a life where the supposed love of her life goes mad and murders her father, then abandons her. Mind your mind or it will make you go out of your mind". Hamlet could have easily killed Claudius while he was praying but instead he waited until later that night when Claudius was asleep. Despite Hamlets knowledge of Denmarks issues, he begins to question everything the ghost has told him. Don't use plagiarized sources. For some, procrastination can be an occasional occurrence, and for others it has become a reoccurring habit. Hamlets Tragic Flaw is also his Hamartia which is his fatal flaw. Out of anger and frustration, Ophelias mind soon cracks into madness. (Claudius dies) (5.2.311-317). Roots of Hamlet's Procrastination and Intensity. Procrastination is an action or rather an inaction, because when you procrastinate, you are avoiding completing a task. Hamlet's procrastination: a study on his failure to act - StudyMoose All humans have at least one flaw in their life that they struggle with. Another argument is that Hamlet's melancholy (his father's death, his mother's remarriage, his loss of Ophelia in heart and mind, etc.) He prays of having a desire to repent and seek forgiveness, but he knows he cannot ever be fully forgiven for his sin against his brother, as he is unwilling to give up neither the crown nor the queen. No one knew who, or what the ghost wanted. Just before she passes, she exclaims No! He avoids his lover Ophelia., All of the evidence points to the ghost being a demon and not that of Hamlet's father.